Latest articles by Joe Bosso
“It was obvious: John was the guy... we didn’t choose this, but since we had to be put in this position, we’re very happy with where we’re at”: Nikki Sixx opens up on the crisis talks to replace Mick Mars and how John 5 has re-energized Mötley Crüe
The Mötley Crüe bassist offers his own insight into the “horrible situation” that faced the Los Angeles rock stalwarts upon Mars’ departure, and how they rebuilt the band with the help of their hot-shot new guitarist
“Just like the Beatles or the Stones were for a lot of people, these songs have been in my head for as long as I can remember”: John 5 shares his Mötley Crüe story so far – and why he still can’t believe he’s landed his dream gig
He’s a top-billing guitar gun-for-hire who knew the entire Crüe catalog front to back – and that was before he got the call to replace Mick Mars. In this exclusive interview, John 5 reveals how it all went down, and what to expect from his future with the glam-metal mainstays
“Dimebag is one of my biggest inspirations for lead guitar. He always knew how to think outside the box”: Sophie Lloyd names 10 records that changed her life
The English shred superstar on how Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera and Joe Satriani opened her eyes to what can be done on guitar
“It was the classic sob story in school – I was a bit of an outcast and didn’t make friends. The guitar was my release and my escape”: Sophie Lloyd went from filming YouTube covers to touring arenas with Machine Gun Kelly – she recounts her meteoric rise
This is the British shredder’s story so far, from YouTube guitar sensation to Kiesel signature artist, Machine Gun Kelly’s virtuoso-in-chief, and solo artist collaborating with some of rock and metal’s biggest names
Rik Emmett: “If I wrote a pop tune, the guys wanted to make it heavy. I’d put more power chords in and Townshend it up. For a while, it worked”
The former Triumph guitarist looks back on the Canadian rock phenomenon, addresses those Rush comparisons, and reveals how they kept the Rock & Roll Machine running – until it ground to a halt
The Winery Dogs’ Richie Kotzen and Billy Sheehan talk improv, adrenaline, and the importance of balancing godly chops with songs
Yeah, they know they're good. But Sheehan and Kotzen's new Dogs album, III, makes the case for knowing where and when to unleash the fretboard pyro, and when to reference Motown
Neil Giraldo: “As much as I loved Jeff Beck, I never wanted to be him. I wanted to be Pete Townshend. I wanted to be the writer. I wanted to play chords”
Pat Benatar’s right-hand man (and husband) on how he wound up with Jeff Beck’s pickups, his singable guitar solos – and why being listed among the unsung greats ain’t so bad after all
George Benson on the time he met Jimi Hendrix, how Peter Frampton changed the course of his career and what Paul McCartney made of his Beatles tribute
One of the all-time jazz guitar greats on upsetting guitar companies, receiving praise from Frank Sinatra, and what it was really like working with Miles Davis
Huey Lewis and the News’ Chris Hayes: “Am I an unappreciated guitar hero? Probably. But that’s OK”
The guitarist whose stellar solos and riffs graced Huey Lewis and the News’ era-defining songs – including I Want a New Drug and The Power of Love – reflects on his storied career and drinking sessions with Stevie Ray Vaughan
Peter Dankelson on how guitar was shocked into his system by AC/DC, and why nothing was going to stop him playing
A bona-fide guitar fanatic, weaned on blues-rock, Dankelson has a band behind him, a high-octane EP, and a decision to make: enroll in college or go headlong into music
Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes recalls what happened when Blackie Lawless threw raw meat into the back of his amp
Though Holmes' guitars remained unscathed from Lawless's grim confetti substitute, the same can't be said for his guitar amp
Hannah Murphy: “There’s such intimacy in playing classical music by yourself. I could lose myself in it”
How Johann Kaspar Mertz, Frederico Moreno Torrobo and Manuel Ponce persuaded Murphy that her future lay with nylon strings instead of pop-punk and power chords
Swiss country ace Andrea Benz: “I was already playing the guitar as a hobby, but when I saw Brad Paisley, I said, ‘That’s what I’m going to do’”
Benz's debut album continues in the classic country tradition, with playing informed by Paisley, Brent Mason, Danny Gatton et al
Starcrawler’s Henri Cash on why he plays a three-string guitar: “I’m basically doing a Keith Richards thing without the top strings”
With just three strings and a lot of attitude, Cash's guitar gives Starcrawler’s pure rocking sound a touch of Nirvana and a hint of the Byrds
The 32 greatest Texas guitarists of all time
Featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dimebag Darrell, St. Vincent and 29 more Lone Star superstars
Måneskin’s Victoria De Angelis and Thomas Raggi on Eurovision glory, supporting the Stones and making guitar-driven rock with zero limits
In this exclusive interview, GW tracks down guitarist Raggi and bassist De Angelis to find out exactly what makes the Måneskin steamroller rock (and roll)
John Petrucci shares his top 3 tips for better guitar tone
The Dream Theater prog-metal guitar kingpin might have a signature guitar with boost and piezo, but listen to the man when he says keep it simple – it might just save your tone
Polyphia’s Tim Henson and Scott LePage sit down with Steve Vai to discuss their epic collaboration, the evolution of awe-inspiring technique and a one-of-a-kind guitar gift
The Polyphia x Steve Vai collaboration on Ego Death is one of the standout guitar moments of 2022. This is the story of how it all came together, from the first encounter to chopping up the guitar master's solo – and how the prog prodigies plan to tackle it all live…
Josh Klinghoffer: “I’ve never lost this sense that I’m a beginner, and I think that gives me a more primal approach to the guitar”
Josh Klinghoffer was a Red Hot Chili Pepper – and now he records with Eddie Vedder and performs with Pearl Jam. What is it about him that all these (hugely successful) acts want?
Tim Henson and Scott LePage on how Polyphia made the wildest guitar album of 2022: “We were like, ‘F**k. Did we just blow out Steve Vai’s speakers?’”
In this in-depth exclusive, the instrumental provocateurs talk secret signature models, their all-star collaborators, how much they really practice – and why they wouldn’t describe what they do as ‘shred’
Hear Polyphia channel Dimebag and Deftones in their heaviest song yet, the Chino Moreno-featuring Bloodbath
Eight-string chugs abound as Scott LePage unleashes a scorching metal lead his bandmate Tim Henson dubs “my favorite Scott solo ever”
Mick Mars on his favorite Mötley Crüe solo, how he (unintentionally) ended up on Aerosmith's Pump, and the Dr. Feelgood Garnet amp
In this classic edition of Dear Guitar Hero, Mars answers fan questions, and reflects on his decades-long tenure with one of rock's wildest bands
Josh Klinghoffer says playing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers was "enormously stifling creatively": "They’re an established band with an established sound"
Though he said his decade-long tenure with the stadium-conquering funk rockers was "a blessing and a beautiful experience,” Klinghoffer felt his attempts to push the band in new sonic directions were met with little enthusiasm
Lari Basilio on channeling joy through guitar playing, working with Leland Sklar and discovering 7-strings
The Brazilian guitar ace helps listeners cut through pandemic-fueled depression with hopeful tunes and her customary kickass playing
How Lexi Rose amassed 500,000 fans on social media and caught the attention of her idols – and all it took was one Kings of Leon concert
Eschewing formal lessons, Rose schooled herself on YouTube guitar performance videos and tutorials and is now at the crux of a dilemma: form a band or join one?
