
Janelle Borg
Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.
Latest articles by Janelle Borg

Fender adds new period-accurate Stratocaster and Telecaster to its American Vintage II roster – plus stunning new finishes for existing models
By Janelle Borg published
The new models continue to honor the series' ethos of producing the highest-quality, period-accurate guitars from Fender's golden years of craftsmanship

Scott Ian on going from a lifelong Black Sabbath fan to playing their final show thanks to Tom Morello
By Janelle Borg published
The Anthrax co-founder teases what we can expect from this July's heavy metal extravaganza

Ace Frehley sets the record straight on his multiple departures from Kiss
By Janelle Borg published
Frehley has dispelled the decades-long rumors that he was fired from the legendary band

John Fogerty deploys Eddie Van Halen-style two-hand tapping on an Ibanez RG in unlikely guitar practice video
By Janelle Borg published
Even veteran guitarists have to keep their chops up

Willow Smith reveals the unassuming album – and actor – that inspired her to pick up the guitar
By Janelle Borg published
The actor's sole studio album to date – which takes a very DIY and low-key approach – captured Smith's imagination, so much so that she decided to fully dive deep into all things guitars

Peter Frampton called Grace Bowers his favorite new guitarist. Now they’ve collaborated on a Beatles classic with Trey Anastasio
By Janelle Borg published
The three guitarists delivered a masterclass in soloing on this 10-minute-plus rendition

La Luz’s triumph over tragedy is testament to Shana Cleveland’s singular determination – and her unending love of Strats
By Janelle Borg last updated
From La Luz's surf noir beginnings to dark psychedelia, Shana Cleveland has been there through it all. She describes her early fascination with grunge and Seattle's music scene, the pivotal moment of discovering a Japanese instrumental rock icon, and how struggle can forge great art

After playing Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown, Monica Barbaro claims she is a guitar player for life
By Janelle Borg published
After learning the instrument for the once-in-a-lifetime role, Barbaro is now taking her guitar journey beyond the screen and into her day-to-day life

Matchless Amplifiers and Bad Cat Amps luminary Mark Sampson has passed away
By Janelle Borg published
Sampson had recently returned to Bad Cat, and was even involved in launching the Era 30 tube amp at this year's NAMM

How Nathan East managed to make his bass sound like a guitar on these Kenny Loggins hits
By Janelle Borg published
East discloses the nifty technique that bassists can use in lieu of adding actual guitars to a track

February 2025 Guitar World Editors’ Picks
By Michael Astley-Brown published
A round-up of the best new guitar releases from the month of Feb, with new cuts from Sam Fender, Tash Sultana, Los Pirañas, and... Buddy Guy and Switchfoot?

Sting's longtime guitarist finds everything in the Police's catalog “playable,” but says this song is the band's most challenging to play
By Janelle Borg published
Dominic Miller also reveals whether there are any Police songs that prove tricky to recreate without the original lineup

Al Di Meola reveals why guitarists should focus on their feet to develop a great sense of rhythm
By Janelle Borg published
The fusion virtuoso discusses why the foot is key to anchoring a great sense of rhythm in any guitar player

Bill Corgan on the time Eddie Van Halen asked him to play guitar – during a Guitar World interview
By Janelle Borg published
Turns out EVH was impressed by the Smashing Pumpkins frontman's guitar skills

Thin Lizzy guitarist and Live Aid mastermind Midge Ure was asked to join the Sex Pistols – but he didn’t think twice about turning them down
By Janelle Borg published
Ure claims he was scouted for his look by Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and his punk co-conspirator (and later, the Clash manager) Bernard Rhodes

Karl Cochran, longtime Kiss and Joe Lynn Turner collaborator, has died aged 61
By Janelle Borg published
The guitarist wrote Into the Void alongside Ace Frehley, which appeared on Kiss' 1998's Psycho Circus, and toured extensively with Frehley, Turner, Eric Singer, Bob Daisley, and many others

Nuno Bettencourt says this 15-year-old blues player is in the league of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eddie Van Halen
By Janelle Borg published
The Extreme hero is betting on this young Australian guitarist after being blown away by his virtuosic performance

A Complete Unknown’s Monica Barbaro on how she went from never playing guitar to nailing Joan Baez's intricate fingerstyle technique
By Janelle Borg published
The actor reveals she had zero experience playing guitar before she landed the highly coveted role – and explains why the humble metronome was key to her learning-guitar-as-Baez journey

Statue of Motörhead legend Lemmy to be unveiled in his hometown this May
By Janelle Borg published
Lemmy's bronze tribute was sculpted by Andy Edwards – the artist behind the world-famous Beatles statue in Liverpool

Andrew Watt on the time Paul McCartney gave him a guitar lesson over tea
By Janelle Borg published
The super-producer also relays a secret Macca revealed about recording a classic Beatles track

Grace Bowers on moving past the blues guitarist label – and where she’s heading next
By Janelle Borg published
Bowers’ blues chops were the gateway to her making a mark on the guitar scene, but her album and live performances show that she’s much more than just a one-genre player

Nita Strauss looks back on the worst gig of her life – and what she learned from it
By Janelle Borg published
Every guitarist has to have a bad show at some point...

St. Vincent on the retro entry-level guitar that inspired her Ernie Ball Music Man signature model
By Janelle Borg published
St. Vincent's now-iconic signature model was inspired by a '60s offset that was sold at Sears
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