That time Guthrie Govan covered Rage Against the Machine’s Bulls on Parade and took Tom Morello’s solo to mind-boggling new heights

Guthrie Govan performing live at the International Music Show, Excel, London, UK on June 14 2008.
(Image credit: Steve Thorne/Redferns)

Guthrie Govan is surely one of the greatest living guitarists. A master of rhythm and lead across all genres – but, crucially, with an ear for melody that keeps all his contributions highly musical – the UK virtuoso can tackle absolutely any material that gets thrown his way… and, somehow, make it better.

Case in point is his late-Noughties collaboration with UK rapper Dizzee Rascal, then riding high on the success of monster single Bonkers. Govan was seemingly given free rein with his guitar parts throughout his time in the Rascal band, during which the curly-haired maestro played some of the UK’s biggest musical stages.

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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 from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.