Frank Zappa

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Photo of Jimmy HASLIP, Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, American blues, jazz and rock guitarist Robben Ford

“That song has a Led Zeppelin-meets-Frank-Zappa unison riff up front, but I tried to imagine what Krist Novoselic might play”: Fusion bass great Jimmy Haslip breaks down his 2001 project with Robben Ford and Vinnie Colaiuta

By Chris Jisi published 7 August 24

Jimmy Haslip is a lefty who plays a left-handed 6-string bass with the strings reversed

Left-Dweezil Zappa performs at The Bombard Theater on March 05, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky; Right-Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen performs at Music Midtown at Piedmont Park on September 19, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (

“He was, ‘I don't even understand how you're playing. I can never play that.’ It was a total role reversal”: Dweezil Zappa reveals the one Frank Zappa song that stumped Eddie Van Halen

By Janelle Borg published 1 August 24

Eddie Van Halen's decades-long friendship with the younger Zappa included gifting the 12-year-old Dweezil a 1982 Kramer guitar

Duane Allman and Eric Clapton playing guitars in the studio

“We set up Eric and Duane in the studio, so they were face-to-face about two feet apart. They could literally touch each other’s guitars if they wanted to”: The Albert Brothers on recording Hendrix, Clapton, the Allman Brothers – and that Layla session

By Andrew Daly published 17 July 24

Ron and Howard’s innovative recording techniques became synonymous with the ’70s – but the humble siblings say they were just lucky to get to work with the best

“He had me play a couple of odd muted things and groove for a while, and then he said ‘OK, you're it’”: Esteemed bassist Tom Fowler, best known for his work with Frank Zappa, has died aged 73

By Janelle Borg published 8 July 24

In addition to his stint with Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention, Fowler played with Ray Charles, Jean-Luc Ponty, Steve Hackett, George Duke and It's a Beautiful Day

“David Bowie and Brian Eno used to laugh at me, saying: ‘You’re not supposed to be able to play that!’” Adrian Belew on Frank Zappa’s lessons, Robert Fripp’s synth guitar, and what’s coming up with Steve Vai

By Andrew Daly published 14 May 24

Still amazed that he managed to gather Vai, Tony Levin and Danny Carey into new band Beat, Belew reflects on his light-speed journey from 1977 to 1982, and how he plans to reactivate King Crimson’s ‘80s albums on stage

Lowell George playing a Fender Strat while wearing a cowboy hat

He's one of the greatest slide guitarists in rock history – now a tribute album to Little Feat and Mothers of Invention guitarist Lowell George is on the way

By Janelle Borg published 18 April 24

Elvis Costello, Ben Harper and Dave Alvin are among those paying tribute to the work of the late slide virtuoso

“This is an intensely crafted ‘Super Guitar’ with a separate piezo output…”: Dweezil Zappa’s huge gear auction is full of utterly unique guitars, including his Hot Rats Gibson Les Paul, a Madonna-clad Jackson and a true one-off custom PRS

By Matt Parker published 4 April 24

The inimitable Zappa is selling off some of his most unusual and prized guitar possessions in order to raise funds for his forthcoming tour dates

“Steve Vai tried to school me on string bending, but you just don't do that on bass!” Pete Griffin reflects on his time with Steve Vai, and his latest solo EP

By Nick Wells published 3 November 23

The seasoned sideman compares notes on Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Zakk Wylde and Dweezil Zappa

How to solo using compound time – the secret behind some of Frank Zappa and Robben Ford's most out-there leads

By Andy G Jones published 3 May 23

Open up some all-new possibilities for your lead strategies with these fresh rhythmic soloing approaches

Two previously unreleased Frank Zappa concerts from 1980 set for release later this year

By Sam Roche published 12 January 23

Shows recorded at New York's Mudd Club and Munich's Olympiahalle will feature on the sprawling new release, which includes an essay by Steve Vai

Captain Beefheart guitarist Jeff Cotton talks jamming with Frank Zappa and "the eight months of emotional trauma" that went into making Trout Mask Replica

By Greg Prato published 16 September 22

The former Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band guitarist looks back at recording one of the greatest experimental rock records of all time – and reveals what prompted him to return with his first new album in over 50 years

Steve Vai's signature guitar, the Ibanez JEM

Steve Vai on how Frank Zappa inspired him to design the Ibanez JEM – and why the Japanese guitar builder succeeded where others failed

By Robin Davey published 31 March 22

“Ibanez said, ‘We want to make these for other people, too.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Who’s going to want this? It’s so weirdly idiosyncratic to me!’”

When Frank Zappa shut up ’n’ stopped playing guitar

By Noë Gold published 10 March 22

Tracking the great Frank Zappa’s on-again, off-again love affair with his guitar with Ahmet Zappa, photographer John Livzey, Steve Vai and Zappa biographer and filmmaker Alex Winter

Frank Zappa performs live in France in 1970

Frank Zappa and The Mothers' legendary 1971 Fillmore East shows to be released in their entirety in mammoth new eight-disc box set

By Jackson Maxwell published 14 January 22

The Mothers 1971 includes Zappa and co's legendary encore jam with John Lennon and Yoko Ono

10 essential Gibson SG albums

By Glenn Kimpton published 19 November 21

The solidbody double-cut with the instantly recognizable silhoeutte has graced some of the greatest recordings of all time

Frank Zappa: ”I think my playing is probably more derived from folk music – Middle Eastern music, Indian music, stuff like that”

By Guitarist editors published 18 August 21

The guitarist, composer and trailblazer opens up on first guitars, primary influences and the search for better gear

Steve Vai reflects on working with Frank Zappa: "If you didn’t have the goods, you didn’t last. Frank expected everybody to rise to the occasion"

By Guitarist editors published 4 August 21

The virtuoso details his 'stunt guitar' days spent playing, transcribing and recording the most difficult compositions in Frank Zappa's oeuvre

Mike Keneally on working with Frank Zappa: “My mind was being blown on a daily basis”

By Guitarist editors published 14 July 21

The guitarist details how his stint with Frank Zappa's band in the late '80s was his “first professional music experience of any kind”

Alex Winter takes us behind the scenes of his extensive Frank Zappa documentary, Zappa

By Guitarist editors published 28 June 21

Wading through Zappa's exhaustive audio/video archive, Winter puts together a portrait of a visionary guitarist and artist at work

Weezer fan the flames of rock 'n' roll in Australian Guitar #143, out today

By Australian Guitar published 30 May 21

Now this is one fiery new issue!

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