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“It was painful for me to listen to Ian Anderson’s voice. I felt for him a lot”: Dave Pegg on why he quit Jethro Tull, beating Metallica to a Grammy, gigging with John Bonham and working with Nick Drake in a smelly squat
By Andrew Daly published
The proud owner of a broken Grammy award is regarded as a revelation in folk rock with Fairport Convention – but he only played bass that way because he didn’t know what else to do

Marrying savage hooks to technical prowess, Jon Modell is proof of just how heavy a 5-string bass can be in modern metal
By Nick Wells published
Bassist Jon Modell looks back on the band’s early days – and the influence guitarist Greg Kubacki has had on his sound

“The finance police was looking for me”: Davie504 lifts the veil on the pressures of becoming a YouTube mega-star
By Janelle Borg published
Davide Biale, best known by his online alias Davie504, reveals how his addiction to metrics, constant hustle, and eventual burnout came to a head when he was investigated by Italy's finance police

There are some rock ’n’ roll stories that you couldn’t make up. One is how ‘Grog’ Lisee was electrocuted by an unearthed microphone
By Joel McIver published
If you’ve heard Die So Fluid’s music you’ll appreciate that running around the stage is a necessary part of the formula

Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert trade blistering licks in this standout rocker from Mr. Big
By Stevie Glasgow published
Inspired, according to Paul Gilbert, by the grooves of Christina Aguilera, Mr. Big’s Mean to Me is brimming with top-drawer axe-work

Joe Dart breaks down his lightning-quick studio approach – and how he tackles his hardest bassline to play live
By Jon D’Auria published
Joe Dart continues to make a lasting impression on the world of retro-funk bass guitar

Primus’ Larry LaLonde on how he and Les Claypool ended up with off-the-rack gear from Guitar Center right before a show
By Janelle Borg published
The guitar and bass behemoths eventually auctioned off the Strat and P-Bass they bought at the last minute for charity

Fake Guitar Center websites set up to scam players are on the rise – here’s what you need to look out for
By Matt Owen published
A player was recently scammed out of $1,000 after falling prey to a scam website – and the retailer’s CEO has shared the red flags you need to be mindful of

“We had our ups and downs over the years – I hadn’t spoken to Ozzy since 2017. But I always knew if I reached out, he’d be there for me”: Geezer Butler remembers the genius and humor of his friend and Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne
By Andrew Daly published
The Black Sabbath bassist and lyricist shares his fondest memories of the iconic frontman, their unlikely first encounter, and his one regret about Back to the Beginning

Victor Wooten opens up on his battle with the health condition that he says is turning him into a beginner bass player again
By Matt Owen published
The revered bassist is battling focal dystonia – a neurological movement disorder that causes his fretting fingers to curl up

At the suggestion of guitar picker James Burton, Elvis set up an audition with an unlikely bass candidate: Jerry Scheff
By Brian Fox published
How bassist Jerry Scheff became the core of Elvis' famed TCB Band

Bassist Ronnie Ficarro on taking Wolfgang Van Halen’s studio sound to the stage
By Nick Wells published
Ronnie Ficarro explains the nuances of pick playing, why tone can make or break a band, and how he stumbled upon slap bass for Mammoth’s latest single

James LoMenzo reveals Megadeth weren't invited to Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's final show
By Janelle Borg published
The other members of the Big Four of thrash metal – Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax – all participated in Back to the Beginning

This is all the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – and I think I've been convinced to finally go wireless
By Matt Owen published
All-new drops from PRS, Furch, Victory and more

Guitar Center secures three-year debt extension to ensure it can deliver on its business plan
By Janelle Borg published
The announcement comes amid increasing challenges for brick-and-mortar guitar stores and ongoing changes at Guitar Center to battle competition from digital retailers

Will the price of guitar strings skyrocket on August 1? As tariff deadline looms, D’Addario’s CEO reveals how the firm has been weathering the storm
By Janelle Borg published
The firm exports nearly 45% of its products to 120 countries, with Japan being its biggest foreign market

Billy Corgan takes us inside the zeitgeist of his low-end studio work with the Smashing Pumpkins
By Jon D’Auria published
One of the most influential guitarists of his generation, Billy Corgan has also written and recorded the bass tracks on almost every album in the entirety of the Smashing Pumpkins’ history

Fender Next previously touted Wet Leg, Phoebe Bridgers and IDLES as ‘Ones to Watch’ – find out which artists were handpicked for its class of 2025
By Janelle Borg published
UK's Lambrini Girls, Chicago's Horsegirl, Paris' Oracle Sisters and Wuhan's Chinese Football are among this year's picks