Articles by Adam Kovac | Guitar World

Adam is a freelance writer whose work has appeared, aside from Guitar World, in Rolling Stone, Playboy, Esquire and VICE. He spent many years in bands you've never heard of before deciding to leave behind the financial uncertainty of rock'n roll for the lucrative life of journalism. He still finds time to recreate his dreams of stardom in his pop-punk tribute band, Finding Emo.

Articles by: Adam Kovac

“There are so many layers of Jimi that we didn’t see portrayed before”: Jimi Hendrix as a cosmic traveler and rock-star? We go inside the making of Purple Haze – the graphic novel reimagining guitar’s greatest player

By Adam Kovac published 15 August 24

In a new graphic novel, the guitarist is reinvented as a space traveler and political figure who happens to be the biggest rock star in the galaxy

“Every guitar is like an investment on the channel. People like seeing the guitar for the artist”: YouTube lesson guru Mr. Tabs doesn’t just play the part – he buys the right guitar for the part… and the right outfit, too

By Adam Kovac published 27 June 24

One of YouTube's most entertaining – and snappily dressed – teachers breaks cover, shows GW his face, and tells us what it's like to teach 700,000 subscribers

Have you injured yourself playing guitar? New study reveals that musculoskeletal injuries are not related to bad technique – but sadly might be unavoidable

By Adam Kovac published 19 September 23

The research proves that shredding can make your wrists and shoulders go ouchie, but is there anything we can do to prevent injury?

“Classical guitar is often about emulating other people, especially older generations – so I just wanted to do the wildest thing possible”: Marcin Patrzalek is reinventing the nylon-string for a new generation – and going viral while he’s at it

By Adam Kovac published 15 August 23

Meet the acoustic master who probably burns about 1,500 calories with each performance of Bach’s Toccata

Weird Al Yankovic guitarist Jim “Kimo” West on his love for Hawaiian music, the serious technique behind unserious parodies, and seeing himself onscreen

By Adam Kovac published 17 May 23

There are lives less ordinary and then there is West, who for decades has helped one of pop-culture's favorite stars reimagine everyone from Nirvana to Dire Straits

Pat Finnerty: “I knew millions of people were gonna get What Makes This Song Stink ’cause millions watch Rick Beato, and maybe 10% know how ridiculous this man is”

By Adam Kovac published 2 May 23

YouTube six-string prankster Pat Finnerty on the philosophy behind his hit show and how a spoof band of his own imagination grabbed the attention of Justin Hawkins

How Standards’ Marcos Mena is making shred guitar danceable: “The important thing is writing the hook first, then working in the other techniques”

By Adam Kovac published 24 February 23

Finally, some ultra-clean tapping riffs and complex chords you can dance (and marvel) to! Welcome to Fruit Town

How Laura Cox went from bedroom YouTuber to one of today's hardest-rocking touring guitarists

By Adam Kovac published 25 January 23

With her new album Head Above Water, the Les Paul-wrangling YouTuber turned festival favorite takes her career into her own hands and her sound to surprising new places

Billy Sheehan on why, 40 years on, it was time to bring Talas back and celebrate the triumphant year of 1985

By Adam Kovac published 23 January 23

“We played together again, and we had a riot”: the bass icon reflects on a band who were heirs to the '80s hard-rock and metal guitar throne and a comeback tinged with tragedy

Candlemass’s Leif Edling and Lars Johansson on the triumphant return of a metal institution: “You can’t kill us! We’re the cockroaches of epic doom metal!”

By Adam Kovac published 30 November 22

The Swedish doom pioneers’ epicus doomicus comebackicus is complete with Sweet Evil Sun, an album that took them to the brink as they searched for the balance between light and dark

Alexisonfire’s Wade MacNeil and Dallas Green on breaking their rules, guitar dynamics and the triumph of screamo

By Adam Kovac published 3 November 22

After 13 long years, the Canadian rock stalwarts return with new album Otherness – a change of direction or just a fresh spin on how they approach their songwriting?

Kirk Fletcher: “These days, the attention to detail on blues songwriting has been neglected in a lot of ways – and I wanted to address that”

By Adam Kovac published 14 October 22

The Nashville-based blues master explains why he isn’t afraid to add some II’s, III’s and VI’s to the tried-and-true I-IV-V on new album Heartache by the Pound

Malina Moye: “Your mindset is the most important thing on tour, starting from the plane ride to get to the bus“

By Adam Kovac published 8 March 22

Righteous touring tips from a lifelong warrior of the road

John 5: “It doesn’t matter if I’m in front of 500 people or 50,000. As long as I have a guitar in my hand, I’m super-psyched and it’s a good day”

By Adam Kovac published 10 January 22

The Tele-wielding virtuoso unpacks the story behind his new solo album, Sinner, and explains what everyone should do if they can't sample James Brown – get Dave Mustaine instead

Seth Lee Jones on the reinvention of electric blues and why he took guitar building into his own hands

By Adam Kovac published 11 November 21

He makes 'em, he plays 'em, and with his Tulsa-based trio, the luthier and slide-guitar whiz is looking to extend the catalog of blues standards

Naia Izumi: “The most important part isn’t about the chord voicing, it’s about the melody and bassline”

By Adam Kovac published 8 November 21

Three years after winning NPR's Tiny Desk Contest, the singer/guitarist is taking his decidedly unique voice – and chord voicings – to the big time

Jonathon Long: "I like to get crazy and shred, but in the studio, it needs to be clean and understandable"

By Adam Kovac published 8 November 21

Parables of a Southern Man sees the Louisiana-bred guitarist go from child prodigy to BB King opener to ace frontman

Danko Jones talks longevity, regrets and the evolution of his hard-rocking guitar tone

By Adam Kovac published 25 October 21

The Canadian rock stalwart returns with Power Trio, an album of no-holds-barred swagger and politically charged anthems

The Scottish pirate metal band Alestorm performs a live concert during the Danish heavy metal festival Copenhell 2018 in Copenhagen. Here guitarist Mate Bodor is seen live on stage.

Alestorm's Mate Bodor reveals what life is really like for a pirate metal band on the touring high seas

By Adam Kovac published 30 June 21

The guitarist details the band's high-energy approach to live performance, and whether their on-the-road lifestyle lives up to their lyrics

Blues powerhouse Christone “Kingfish” Ingram shares his top tips for touring as he returns to the road

By Adam Kovac published 22 June 21

The 22-year-old phenom on studying the masters, keeping your gear gig-ready, and why it always pays to listen to Mr. Guy

Tetrarch’s Diamond Rowe and Josh Fore on building a second wave of nu-metal with freak tones, high-gain amps and songs you can relate to

By Adam Kovac published 3 June 21

Tetrarch's new album, Unstable, is a vital and life-affirming throwback to the golden era of nu-metal

Shredding for dollars: how Fiverr is creating a marketplace for guitar playing

By Adam Kovac published 25 May 21

You can find pretty much any freelance service on the website/app, and that includes lead guitar

Two Minutes to Late Night: “Metal's not for everybody, but the show's an invitation for them to come and play in the metal sandbox”

By Adam Kovac published 15 April 21

Drew Kaufman and Jordan Olds – aka Gwarsenio Hall – wax lyrical on the origins of their YouTube-based heavy metal talk show, and how it's adapted as a result of Covid-19

The Commander in Chief: ”Metal was polarizing. People loved it or hated it. Classical music is the same – I get the same reaction”

By Adam Kovac published 14 April 21

This sedulous seven-stringer puts a completely new spin on classical-inspired guitar music

Hard-rock icon Doug Aldrich on his guitar chemistry with David Lowy, Glenn Hughes… and Lady Luck

By Adam Kovac published 5 April 21

The Dio/Whitesnake guitar-slinger discusses the importance of fortune and the inner workings of his new supergroup, the Dead Daisies

Adam Kovac

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