Latest articles by Joe Matera
Andy Fairweather Low on embarrassing moments and why he always thought Clapton was going to fire him
The legendary rhythm guitar hero looks back on a life spent alongside some of music’s biggest names
“My mate found the guitar in a skip”: Andy Fairweather Low’s favorite guitar was a dumpster find
The Eric Clapton and Roger Waters collaborator paid just £47 to buy the discarded Gibson from Tom Jones’ guitarist
Andy Fairweather Low on his sideman stints with George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Joe Satriani
‘The Invisible Bluesman’ on why he probably won’t write any more songs, the ignored art of rhythm guitar, why he always thinks, ‘Why me?’ – and trying to persuade an amp expert to build a deliberately inefficient model
Torsten Kinsella on his favorite fuzz flavors, tube amp disasters and pedalboard dance steps
The post-rock savant joins us to talk first guitars, his debut songs and why his father’s vintage P-Bass is more than just another instrument
When rhythm guitar hero Andy Fairweather Low was recruited by a Beatle to play slide – even though he’d never played slide before
Harrison and Fairweather Low had a mutual love for Ry Cooder’s slide guitar playing, and the Beatle convinced the Eric Clapton rhythm guitarist to develop his own slide chops for a Japanese tour
Richie Kotzen on his worst-ever show, that time wildfires came for his guitar collection, and upsetting his mom by getting Purple Haze wrong
Kotzen checks in to talk first guitars, first songs, and to give his younger self a little friendly advice. Plus, why didn't he take any guitars as the fire got close?
Andy Summers on his “abstracted instrumental” collabs with Robert Fripp, his dream pedalboard, and what he learned from Béla Bartók
It was the ’80s and Andy Summers was living the dream as guitar culture grew, and his side-project with King Crimson's mad-genius Fripp gave him the opportunity to work his art-house cinema influences into music
“The crowd was starting to chant and boo”: Alex Skolnick reveals his most embarrassing onstage moment
The genre-hopping Testament guitarist on his first gigs, favorite guitar, and why solidbodies feel more replaceable than hollowbodies
Steve Cropper on recording classic Stax cuts with a Telecaster – and why he thinks his Peavey sounds better
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
Blondie’s Chris Stein talks folk and jazz influences, fighting with early effects, and his MIDI future
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
Steve Cropper explains why he still looks at the fretboard after nearly 70 years of playing
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
Europe’s John Norum on sacred Strats and what he learned from Don Dokken
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
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
“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.
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
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
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
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
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”
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
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”
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
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
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
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
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
