Latest articles by Henry Yates
Ozzy Osbourne couldn’t play guitar. Yet he changed the guitar world by introducing some of its greatest heroes
The late heavy-metal icon did not, could not, play guitar. Yet his contribution to the scene – whether giving a platform to fledgling gunslingers or igniting their talents – was inestimable
Mark Knopfler on why one of the Dire Straits' most iconic tracks hinges on this four-note guitar intro
The Dire Straits guitarist reflects on the songwriting process of some of the band’s classic tracks
Chris Turpin on teaming up with Greta Van Fleet’s Jake Kiszka for Mirador and the unplanned magic of rock
The Ida Mae guitarist isn't even sure what to call Mirador, but with some tone mojo from cranked half-stacks and Jake Kiszka’s raw, effervescent energy, they've got something good going on
Remembering Rick Derringer: the maverick who brought the fire to Johnny Winter’s band
The Ohio guitarist was one of rock’s most adaptable talents and had the production skills to go with his playing
Mark Knopfler on 40 years of Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms – the guitars, the riffs… the pressure of learning to play in time
From his lucky ’83 Les Paul and Fleetwood Mac-inspired soloing to “getting away with murder” at the sessions, the Dire Straits legend opens up in his most revealing interview in years
How Eurythmics legend Dave Stewart became friends with Bob Dylan – after what he thought was a prank call
Stewart was alone in the studio when he received a call from what he thought was prankster
How a Gypsy jazz guitarist came to play George Harrison’s iconic Beatles guitars on a new tribute album
Recorded in Harrison’s home studio using his most famous instruments, Robin Nolan’s Gypsy jazz covers reimagine the quiet Beatle’s best moments – and finally completes Harrison’s ‘lost’ song…
How Gibson brought relic’d finishes to its iconic acoustic guitars with the Murphy Lab
Senior product development manager, Robi Johns, tells us why playing Gibson’s new Heavy Aged Acoustic Collection is like stepping into a time machine
Scott Gorham on the future of Thin Lizzy – and how the late John Sykes gave them thunder when they needed it most
Gorham remembers John Sykes, the player who stepped in and stepped up, breathing new life into Thin Lizzy with the super hard rock sound of his Les Paul Custom
Mark Knopfler on the treasured Gibson he received as a gift from a rock hero – which became his studio go-to
Last year, Knopfler parted ways with 120 of his prized instruments for charity, including much of the Brothers in Arms gear
Mark Knopfler on why he doesn't consider himself a “guitar god” – and the ones in the industry who deserve that title
40 years after the release of the Dire Straits’ seminal album, Brothers in Arms, Knopfler reflects on that game-changing period and why he was always a reluctant rock star
Scott Gorham on how his guitar partnership with Gary Moore came to a dramatic end
The Belfast-born virtuoso brought blues-rock fireworks to Thin Lizzy's sound and a muscular foil for Gorham who was always trying something different
![Scott Gorham [right] and Brian Robertson of Thin Lizzy, long-haired, playing Les Pauls onstage with the legendary Irish rock institution in 1978](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NRYL34jkDSxxFnJfiiczc7-840-80.jpg.webp)
Scott Gorham on his partnership with Brian Robertson and how Thin Lizzy nearly split up over a beard
The years 1974 to '78 were good times for Thin Lizzy creatively, with the twin-guitar dynamite of Robertson and Gorham in the engine room. But they weren't half volatile...
How Gibson’s Murphy Lab acoustics managed to fool Peter Frampton
The relic’ing masters, led by Tom Murphy, entered the acoustic guitar space in 2023 – and have since gained fans among even the top guitar players
Scott Gorham may have passed his Thin Lizzy audition – but his budget Les Paul copy certainly didn’t
The Irish rockers finally found their man after auditioning 24 hopefuls when Gorham turned up for his turn – but Phil Lynott was left underwhelmed by his choice of instrument
Lita Ford on the only amp she ever returned, and why she didn't ask for her stolen Mockingbird back
The rock icon talks all things gear, like that time she lied about her age so she could earn money for an SG, Neal Moser's badass B.C. Rich custom jobs, and why she returned a Kerry King Marshall
Scott Gorham doesn’t rule out a future for Thin Lizzy – but he’s biding his time to find the perfect guitar foil
Lizzy’s most faithful guitarist, Scott Gorham, has left the door open for a potential return of the iconic band – but only under the right circumstances
Scott Gorham recalls his nerve-racking Thin Lizzy audition – and his first impressions of Brian Robertson
Back in 1974, Thin Lizzy were auditioning a second guitarist to accompany their newest recruit: the 18-year-old Les Paul-wielding Brian Robertson
Jerry Harrison on the outtakes and off-brand inspirations behind Talking Heads’ Little Creatures
If 1985's Little Creatures brought an Americana flavor to the Talking Heads, MTV brought commercial success. Harrison reflects on an art-rock classic and explains why the pressure was fun
Andy Summers on the stylistic clashes and unexpected successes of his ‘80s collab with Robert Fripp
As Summers’ and Fripp’s avant-garde albums of the 80s are reissued, we hear all about how the side-project came to be – and whether it could happen again
Lita Ford had her prized Mockingbird stolen – but crossed paths with it in the most bizarre circumstances
Ford was briefly reacquainted with her beloved Mockingbird when an auditionee rocked up to her studio with her stolen guitar
Jerry Harrison on Talking Heads 1977 debut, the spirit of CBGB and Lou Reed’s advice on “hairy arms”
Granting a rare interview to promote Talking Heads’ newly reissued debut album, the new wave pioneer holds forth on everything from the thrills of the CBGB scene to the perils of mimicking your heroes
Johnny Marr on the magic of his 7-string signature Martin – and his fight with capo addiction
Since he rose to glory in the mid-’80s with The Smiths, Marr has been the king of crystalline chime. Now, he reveals how his new M-7 Martin – complete with octave G string – puts that shimmer at your fingertips
Remembering John Sykes, the journeyman virtuoso who his mark on both Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake
Cruel timing and clashes with David Coverdale kept Sykes from rock’s super-league but he was a top-tier player with a sound all his own
How Andy Summers formed one of the 1980s’ most unlikely guitar partnerships with Robert Fripp – despite not being especially keen on some of his work
The worlds of stadium rock and prog came together for a time in the early 1980s, when The Police and King Crimson guitarists teamed up for a handful of avant-garde records
