Features

Richard Lloyd on episodes with Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, and his bittersweet relationship with Tom Verlaine

By Andrew Daly published 19 January 26

They lost touch long before Verlaine’s death, but now the guitarist is at peace with those adventures. He reflects on Television, and his memories of backstage lessons with Jimmy Page's tech, and an onstage jam with John Lee Hooker

Steve Stevens on resisting shred, how Paco de Lucia made him go nylon, and Billy Idol’s eternal appeal

By Charlie Wilkins published 19 January 26

Billy Idol’s collaborator of 40-plus years transcends the punk-rock guitarist mold, taking in flamenco, jazz‑fusion, prog and classical styles – and he is as excited about guitar today as he was when he first picked one up

When Jimi Hendrix gave Billy Gibbons a guitar lesson unlike any other

By Jackson Maxwell published 18 January 26

Gibbons' pre-ZZ Top band, the Moving Sidewalks, toured with Hendrix for a time in 1968 – and he got to witness the Strat legend's magic up close

The making of Red, the album that pushed King Crimson to the brink

By Andrew Daly published 16 January 26

Robert Fripp digs into his long-unopened personal diaries with Guitar World as he shares the story of the relentlessly heavy and ambitious 1974 prog classic

How acoustic wizard John Smith went back to the future in search of acoustic transcendence

By David Mead published 16 January 26

Celebrating 20 years as a pro musician, singer-songwriter John Smith reimagines personal and fan-favorite songs for his latest album – and changed his choice of acoustic in the process

Lee Anderton on guitarists' changing tastes, and why it’s not all doom and gloom for guitar stores

By Lee Anderton published 15 January 26

The owner (and Captain) of legendary UK gear retailer Andertons gives us reason for optimism that the brick-and-mortar guitar store has still got some life left

T-Bone Walker and the guitar that gave birth to electric blues

By Tony Bacon published 15 January 26

The author of the newly released Electric Blues! T-Bone Walker & The Guitar That Started It All, Tony Bacon, joins us to spotlight T-Bone’s personal contribution to the creation of this game-changing style

How Charlie Jones became the ‘other bassist’ to work with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page

By Andrew Daly published 15 January 26

He may have started in music by buying the wrong instrument, and thrown his Grammy certificate in the garbage without realizing it, but his eclectic attitude has made him a session star – and landed his dream gig with The Cult

The Smoker, the Rocket-Shooting Les Paul… Ace Frehley’s 5 most iconic Kiss guitars

By Andrew Daly published 14 January 26

Because to be Spaceman in Kiss, a plain old blackguard Tele ain't gonna cut it

She put a video of herself playing bass on YouTube. Then Prince called

By Nick Wells published 14 January 26

Having caught the attention of Prince and Bootsy Collins, Alissia is riding a new wave of recognition with her debut single featuring Nile Rodgers and EarthGang