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 the best part of 20 years 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

Reading Festival, Britain - 25 Aug 2007, Red Hot Chili Peppers - John Frusciante

Red Hot Chili Peppers tease new music with fresh John Frusciante riff

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Hendrix-flavored cut hints towards an imminent single release

The Smile perform at Magazine

The Smile just played their first-ever public gigs – here are six things we learned about the Radiohead offshoot

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s latest collaboration performed to their first real-life audiences this weekend, and we were there to spot the nerdy guitar details

Steve Vai

Hear Steve Vai put his bonkers steampunk triple-neck through its paces on Teeth of the Hydra

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The eagerly anticipated Hydra showcase appears on new album Inviolate, which is out today

Molly Tuttle performs at The Fillmore Charlotte on November 05, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina

From furious bluegrass picking to volcanic black metal: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Round out January with killer new songs from Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Ibaraki, Yelawolf & Shooter Jennings, ERRA, Brothers Osborne, Andy Timmons and more

Squier Classic Vibe Baritone Custom Telecaster

Baritone fans, rejoice: Squier has announced a Classic Vibe Baritone Custom Telecaster

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The $499 model features a 27” scale length, double-bound body and Fender-Designed alnico pickups

Fender Hammertone

Fender expands and slims down its effects pedal line with affordable new Hammertone series

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The new range spans nine pedals, starting at $79 each

Roger "Buzz" Osborne from The Melvins performs at l' Alhambra on October 2, 2018 in Paris, France.

Hear Melvins cover Soundgarden’s Spoonman with Matt Cameron

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Soundgarden drummer joins Buzz Osbourne and co for a breakneck race through the grunge classic

(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

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

By Michael Astley-Brown 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