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Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

Articles by: Michael Astley-Brown

(from left) Mark Speer, Leon Bridges and Laura Lee perform onstage at the Hinterland Music Festival on August 08, 2021 in St. Charles, Iowa

From face-melting anthems to moonlit waltzes: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

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

Light up your week with guitar-heavy tunes from Joe Satriani, Ghost, Emily Wolfe, Khruangbin & Leon Bridges, Scorpions, Jack White and more

Walrus Audio M1 High-Fidelity Modulation Machine

Walrus Audio debuts hugely tweakable, six effect-strong M1 High-Fidelity Modulation Machine

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The latest pedal to join the Mako Series packs chorus, phaser, tremolo, vibrato, rotary and filter sounds – and comes accompanied by a demo from Yvette Young

Mooer R7 X2 Reverb

Mooer R7 X2 Reverb review

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The mini-pedal trailblazers double up for this feature-packed compact 'verb

Walrus Audio Mako Series D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay

Walrus Audio updates the Mako Series D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay with refined tones and new functionality

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The latest incarnation of the feature-packed compact delay now boasts updates via USB

Source Audio ZIO

Source Audio seeks to “make everything sound better” with its new ZIO Analog Front End + Boost

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The company’s first all-analog pedal is designed to sweeten natural guitar tones with four distinct preamp circuits

The 12 best budget guitar amps under $500 for 2022: affordable amps for new players and home practice

The 12 best budget guitar amps under $500 for 2022: affordable amps for new players and home practice

By Michael Astley-Brown, Guitar World Staff, James Farmer published

Get great sounds and features without blowing your budget – from affordable tube amps to wallet-friendly digital modeling amps and everything in between

Eve Adams

From spectral folk to metal Muse: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

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

Spice up your week with guitar goodness from Steve Vai, Shamir, Muse, Korn, Michael Romeo, Eve Adams and more

Thom Yorke (left) and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead perform during 2016 Lollapalooza Day Two at Grant Park on July 29, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois

From full-throttle carnage to Sweet Potato Pie: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

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

Kick off 2022 with a bang with thrilling new tunes from The Smile, Loathe, Cory Wong, Fit For an Autopsy, Widowspeak and more

Loathe

Loathe debut punishing new single, Dimorphous Display

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The latest track from the UK alt-metallers melds ferocious drop-tuned riffs with ethereal synths, ahead of their tour with Code Orange

Toni Cornell and Pete Thorn perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Toni Cornell and Pete Thorn pay tribute to Chris Cornell with Nothing Compares 2 U performance on The Tonight Show

By Michael Astley-Brown published

In honor of her father’s recent Grammy nominations, the late Soundgarden frontman’s daughter and guitarist performed his Prince cover live on the Jimmy Fallon-hosted talkshow

Tom Morello and his signature MXR Power 50 Overdrive pedal

Watch Tom Morello demonstrate just how close his MXR Power 50 Overdrive pedal gets to his trademark Marshall amp sound

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Rage Against the Machine guitarist runs his new signature stompbox into a range of different combos in its first official demo

Mike Kinsella (left) and Steve Holmes of American Football perform during FORM Arcosanti 2019 at Arcosanti Urban Laboratory on May 10, 2019 in Arcosanti, Arizona

From cinematic death metal epics to math-rock magic: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

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

See out 2021 the right way with must-listens from Kim Gordon & J Mascis, American Football, Venom Prison, Matt Pike, Karnivool, Big Thief, and more

Layne Staley and Tom Morello

Jerry Cantrell recalls how Tom Morello inspired Layne Staley to step up his guitar playing

By Michael Astley-Brown published

In a new interview, the Alice in Chains and Rage Against the Machine guitar heroes reflect on their memories of the late frontman during 1993's Lollapalooza tour

Niall Kennedy, Rory Friers and Johnny Adger of And So I Watch You From Afar perform onstage supporting Bring Me the Horizon during Belsonic 2016 at Titanic Slipways on June 17, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

And So I Watch You From Afar announce ambitious new multimedia album Jettison

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The new full-length finds the Northern Irish instrumental outfit playing alongside spoken word segments by Emma Ruth Rundle and Clutch’s Neil Fallon

Bill Kelliher of Mastadon performs at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill on June 11, 2019 in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Bill Kelliher reveals Ron Wood’s signature ESP as his secret studio weapon: “It’s the best-sounding Tele ever”

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Mastodon guitarist shared his love for the humbucker-equipped Rolling Stones model in a new interview on the making of Hushed and Grim

Olivia Rodrigo performs live on NPR Music's Tiny Desk concert

Olivia Rodrigo caps off her year as one of 2021’s most-streamed guitar artists with five acoustic-strong “good 4 u” performance

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The singer-songwriter’s DMV-staged Tiny Desk concert also played host to some epic leads from Halsey guitarist Arianna Powell

Paul Cochrane Tim V3

Paul Cochrane teases a third version of his legendary Tim overdrive

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The twin-footswitch big brother to the Timmy looks set to receive an upgrade over the coming months

The Smile

Radiohead side-project The Smile debut new material – and pedalboards – in surprise rehearsal livestream

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Hear the latest songs – and behold the latest rigs – from Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke’s guitar-driven side-project

Tom Morello, Alex Lifeson and Kirk Hammett

Hear Tom Morello trade licks with Alex Lifeson and Kirk Hammett on new track I Have Seen the Way

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Rage Against the Machine firebrand’s collaboration with the Rush and Metallica guitarists appears on his second album of 2021, The Atlas Underground Flood

Tim Ohrstrom performs with Avatar at USF Verftet in Bergen, Norway on March 7, 2019

From bubblegrunge to Steve Vai's hollowbody dalliance: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

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

Usher in the year's final month with great new guitar-driven tunes from Bloc Party, Avatar, Failure, Ovlov, Honne, Imminence and more

MXR Power 50 Overdrive

MXR crams Tom Morello’s iconic amp tones into a new signature pedal, the Power 50 Overdrive

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The all-star stompbox captures the Rage Against the Machine guitarist’s Marshall JCM800 and Peavey cab characteristics, complete with an onboard effects loop

Electro-Harmonix Nano Q-Tron

Electro-Harmonix unveils the Nano Q-Tron, a downsized version of John Mayer’s favorite envelope filter

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The long-running funk filter family has launched a Nano quack attack

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden performs on stage at Sleep Country Amphitheater on August 29, 2014 in Ridgefield, Washington.

Kim Thayil channeled the loss of Chris Cornell in his solo on the new Mastodon album

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Bill Kelliher details how he and the Soundgarden guitarist approached the recording of Hushed and Grim’s Had It All

Behringer pedals

You can still bag 3 of Behringer's best pedals for an absurd $19 each this Cyber Monday

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Super Fuzz, Heavy Metal and Vintage Delay – three of Josh Scott's favorite Behringer offerings – are still up for grabs

Epiphone ES-335 Traditional Pro

One of this year’s hottest Cyber Monday bargains is back in stock – save $120 on this spec'd-up Epiphone ES-335 Tradtional Pro

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Just $479 gets you this Gibson-approved ES-335 Traditional Pro from Musician's Friend, in a choice of Inverness Green, Wine Red, Metallic Gold and Ebony finishes