Articles by: Michael Astley-Brown

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Digital Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World, having spent nine storied years contributing to guitar journalism and a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). He has written and edited for MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, and makes prog-ish instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

Articles by: Michael Astley-Brown

Music Is Win's Tyler Larson with Kirk Hammett's ESP Ouija Board guitar

Music Is Win’s Tyler Larson uses Kirk Hammett’s Ouija Board guitar to play his 5 best Metallica solos

By Michael Astley-Brown

The YouTuber shares his thoughts on the iconic ESP, which is currently up for auction

Framus reveals head-turning Special Bionic Snake signature model for Accept’s Wolf Hoffmann

By Michael Astley-Brown

Sand-blasted lacewood is teamed with real steel to create the $18k guitar’s 3D effect

St. Vincent, Josh Homme, Phoebe Bridgers, Mark Speer

Hear St. Vincent, Josh Homme, Phoebe Bridgers, Khruangbin radically rework Paul McCartney tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown

McCartney III Imagined sees some of today's leading guitar artists have their way with the Beatles icon’s latest album, complete with bluesy solos from Homme and Annie Clark

Emily Wolfe debuts first single from new album Outlier

By Michael Astley-Brown

Something Better finds the Epiphone signature artist taking a guitar-pop turn

Jade Puget of AFI performs in support of the band's " The Missing Man" release at Ace of Spades on December 9, 2018 in Sacramento, California.

From reimagined blues classics to unlikely rap crossovers: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche, Matt Owen

The freshest cuts from AFI, The Black Keys, Lucy Dacus, DMX feat. Bootsy Collins, Steve Howe & Ian Paice, and a heck of a lot more…

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys performs onstage at the 2020 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO at The Forum on January 18, 2020 in Inglewood, California.

The Black Keys go back to their roots with swampy cover of John Lee Hooker’s Crawling Kingsnake

By Michael Astley-Brown

The solo-heavy new single is the first taste of the duo’s upcoming 10th studio album, Delta Kream

Lucy Dacus performs during the Okeechobee Music Festival at Sunshine Grove on March 08, 2020 in Okeechobee, Florida.

Lucy Dacus announces new album, Home Video, shares wistful new single, Hot & Heavy

By Michael Astley-Brown

The boygenius singer-songwriter will perform the single tonight on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The best reverb pedals 2021: 12 great options for your pedalboard

By Michael Astley-Brown, Alex Lynham

Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget

The Vintage Caravan’s Óskar Logi Ágústsson

Óskar Logi Ágústsson reveals how a studio mistake gave extra edge to his fierce solo in The Vintage Caravan’s Crystallized

By Michael Astley-Brown

The Icelandic prog maverick breaks down one of 2021’s wildest guitar wigouts in this exclusive video

Matt Bellamy of Muse performs on stage during 2019 iHeartRadio ALTer Ego at The Forum on January 19, 2019 in Inglewood, California.

Matt Bellamy announces new album for Record Store Day, featuring Jeff Buckley’s Fender Telecaster

By Michael Astley-Brown

Cryosleep includes soundtrack cuts and new arrangements of Muse classics – some recorded on the iconic ‘Grace’ guitar

From visceral post-rock epics to riotous remixes: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche, Matt Owen

Chase the April showers away with guitar-heavy new songs from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sammy Boller, Man on Man, Sumo Cyco, Ten Tonnes and more

Never-before-heard Prince album, Welcome 2 America, set for release

By Michael Astley-Brown

Listen to the title track, featuring Tal Wilkenfeld on bass, now

(from left) Steve Marker, drummer Butch Vig and singer Shirley Manson of Garbage perform live in 2019

From intricate, high-octane puzzles to unrelenting thrash barrages: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Matt Owen, Sam Roche

Start your April off right with awesome new guitar-based tunes from Garbage, Bodom After Midnight, Courtney Barnett & Vagabon, Waterparks and more

The best guitar April Fools 2021: ambidextrous Fenders, dream pedal collaborations and extraterrestrial whammy bars

By Michael Astley-Brown

The wildest hoaxes, zaniest Photoshops and most bizarre announcements to hit the guitar world this year

Squier Vintage Modified Baritone Jazzmaster

How an oddball baritone became one of the most valuable Squier guitars of all time

By Michael Astley-Brown

Launched in 2014 and discontinued in 2019, Fender's affordable Vintage Modified Baritone Jazzmaster is now selling for upwards of $2,000 on the used market – we investigate why

Epiphone unveils made-in-USA Casino

By Michael Astley-Brown

The premium $2.6k archtop is kitted out with Gibson P-90s and hand-wired electronics

Holeyboard x Third Man Hardware pedalboard

Holeyboard partners with Jack White’s Third Man Records for custom pedalboard design

By Michael Astley-Brown

The limited-edition ’board will be available exclusively from Third Man Records

Watch 4 Wolfgang Van Halens jam fuzz-heavy new Mammoth WVH cut, Don’t Back Down

By Michael Astley-Brown

Another new track, the anthemic Think It Over, has also been unveiled

Kele Okereke unveils hypnotic new single, Smalltown Boy, announces fifth solo album

By Michael Astley-Brown

The Bloc Party frontman’s new release, Waves Pt. 1, is constructed from walls of guitar loops

Melanie Faye performs during FORM Arcosanti 2019 at at Arcosanti Urban Laboratory on May 10, 2019 in Arcosanti, Arizona.

From neo-soul virtuosity to groove-infused grime-metal: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche, Matt Owen

The hottest new cuts from Beabadoobee, Hacktivist, Toby Lee, Dreamer Boy ft. Melanie Faye and oh-so-many more

From soulful six-string sunshine to raucous anti-hate punk: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Matt Owen, Sam Roche

Lend your ears to some hot, guitar-infused new songs from Hannah Jadagu, Myles Kennedy, Julian Lage, DZ Deathrays, Mateus Asato and Annalé, and more

From slide bonanzas to surefire alt-rock hits: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche, Matt Owen

Stories of the guitar's death are greatly exaggerated – see why with new tunes from Paul Gilbert, The Vintage Caravan, Phoebe Bridgers, A Day To Remember and more

Eventide seeks to make your guitar sound bigger than ever before with new MicroPitch Delay pedal

By Michael Astley-Brown

The latest dot9 series pedal brings the iconic algorithm to a standalone stompbox

[L-R] H.E.R., Nandi Bushell, Diamond Rowe, Phoebe Bridgers and Lari Basilio

12 guitarists who changed the game over the past 12 months

By Michael Astley-Brown

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to the players who have taken huge strides for guitar playing and gear

Music is Win’s Tyler Larson bought that $500,000 Klon

By Michael Astley-Brown

Well, sort of. But at least you can finally hear the first Klon Centaur ever made in action

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
View Archive