“If I overplayed behind a singer, there’d be a guy waiting for me with a knife!” Marcus Miller looks back on his 2008 solo effort, Marcus By Chris Jisi published 9 May 24 Always in demand, Marcus Miller looks back on his 2008 solo effort, Marcus
“My guitar’s meant to be sacrificed”: How Isaac Hale invented the “hell tone” for Knocked Loose’s scariest album yet By Phil Weller published 9 May 24 Sticking with drop A and passive pickups, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed sees Hale push his chain to its limit via a prototype Überschall amp – and he’s seeing the music reach unsuspecting new listeners
Best reverb pedals 2024: from spring to shimmer, our pick of the best reverb effects for your pedalboard By Michael Astley-Brown last updated 9 May 24 Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget
Steve Hackett on his Genesis era claustrophobia and why he recorded with a Brian May Red Special By David Mead published 9 May 24 The British guitar icon discusses the tones and techniques behind new album The Circus And The Nightwhale – and reflects on the ’what-ifs’ of his time with prog greats Genesis
Listen to Stuart Zender’s isolated bassline on Jamiroquai's Virtual Insanity By Chris Jisi published 9 May 24 Stuart Zender made an audacious statement with this killer bassline from Jamiroquai’s Traveling Without Moving
Phil Collen on how Def Leppard accidentally reinvented rock guitar on classic album Pyromania By Jenna Scaramanga published 9 May 24 Pyromania is 40 years young this year is still fresh as a daisy. Collen explains how tones, solos, Mutt Lange and the art of recording one string at a time forged a pivotal moment in rock
Exercises for bass: 5 ways to improve your bass guitar technique By Nick Wells published 9 May 24 Whether you're a beginner or a pro, these 5 finger exercises will help all areas of your bass playing – from fret work and picking to ear training and theory
“We don’t rely on fretboard technique”: BIG|BRAVE conjure some of today’s most thrilling guitar tones By Dan Bradley published 8 May 24 A Chaos of Flowers finds the Canadian trio broadening their otherworldly sound as they look forward to “dismantling the little boys’ club” of heavy music. But try as they might, they can’t turn down the volume – this is vital guitar music made to be performed loud
Boss Katana:Go vs Fender Mustang Micro: which headphone amp is right for you? By Daryl Robertson published 8 May 24 Two of the world's most popular headphone amps go head to head to see who comes out on top
“I’m never going to out-do Yngwie”: Richie Faulkner on Priest’s new album and why he’s no shredder By Amit Sharma published 8 May 24 Judas Priest's Invincible Shield finds the British metal institution surviving against the odds. Its very own bionic man Richie Faulkner gives us the guitar POV on a venerable work of British steel
“Paul said he’d do anything to make it happen”: Herman Li on his switch to PRS By Amit Sharma published 8 May 24 Paul Reed Smith wanted to do something but I had to explain it was my dream as a kid to have an Ibanez signature. Paul said he’d do anything to make it happen
Adrian Belew on how King Crimson made an underrated prog classic in “this industrial musical junkyard we created” By Ryan Reed published 8 May 24 Adrian Belew reveals what went on behind the scenes during the making of the band’s dual-personality 10th album, Three of a Perfect Pair – the final studio release from the Fripp/Belew/Levin/Bruford crew
Mark Knopfler on the guitars he couldn't bear to part with, and the six-strings that surprised him on One Deep River By Jamie Dickson published 7 May 24 On the back of his stirring new album, the guitar icon discusses the primacy of songwriting, and how his relationship with the instrument has changed
Meet 9 of Fender’s most elusive offset guitars By Jamie Dickson published 7 May 24 From Fender Japan exclusives to mid-’60s unicorns, and a 1958 Sparkle Sunburst Jazzmaster that’s a holy grail in anyone’s book…
Jakob Nowell, son of Sublime’s Bradley, uses late dad’s custom guitar to reunite the band By Andrew Daly published 7 May 24 Jakob Nowell doesn’t sing or play like his father, and spent years trying to avoid riding his coattails – but he’s determined to get the reactivation of the ’90s punk-rock icons right, and in his own way
No Doubt’s Tom Dumont names 10 guitarists (and one genre) that shaped his sound By Gregory Adams published 7 May 24 The No Doubt and Dreamcar guitarist attempted two Rush songs at a seventh-grade talent show, chunked up on Black Sabbath and later named his son after Ace Frehley – but reggae got deepest into his heart
Lou Reed once recorded an avant-garde album consisting solely of guitar feedback By Janelle Borg published 7 May 24 Metal Music Machine nearly cost Reed his reputation… over the years, it became a source of inspiration for Sonic Youth and Neil Young
The Clash's Paul Simonon reflects on that iconic London Calling moment By Nick Wells published 7 May 24 Paul Simonon smashed his Fender P-Bass during a concert at New York’s Palladium on September 20th, 1979
Blondie’s Chris Stein talks folk and jazz influences, fighting with early effects, and his MIDI future By Joe Matera published 6 May 24 The co-founder of one the most beloved bands of the '70s and '80s recalls taking advantage of the time when they could go crazy in the studio, the one guitar he wishes he’d never sold, and another that you’ll recognize if you own it
“It was really, really difficult”: Alex Lifeson looks back on Rush's classic album, Grace Under Pressure By Richard Bienstock published 6 May 24 Recorded during a brutal winter, Grace Under Pressure did not come easy, but all things considered, Lifeson can look back on it as a triumph. Rush had moved on, and that was the goal...