Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robby Krieger is the latest Cardboard Sessions artist to prove his guitar chops on a cardboard-built Telecaster, as he puts his own spin on blues standard Little Red Rooster – which was also part of The Doors' live repertoire.

His accompanying band, The Soul Savages, includes Ed Roth on keyboard, Franklin Vanderbilt on drums, and Kevin Brandon on bass. Throughout their individual careers, they have worked with artists like Lenny Kravitz, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan.

Additionally, Krieger's son, Waylon, joined the session on a matching cardboard-built Strat, trading blues-fueled licks and solos with his father.

“Music, I think, is the only thing that can mend the world and I hope we can do that before it’s too late. It’s starting to get to me, but like I say, music is the answer so let’s keep playing,” comments Krieger at the end of the six-minute-plus, one-take performance.

The session follows those by artists like Billy Gibbons, J Mascis, Keanu Reeves' Dogstar, and LP, who have also tried their hand at playing these cardboard-built guitars, which are master-built at Fender's Corona, California facility. However, there's a slight difference, as this is the first time the purpose-built Telecaster is making an appearance.

“A lot of artists will see the cardboard guitar for the first time and joke, ‘You guys just took some pizza boxes and started stacking them together to make a guitar!’” Cardboard Sessions' Dave Lee told Guitar World.

“You have these fun, creative ideas and all of a sudden they become something. No-one’s played legit cardboard instruments before, like a Fender Strat or a real drum set made out of cardboard. It just keeps growing!”

In other Robby Krieger news, The Doors guitars recently shared why slide guitar is the ultimate way to express yourself as a player.

Robby Krieger's legendary status is assured, having recorded six classic albums with The Doors between 1967 and 1971, starting with their eponymous debut and concluding with L.A. Woman, due to the untimely death of singer Jim Morrison. Krieger’s unique finger-picked, slide stylings are all over the records, becoming as much a part of the band’s signature sound as Ray Manzarek’s keyboards.

Krieger’s writing was equally vital to the success of the band, coming up with many of their most loved songs. The Doors made two more albums, Other Voices (1971) and Full Circle (1972), after Morrison’s death, working as a three-piece – both strong albums that are often overlooked due to the absence of the charismatic Morrison. 

Krieger had two short-lived bands – Butts Band and Red Shift – through to the end of the ’70s before moving into the jazz-fusion arena in the ’80s with his self-titled album released in 1985. By 1991, he had formed his own touring band, the Robby Krieger Band.

With interest in the Doors’ catalog always strong, Krieger succumbed to the inevitable in 2002, hooking up with Manzarek to temporarily reform the band under the banner Doors of the 21st Century with Cult frontman Ian Astbury on vocals.

Krieger has continued to record intermittently, with Cinematix in 2000 and Singularity in 2010, but he remains a fairly constant fixture on the live circuit, both as a solo artist with his own band and as a special guest with numerous rock legends, including Gov’t Mule and Alice In Chains.

Krieger has just released his first album since 2020’s The Ritual Begins at Sundown. The self-titled debut album for the newly formed Robby Krieger and the Soul Savages sees Krieger returning to the all-instrumental, jazz-fusion vibe of his earliest solo work. The warm, organic feel of the record harks back to the golden age of fusion.

How did the album come about?

“I’d just gotten over a cancer scare, and a good friend of mine, Kevin Brandon, who’d played bass on Singularity in 2010, had just escaped near death. He’d been in bed for a year. He wanted to play, so we got together with another couple of friends, Dale Alexander on drums and Ed Roth on keyboards, and we started jamming for fun at my studio in Glendale, California.

“Pretty soon, Dale had to go back to Minneapolis, so we ended up with Franklin Vanderbilt on drums, who plays with Lenny Kravitz, and that became the group.”

Had you written anything beforehand, or was everything created in the studio?

“We went into the recording process without any set ideas. I find that to be the most fun way to do it. Even way back with The Doors, when we recorded L.A. Woman, that’s how we did that record. We’d just start playing in our rehearsal space and the songs would come out somehow. 

“We have a pretty cool setup in my studio, including some great state-of-the-art plug-ins combined with some really good old-school equipment. The idea was to try to keep the process and the sound as old-school as possible. We mainly played live together as we recorded it.”

There’s a cinematic feel to a lot of the tracks. A lot of them sound like they could have come from ’70s detective shows. 

“You’re right, a lot of the stuff did sound like it could’ve been from soundtracks, but we didn’t think, as we were creating the album, 'Hey, let’s make it like a TV show or something.' It just seemed to come out that way. I’d definitely like someone to pick up the tracks for something like that. [Laughs] A Day in L.A. sounded to us like it could have come from a cool comedy score.”

There are great guitar tones all over the album. What are the main guitars and amps we’re hearing?

“Pretty much my ’67 Gibson SG with a 4x10 Fender Blues DeVille. There’s also a bit of electric sitar on a couple of tracks. Most of the delays were added after I’d laid down the guitar tracks. I prefer to record with a fairly straightforward sound and then, if I want to add something, that’s an option. But I’m not stuck with one particular effect in case I change my mind later on.”

The album feels like a throwback to the golden age of jazz fusion, with a good chunk of funk in the mix. What sort of stuff influenced you?

“I like all kinds of music, but for this album, Kevin Brandon had played with Aretha Franklin for years, and the other guys had played with a lot of great jazz and blues artists. I think that’s probably a large part of what drove the overall feel of the record.”

The trademark of the great albums from that era is that all the musicians had great chops.

“Exactly, and that’s what was so great working with the guys on this record, the way they can push you to another level because they’re all at the very top of their game.”

The record has a bright, summery feel, which is ironic as it came out in January!

“I never actually thought about that – that’s funny. Maybe if it takes a while for the album to catch on, it’ll be just in time for the summer. [Laughs]”

You come up with a lot of strong melodies, some which could be vocal lines. Do you ever think in terms of vocals when you’re coming up with melodic ideas?

“Mostly, the melodies come to me without any notion of words in mind. If I do come up with lyrics, it would be later – that’s the way I always did it with The Doors. My greatest wish is to be able to have one of those all-time great instrumental hit records, like [Santana’s] Samba Pa Ti or something.”

In terms of the production of the album, there’s a lot of space around the instruments. What’s the secret to that?

“You’re right about that, and it’s not easy to do as these days everybody wants to fill every space. I call it 'dentist’s syndrome' – the need to fill every hole. [Laughs] These guys are all seasoned pros, and they know when to play and when to lay back, and I think, if there is a secret, it’s the ability to know when to let the music breathe. There’s a real art to that, so I’m glad you noticed that.”

Your slide playing is unusual in that you tend to avoid the traditional blues clichés in favor of a more fluid, microtonal approach.

“Yeah, ever since the Doors’ Moonlight Drive. I don’t think anybody would have thought of doing the slide part like that. I always wanted to have my own sound. I do think my slide playing is kind of different, even though I can’t help being influenced by Duane Allman and some of the greats of slide.

“I think slide playing is the ultimate way to express what you want to play, as you’re not bound by the frets. Hopefully, if you don’t mess it up [Laughs], if you’re careful, you can really find some interesting, expressive nuances.”

Ricochet Rabbit goes down the Wes Montgomery route of voicing the melody in octaves. 

“You can’t really play octaves without people thinking of Wes or George Benson. That’s actually one of my favorite tracks on the album. I was just fooling around with the part and one of the guys said it sounded like something we can work with. The slide solo takes it to another place, though, which I think is cool.”

Blue Brandino finds quite a different approach to the rest of the record, with a grittier, hard-edged blues sound to your guitar. Have you ever thought about a straight blues album?

“I wouldn’t mind trying something like that. I love blues, but I think it’s hard to come up with something a little different when you’re restricted to playing blues.”

What are the standout records when you look back over your playing with the Doors?

“Definitely the first, self-titled album [from 1967], as we’d had months and months of playing the stuff every night at the Whiskey. I think L.A. Woman is probably my next favorite, mostly because of the way we recorded it, as I say, as we were jamming on a lot of the tracks until they became songs.

“Riders on the Storm started off as a surf tune – then it somehow morphed into what it became. After Jim passed, we did a couple of albums with John, Ray and me. I think there were some great songs on those albums, although they don’t get a lot of attention.”

Do you ever listen to the Doors’ albums?

“No, not really, unless I’m planning to include a song in one of my live shows that I haven’t played for many years. I hear a lot of our stuff on the radio all the time anyway. I think the songs still hold up pretty good.

“What makes me say that is when I look at the people who come to my live shows and you’ve got original fans, plus a big percentage of younger people who’ve also discovered the band. They really seem to be into what the Doors did.”

What do you think of your own playing from back then? Do you wish you’d done things differently?

“No, I don’t do that. In fact, I think it’s actually probably more the other way around, where I’ll think, ‘Wow, how did I do that?” [Laughs] I never actually sit down and practice as such these days, unless I’ve got some shows coming up, when I will maybe do that to a degree. [Laughs]

“I think I always learn more new stuff when I’m playing gigs. It seems that the pressure to create in the moment can be very inspirational.”

Do you still have many guitars from the ’60s?

“No, very few. I have about 30 guitars, but only one is from when I was in the Doors, and that’s my ’54 Les Paul Black Beauty, which I used on the first couple of albums. My original SG was stolen. I got another ’67 years later that I still use.

“I don’t know what I did with all the guitars I had. They weren’t collectable in those days, so I sold them or gave them away or whatever. I wish I hadn’t. [Laughs]”

What keeps everything fresh and stimulating for you after 60 years of playing and touring?

“In some ways it’s more exciting, because in those days I was more in the background. Jim was out front, and John, Ray and I were in the background, in the shadows. Nowadays, it’s the Robby Krieger Band, and I’m expected to talk to the audience and all that stuff, which is fun, but I kind of wish I was still hidden away. [Laughs]”

What’s coming up for you?

“I’ve got another album recorded and ready to go – I’m just looking for a label. It’s an instrumental reggae album. Phil Chen was a good friend of mine; he played bass in the Butts Band, which I formed with Ray Manzarek and John Densmore in 1973. We recorded our first, self-titled album in Jamaica, which thrilled Phil, as he got a chance to see a lot of his family members who lived there. 

“He was a great bass player, playing with Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart and other artists. He became very ill and passed away at the end of 2021. Before he passed, we had discussed and recorded an album of instrumental reggae tracks. I’m looking for a label to release the record toward the end of summer, so that will be my focus once the promotion of the current album finishes.”

• Robby Krieger And The Soul Savages' debut album is out now.

This month on Cover Models we have the one and only Robby Krieger checking in to take a trip down memory lane. 

No, he's not here to talk about the Doors. Instead he'll be telling us why he was holding a 1968 Barney Kessel – not his customary Gibson SG – when Michael Curtis shot him for the cover of GW's December 1983 issue and what exactly makes the guitar special.

Where and when did you buy this guitar?

“I got it at Norman’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles in the early ’80s. The guitar would have had to be from the ’60s; as I recall, it was a ’68. I’d never buy one from the ’70s because I’ve always felt that there’s no such thing as a good guitar from that decade.”

Why did you choose it?

“I had been looking for a Gibson L-7 from the ’50s or ’60s, but I didn’t find one I liked. Then I came upon the Barney Kessel and was immediately drawn to it because it was a double-cut, which I liked, and it was a good jazz guitar. I always loved Wes Montgomery and felt that Sunburst would be the perfect tool for that style.”

Did you use it on any notable recordings?

“I might have, but honestly, I didn’t buy that guitar to record with. I liked messing around with it in my free time, and around that time, I was playing a lot of jazz guitar at home, so the [Gibson] SG wasn’t what I’d be using for that.”

What did the Barney Kessel allow you to do that the SG didn’t?

“It was easier to get that Wes Montgomery sound. I liked how the octaves sounded, which I guess is one of many differences between a hollow-body guitar and an SG.”

Why did you choose this particular guitar for your GW cover shoot?

“Because I liked how it looked! That would have been the driving force since it wasn’t being used to record. I’ve always been into jazz, and people always talk about the SG, so I wanted to have a different look.”

Do you still own this guitar?

“I do. I just saw it the other day, coincidentally. It’s been forever since I played it; I should get it out and play it again. I remember it being a great guitar, which is probably why I bought it!”

Some very trivial trivia: Inside the January 1983 issue (pictured above), Robby is misspelled “Robbie,” and his guitar is misidentified as a Gibson 355. Come on, vintage GW – get your facts straight!

• If you’d like to nominate a particular Guitar World cover for the Cover Models page, let us know. Please be as specific (with the issue date/cover star) as you can.

Andy Timmons and Paul Gilbert recently sat down with Sweetwater to discuss gear and trade tales, and they concluded the video segment with an epic improvised jam of The Doors’ classic Light My Fire.

Gilbert gave Timmons a total of seven seconds to understand the chord progression – which alternates between A min and B min, with both anchoring on the open A string - before hurtling into the jam.

Timmons leads the way, weaving through Robby Krieger's iconic licks before twisting into his own stylings. 

There’s then a rare sighting of Paul Gilbert proving he’s human as he lands on a duff note shortly after taking over soloing duties. He dutifully brushes himself off and rips into the kind of short bursts intertwined with sharply bent note kind of playing he’s  synonymous with.

It’s interesting to hear the tonal differences between both their guitars and rig setups, with a gentle wash of flanger giving Gilbert’s licks a warmer, more rounded quality. The single coils of Timmons’ guitar and flanger-free tone, meanwhile, provides a much cleaner, sweeter sound.

Gear-wise, it’s a double-headed Ibanez affair. Timmons is playing his workhorse signature guitar, the ATZ10P-STM whilst Gilbert sports the black edition of his PGM50 signature model.

The ATZ10P-STM boasts the classic Stratocaster combo of an alder body and bolt-on maple neck. It's loaded with a triple threat of single-coil DiMarzio pickups comprising Cruisers in the neck and middle positions, and an AT-1 in the bridge.

In contrast, Gilbert’s guitar offers a HSH setup. Also equipped with a trio of DiMarzio pickups, its Air Classic humbuckers boasting black and gold bobbins to match the guitar's finish, with a PGM single coil in the middle.

The candid jam session ends with a quickfire lick trade-off which finds the pair at their improvisational best. They even lock into a harmonized run (with a few missed notes for good measure) that threatens to go down Technical Difficulties territory.

It’s pulled back, though, as they lock into the vocal melody instead of beaming off into the shred stratosphere.

“There you go ladies and gentlemen,” says Gilbert to punctuate the jam, whilst Timmons heralds the Mr. Big guitarist's playing, saying: “He’s the best. It's beautiful playing with you man; so inspiring.”

Timmons, who launched his signature Keeley Electronics Muse Driver at NAMM 2024, is no stranger to jamming with the greats. Earlier this week producer Josh Smith posted a clip of him trading licks with Joe Bonamassa in the studio, with the Guitar World columnist featuring on the follow-up to Timmons 2022 album, Electric Truth.

Paul Gilbert recently shared his tips learned from a lifetime of studying Van Halen with Total Guitar.

“I was lucky enough to see every Van Halen headline tour from 1979 until 1984,” he said. “To be there in person was amazing.

“With all of the fiery things, especially Eruption, Eddie was like a new sun appearing in the sky. You could sense that the world would never be the same. So I was lucky to see them with my own eyes and take in what Eddie had to offer. I actually still have recurring dreams about those experiences because they were so exciting.”  

The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger has asked for the guitar community’s help in tracking down a very special stolen guitar: his prized early-’60s red Gibson SG Special.

The electric guitar was used throughout his early years with the Doors, before it was stolen from the band’s rehearsal space around 1967. Now speaking to Guitar World, Krieger has repeated his call for assistance in finding the instrument.

“I was lucky enough to find another like it,” Krieger tells GW. “[But] I’m still looking for my original SG... If anyone out there knows anything about that, please call me. Seriously!”

As such, the Doors man is asking any owners of ’63/’64 Gibson SG Specials to check the back of their headstocks for the serial number 88779. Anyone with potential leads can reach out on FindRobbysGuitar@gmail.com.

While Krieger has been more fortunate in holding on to the replacement SG – a 1967 model, also in red, that he picked up after it went missing – he still holds out hope of one day buying back the original. 

The guitarist’s call-out reprises an appeal first made in 2021, when Krieger posted a video describing the guitar’s distinguishing features and history – and incorrectly listed the serial number as 952727.

“It was a red Gibson SG Special, it had the P-90 pickups, the black ones and I bought it from the Ace Loans pawn shop in Santa Monica,” Krieger said in the clip. 

“This was the guitar I auditioned for the Doors with. It was also the guitar I wrote Light My Fire, with it, I played it at the Whiskey [A-Go-Go], at the London Fog, I played it on The Ed Sullivan Show and used it on the first two Doors albums. Then one day, it’s gone – somebody stole it out of our rehearsal place.”

The guitarist reportedly put it out of his mind until he came to work on his biography Set the Night on Fire when, as part of the research, a Doors fan supplied him with the manifest from an old tour.

The document listed a serial number for the SG Special, which Krieger had not kept on record. That detail has since proven to be incorrect and Krieger has now learned the actual number is 88779.

As he explains in his new GW interview, Krieger’s relationship with the SG actually dates back to a show in which the young guitarist, then a classical player, saw Chuck Berry perform at the Santa Monica Civic Center – on an ES-335.

“He played this beautiful cherry red Gibson ES-335,” recalls Krieger. “Next day I decided to trade in one of my flamenco guitars for an ES-335. But as it turned out, the ES-335 was too expensive, and the only guitar I could afford was a Gibson SG.”

Krieger was first attracted to its horned design and upper-fret access but says the full-throated (but not abrasive) rock tone would go on to form an essential component in The Doors’ sound.

“It’s always about how you play rather than what you play,” reflects Krieger. 

“But I think the SG had a smoother sound compared to the Fender guitars of the day. The Fender stuff was twangier, and I never was a fan of that. I always have gone for smoother sounds, which I could get with the Gibson.”

Keep a look out for our full Robby Krieger interview, in which the guitarist discusses his days with The Doors, studio accidents and how, over time, he’s taking a big step away from his signature fingerstyle.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for Krieger’s SG and perhaps with your help, the two of them will one day be reunited…

While Krieger’s loss has no doubt been keenly felt over the decades, spare a thought, too, for Guitar House of Tulsa, which needs help in tracking down $80,000 worth of stolen vintage guitars.

Along with its cousin the Les Paul, as well as Fender's Stratocaster and Telecaster, the Gibson SG arguably rounds out the big four of classic electric guitars. It's lent power, brawn and sonic versatility to countless vital long-players in the six decades since its introduction. 

Narrowing things down to just the 10 best of these innumerable SG-powered albums is a near-impossible task, but it does help chart rock's dizzying evolution, particularly in the 60s and 70s.

From AC/DC's rabble-rousing debut to Sister Rosetta Tharpe's stunning Live In Paris 1964, the following albums all – with an SG leading the charge – made a tremendous impact on music in their own way.

1. AC/DC – High Voltage (1976)

AC/DC’s first proper release also featured Angus Young’s first SG, a 1970 model (‘probably’, says Angus himself) bought that same year. It was used exclusively throughout most of the 70s – and even on 2020’s Power Up. High Voltage was famously slammed by Rolling Stone magazine, but it’s hard to argue with its energy and the quality of material and performances.  

Standout track: T.N.T.

2. Cream – Disraeli Gears (1967)

Fair enough, Cream’s second effort isn’t considered the most consistent record, but when it got it right it absolutely shone – and Clapton’s spellbinding playing on his 1964 ‘Fool’ Gibson SG is all over it. Plus it also goes down in history for introducing Clapton’s coveted ‘woman’ tone; just check out the opening riff to Sunshine Of Your Love.  

Standout track: Sunshine Of Your Love 

3. Black Sabbath – Paranoid (1970) 

Left-handed riff king Tony Iommi is responsible for many teens purchasing SG guitars (and rupturing their own eardrums). His band’s second album continued the band’s eponymous debut’s theme of a dark and heavy low sound, and is considered a benchmark in heavy metal music. The title track is key, but War Pigs is a standout, too.  

Standout track: War Pigs

4. The Allman Brothers Band – Hittin’ The Note (2003)

Duane Allman is a crucial player in the SG canon, as is Derek Trucks, whose clear and precise blues sound is revered the world over. Hittin’ The Note is especially notable here since it’s the final Allman Brothers Band album and the only one to feature Trucks. His mellow juicy lines work well with Warren Haynes’ guitar work on an enjoyable and solid record.  

Standout track: Instrumental Illness

5. The Beatles – Revolver (1966)

The hints of experimentalism heard on the previous year’s Rubber Soul went on to be further realized on 1966’s Revolver. For the studio sessions, George Harrison relied heavily on his 1964 Gibson SG Standard, which he later gave to Pete Ham of Badfinger. The tone achieved on the track She Said She Said is just stunning.  

Standout track: She Said She Said

6. The Doors – L.A. Woman (1971)

The last studio album to feature Jim Morrison at the helm, the Doors’ sixth studio release was also a return to a stripped-back, more bluesy sound for the California band – and what a resounding success it was too. Robby Krieger’s 1968 SG Standard features throughout, but really starts hitting its stride when the cracking Been Down So Long kicks in.   

Standout track: Been Down So Long

7. Frank Zappa & The Mothers – Roxy & Elsewhere (1974)

Zappa’s ‘Baby Snakes’ SG of the late 70s was actually an obscure custom copy, but the ‘Roxy’ model he used for this album was a Gibson, albeit modified with various switches and preamps. His son Dweezil has since stated that Frank’s tone is impossible to emulate; and even the briefest of listens to this rollercoaster album will back that claim.   

Standout track: Cheepnis

8. Haim – Days Are Gone (2013)

Danielle Haim has quickly become a modern icon for the SG, and this tightly performed, highly listenable, well-produced debut album from her LA band is chock-full of spikey, accomplished pop songs, with Danielle’s jagged picking on her 2005 Cherry Red Standard a key element. Check out live footage of the band for the full experience.   

Standout track: Falling

9. The Who – Live At Leeds (1970) 

Live At Leeds is well up there with the best ever live rock albums, and it’s also a cracking example of the power of the SG. Just hear Pete Townshend’s fretboard-surfing during My Generation for unquestionable proof of its muscle. And talking of strength, the modified SG in question is also famous for surviving being smashed to smithereens on stage.   

Standout track: My Generation

10. Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Live In Paris 1964 (1988)

This remarkable guitarist has been cited as a key influence for many a star player over the years, including Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Later in her career, the good sister acquired her classic white early 60s SG model, which bore the ‘Les Paul Custom’ nameplate (which subsequently disappeared at the end of ’63) and was showcased well in this live set.  

Standout track: This Train

Robby Krieger, who played electric guitar with The Doors, has announced his first-ever memoir, titled Set The Night On Fire: Living, Dying, And Playing Guitar With The Doors.

Due out on October 12 via Little, Brown and Company, the upcoming offering will take a deep dive into Krieger’s life, and promises to shed new light on the band’s meteoric career.

A description of the book’s contents reads, “Through a series of vignettes, Robby Krieger takes readers back to where it all happened: the pawn shop where he bought his first guitar; the jail cell he was tossed into after a teenage bust [and] his parents’ living room where his first songwriting sessions with Jim Morrison took place.”

The book will also explore “the empty bars and backyard parties where The Doors played their first awkward gigs; the studios where their iconic songs were recorded and the many concert venues that erupted into historic riots."

The 432-page book is set to be filled with never-before-told stories from the most pivotal points in The Doors’ career, and will offer up fresh perspectives on the band’s most celebrated and infamous moments.

Robby Krieger’s Set The Night On Fire is available to preorder now in digital and hardback formats for $13.89 and $24.49. The audiobook version, on CD, is also available to preorder for $39.73.

“I didn't play Doors music for a long time after Ray Manzarek passed away,” sighs Robby Krieger. Instead, when Manzarek, his longtime friend and keyboard foil in the Doors – the group in which both musicians became rock legends in 1960s alongside drummer John Densmore and late singer Jim Morrison – passed away in 2013 from cancer, Krieger took a break from performing Doors material for the next half-decade and threw himself into the jazzier side of his musical personality. 

He deepened his alliance with Frank Zappa bassist/arranger Arthur Barrow – not to mention Zappa alumni like keyboardist Tommy Mars and trumpeter Sal Marquez. 

The result, honed over several years of live gigs and studio dates, is the bebop- and fusion-infused instrumental LP The Ritual Begins at Sundown, which boasts an original Krieger abstract painting on the cover and the kind of altered-scale-tinged melodic heads one might associate with players like John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel or even Zappa, whom Krieger pays homage to on a blazing cover of Chunga’s Revenge.

It features wicked horn/guitar harmonies and a wild free-form solo that recalls Zappa’s SG through-a-parked-wah tone and the almost-dissonant flurries and fuzz arcs of Krieger’s solo on the Doors’ When the Music’s Over.

“It was very collaborative on Ritual,” Krieger says. “Much more so than my earlier solo albums, like [1989’s] No Habla or [2010’s] Singularity. I might start something off, and Arthur would come in with some ideas; Tommy would add melodies, too.” 

Horns and guitars work off each other in funky syncopation on The Hitch or play in bebop-approved unison on the long mixolydian-flavored lines of Dr. Noir. 

When his turn comes to blow, I ask, is Robby thinking in terms of particular modes, chord tones, scales or arpeggios?

“I tend not to think about that stuff,” he explains. “For me, it just gets mechanical when I do that. I just like to see where the music takes me. A lot of the solos on Ritual were overdubbed, and I have a certain way of doing that, which is playing into the solo as far as I can go, deciding if I want to keep what I’ve got so far, then punching in at that point. 

“I keep that process going until I finish it. It’s not exactly comping – I don’t really care for the results when you comp together, like, five or six different takes of a solo and pick the best parts. That doesn’t really work for me.”

Comping of a kind certainly worked for Krieger – though in an unexpected way – when he recorded the landmark guitar solo on 1967’s When the Music’s Over, from Strange Days, at L.A.’s Sunset Sound, tracking the guitar solo several times, standing directly in front of his Twin Reverb and early Gibson Maestro Fuzz-Tone pedal. 

“I always like to be really near the amp, to keep the dynamics going between guitar and amp,” he says. “Engineers are always trying to stick the cabinets in an iso [isolation] booth, but that never works for my sound.” 

When the sound “still wasn’t happening,” Krieger says, he asked producer Paul Rothchild if there was “some way to make it sound almost like a violin” – total sustain.

“Paul opens his briefcase,” Krieger recalls, “and he pulls out this little diode, or some fucking thing, and he says, ‘Wait 10 minutes.’ He solders the thing into one of the channels on the board, and that was it. That’s what created that sound. I wish I could have bottled that. I’ve been trying to reproduce that sound ever since!” 

That wasn’t the only bit of magic-in-a-bottle on Krieger’s solo. 

“So, after I cut maybe four or five versions of the solo, when we were listening back, Bruce Botnick, the engineer, had left two of the solos up [on the mixing board] by accident. Bruce goes, “Oh, sorry, I had two of them going there. Wait a minute…” And we said, “No! Leave that right alone! That might work!” And it did; it worked fucking perfectly.”

As with the Doors, Krieger’s playing still retains flashes of his early flamenco heroes like Sabicas, rock, jazz and blues giants like Chuck Berry, Wes Montgomery and Albert King, folkies from Dave Van Ronk to Bob Dylan, and world-music avatars like Ravi Shankar.

On last year’s 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of the Doors’ 1969 album The Soft Parade, Krieger added terrific new solos to stripped-down alternate mixes of Touch Me, Wishful Sinful and Runnin’ Blue, replacing those songs’ heavy orchestrations with his lithe licks and a grittier “Doors only” sound.

Krieger remains a huge admirer of his late Doors bandmates’ musicianship, pointing to Manzarek’s lyrical piano playing on the Krieger original Yes, the River Knows, [from 1968’s Waiting for the Sun] which is covered on Ritual with Robby playing the vocal lines on slide. 

“That’s one of the best parts Ray ever played,” he beams. “People usually think about Ray on Light My Fire or Riders on the Storm, but I wish they’d recognize Ray for that one.”

After so many years of myth-making and misunderstanding about Jim Morrison, what does Krieger wish people would remember best about Jim from a musical point of view?

“Jim had the most amazing vocal range I’ve ever heard,” Krieger says. “And not only the range, but the power – and he was never out of tune. Jim was a total natural. It’s amazing how many people think they can sing like Jim but can’t really do it. 

“Jim had this incredible power in his voice, and I don’t know where it came from, because he definitely didn’t have it at first, but it developed really fast. At our first gigs, Jim sounded like a kid, which, I suppose, he was. But, man, he turned into the most amazing singer.”

The Gear Parade, with Robby’s Tech: Wild Child’s Forrest Penner

“Forrest knows my parts better than I do!“ laughs Robby Krieger, talking about his longtime guitar tech, Forrest Penner, who’s also been the axman for L.A.’s premier Doors tribute act, Wild Child, since the mid Eighties.

“One of the first times we played together on stage,” recalls Penner, “Robby invited me up to play the double solo on When the Music’s Over with him, and after it was done, he turned to me and said, ‘Now, that’s how it’s supposed to sound!”

Penner, who’s also teched for Jefferson Starship, Doyle Bramhall and others, was so well-versed in Krieger’s vocabulary, that he even subbed for Robby on some huge Manzarek/Krieger Band shows in Mexico and South America when the Doors guitarist fell ill in 2011. 

“I was a little stressed, because after each of the first few songs, the audience was cheering, and chanting, “Rob-BY, Rob-BY,’ so Ray had to explain who I was, and why Robby himself wasn’t there. But the audience was great about it.”

Krieger’s main ax, says Penner, is a brownish-red 1967 Gibson SG, which Krieger bought used about 25 years ago. (His original SG Special with P-90s from the first few Doors albums was stolen many years back.)

“It plays magnificently,” says Penner, with a thin neck profile, and a Gibson Maestro Lyre Vibrola tailpiece. Krieger also plays a circa-2000 Gibson SG RK-1 Robby Krieger Signature model set up for slide in either open-G or open-D. Penner strings both guitars with Ernie Ball 2221 Regular Slinky Nickel Wound strings, .010-.046.

Live, Krieger typically plays through a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 4x10 combo amp, though he was best known for using Magnatone, Fender Twin Reverb, and Acoustic 260 amps in the Sixties.

When Krieger, who’d been using a BOSS ME-10 multi-effector, expressed an interest in Penner’s more boutique-leaning board with Wild Child, Penner built Robby a similar custom board, using a Pedal Train Classic chassis and a Tru-Tone 1-Spot Pro power supply.

From the guitar, using a Cordial Encore braided High Copper Series cable, Krieger’s SG hits a Boss TU-2 tuner, Dunlop Mini Cry Baby Wah, Boss CE-B Bass Chorus (for Love Her Madly), Boss TR-2 Tremolo (for Riders on the Storm, Strange Days and others), a vintage Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer with light gain, a reissue TS-808 Tube Screamer with heavy gain, an Xotic Effects SP Compressor for clean boost, a TC Electronic Flashback Delay, and a BOSS DD-7 Digital Delay, with an expression pedal to modify the wet/dry mix. An Ernie Ball VP Jr Volume Pedal rounds out the board.

“Robby’s parts are interesting,” Penner says, “because at first they might seem easy to play, but they’re very hard to play accurately. A lot of people wouldn’t guess, for instance, that Robby played the riff to Roadhouse Blues with his fingers, not a pick. 

“He also plays with his fingers on Love Me Two Times, 20th Century Fox and many more. For those parts, I use a hybrid pick/fingers technique myself – but using your fingers is the only way to really get the Robby sound.”

Alice In Chains were joined by Robbie Krieger at their sold-out show at the Hollywood Palladium in L.A. on Wednesday, August 29. The Doors guitarist came out to accompany the band on “Rooster,” from Alice in Chains’ 1992 album Dirt.

Also in attendance at the sold-out show were director Cameron Crowe, comedian George Lopez and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan.

Jerry Cantrell wrote on his official Instagram page: 

“Robby Krieger was kind enough to join us to close the show on Rooster at the palladium tonight. One of my musical heroes , friend and occasional golf partner.... what an honor especially in LA.”

Wrote Alice in Chains co-vocalist William Duvall on his own Instagram page: 

“Yes, that’s Robby Krieger of THE DOORS jamming onstage w/ us at the Hollywood Palladium tonight. And, yes, he is playing one of my @framuswarwickofficial Talisman guitars (which he told me he loved). And, no, I still can’t believe it actually happened. Robby Krieger is one of my absolute heroes - a rocker with the heart of a jazzman. He introduced Coltrane/Ravi Shankar-style improvisation to rock guitar while also being a great pop songwriter for the Doors. Robby wrote some of their biggest hits, including “Light My Fire,” which was the first song he EVER wrote (talk about comin’ in hot), and “Love Me Two Times.” He’s a truly great all-around musician and it was a tremendous honor to share the stage with him tonight.”

Alice in Chains’ new album, Rainier Fog, was released on Friday, August 24. Earlier this year, Cantrell described the sound of the album to Guitar World: 

“It’s a record we haven’t done yet, I can tell you that,” he said. “But it’s also a record that has all the elements of anything you would expect from us. It’s got our fingerprint. And we’re really proud of the material that we wrote and the performances we captured. There’s some really heavy shit, some really ugly stuff, some real beautiful stuff, some weirdo trippy shit… it’s good!”

The band recently resumed the third leg of their international headlining tour. All upcoming tour dates can be found here.

Musicians can still be a little fuzzy when it comes to describing the sound of fuzz. Some guitarists will tell you it sounds like a 2,000-pound bee trapped in a sturdy metal box—perhaps with a potentiometer installed somewhere behind the wings.

And while many fuzz guitar tunes and tones did (and do) make the most of the original fuzz "buzz" sound, fuzz actually has many facets, many sides, many fuzz faces, if you will.

Here are 10 songs—compiled by several members of the Guitar World staff—that we feel represent a wide spectrum of fuzz sounds and cover a lot of stomping ground. These songs are presented in no particular order. I repeat: These songs are presented in no particular order!

If you want to track down any of these tracks, you'll find all 10 original album covers in the photo gallery below.

For more fuzz box info, check out Chris Gill's Guitar World feature on "How to Buy a Fuzz Box: A Guide for the First-Time Buyer." And if you've still got stompbox fever, check out our guide to "The Top 50 Stomp Boxes, Devices and Processors of All Time." Enjoy!

P.S.: Don't get all jerked up about these 10 choices. We're not saying they're the only essential fuzz-guitar tracks in the world. Calm down. This is escapism, people.

THE 2000 POUND BEE
The Ventures (1962)

Let's start with "The 2000 Pound Bee," a 1962 track by the Ventures, the best-selling instrumental band of all time. While no one (including us) wants to make the claim that this is the first song to feature intentional fuzz guitar (as in, fuzz as the result of an effect pedal, as opposed to a busted speaker cone), it is commonly accepted to be exactly that (Although we must mention that it's not necessarily true). The Ventures were always ahead of the curve when it came to weird effects, as best demonstrated by their very "out there" 1964 album, The Ventures In Space. That's Nokie Edwards playing the fun, fuzzy riff, by the way.

HEART FULL OF SOUL
The Yardbirds (1965)

And to think these guys originally tried to play this classic guitar riff on a sitar! Seriously, why bother? Jeff Beck's tone on this mid-1965 hit single pretty much exemplifies the still-much-sought-after mid-'60s "fuzz" and/or "buzz" tone. Oddly enough, Beck used a fuzz box to recreate the tone of a sitar, the very instrument that didn't cut it in the first place. Beck is playing an MKI Tone Bender pedal on this track.

WHEN THE MUSIC'S OVER
The Doors (1967)

Back to California we go, with the Doors' 11-minute-long "When the Music's Over," a standout track from 1967's Stange Days. "Fuzz distortion was all we had," Doors guitarist Robby Krieger has said in past interviews. "We didn't have overdrive on our amps." In a Guitar Player magazine interview, he added that the fuzz was created by recording direct and cranking the gain/overdriving tube input on the mixing board. Regardless of how he achieved the fuzz tone on this track, it is beautiful, bizarre and creepy all at once!

Iron Butterfly, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"

Let's stay in the Sixties a bit longer with an extended visit to the garden of life, aka "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" from Iron Butterfly's super-psycho 1968 album of the same bizarre name. Yes, that sentence was a mouthful—and this 17-minute-long track is an earful of pretty much every late-Sixties psychedelic-rock cliche. You have the lengthy drum solo, the spooky church-organ-style keyboards, the arguably meaningless lyrics and, of course, the fuzz guitar. This time, the fuzz is courtesy of an original Mosrite Fuzzrite—and teenage guitarist Erik Braunn. For more about the Fuzzrite, check out this site.

The Guess Who, "American Woman"

Don't worry—we'll return to Sixties (We have to; we haven't mentioned Jimi Hendrix and his Fuzz Face yet). However, let's take a brief detour to early 1970, and up north to lovely Canada, home of the Guess Who, a band that scored a major hit with this tune about women from "south of the border." The song is noteworthy for Randy Bachman's unique, creamy, sustaining, neck-pickup tone (or "cow tone," as Ozzy Osbourne might say). For more about Bachman's adjective-laden "American Woman" tone (and how it came to be that way), check out this website.

Jimi Hendrix, "Foxy Lady"

You knew this was coming! "Foxy Lady"—or pretty much any track from Jimi Hendrix's debut album, Are You Experienced?—is a prime example of Hendrix playing his Fender Strat through a germanium Fuzz Face pedal (a Fuzz Face using germanium transistors.) Most germanium pedals simply reflect the qualities of a vintage tube amp, but in super-cranked mode, providing a warm sound when the speaker breaks up. It's a "rounder" distortion, as heard on "Foxy Lady." It's not at all what you hear on the Yardbirds' "Heart Full of Soul" or "Over Under Sideways Down." These days, Jim Dunlop makes a faithful reproduction of a slightly-later Hendrix pedal—his 1969/'70 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, which was built around a BC108 silicon transistor. For more about the new Hendrix Fuzz Face, head here.

BECK'S BOLERO
Jeff Beck (1967)

Yes, it's Jeff Beck again, this time as a solo act, still fuzzing away. "Beck's Bolero"—released in March 1967—was the B-side of Beck's first single, "Hi Ho Silver Lining" (which features the mop-topped guitarist on vocals—a true rarity). The brief but powerful instrumental features Beck and Jimmy Page on guitar (Beck on lead, of course), John Paul Jones on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano and Keith Moon on drums. It was recorded in mid-1966, before there was a Led Zeppelin—and before Beck had even left the Yardbirds. Although we'll try to verify this the next time we speak to Beck, it is widely believed he used a Mk.II/Supa Fuzz pedal on this song.

CHERUB ROCK
Smashing Pumpkins (1993)

We haven't mentioned the Big Muff yet! Enter "Cherub Rock" by Smashing Pumpkins, a killer song in general and a perfect example of the sound of an early Big Muff. The rest of the Billy Corgan's recording chain is most likely a Strat and a Marshall amp; but the Big Muff is doing the talking here.

SABOTAGE
Beastie Boys (1994)

Here's a curve ball for you, direct from New York City! It's "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys, which makes this list on the merits of its fuzz bass sound, which is absolutely killer—and nearly as cool as the song's mustache-heavy music video. As heard in other fuzz-bass-centric tunes, including the Beatles' "Think for Yourself," the bottom end gets a bit lost, but the gains (no pun intended) are many. The bass was played through a Black Cat Superfuzz unit, which was based (again, no pun ...) on a 1970s Univox Superfuzz. Like its inspiration, the Black Cat truly pounces and shrieks! Insert your own cat-related puns here.

(I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION
The Rolling Stones (1965)

We'll wrap things up with a classic from 1965: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones. The famous fuzz riff with the almost-trombone-like tone is played by the maestro, Keith Richards, who happens to be playing through a Maestro Fuzztone FZ-1, a pedal made by Gibson/Norlin. The Maestro, which had a tone and fuzz potentiometer, plus a push on/off footswitch, was probably the best-known early commercial distortion circuit. The massive success of "Satisfaction" led to increased interest in fuzz pedals and sound research — not to mention stories like the one you're just finishing reading now.

DON'T WORRY
Marty Robbins (1961)

Be sure to check out Grady Martin's six-string bass solo from this 1961 Marty Robbins hit; it starts at 1:24. Music historians claim the fuzz effect was an accident; Martin—a legendary session player—was using a faulty channel in the mixing desk, which resulted in a distorted sound. Although Martin wasn't in love with the effect, Robbins' producer decided to leave it in. For more about the late, great Grady Martin, who plays guitar on Robbins' "El Paso," Johnny Burnette's "Train Kept A-Rollin'" and Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" (and countless others), head here.

Damian Fanelli is the online managing editor at Guitar World. Here he is playing a Fender Nashville Tele through a Tone Bender clone on the Blue Meanies' version of "Heart Full of Soul."

Robby Krieger played some memorable electric guitar parts during his time with the Doors. These include a trunk load of "singable" or hummable solos—"Light My Fire," "Twentieth Century Fox," "Love Her Madly" and "L.A. Woman"—and catchy, imaginative riffs—"Roadhouse Blues," "Love Me Two Times," "Break On Through," "Riders on the Storm" and so many more.

But in the context of what other rock guitarists were playing and recording in the late Sixties, it's one of Krieger's acoustic performances that has truly resonated throughout the decades. Yes, we're talking about "Spanish Caravan," an impressive flamenco-style track from the band's 1968 album, Waiting for the Sun.

While the composition is officially credited to the Doors—Krieger, Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore—and sung by Morrison, the flamenco-style guitar intro is pure Krieger and features his reworking of a melody from "Asturias," a classical piece by Isaac Albéniz. Of course, Krieger also blazes his way into electric-fuzz-guitar nirvana on the same recording—all of which melds to form a very unique late-Sixties masterpiece.

Anyway, Krieger still performs "Spanish Caravan" on tour; in fact, it's one of the highlights of his solo shows.

"I really missed playing flamenco and had been getting back to it little by little," Krieger told Guitar World in 2010. "Ray [Manzarek] and I started doing 'Spanish Caravan' during our Doors [reunion] shows, and I would perform a longer and longer intro to it as I got more comfortable with the technique and better at it. What I play now is quite similar to what I recorded on 'Russian Caravan,' the intro to the first track on [my 2010 album, Singularity]."

Below, check out a fan-filmed Hollywood performance of "Spanish Caravan" by Krieger and a quartet from the LA Philharmonic on June 7, 2015. It even features his son, Waylon Krieger, on vocals. The famous "Asturias" section starts at 2:56; the vocals kick in at 3:31.

For your listening pleasure, we've also included the original Doors version of "Spanish Caravan" and a performance of "Asturias"—the classical piece mentioned above—by classical guitarist John Williams. As a little bonus, we've thrown in a "Spanish Caravan" lesson video. Enjoy!

To keep up with Krieger in 2018, check out his website, robbykrieger.com.

In the new March 2012 issue of Guitar World, Lamb of God’s Mark Morton and Willie Adler tell how the most important contemporary metal group in the world has blazed a new trail for itself with Resolution, their diverse new album.

And this just in -- the latest Readers Poll Results for 2011.

See who was voted Best Band, Best Guitarist and more! There’s only one way to find out who the winners are, so order your copy today!

Other features in this issue:

• Mastodon: Guitar World spends a hard day’s night with Mastodon’s Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher as they tour in support of their surprisingly upbeat new album, The Hunter.

• Joe Satriani: With a new concert DVD, upcoming tours with G2 and Chickenfoot, and a new album in the works, the guitar virtuoso is busier than ever.

• Gary Clark Jr.: His eclectic multi-genre playing styles and fiery technique have made him the fastest-rising star in Austin’s blues guitar firmament.

• Soundcheck: Jackson X Series King V KVXMG and Rhoads RRXT guitars, Zoom G3 guitar effects and amp simulator, Ampeg GVT52-112 1x12 combo, Acoustic G120 DSP combo amp, Super-Vee Mag-Log tremolo, Orange DIVO Tube Sync and OV4 with Bias Runner software, and more!

For more info or to order, visit the Guitar World Online Store now.

2012 is a year fraught with cosmic significance. Musicians and artists, more sensitive to vibrational influences than most, will benefit from knowledge of these heavenly influences.

This year started with major planetary shifts that will continue to bring transformation throughout 2012. Jupiter, the planet of luck, expansion and optimism, entered Taurus on Christmas Day and will remain there throughout the year, which supports the realization of abstract ideas.

Uranus, the planet of unexpected surprises and social networks, is finally fully established and moving forward in Aries (and will be through most of 2019), bringing excitement and massive change. Neptune is preparing to make a major shift from Aquarius into the sign it rules, Pisces, in February, enhancing everyone’s creative self-expression for years to come.

And last, but definitely not least, Mars, the planet of ambition and aggression, is retrograde through mid-April, enabling us to go back and put effort into finally finishing something started long ago.

ARIES

In 2012, Uranus, the planet of freaky surprises and out-of-the-blue changes is in your sign, Aries, for the first time in 86 years. This is the year to get the band back together, meet new people and collaborate. Merge your energy with others to create innovative, maybe even rebellious, expressions of your inner-soul. You will be singled out for past achievements this year, enabling you to forge ahead into completely new creative territory. 2012 is the time to initiate a new quest. You have the confidence and finesse to turn a partnership that made a rocky start into a powerhouse combination.

Theme Song: “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” by The Doors (The Doors, Elektra, 1967)

TAURUS

In 2012 Jupiter, the "greater benefic" of the zodiac, is in Taurus, a cycle that happens only once every 12 years. This is your year to shine; the stars are definitely on your side. You will accomplish whatever you set your mind to if you concentrate fully on objectives and banish nagging negativity. Publishing endeavors, touring, and academic pursuits are all highlighted in 2012. It is a perfect time to go back and revisit an old project, with Mars retrograde in your fifth house of creativity; you have the power to completely transform a work you incorrectly assumed was lost forever. Remix, re-master, or re-record your grand opus this year; the final result may astound you.

Theme Song: “Instant Karma (We All Shine On)” by John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band (Single, Apple Records, 1970)

GEMINI

You are more reserved and introverted than usual in January, Gemini. Repair broken or struggling relationships using one of your undisputed strengths: your gift of gab. You can talk your way out of almost anything right now. When it comes to the domestic scene, make an extra effort to clean out the old in order to make way for the new. Expend that extra energy organizing and streamlining your home base of operations; Mars’ retrograde in the fourth house will wreak havoc in coming months if you do not nip problems in the bud NOW.

Theme Song: “Ramble On” by Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin II, Atlantic, 1969)

CANCER

In 2012, Uranus forces you out of your shell toward a more extroverted and social existence. Acquaintances and friends prove instrumental in furthering your career ambitions. You finally meet the partner of your dreams this year, or make it possible by ending a dead relationship. Mars’ retrograde in the third house of siblings, neighbors, and communication brings sublimated domestic tension to the fore, and a confrontation at the end of January is possible. Don’t let others’ aggressive energies get you down or force you off your course.

Theme Song: "After Midnight" by Eric Clapton (Eric Clapton, Polydor, 1970)

LEO

It is time to get to work, Leo. Mars is retrograde at the end of January, so tackle financial and practical matters right away before they tackle you. External aggression may force you to address issues that have been lingering for months. Jupiter, the planet of luck, optimism, is in your tenth house of career all year, supercharging your creativity leaps forward. Communication, neighbors, and socializing may seem burdensome; work through invisible barriers that have been blocking your progress in the social arena. Have faith in your values and what -– and who –- is really important to you (and what is not).

Theme Song: "Takin’ Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, Mercury, 1973)

VIRGO

There is no more fooling around for Virgos in 2012. Mars is in Virgo all year long, giving workaholic Virgos an extra dose of super charged universal consciousness. 2012 brings with a super creative streak; but beware, Mars is slowing down and will turn retrograde in your Sun sign on the 24th, so get your ducks in a row now. With Mars’ help, in February and March you will be able you to turn your energy inward and resolve deeper issues. Subvert all negative energy by converting aggression aimed in your direction into a defensive weapon.

Theme Song: “Get Down to It” by Humble Pie (Eat It!, A&M,1973)

LIBRA

You are tempted to focus solely on home and hearth with the Sun in your fourth house. However, Uranus settling into Aries in your seventh house of partnerships (of all kinds) forces you to deal with external influences as well. You’ll experience a refresher course in exercising the Libran principles of balance through this constant push-and-pull all year long. In addition, taskmaster Saturn, the stern teacher of the zodiac, is also in Libra throughout 2012, bringing a mixed bag. The heavy responsibilities and burdensome challenges may seem dark at times, however, Uranus in Aries will lighten your load by surprising you with new and unusual potential partners who can lend a helping hand.

Theme Song: “With A Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club, Capitol, 1967)

SCORPIO

You are on fire creatively as January starts, with the Sun in your third house of writing, intellectual pursuits, and communication. You are a social butterfly in January, but don’t get caught up in external affairs or get sidetracked by distractions from the social sphere. As Uranus energizes your sixth house of work in 2012 you are fired up, ambitious, and more motivated than you have been in years. You have the power to establish a productive new daily routine that will enable you to not only accomplish long pending goals but also new ones that come up along the way. Get your flow established in the first half of the year; taskmaster Saturn enters Scorpio in October and will force a reckoning if you don’t get it together now.

Theme Song: “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” by T-Rex (Single, Reprise, 1972)

SAGITTARIUS

Sagittarius, you can make enough money in January to last you for all of 2012 (perhaps the rest of your life, if you play your cards right). There is an auspicious combination of Uranus activating your creativity sector with the Sun in your second house of money and finances that makes January extremely lucky for you. Saturn in Libra teaches the lesson that you need to learn to balance your reliance on others for your own success. Another lesson you may learn is to stop blaming others for your problems, especially in your career. Mars’ retrograde in Virgo will prompt you to take a long hard look at yourself and take responsibility for your own decisions. Take control of your destiny in 2012, and start by making the hard decisions. Don’t flake out or bow out; and most importantly of all: don’t burn out.

Theme Song: “Money” by Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon, Capitol, 1973)

CAPRICORN

It’s your time of the year, Capricorn, with the Sun in your sign. This year brings major changes on the home front, as the very foundations of all that you hold dear and stable domestically begin to shake under your feet. Rather than look outward for the causes, Mars’ retrograde later in the month forces you to take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror. Pluto has been transiting Capricorn for some time, and continues its long trek through Capricorn, so your journey is just beginning. As you adjust to the utter transformational powers of Pluto this year, Saturn puts your actions in the spotlight – for good or bad. If you have worked hard and accomplished important milestones, you will be rewarded. If you have been making excuses and not taking responsibility for your life, Saturn will force you to do so.

Theme Song: ”Shake Your Foundations” by AC/DC (Fly on the Wall, Atlantic, 1985)

AQUARIUS

You may need to turn inward and address deep emotional issues as the Sun transits your twelfth house, stirring up your deepest feelings and sharpening your psychic abilities. You feel closer than ever to friends and co-conspirators, you have the ability to almost read their minds. No matter the distances that separate you, you are able to connect on a deep level with friends, romantic interests and family members. Rather than fall back into your somewhat aloof Aquarian detachment, in January, express your feelings for the important people in your life (no matter how sappy you think they may sound). Doing so will make a major difference when Mars goes retrograde later in the month, stirring the depths of your soul and connecting you with your deepest emotions.

Theme Song: “I Can See for Miles” by The Who (The Who Sell Out, Polydor, 1967)

PISCES

Uranus is finally left your Sun sign, Aquarius, and as you get used to the luxury of not having this unpredictable (although exciting) planet hovering over your every move you will regain confidence in yourself – and your work. Clearly and effectively communicating your emotions and thoughts is absolutely essential in January, or else a one-on-one partnership will blow up in your face when Mars goes retrograde at the end of the month. Rely on your friends for support in all aspects of your life, especially when it comes to a shoulder to cry on. If you are confused about an important decision you have to make, don’t be afraid to turn to a trusted friend or family member for advice. Just be sure to inform anyone else’s advice with your own intuitive sense of the situation.

Theme Song: “Let it Bleed” by The Rolling Stones (Let It Bleed, ABKCO, 1969)

Margaret Santangelo is a New York City-based freelance writer and astrologer specializing in the astrology of rock and roll. She has been a contributor to Guitar World, XXL, CosmoGirl!, Seventeen and other publications over the past 15 years.