Articles by Joe Matera | Guitar World

Joe Matera is an Australian guitarist and music journalist who has spent the past two decades interviewing a who's who of the rock and metal world and written for Guitar World, Total Guitar, Rolling Stone, Goldmine, Sound On Sound, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and many others. He is also a recording and performing musician and solo artist who has toured Europe on a regular basis and released several well-received albums including instrumental guitar rock outings through various European labels. Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera has called him, "... a great guitarist who knows what an electric guitar should sound like and plays a fluid pleasing style of rock." He's the author of Backstage Pass: The Grit and the Glamour.

Articles by: Joe Matera

“There was suddenly no sound. I was on stage all on my own. And this was a heavy metal concert, so the crowd was starting to chant and boo”: Alex Skolnick reveals his most embarrassing onstage moment

By Joe Matera published 23 May 24

The genre-hopping Testament guitarist on his first gigs, favorite guitar, and why solidbodies feel more replaceable than hollowbodies

“I get accused of not learning more – but I’m not one of those guys. I could learn anything if I wanted to, but I just let it go as it is”: Steve Cropper on recording classic Stax cuts with a Telecaster – and why he thinks his Peavey sounds better

By Joe Matera published 22 May 24

The Stax session icon reflects on the recording of Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay and Soul Man, and looks forward to his new album featuring Billy Gibbons and Brian May

Chris Stein performs onstage with Blondie

“They probably only made two or three of them, but there’s a signature Burns Chris Stein Scorpion out there somewhere”: Ahead of a new Blondie album, Chris Stein talks folk and jazz influences, fighting with early effects, and his MIDI future

By Joe Matera published 6 May 24

The co-founder of one the most beloved bands of the '70s and '80s recalls taking advantage of the time when they could go crazy in the studio, the one guitar he wishes he’d never sold, and another that you’ll recognize if you own it

“I can’t play without looking at the dots”: Soul guitar icon Steve Cropper explains why he still looks at the fretboard after nearly 70 years of playing – and reveals he’s tapped Brian May and Billy Gibbons for his new album

By Phil Weller published 29 April 24

The Booker T. & The M.G.’s founder has opened up on his reliance on inlays, and name-dropped two huge guest stars for his upcoming as-yet-unannounced record

“In the ’80s, I was very much into playing fast and wanting to be the best. Later on I realized it was just a waste of time”: Europe’s John Norum on the one guitar he kept from the Final Countdown era, and what he learned from Don Dokken

By Joe Matera published 27 April 24

As Norum gets ready to work on a new Europe album, the Swedish six-string maverick pops by to share his most embarrassing moment onstage and famous firsts

“I was playing a gig with Jack Bruce and one of my amps suddenly burst into flames!” Robin Trower's onstage disasters and famous firsts

By Joe Matera published 19 March 24

The genius behind Bridge of Sighs talks flaming amps, favorite Strats and why he still practices every day – even if he didn't do it all that much when he was younger

Plantom Planet's Alex Greenwald and his Epiphone SG

“In 2005 I loaned my SG to a friend… It remained lost. In 2019, I walked into a thrift store – and behind the counter was my guitar”: Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald on finally tracking down the missing Epiphone that soundtracked The O.C.

By Joe Matera published 4 March 24

How the indie-pop rock stars returned with a sense of purpose after a miracle reunion with a much-loved Epiphone SG that Greenwald lost many years ago

“I did everything by working my ass off. I played in bars six nights a week, 300 shows a year, three one-hour sets every night for eight years with no record deal”: Evanescence’s Troy McLawhorn on his guitar firsts, favorites and embarrassing moments

By Joe Matera published 1 March 24

The Evanescence guitarist talks killer trench coats, first gigs, and the amp that got away

“Charles Manson actually stole one of my Martins years ago and I never, ever got it back”: The Beach Boys co-founder Al Jardine on his musical regrets, favorite guitars, and the acoustic that got away

By Joe Matera published 12 December 23

Jardine on his custom-made Fender Strat, love of Super Reverbs and the joy of playing the late Carl Wilson’s solos on tour

“Jimmy sat there for the whole two hours then waited until after the show before he asked me, ‘How did you find out how to make my sound?’” Meet Mr. Jimmy, the Japanese kimono salesman who has dedicated his life to becoming Jimmy Page

By Joe Matera published 6 December 23

This is the story of Akio Sakurai, aka Mr. Jimmy, and his lifelong quest to replicate Jimmy Page’s guitar style and tone, and perform Led Zeppelin just as Page did back in the day – and, eventually, in front of the man himself

“I realized I was never going to be a great player like Tommy Shaw, so I guess I’m just a power-chord and single-string lead player now. But I’m pretty good at it!” Styx’s James “J.Y.” Young on his guitar journey

By Joe Matera published 6 November 23

The Godfather of Styx shares his most embarrassing moments on stage, the advice he would give his younger self, and why he’s Chicago through and through when it comes to the blues

“Charles Manson actually stole one of my D-45s years ago”: One of Al Jardine’s prized Martin acoustics was once swiped by the notorious cult leader – and he “never, ever got it back”

By Matt Owen published 3 November 23

The Beach Boys’ history with the Manson Family is well-documented – and it turns out Jardine’s Martin was one of the many items stolen from the band

“I did a round on the solo, and Ric Ocasek goes, ‘That’s really nice.’ He begins humming, and in my mind, I’m going, ‘But I didn't play that!’ He’d edited what I just played in his head”: Session great Larry Mitchell reflects on his all-star resume

By Joe Matera published 2 November 23

He recorded with Ric Ocasek and Nile Rodgers, toured with Tracy Chapman, and every time he jams with Steve Vai the playing reaches “another level of epic-ness” – Larry Mitchell looks back on his star-studded session career

“I wish I knew more about what the hell I was doing when I’m playing”: Dave Mason has recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Wings, and inspired George Harrison to play slide guitar – and he’s done it all without “a lot of technique”

By Joe Matera published 12 October 23

The former Traffic guitarist and ace songwriter/sideman discusses his favorite gear, and reveals the one piece of advice he'd give his younger self

“I can’t be a better Paul McCartney. I can’t be a better you. I can only be a better me”: 7 questions with Kat Dyson

By Joe Matera published 11 August 23

The Prince and Cyndi Lauper session stalwart talks first guitars, practice, and the importance of staying true to yourself

“When I’m off the road, I have this love affair with ragtime guitar”: 7 questions with Wishbone Ash’s Andy Powell

By Joe Matera published 14 July 23

Powell shares embarrassing moments, his greatest gear loves and more in this quick-fire interview

7 questions with Loverboy's Paul Dean: First songs, embarrassing stage moments, and why the Neural DSP Quad Cortex is a game-changer

By Joe Matera published 6 July 23

What kind of player is Paul Dean? Well, as he admits here, he is a pentatonics guy with some Middle Eastern scales thrown in for good measure – and one who knows the value of a good song

The story of Aria Guitars: the unsung brand that has served metal shredders and jazz virtuosos alike for over 60 years

By Joe Matera published 3 July 23

Aria has a long, proud history, played by the likes of Cliff Burton, George Lynch, Herb Ellis and Andy Summers. Join us as we access all Arias and pay tribute to a slept-on guitar icon

Hank Marvin: “Cavatina is such a beautiful tune to play. It was a very good moment for me to nail it in one take”

By Joe Matera published 24 May 23

The hero to an entire generation of British guitarists talks embarrassing moments and his favorite Shadows recordings

“Butch Vig told us that when Nirvana were working on Nevermind, they were A–B-ing my guitar and trying to replicate that sound”: The Smithereens' Jim Babjak looks back

By Joe Matera published 27 February 23

The power-pop guitar hero talks embarrassing moments onstage, what makes the perfect guitar solo and what it’s like to have influenced Kurt Cobain

Rich Williams performs with Kansas at Comic-Con International 2017 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 23, 2017 in San Diego, California

Kansas' Rich Williams: "Strats are a mystery to me. I’d watch guys like Eric Johnson play a Strat and get such a beautiful sound, yet when I pick it up, it just sounds horrible!"

By Joe Matera published 20 February 23

The prog-rock guitar titan discusses putting PRS pickups in his Dean Cadillac, what he learned from Steve Morse, and why Kansas made him get rid of his ES-335

Photo of Peter BUCK and REM, Peter Buck performing on stage

R.E.M.’s Peter Buck: “My first gig was horrible. The only thing I can remember is playing the Batman theme, and I’m not sure we even played the third chord”

By Joe Matera published 4 January 23

The alt-rock icon talks the perils of touring without guitar tuners, sculpting bridges instead of solos and why writing songs is the best way to get better

Phil Manzanera: “When I lived in Venezuela, a British boy showed me how to play R&B like Chuck Berry and that was it. I was converted to rock ’n’ roll”

By Joe Matera published 7 December 22

The longtime Roxy Music guitarist talks obscure gear, early gigs and embarrassing onstage moments

Guitarist Al Di Meola performs on stage at The Magnolia on September 24, 2019 in El Cajon, California.

Al Di Meola: "I see a lot of young players online with such super-phenomenal technique – but very rarely do I see it in the framework of a composition"

By Joe Matera last updated 12 October 22

The fusion guitar master shares his thoughts on the next generation of players, maintaining speed on the fretboard, and what makes his '59 Gibson Les Paul the best-sounding guitar he's ever played

Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik on taking the plunge on vintage guitars, longevity, and why he will never be a social media star

By Joe Matera published 12 August 22

The Buffalo, NY, rock stalwarts return with Chaos in Bloom, a record produced by Rzeznik, featuring some truly epicurean tones. Here, the guitarist tells us how it all came together

Joe Matera

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