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Ally Venable is spreading the Texas blues gospel via a deep-seated love of Stevie Ray Vaughan and her “Wounded Warrior” Les Paul
By Bill DeMain published
The Texas triple-threat on the importance of women’s rights, magenta Les Pauls and “facing your own blues”

How bassist Tony Butler helped relaunch The Pretenders with this 1982 rock classic
By Bill Leigh published
Having fired bassist Pete Farndon for his erratic drug-fuelled behaviour, The Pretenders tapped Rockpile guitarist Billy Bremner and bassist Tony Butler

Bill Laswell survived Buckethead, John Lydon, Ginger Baker and Eddie Hazel – and made it sound easy
By Andrew Daly published
The bass journeyman, soundscape creator and producer recalls having his P-Bass stolen the night before his first Brian Eno session, making PiL classic Rise, and hoping illness hasn’t ended his surprisingly fight-free career

Glen Matlock on the legacy of the Sex Pistols and getting back on the road with Frank Carter’s help
By Andrew Daly published
The original Sex Pistols bassist reveals all about reunions past and present and discusses the likelihood of new music from the U.K. punk legends... Never say never

Remembering the night tres hombres by the name of John Mayer, Slash and Billy Gibbons gave ZZ Top’s La Grange a triple-guitar glow-up
By Jonathan Horsley published
Iconic headgear, iconic players, a gnarly Texan blues-rock groove and a legendary all-star guitar jam came to Hollywood’s House of Blues in 2009

Billy Corgan on the making of Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
By Joe Bosso published
With no let-up for 86 days straight, Mellon Collie was the double album that spooked the label, pushed Corgan to the limit, and would become the ’90s own White Album. This is its story

11 real-life Spinal Tap moments from bass playing royalty
By Nick Wells published
Bass legends Victor Wooten, Thundercat, Duff McKagan and more share their own moments of outrage, downright stupidity and absolute genius

How Vianova crafted one of the best modern metal debuts in years by making brutal baritones disgustingly fun
By Phil Weller published
Guitarist Felix Vogelsang reveals how he embraced a divisively finished baritone to cut down on the shred and change the way he approached the instrument

These two Beach Boys classics might have been misunderstood, but with Al Jardine’s guitar work, they stand the test of time
By Andrew Daly published
Surf’s Up and Holland confused some listeners when they were released in the early ’70s but they capture a band being a real functioning band. Jardine shares the stories – and the gear – behind them
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