Jim Beaugez

Jim Beaugez has written about music for Rolling Stone, Smithsonian, Guitar World, Guitar Player (opens in new tab) and many other publications. He created My Life in Five Riffs (opens in new tab), a multimedia documentary series for Guitar Player that traces contemporary artists back to their sources of inspiration, and previously spent a decade in the musical instruments industry.

Articles by: Jim Beaugez

Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek on the tunings, techniques and gear behind their expansive indie-rock sound

By Jim Beaugez published 30 May 22

The most compelling guitar duo in contemporary indie unpack the complementary styles that make Big Thief's latest album such a life-affirming work

Joe Satriani: “There's got to be 100 guitar players out there who I love watching every day because they do things I could never do”

By Jim Beaugez published 6 May 22

How Satch's search for a “new standard” for instrumental guitar albums resulted in The Elephants of Mars, an album recorded without creative barriers – or physical amplifiers

Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer: “I try to keep the chords as simple as possible and push things in the layering”

By Jim Beaugez published 30 March 22

How the Canadian seven-stringer struck a balance between brutal riffs and ambient bliss on the acclaimed metal outfit's debut album, Eternal Blue

Buffalo Nichols performs at the Ryman Auditorium on October 04, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Buffalo Nichols: “As a teenager, I was more into metal and punk. Skip James always felt heavy and haunting, and I connected with metal in that same way”

By Jim Beaugez published 15 March 22

The folk-blues artist digs deep on his Fat Possum debut, eschewing standard tuning for a fingerstyle approach informed by the Bentonia, Mississippi blues set

Turnstile’s Brady Ebert and Pat McCrory on why huge guitar groove is front and center of their hardcore punk sound

By Jim Beaugez published 23 February 22

Glow On sees the Baltimore quintet take their metal-influenced punk into new, thrilling directions and is animated by a fierce rhythm guitar tone

Mikaiah Lei: “I literally got to punch an amp. Nobody in the studio yelled at me”

By Jim Beaugez published 10 February 22

Lei on how he treats his amps mean to make his semi-hollow Silvertone 1475 howl on the Bots’ latest album, 2 Seater

Brian Baker: “This whole journey is based on right place, right time and luck – I didn’t realize I was a professional musician until I’d been one for 20 years”

By Jim Beaugez published 24 January 22

The Bad Religion guitarist and bona fide punk legend talks vintage guitars, new band Fake Names, and that time he jammed with Carlos Santana when he was just 12 years old

Illuminati Hotties’ Sarah Tudzin: “I always feel like I’m playing in the sandbox when I’m making music with a guitar”

By Jim Beaugez published 19 January 22

The in-demand engineer and guitarist talks songwriting and the secrets behind her tone on the Los Angeles rockers’ new album, Let Me Do One More

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: "There’s a lot wrong with the blues genre right now – a lot of people don’t think about the history and the significance of the actual culture"

By Jim Beaugez published 13 October 21

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: “Touring with Buddy Guy made me want to brush up on my showmanship. Because he’s a showman”

Dave Hause on stripping back his sound and paying tribute to the Dillinger Four

By Jim Beaugez published 13 August 21

The working class hero and former Loved Ones frontman digs into his roots on his new EPs, Patty and Paddy

Meet Kenny Brown, the greatest of the Hill Country blues sidemen

By Jim Beaugez published 30 July 21

The 68-year-old guitarist has been there, done that, and is steeped in Mississippi Hill Country blues. This is his story...

Dan Auerbach: “That reckless abandon when we play was learned from people like Kenny Brown... that’s why we can go and improvise a record together“

By Jim Beaugez published 15 July 21

Auerbach goes to the source of Mississippi hill country blues and enlists guitarist Kenny Brown, R.L. Burnside’s right-hand man, for The Black Keys’ new collection of blues standards

5 highlights from the weekend's star-studded B.B. King Museum celebration

By Jim Beaugez published 8 June 21

Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Gary Clark Jr. and more paid tribute to the King of the Blues in Indianola, Mississippi

Garcia Peoples walk us through their Tweed-powered, triple-guitar indie-rock attack

By Jim Beaugez published 12 May 21

It's amazing what three guitarists, a bunch of effects and a little improvisation can do...

Téa Campbell on how layered melodies and lots of guitar made Meet Me @ The Altar‘s energetic brand of pop-punk take off

By Jim Beaugez published 12 April 21

The Reverend-toting six-stringer discusses the challenges of interstate collaboration, starting out early, and learning by music video

Ian MacKaye: ”I probably should have been a horn player. I always hear horns, melodic lines, and try them with guitar”

By Jim Beaugez published 26 November 20

The Fugazi punk trailblazer reflects on a change of sounds, change of amps, and the influence of Jimi Hendrix

1
View Archive