Features

When Joe Satriani volunteered to help Dethklok mastermind Brendon Small with his home recording

By Clay Marshall published 4 March 26

Small's appearance in the new SatchVai music video isn't his first collaboration with the two virtuosos. They cropped up on his cult animated TV series, Metalocalypse, and have since become mentors

They were alt-rock legends who had to follow up a classic debut – then R.E.M.’s Peter Buck offered to lend a hand

By Joe Bosso published 3 March 26

Feelies guitarist Glenn Mercer says the pressure was on to come up with a killer sophomore album – but having a little help from Buck certainly helped in making one

How Al Di Meola’s heart attack led to his anti-ICE concert with Tom Morello and Bruce Springsteen

By Andrew Daly published 2 March 26

Aware he’s in the last quarter of his football game of life, the health alert has made Di Meola determined to make more of a difference – politically and musically

How Europe’s John Norum learned to love The Final Countdown – and the guitar he used to track its iconic solo

By Henry Yates published 2 March 26

The Final Countdown is one of rock's evergreen anthems, but Norum admits he thought it was “dreadful” at first

He wrote chart-topping hits and a Christmas classic, but all he wanted to do was play slide blues – remembering Chris Rea

By Henry Yates published 2 March 26

A slide master with a voice like life, the English bluesman hated the spotlight – and deserves notice beyond his perennial Christmas hit

“I’m a better bass player when I use my fingers”: Nikki Sixx names his biggest weakness as a rock bassist

By Bill Leigh published 1 March 26

The lifeblood of infamous hair-metal band Mötely Crüe, Nikki Sixx has been polarizing bassists since he first took to the stage nearly 50 years ago

“I deserved a songwriting credit. They sold millions and I only got $200!” Flea’s bittersweet hip-hop recording experience

By Nick Wells published 28 February 26

In 1989, as the Red Hot Chili Peppers enjoyed their first big hit, Flea was hopping around MTV in the video for Young MC’s Bust A Move

Brian Robertson knows what Thin Lizzy lost when he left

By Rich Davenport, Per Olsson published 27 February 26

Half of the classic-era twin guitar attack discusses how the iconic sound was built, his relationships with his bandmates after he left, his forensic approach to modding Kirk Hammett Les Pauls to look like Peter Green’s Greeny, and why he couldn’t play the real thing

What really happened with Cream behind the scenes? Ginger Baker’s daughter reveals all

By David Mead published 27 February 26

Nettie Baker’s new book Cream Chronicled debunks a few myths about one of rock’s most influential power trios

How Steve Vai lived his ultimate guitar rockstar fantasy on David Lee Roth’s Eat ’Em and Smile

By Andrew Daly published 27 February 26

Working with David Lee Roth was like "being strapped to a rocket made of charisma and fueled by tequila” – and the music was pretty fun, too