Nashville Pussy's Ruyter Suys: “Simple is not my playing style. Most of the time, my erratic side gets the best of me” By Greg Prato published 7 December 21 Suys talks channeling Malcolm Young with her single-pickup Gibson SG, and the band's explosive new live album, Eaten Alive
Richard Fortus: “When I landed on Gretsch, it really came together. There’s a magic to that sound that fits perfectly around what Slash is doing” By Amit Sharma published 23 November 21 The Guns N' Roses guitarist on developing two new signature models with Gretsch, his favorite amps and pedals, and the inimitable genius of his legendary co-guitarist
Witherfall's Jake Dreyer: "We don't sit down and say, ‘We've got to make this the hardest thing to play ever.’ It just happens to sometimes come out that way" By Richard Bienstock published 22 November 21 The Witherfall guitarist on the eclectic range of influences that forge the band's new album, Curse of Autumn
Wata: “Even when I’m recording, I’m always imagining the live shows in my head when I’m playing” By Jonathan Horsley published 19 November 21 The Boris guitarist checks in to discuss her new signature EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas fuzz pedal, talk tone, and explain why her pedalboard is the launching pad for creativity
Nergal: “You don’t want to hear me play Behemoth songs with my Me and That Man setup – it would sound like someone farted!” By Greg Prato published 15 November 21 The extreme-metal rock 'n' roller on leading a double life in both bands, and tapping up his guitar heroes for Me and That Man's new LP, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2
Tom Morello: “I’ve tried to create this alloy between two worlds – you don’t know where the guitar ends and the EDM begins. That feels like an exciting future for the electric guitar” By Richard Bienstock published 11 November 21 The Rage Against the Machine icon explains how recording big, gnarly guitar riffs into his iPhone became his "life raft for sanity" on new album, The Atlas Underground Fire
Jerry Cantrell dissects Alice In Chains' self-titled album in this classic 1996 Guitar World interview: "I've never been a big soloist – I just do what fits the part" By Jeff Gilbert, Andy Aledort published 10 November 21 One of Seattle's greatest guitar heroes reflects on recording with Layne Staley, why channeling his influences freaks him out, and the guitar solo he once considered "a piece of shit"
Courtney Barnett: “I used to hide behind the noise I made with pedals. Now I'm using the guitar more like a paintbrush, finding what's needed” By Matt Parker published 9 November 21 We talk to the Australian indie-rocker about the benefits of time and space as a guitarist and songwriter, and the gear we hear on her reflective new LP, Things Take Time, Take Time
Jonathon Long: "I like to get crazy and shred, but in the studio, it needs to be clean and understandable" By Adam Kovac published 8 November 21 Parables of a Southern Man sees the Louisiana-bred guitarist go from child prodigy to BB King opener to ace frontman
Chris Mike: “Going back and forth between styles and trends won't help you achieve a personal sound. You have to be committed to who you are" By Joe Bosso published 5 November 21 The veteran CandyRat Records six-stringer shares his thoughts on what makes a great instrumental guitar album
Gary Holt: “Making this album, we were under no time constraints. It was a perfect breeding ground for creativity” By Greg Prato published 5 November 21 Holt talks why if there was a “Big Five” of thrash metal, the final spot would belong to Exodus, and the making of the band's 11th album, Persona Non Grata, during the pandemic
Josh Klinghoffer talks touring with Pearl Jam, his relationship with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and his ambitious quest to make a solo album every year By Greg Prato published 4 November 21 Two years after his departure from RHCP, the guitarist reveals how he ended up joining the legendary Seattle rockers on tour, and what the future holds for his solo project, Pluralone
Doc Coyle: “There were only two solos on each of our first two records… on this album, I did eight!” By Amit Sharma published 29 October 21 The Bad Wolves six-stringer on how modern technology nurtured his improvisational soloing on new record Dear Monsters, and why former guitarist Max Karon remains their secret riff weapon
The Velveteers' Demi Demitro: “I like cheaper guitars: not having everything be perfect forces you to work and be creative with what you have” By Jacob Uitti published 27 October 21 The garage-rock trio's leader on woodshedding as a teenager, opening for Guns N' Roses and working with The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach on their latest LP, Nightmare Daydream
Jerry Cantrell: “The precision and power of James Hetfield's playing is otherworldly – his right hand is really something else” By Amit Sharma published 26 October 21 The Alice in Chains leader shares his love for The Black Album, explains why the Metallica leader has “the best picking hand in rock”, and recalls hearing Sad But True for the first time in a car with Lars Ulrich
Danko Jones talks longevity, regrets and the evolution of his hard-rocking guitar tone By Adam Kovac published 25 October 21 The Canadian rock stalwart returns with Power Trio, an album of no-holds-barred swagger and politically charged anthems
The Police's Andy Summers: "The way I was casting myself was like a sonic experimenter – I was leading the way and everybody was copying me" By Joe Bosso published 22 October 21 One of rock's greatest tone gurus discusses the making of Ghost in the Machine, which turns 40 this month
Haggard Cat's Matt Reynolds: “Riffs are the most joyful thing about playing guitar – there should be more of them, all the time” By Matt Parker published 21 October 21 The guitarist for the UK hardcore innovators on how the Flying V shapes his personality as a player, his monstrous triple-amp rig, and the “joyful exorcism” of new EP, Cheer Up
Carlos Santana: “When I found the guitar, it was like seeing flying saucers and Moby Dick and discovering the spiritual orgasm all at once” By Jacob Uitti published 19 October 21 The legendary six-stringer on how working as a busboy influenced his guitar playing, his memories of Woodstock, and recording with Metallica's Kirk Hammett on his star-studded new album, Blessings and Miracles
Every Time I Die on their tag-team guitar approach, no-holds-barred songwriting philosophy and tweeting fans for gear By Gregory Adams published 15 October 21 Guitarists Andy Williams and Jordan Buckley wax lyrical on their multi-faceted new album, Radical