Features

How a new recruit turned Swedish adventure rockers Hällas into a band of gearheads

By Phil Weller published 20 March 26

The latest addition to the ever-quirky prog outfit's lineup, guitarist Rickard Swahn made an impact at his first rehearsal among worn-out frets, weird pickup choices, and crumbling amps – and saved a song that was too Mark Knopfler for them

Warren Haynes remembers B.B. King – from being in awe to playing with him

By Henry Yates published 20 March 26

Haynes was one of the many guitar greats whose lives have been changed by B.B. King, and thanks to Joe Bonamassa, he got to pay tribute to him on the song he would have chosen himself

Varials’ Shane Lyons believes the band's new album is an “ear assault” that defines their pummeling sound

By Damon Orion published 19 March 26

The Philly metalcore gearhead discusses his favorite toys, the balance between groove and brutality, making his guitar sound like it’s not a guitar – and the pedal that’s most underused in his genre

The magical mystery of the $1.3m Gretsch that might have recorded a Beatles classic

By Jamie Dickson published 19 March 26

Amelia Walker of Christie's takes us behind the scenes at the Jim Irsay auction to look at the 1963 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins that was rumored to have been used on Paperback Writer

Francis Rossi on the Status Quo groove, Kempers, and his relationship with the late Rick Parfitt

By Henry Yates published 18 March 26

The Quo’s motormouthed frontman had no intention of releasing a new solo album. But with The Accidental, Francis Rossi tells us he’s stumbled across his best work yet

I attended the biggest guitar auction in history – and witnessed a new dawn in the value of the instrument

By Jackson Maxwell published 18 March 26

The monumental bidding wars that took place on the first night of the Jim Irsay Collection auction at Christie’s New York were a testament to the power of the instrument and the aura of the classic rock gods, and left attendees spellbound

How bassist Eva Gardner landed the gig with Pink

By Nick Wells published 18 March 26

The daughter of Creation bassist Kim Gardner, Eva Gardner was also a member of The Mars Volta

I’m a drummer. You guitarists have made me hate being in bands

By Martin Kielty published 18 March 26

Your noodling, new toys, bad cables, and blasé attitude to learning songs is turning me into a rehearsal-hating retiree. But there’s hope for you yet…

John Lennon’s ’64 Rickenbacker is officially a $1.3m guitar – but it was originally a replacement for a Beatles live show

By Jamie Dickson published 18 March 26

This stunning stand-in Ricky was owned by both John Lennon and Ringo Starr in its time, and was one of the big sales in the Jim Irsay auction at Christie’s

George Harrison’s 1964 Gibson SG Standard is officially part of the multi-million dollar guitar club – but as a piece of Beatles history it’s priceless

By Jamie Dickson published 17 March 26

Sold at auction for $2,271,000, Harrison’s SG is one of the most significant Beatles guitars