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Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor, and his non-Pulitzer-Prize-winning stories have appeared in Guitar Aficionado, Vintage Guitar, Total Guitar and countless other publications. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton and Ty Tabor chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums (one of which appears in the 2015 Disney film 'Tomorrowland' starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson). He's now in two NYC-area bands and plays Teles with four-way switches, B-benders and snazzy aftermarket pickups.

Articles by: Damian Fanelli

Wolfgang Van Halen, the year's best gear and 2023's guitarists of the year – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 1 December 23

Plus! The year's biggest and wildest guitar news, a transcription of Jeff Beck's final masterpiece, Dethklok, Buzzcocks, Paul Stanley's son and more!

(from left) Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon perform at the Saville Theatre in London in 1968

“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear. It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it – it’s a genuine Beatles recording”: The final Beatles song, Now and Then, has been released at last – but is it any good?

By Jackson Maxwell published 2 November 23

Built from a John Lennon demo, Now and Then features newly recorded contributions from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, with additional guitar work from the late George Harrison

Why Jimi Hendrix matters now more than ever – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 1 November 23

Plus! The Rolling Stones, the amazing Mr. Jimmy, Baroness, Trevor Rabin, Steve Lukather, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Mateus Asato, the Velvet Underground's John Cale & more

Joe Perry and Brad Whitford dissect Aerosmith's wild 50-year ride – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 4 October 23

GW and Warren Haynes choose the late Robbie Robertson's essential tracks, plus K.K. Downing, the Mars Volta, the Hives, King Gizzard and more

The total '90s immersion experience you didn't know you needed – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 8 September 23

Featuring fresh input from Kim Thayil, Dave Mustaine, Vernon Reid, Marc Ford, Marty Friedman, K.K. Downing, Andy Bell, Steve Stevens, Art Alexakis and more, more, more!

American musician Stevie Ray Vaughan plays guitar as he performs onstage at the Fireside Bowl, Chicago, Illinois, February 17, 1984.

“He completely floored me. I hadn’t been so gung-ho about a guitar player since Jeff Beck”: How David Bowie helped launch Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career – and why their joint tour was canceled at the last minute

By Damian Fanelli published 28 August 23

Bowie’s Let’s Dance album introduced the future blues icon to the world. The pair were slated to perform together in support of the record, but SRV never got on the tour bus…

Stanley Jordan performs onstage, with two guitars

Steve Hackett called him “probably the most proficient tapper out there”: Watch underrated tapping genius Stanley Jordan apply his masterful technique to Stairway to Heaven – on two guitars at once

By Jackson Maxwell published 11 August 23

The visionary virtuoso put a jazzy and classical spin on a technique most often associated with hard-rock, and applied it to a bold reimagining of the Led Zeppelin classic

Nikki Sixx, John 5 and the ongoing Mötley Crüe brouhaha – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 9 August 23

Plus! Buddy Guy, Nita Strauss, Oingo Boingo, In Flames, Drug Church, Dirty Honey, bluegrass shredders and a new Pink Floyd-style arrangement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

Sophie Lloyd adorns the cover of Guitar World's September 2023 issue

Sophie Lloyd on the pros and cons of being 2023's reigning shred queen – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 11 July 23

Also featuring new interviews with Vito Bratta, Warren Haynes and Jake Kiszka, plus Sevendust, Opeth, Dirty Honey, and a review of the new Boss SDE-3000 EVH Dual Digital Delay

The Rise of Nuno Bettencourt, fully transcribed – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 14 June 23

Plus! Win a Washburn N4-Nuno Vintage USA guitar!

Inside Zakk Wylde's heartfelt celebration of Pantera's Dimebag Darrell – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 17 May 23

Plus! Neil Giraldo, the history of Aria Guitars, why Joe Bonamassa loves '54 Strats, Jesus Piece, Ally Venable, the life and times of Zal Yanovsky, a fuzz fiesta and more

Stevie Ray Vaughan (left) and Albert King perform on television in 1983

Watch Albert King reunite, jam with Stevie Ray Vaughan in 1983: “There's a lot of guitar players that just play fast, they don't concentrate on soul – but you got ’em both”

By Damian Fanelli published 25 April 23

See King wrap his head around the (then up-and-coming) talent of SRV – a player he first knew as ‘Little Stevie’ – in a blues jam for the ages

Everything you need to know about Metallica's scorching new album – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 18 April 23

Plus! Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton, Steel Panther, Paul Gilbert does Dio, Chris Holmes, the top 10 tools for every gig and tributes to Gary Rossington and David Lindley

The pedals that the world's greatest guitarists can't live without – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 21 March 23

Plus! Periphery, Huey Lewis guitar great Chris Hayes, Nova Twins, Tom Verlaine, Vinnie Moore, Obituary, Slade's Noddy Holder, the Sweet's Andy Scott and more, more, more!

An unpublished Jeff Beck interview and his 10 favorite guitars (with rare photos) – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 21 February 23

Plus! Dave Mustaine talks Metallica and John Fogerty recounts his Creedence Clearwater Revival-era gear

The 50 greatest moments in electric guitar history – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 26 January 23

Plus! The truth about gear acquisition syndrome, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Mercyful Fate, Arch Enemy, the Kinks and more

Jeff Beck's 13 best studio guest appearances

By Damian Fanelli published 12 January 23

From studio sessions with Ozzy Osbourne all the way to a surprising reggae run-out with Toots & The Maytals, here are 50-plus years' worth of Beck's greatest collaborative credits

Beatles tone blowout, Arch Enemy and Marcus King – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 27 December 22

Plus! Wings guitarist Denny Laine revisits Red Rose Speedway and Band on the Run, our headless guitar roundup, a new lesson by Joe Bonamassa and more

February 2023 Guitar World lesson videos

By Damian Fanelli published 20 December 22

Wolfgang Van Halen, Nita Strauss and the absolute best of 2022 – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 30 November 22

Plus! The year's biggest guitar news, best new gear, our picks for guitarist of the year, the future of EVH Gear, Orianthi, Jason Richardson and much more!

George Harrison performs at the Prince's Trust on June 5, 1987 at Wembley Arena in London

George Harrison's 15 greatest guitar moments after The Beatles

By Damian Fanelli published 29 November 22

Following the breakup of the Beatles, Harrison invented an entirely new, distinctive, and often-imitated guitar persona for himself. Revisit the finest of those post-Beatles six-string moments

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) performs onstage at the Monterey Pop Festival on June 18, 1967 in Monterey, California.

The 10 best covers of Jimi Hendrix songs

By Josh Hart published 24 November 22

A good Hendrix cover is a rarity, so we've taken it upon ourselves to compile the 10 greatest takes on Hendrix classics

Måneskin – plus SRV, Dimebag and the 30 greatest Texas guitarists of all time – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published 3 November 22

Plus! John Petrucci goes solo, GA-20's massive blues, Dead Cross, a new Dimebag lesson, Steve Miller and more

Holiday 2022 Guitar World lesson videos

By Damian Fanelli published 26 October 22

The Gibson ES-345 Marty McFly played in Back to the Future was actually from the future

By Damian Fanelli published 21 October 22

In the 1985 blockbuster, Marty McFly travels back in the time to 1955 to shred faces at a high school dance – but the Gibson ES-345 wasn't introduced until 1958...

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