Henry Yates

Henry Yates is a freelance journalist who has written about music for titles including The Guardian, Telegraph, NME, Classic Rock, Guitarist, Total Guitar and Metal Hammer. He is the author of Walter Trout's official biography, Rescued From Reality, a talking head on Times Radio and an interviewer who has spoken to Brian May, Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie Wood, Dave Grohl and many more. As a guitarist with three decades' experience, he mostly plays a Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul.

Articles by: Henry Yates

Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter on recutting his classics, mad-scientist modding and hustling Guitar Center for parts in the ‘70s

By Henry Yates published 8 August 22

The Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers legend sits down to share gear war stories, explain what makes a good session player, and discuss his first solo album, the brilliant Speed of Heat

Ida Mae’s Chris Turpin: “Most guitars are good for something. Even bad guitars can be fantastic because they force you to play a different way”

By Henry Yates published 28 July 22

The British folk-blues guitarist talks lost Teles, ugly SuperStrats and the gear treasure trove that is Norwich Cash Converters...

Joe Satriani onstage with his Marshall amps

Joe Satriani on his love of Marshall amps: “If there was ever an amp that makes you feel self-conscious yet emboldens you to play like a giant, it’s a Marshall”

By Henry Yates published 11 July 22

The virtuoso on the sound that made him stop in his tracks – and also realize that there was no hiding place at high volume

Andy Summers: “The Every Breath You Take riff has become a kind of immortal guitar part that all guitar players have to learn”

By Henry Yates published 7 July 22

The Police guitarist takes a trip down memory lane, opening up on how the band found their sound, being too good for punk, and why the creative tension was something to be embraced

Joe Satriani: “I’m not trying to sell myself as a guitar technician. I write songs because I want them to become the soundtrack to people’s lives”

By Henry Yates published 6 April 22

Returning with The Elephants of Mars, the virtuoso king tells us about turning his back on amps, winging it on sitar and what he really thinks of Steve Vai’s triple-neck Hydra guitar

Joey Santiago: “The non-traditional sounds I get are just the way I attack the guitar. When we play Vamos, I’ll hit my amps, bite my strings – I just go bananas”

By Henry Yates published 23 March 22

The Pixies guitarist reflects on a career that shaped the direction of alt-rock, and a playing style inspired by the most primitive tools in the toolbox

Bernard Butler: “The best thing about a Tele is that when you bash them, they look even better. You don’t say that about the 355!”

By Henry Yates, Jamie Dickson published 24 February 22

As the Brit-rock guitarist releases a reimagined take on his 1998 solo debut, People Move On, he revisits the no-expenses-spared sessions, the vintage guitars and the ambition in the air

Kiefer Sutherland: “The closest Jack Bauer ever would have been to a guitar was smashing it over someone’s head”

By Henry Yates published 17 February 22

The Hollywood star and acclaimed singer-songwriter talks broken hearts, modded Teles, pawning presents for guitar money, and how hopefulness informs new album Bloor Street

Carlos Santana: “When I play guitar, I’m a kid with a first-class ticket to Disneyland, and I can go on any ride I want”

By Henry Yates published 30 November 21

As the guitar god returns with a new all-star collaboration album, Blessings and Miracles, he joins us to talk Strats, snakes, improv and acid…

Jimmie Vaughan: “There’s nothing as cool as a Stratocaster. It’s like the coolest car you’ve ever seen”

By Henry Yates published 16 November 21

The blues stalwart takes a trip down memory lane to talk about the day the blues came calling, the genius of his younger brother, and swapping wah pedals with Jimi Hendrix

Brian Setzer: “For guitar players, rockabilly is the best music you can play. You can do anything with it – you can inject jazz, country, blues into that style”

By Henry Yates published 10 November 21

The rockabilly icon talks hot-rods, Gretsch, the importance of looking after your hearing, and explains why rockabilly requires a different skill-set from your traditional rock player

KT Tunstall: "Busking was the key factor in learning how to be a rhythm guitarist. It made me transfer to steel-string with a pick"

By Henry Yates published 26 October 21

The Scottish singer-songwriter on how the early '50s rock 'n' rollers set the bar for rhythm guitar, playing hard, and why the looper is a mainstay on her pedalboard

Joan Armatrading: "When Mark Knopfler wrote Money For Nothing, he knew it was a hit. As the creator, if you don’t know, you need to do something different"

By Jamie Dickson, Henry Yates published 18 October 21

The legendary singer-songwriter on her approach to her craft, the importance of letting the song choose the instrumentation and why she can't put the guitar down

Teenage Fanclub on the art of constructing solos, emulating Robert Fripp, and the pursuit of tone

By Jamie Dickson, Henry Yates published 12 October 21

On Endless Arcade, Scotland's finest contemplate life, mortality and all in between. “Everything is going to fall apart but it’s not so bad,” says McGinley

Yngwie Malmsteen: "There are two man-made objects you’re gonna see from space: the Great Wall of China and my wall of Marshalls. My road crew hates me!"

By Henry Yates published 23 September 21

The shred master reflects on some of his career highlights in his own words, and offers a lesson in why you should never put the whole band in first class on a long-haul flight

Yngwie Malmsteen: "I got all the Strats. Gibsons, too. But I just keep going back to the signature gear because that’s the sound I’m looking for"

By Henry Yates, Jonathan Horsley published 31 August 21

The shred god on the passion, violence and Latin behind new album, Parabellum

The 50 greatest guitar riffs of all time

By Amit Sharma, Jonny Scaramanga, Ellie Rogers, Grant Moon, Jonathan Horsley, Sian Llewellyn, Henry Yates, Matt Frost, Joel McIver published 10 August 21

From metal to rock, punk to grunge, these are the best guitar riffs ever recorded, as voted for by you

The Black Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson unpack the story behind their timeless debut, Shake Your Money Maker

By Henry Yates published 7 May 21

How the brothers' combustible creative kinship spawned a rock 'n' roll guitar classic

Todd Rundgren: “I reached a point with my technique where I said, ‘I don’t want to play faster than I can listen’“

By Henry Yates published 26 April 21

The legendary guitarist and producer reflects on his prolific and stellar career

Jon Gomm: “It doesn’t matter how crazy your technique is, the hardest thing is always playing in time and in tune“

By Henry Yates published 14 April 21

The maestro returns with new music that healed him in hard times and reflects on his status as one of today's leading percussive guitarists

Lari Basilio: “My plan with the Ibanez LB1 was to make an electric guitar that could do it all“

By Henry Yates published 13 April 21

The Brazil-born virtuoso guides us through her new signature model, from tonewood exotica to working with Seymour Duncan, and that lipstick-inspired finish

Eddie Van Halen 1955-2020: a visionary virtuoso who rewrote the rules of electric guitar

By Henry Yates published 14 December 20

An all-star line-up remembers the life, times and exploits of the player who raised the bar and reinvented the electric guitar

Tom Morello: “Trust me, there are plenty of new guitar sounds still to discover. I guarantee you that“

By Henry Yates published 1 December 20

Rage Against the Machine's six-string revolutionary looks back at his life and career in his own words

Larkin Poe: “Be tenacious. If you really want to learn how to write good songs, you gotta do it and do it again“

By Henry Yates, Jamie Dickson published 19 October 20

Megan and Rebecca Lovell on the roots scene, the importance of writing bad songs and rock ’n’ roll’s post-pandemic fightback

Dion DiMucci: "Blues is a tradition. But it’s a living tradition. It’s not dead. It’s a handing-down and passing-on"

By Henry Yates published 1 October 20

The blues survivor talks touring with Buddy Holly, meeting Howlin' Wolf, and his star-studded new album, Blues With Friends