
Phil Weller
A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.
Latest articles by Phil Weller

Phil Manzanera on his friendship with David Gilmour, and the key to the Pink Floyd man's unmistakable tone
By Phil Weller published
The two guitarists have worked on several records together, giving Manzanera the inside baseball of the tricks behind Gilmour's iconic guitar tone

Kiki Wong reveals the Smashing Pumpkins song she had the most trouble with
By Phil Weller published
After beating 10,000 other candidates to the gig, the guitarist set about navigating Billy Corgan’s “distinct playing style,” with one song proving more challenging than the rest

Joe Perry on working with Van Halen producer Ted Templeman
By Phil Weller published
Having been impressed by the producer’s touch on Van Halen's “monstrous” records, Templeman was tasked with reigniting the band’s spark

The recent Bon Jovi documentary helped guitarist Phil X win over even more of the band's fans – but he still deals with some naysayers
By Phil Weller published
The guitarist has been in the band for over a decade, but it seems certain fans still haven’t accepted that Sambora is out of the picture

In the eye of the Superstrat hurricane, Yngwie Malmsteen held true to the original
By Phil Weller published
Though the ‘80s shred era seemingly left the standard Stratocaster for dead, the Swede’s neoclassical wizardry helped to, eventually, reverse the guitar’s fortunes

Lee Malia’s Jackson signature completes a full circle 20 years in the making – and it redefines what a Jackson can be
By Phil Weller published
A Jackson Warrior played a key role in Bring Me The Horizon’s humble beginnings. Now Malia’s back with the brand where it all started with a stunning offset signature

The heaviest acoustic guitar ever made? Two budding builders craft an acoustic entirely from concrete because they “thought the idea was really funny”
By Phil Weller published
Weighing 62.8lbs and loaded with nuts and bolts tuners, the build brings a whole new meaning to heavy guitars

Yngwie Malmsteen names the guitar picks that don’t work for shred
By Phil Weller published
The Swedish virtuoso says your pick may be holding you back

Buskers banned from London’s Leicester Square as performances likened to “psychological torture”
By Phil Weller published
The tourist hotspot will fall quiet on April 17 as Westminster Council says it had “no choice” but to tackle “increasing noise disruption and anti-social behavior”

Brian May with Benson Boone, Green Day with the Go-Gos, and Lady Gaga rocking a Suhr – Coachella’s first weekend delivered the guitar goods
By Phil Weller published
Boone and May’s Bohemian Rhapsody rendition headlined a weekend of high notes from across the festival’s opening installment

Matteo Mancuso has become one of the hottest guitar talents on the planet – now he’s finally announced his first headline US tour
By Phil Weller published
The generational guitar player will be heading out on his first extended run of headline dates in the US and Canada this year

Norman's Rare Guitars has unearthed another future blues great
By Phil Weller published
The vintage guitar dealer has once again put the spotlight on young Charlotte Milstein, who paid homage to a number of blues greats during the jam

Mike McCready stole his Alive solo from Kiss – but Ace Frehley had already stolen it from another legendary classic rock band
By Phil Weller published
The revelation comes from Gene Simmons, who sees no problem in bands taking inspiration – and lifting ideas – from others

Epiphone brings one of Gibson’s most desirable one-off finishes to the masses with the Widow Les Paul
By Phil Weller published
The guitar store is bringing the highly sought-after Widow design – and a recently revived finish – to players for less than $1,000

Bring Me the Horizon’s Lee Malia is no stranger to signature offsets – but he wasn’t too fond of his first
By Matt Owen published
Years before launching one of 2025's most desirable builds with Jackson, Malia partnered with Epiphone for a range of signature guitars back in 2014

“I don’t only think in barre chords – that’s a slightly arrogant statement to make”: Brian May and Roger Taylor disagree about their guitar contributions to Taylor’s Queen tracks
By Phil Weller published
The pair have offered a fresh insight into their songwriting partnership

Jackson and Bring Me the Horizon’s Lee Malia champion the rise of the metal offset with new signature Surfcaster
By Phil Weller published
Featuring old looks, modern features, and pickups voiced to Malia’s aggressive-but-open specifications, the LM-87 is one of 2025’s finest new signature guitars

Richie Kotzen came close to joining Nine Inch Nails – but one detail stopped him getting the gig
By Phil Weller published
The former Poison guitarist aced his surprise audition but never got a call back

Martin Barre once distanced himself from rhythm playing – but some Steve Lukather wisdom changed his mind
By Phil Weller published
The former Jethro Tull lead guitarist reassessed his playing priorities after hearing some wise words from the Toto legend

Jack Black mimes on a Minecraft’d Flying V as Kirk Douglas nails the Sweet Child O’ Mine solo on Jimmy Fallon
By Phil Weller published
Black’s epic entrance caught the eye, but Captain Kirk Douglas’ tastefully virtuosic playing caught the ear

Machine Gun Kelly on the time he stole a cheap Martin from a hotel – and was billed $5,000
By Phil Weller published
The damaged instrument is inscribed with a message that echoes MGK’s guitar-playing mantra – and it’s one of his most cherished instruments

That time Chrissie Hynde enraged one of her Pretenders bandmates because she stopped playing mid-gig
By Phil Weller published
The guitar icon once decided to spontaneously shake things up on stage, and ended up feeling the wrath of Jimmy Scott

SSD guitarist and hardcore pioneer Al Barile dies aged 63
By Phil Weller published
Barile was a key player in the Boston hardcore scene in the 1980s
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