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Mark McStea
Mark McStea

Mark is a freelance writer with particular expertise in the fields of ‘70s glam, punk, rockabilly and classic ‘50s rock and roll. He sings and plays guitar in his own musical project, Star Studded Sham, which has been described as sounding like the hits of T. Rex and Slade as played by Johnny Thunders. He had several indie hits with his band, Private Sector and has worked with a host of UK punk luminaries. Mark also presents themed radio shows for Generating Steam Heat. He has just completed his first novel, The Bulletproof Truth, and is currently working on the sequel.

Articles by: Mark McStea

Ariel Posen

Ariel Posen: “If you’re playing something great all the time, it has a lot less impact – if you play sparingly then you really notice what is going on”

By Mark McStea

How the Canadian slide phenom builds his sound and finds individuality in self-discipline and note choice

Paul Stanley

Paul Stanley on Soul Station: "I got into music for the freedom of it. If it’s not to everyone’s liking, I guess nothing is"

By Mark McStea

The perennial guitarist discusses his soul- and R&B-flavored side project, the group's new ear-catching album Now and Then, and the possibility of a Kiss reunion record down the line

J Mascis

J Mascis: “I still use the Marshall and Hiwatt stacks... I just like the feeling of the guitar kind of hitting you in the back”

By Mark McStea

The Dinosaur Jr. frontman talks capos, the beauty of small amps in the studio, and the positivity in the alt-rock pioneers' new album, Sweep It Into Space

Gilby Clarke

Gilby Clarke: "I’m a big believer in doubling guitar parts with a different amp and guitar. It’s not just a bigger sound – it gives so much more separation"

By Mark McStea

The former Guns N' Roses guitarist unleashes some straight ahead rock 'n' roll on his first solo album in 20 years

Marc Bolan

Tony Visconti reflects on the genius of T. Rex's Marc Bolan

By Mark McStea

“Marc is criminally underrated as a guitarist. All rock ’n’ rollers love T. Rex, and there’s a little bit of T. Rex in every rock ’n’ roll band”

Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown

Tyler Bryant: “I get bored with guitar solos that are just about speed and technique. I like there to be something musical and memorable“

By Mark McStea

Nashville’s blues-rock sensation talks solos, pandemic recording, and explains why the Shakedown is a team effort

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges: “What's great about the guitar is that it's very honest. The more you put in, the better you get“

By Mark McStea

We meet the original Dude to talk songwriting and his new Breedlove signature acoustics

David Bowie

Tony Visconti recounts the making of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World

By Mark McStea

50 years on from its release, the former David Bowie bassist and uber-producer tells the story of one of Bowie's greatest albums, and the enduring influence of Mick Ronson

Sin Shake Sin

Sin Shake Sin: "People on social media are calling this album the soundtrack to the pandemic"

By Mark McStea

Released just before COVID-19 hit its initial peak, Stacy Hogan discusses his eerily relevant new album, The Mess We've Made

Death Valley High's Reyka Osburn: “It’s hard for a guitar player to be a great frontman and really work the audience“

By Mark McStea

Five questions with the Death Valley High frontman

George Lynch

George Lynch: “There’s so much to say without playing endless streams of notes – I’m always aware of the value of subtlety and silence”

By Mark McStea

George Lynch discusses the fate of his classic-era guitars, his never-ending Led Zeppelin love and his new album with Dino Jelusick

Joey Zampella of Life Of Agony

Joey Zampella: "Music has lost a lot of mystery now with YouTube and the internet. The value of music has to return - or else there’ll be no music business"

By Mark McStea

The Life Of Agony guitarist talks melodic solos, his unusual approach to recording and the band's latest album, The Sound of Scars

Konvent's Sara Nørregaard: "I like to keep everything raw; having too many effects detracts from the power"

By Mark McStea

From doom metal to Squier Jagmasters to realizing dreams, the guitarist unpacks the Konvent story so far...

Nick 13 of Tiger Army

Tiger Army's Nick 13: "'50s rock is so great - it just needs another generation to rediscover it"

By Mark McStea

The psychobilly frontman on the band's fittingly titled sixth studio record, Retrofuture, and the possibility of another country-driven solo album

Lillie Mae: "I might write a melody on the fiddle. But I've loved the guitar since day one - everything comes from that"

By Mark McStea

The Americana singer/songwriter talks image-based prejudices in Nashville, and signing with Jack White's label, Third Man Records

Olivia Jean: "I always wanted to play a Gretsch 6120, but with the amount of dirt I use, that was never going to work!"

By Mark McStea

From Garage Bats to Night Owls, this quirky rock ’n’ roller’s new album is packed with animal magnetism - not to mention some dangerously catchy riffs

Payton Smith: "It’s really important to me that people realize I’m a guitarist as much as a singer"

By Mark McStea

The up-and-coming country singer-songwriter discusses the importance of building his audience steadily and why nothing beats a Gibson into a Marshall Plexi

Altered Five Blues Band's Jeff Schroedl

Jeff Schroedl: "I like to think of my style as guitar gumbo - I focus on the things that set me apart"

By Mark McStea

The bluesman serves up some of the genre's most satisfying licks on Altered Five Blues Band's new album, Ten Thousand Watts

Jäger Volant's Ronnie Day: "The key to a great guitar sound is in how you play and how you phrase"

By Mark McStea

After meeting each other on an online-collaboration site, this international foursome is out to rid the world of “dumbed-down, lowest-common-denominator music”

Alan Merrill in Greenwich Village, NYC on September 13, 2009 in New York, U.S.A.

Alan Merrill tells the story of I Love Rock 'n' Roll in his final Guitar World interview

By Mark McStea

The Arrows frontman muses on his career in music in this never-before-published conversation

Herman Li

Dear Guitar Hero - DragonForce's Herman Li answers your questions: "I am a specialist in my own weird guitar sound"

By Mark McStea

The shredder on the band's latest album Extreme Power Metal, his favorite EVH solo and how he developed his mind-bending sweep-picking ability

Michael Schenker: "Rudolf doesn’t have much talent as a guitarist - I needed to pave the path for him. I’m saying that with an open heart"

By Mark McStea

Whether he’s talking about the Scorpions, UFO, his new album or the 'distortion of his image', the German guitar legend is as candid as ever

*repeat repeat's Jared Corder: "College only offered jazz or classical guitar, and the guys in classical were all metalheads, so I chose that"

By Mark McStea

The guitar playing half of the US-based duo talks Glazed, *repeat repeat’s guitar-packed (and catchy-as-hell) new album

Laura Palmer: "I was a shy kid unable to perform, now I own my own label and front Screamin' Rebel Angels"

By Mark McStea

The Brooklyn, NY-based singer, guitarist, upright bassist and businesswoman recounts how rock 'n' roll inspired her to venture out of her comfort zone

Michael Sweet on his star-studded solo album Ten, what's next for Stryper, and why he should have been a leftie

By Mark McStea

The Stryper frontman on his wife being his writing mediator and the lasting influence of Elvis on his style as a guitarist