Australian Guitar #164 is on sale now, featuring Brian May, Thin Lizzy, Merpire, The Beatles and more

Queen wasn't always massive. The group's self-titled debut didn't make much of an impact when it released in 1973, and it could have brought the group to a premature end.

52 years later (!) it's now considered a masterpiece. How did we get here? What better source than Brian May himself, who stars on the cover of Australian Guitar #164. He chats about Queen's early days, initial reactions to the Red Special, and much more besides.

It's a rock solid issue, with big, intimate interviews with Thin Lizzy and The Pretenders, and a deep dive into how The Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows' revolutionalised studio recording. We've also got chats with antipodean legends Merpire and Alien Weaponry, and a big celebration of the Gibson SG and the legends who have played them.

What else? A big technique section focused on improving your solos, and some tips on blues scale licks. The reviews section is raging too, with Fender, Cort, Jackson, Epiphone and Walrus all in attendance.

Australian Guitar #164 is available now at newsagents all around the country, and online via TechMags or iSubscribe.

Subscribe to the print edition of Australian Guitar, and you'll enjoy each new issue on the day it's published, delivered straight to your door.