Alex Skolnick

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“Playing scales up and down is dumb… this isn’t a f**king recital!” We meet the outspoken cartoon shredder who teamed up with Gary Holt, Alex Skolnick and George Lynch for one of this year’s biggest shred guitar albums

By Amit Sharma published 25 October 23

Led by a guitarist who claims to be the Bay Area lovechild of James Hetfield, The Shredderz just put out an all-star thrash metal album like no other. We get the lowdown on how a fictional band recruited some of today’s finest soloists for an orgy of sweep picking and searing shred

“Everybody was going crazy about Yngwie Malmsteen... Joe Satriani told me, ‘That’s fine, but don’t get too into him’”: Alex Skolnick explains why he was warned off sounding like the neoclassical maestro

By Matt Parker published 9 October 23

The Testament guitarist says he learned more than just techniques from his A-list teacher

Seymour Duncan's new Alex Skolnick signature humbuckers

The biggest pickup drop of the year? Seymour Duncan unveils new Alex Skolnick, Warren DeMartini signature sets and the EVH-inspired Little '78

By Jackson Maxwell published 7 June 23

Also new from the pickup firm is the Exciter humbucker, which takes its sonic cues from the glory days of glam rock

Alex Skolnick says Phil Demmel is the Winston Wolf of metal guitarists, as the ex-Machine Head man joins Testament’s EU tour

By Matt Parker published 25 May 23

Metal’s own super-sub has been drafted in to cover while Skolnick takes time out due to a family emergency

Cory Wong, Joe Satriani, Peter Frampton and Nili Brosh

Joe Satriani recruits Peter Frampton, Steve Lukather, Mateus Asato, Cory Wong, Nili Brosh and more for G4 V6.0 Experience 2023

By Matt Owen published 19 July 22

Steve Morse, Alex Skolnick, Eric Gales, Andy James, and John 5 are also among the chosen players for four days of workshops, mentor sessions, exclusive live performances and other six-string activities

Watch Alex Skolnick demo Steve Lukather’s live rig and reveal what’s on the Toto guitarist’s pedalboard

By Sam Roche last updated 15 July 22

Testament and Toto were rehearsing in the same facility in Hamburg, so Skolnick tip-toed over and tried Lukather's signature Ernie Ball Music Man on for size

Watch Steve Stevens, Alex Skolnick, Richard Fortus and more perform Yes’s Starship Trooper in an epic all-star ensemble for Roadie Relief

By Jonathan Horsley published 21 April 22

The whopping 17-strong jam was organized by Mike Squires, and does justice to a prog classic while supporting out-of-work road crew and touring staff

Alex Skolnick debuts first-ever blues trio track, Florida Man Blues

By Matt Owen published 11 November 21

The metal man reunites with his jazz trio and trades gargantuan gains for crystal cleans in his debut out-and-out blues effort

[L-R] Alex Skolnick, Angel Vivaldi and Richard Shaw

Watch Alex Skolnick, Angel Vivaldi and Richard Shaw trade soaring licks in Lost Symphony's new music video, Acceptance

By Sam Roche published 6 August 21

The track appears on the classical metal outfit's third full-length, Chapter III

[L-R] Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick and Richard Shaw

Hear Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick and Richard Shaw shred over mind-bending new Lost Symphony track

By Sam Roche last updated 19 May 21

Take Another Piece is the first single from the group's equally star-studded forthcoming album, Chapter III

Skolnick Benante supergroup covers Stop Draggin' My Heart Around

Watch members of Testament, Anthrax and more take on the Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty classic Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around

By Richard Bienstock published 17 March 21

It’s the second Nicks cover from the virtual supergroup

Brian May jams with Alex Skolnick, Bumblefoot and Stu Hamm as an all-star line-up takes on the Hammer to Fall Challenge

By Richard Bienstock last updated 22 January 21

Witness Halestorm drummer Arejay Hale play along on the, um, garbage cans

Artists, fans and peers slam David Crosby's “disrespectful” Eddie Van Halen statements

By Richard Bienstock published 13 October 20

EVH was "meh" and "not for me," says the Crosby, Stills & Nash legend

Dozens of guitar players and musicians took part in the Six String Salute virtual concert on September 17

Watch Steve Vai, Nita Strauss, Alex Skolnick and dozens more perform in the Six String Salute virtual concert

By Richard Bienstock published 23 September 20

The two-hour event benefitted Crew Nation, a global relief fund for live music crews

Testament's Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson on creating turbulent music for turbulent times

By Jeff Kitts published 26 August 20

The Testament guitarists on their gear philosophies, the evolution of their sound, and why Chuck Billy remains their toughest critic

12 mind-blowing guitarists reveal the techniques they struggled to master, and how you can improve your guitar playing faster

By Jason Sidwell published 6 May 20

Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani and many more share the lessons they wish they'd learned sooner

Watch Anthrax, Testament and Suicidal Tendencies members play Rush’s Freewill in epic quarantine jam

By Richard Bienstock published 24 April 20

The group has also tackled two additional Rush songs, YYZ and La Villa Strangiato

NAMM 2013 Video: Alex Skolnick Demos His Signature Budda AS Preceptor Guitar Amp

By Damian Fanelli last updated 22 April 20

Stream Sunday's live interview event with Alex Skolnick right here

By Guitar World Staff published 25 September 19

Join us as we dig into behind-the-scenes stories about the Alex Skolnick Trio’s latest album, Conundrum, and much more

Using fourth intervals as a building block for chords and solos

By Alex Skolnick published 9 September 19

This topic can be quite useful for better fretboard understanding even if jazz guitar isn’t your main thing