Henry Yates

The life and times of Ralph Towner, the endlessly curious frontiersman of acoustic jazz

By Henry Yates published 20 April 26

Taking influence from Indian classical, Brazilian bossa nova and beyond, this late jazz master’s touch and vision equalled anyone on the fusion scene

The life and times of B.B. King

By Henry Yates published 17 April 26

To celebrate the King of the Blues' centenary, we rewind the reels of a life story that’s equal parts pain and redemption…

Ziggy Marley on what he learned from his dad, why the guitar can be a weapon, and how music can still change the world

By Henry Yates published 14 April 26

Returning with a powerful new album, the Grammy-winning bandleader reflects on fighting racism through music, his father’s “dangerous” licks, and the “higher vibrations” of recording at 432Hz

The story of the Prince’s underrated 1986 classic – and the lip-smacking hit single that scared his record label

By Henry Yates published 13 April 26

Parade is the Prince and the Revolution album that time forgot – and the critics panned. But it’s time for a reappraisal...

The unsung 1986 album that inspired the ’90s Britpop boom

By Henry Yates published 5 April 26

The big-name fans. The studio where the Smiths tracked The Queen Is Dead. The bird that got caught in the control room. This is the story of the Chameleons’ Stranger Times

Bobby Rush salutes his old friend B.B. King

By David Mead published 4 April 26

In his own words, Rush reflects on the brilliance of B.B. and what he learned from the King of the Blues

Alt-rock icon Kim Gordon on the secret to making great music on bad guitars and why she never saw herself as a bassist

By Henry Yates published 3 April 26

Returning with solo album Play Me – a stinging broadside against the modern age – the alt-rock talisman remembers the bad guitars and renegade tunings of her ’80s breakout with Sonic Youth

Jimmie Vaughan was a garbage man listening to B.B. King. Then he wound up touring with his hero

By Henry Yates published 27 March 26

He once snuck into a B.B. King show aged 13. Now Jimmie Vaughan is part of Joe Bonamassa's all-star tribute to the King of the Blues – he explains how he approached tackling his hero's licks and what he learned from the master

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

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

Jason Isbell on the acoustic that was eons in the making and how a stolen guitar brought him into the Martin lineup

By Henry Yates published 16 March 26

Country star Jason Isbell has played Martins ever since he was bailed out by the company after his van was looted… And now he presents new signature models based on his rare pre-war 0-17

Noodling alone at home is fine. But you’ll never be a great guitar player unless you join a band

By Henry Yates published 12 March 26

Leaving the bedroom for the rehearsal room exposed my flaws and smashed my confidence. But if you can stick with it, you’ll have the best laugh of your life and supercharge your playing

Glenn Tilbrook on the resurrection of the Squeeze concept album that never was

By Henry Yates published 10 March 26

Demo’d in ’74, when their compositional skills wrote checks their chops couldn’t cash, Squeeze shelved Trixies for 52 years. Now, Tilbrook says he’s proud to pull this lost album from the time machine

Remembering the late Mick Abrahams, co-founder of Jethro Tull, purveyor of “good, honest music”

By Henry Yates published 6 March 26

A powerful, lyrical bluesman, the founding Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig guitarist always played music his way – even when it hurt his career

Joanne Shaw Taylor on her life-changing first meeting with the great B.B. King

By Henry Yates published 6 March 26

Joanne Shaw Taylor was just a young kid when she met B.B. King. Now she is paying tribute to the King of the Blues on Joe Bonamassa’s all-star album

Joe Bonamassa on his friendship with the ultimate bluesman, B.B. King – and paying the ultimate tribute

By David Mead published 4 March 26

B.B. King would have celebrated his 100th birthday in September last year. But when Joe Bonamassa discovered that the centenary was going almost unnoticed, he swung into action

How Europe’s John Norum learned to love The Final Countdown – and the guitar he used to track its iconic solo

By Henry Yates published 2 March 26

The Final Countdown is one of rock's evergreen anthems, but Norum admits he thought it was “dreadful” at first

He wrote chart-topping hits and a Christmas classic, but all he wanted to do was play slide blues – remembering Chris Rea

By Henry Yates published 2 March 26

A slide master with a voice like life, the English bluesman hated the spotlight – and deserves notice beyond his perennial Christmas hit

From sleeping in tents to Woodstock, rock ’n’ roll's ‘Forrest Gump’ Leo Lyons shares the story of Ten Years After

By Henry Yates published 16 February 26

The Ten Years After bassist survived Hamburg’s Star-Club, sparked the blues boom, achieved immortality at Woodstock – and is still going strong at 82. “Music,” he says, “it’s a drug…”

Inside the (literally) blistering sound of British alt-rock’s cultest heroes, The Wedding Present

By Henry Yates published 10 February 26

With a refreshed lineup, a new EP, and a boxset documenting the band's storied career, The Wedding Present founder/frontman Gedge and new guitarist Wood tell us why they're not afraid to bleed for their art – but they're not superglueing the wounds together