Andrew Daly
Andrew Daly is an iced-coffee-addicted, oddball Telecaster-playing, alfredo pasta-loving journalist from Long Island, NY, who, in addition to being a contributing writer for Guitar World, scribes for Bass Player, Guitar Player, Guitarist, and MusicRadar. Andrew has interviewed favorites like Ace Frehley, Johnny Marr, Vito Bratta, Bruce Kulick, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Morello, Rich Robinson, and Paul Stanley, while his all-time favorite (rhythm player), Keith Richards, continues to elude him.
Latest articles by Andrew Daly

Ben Eller was wary of the reaction he’d get for stepping in for Brent Hinds in Mastodon – but that didn’t stop him saying yes
By Phil Weller published
The Youtuber and Mastodon mega-fan stepped in at the last minute for the band’s Tool Live in the Sand set, even if it risked dividing the fanbase

Bill Kelliher is searching far and wide for Mastodon's next guitarist – here's what the band are looking for
By Matt Owen published
Esteemed YouTuber and Mastodon mega-fan Ben Eller was drafted in last minute following Brent Hinds' surprise exit, but the search for a permanent successor is far from over

How Gary Lucas made guitar magic with Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart and Chris Cornell
By Andrew Daly published
The guitar journeyman has suffered his share of torture during a career of spreading the word about underdogs – and while he remains one himself, he’s not giving up on his mission

Zakk Wylde says there have been talks about recording new Pantera material based on unreleased Dimebag Darrell demos
By Matt Owen published
Wylde has teased the possibility of using old Dimebag riffs, which currently live on an old tape recorder, for future Pantera releases

Steve Stevens on why the ’80s were Hamer time for the Billy Idol guitarist – and it was all thanks to Paul Stanley
By Andrew Daly published
Steve Stevens turns the clock back to May 1986 to tell us all about the Hamer SS1 he is holding on the cover of GW, and what became of all those other Hamers

Bill Kelliher opens up on Brent Hinds’ surprise Mastodon departure
By Phil Weller published
News of Hinds’ shock exit was shared just days before the band’s set at the Tool in the Sand festival

When Chris Cornell left Audioslave, he turned to Jeff Buckley’s guitar foil to make his mark
By Michael Astley-Brown published
When Gary Lucas got the call to play guitar on Chris Cornell’s first post-Audioslave release, he was only supposed to be there for one day. But Cornell had other ideas…

When Shane Fontayne had to play the Stairway to Heaven solo – in front of Jimmy Page
By Jackson Maxwell published
As a member of the Kennedy Center house band, Fontayne – best known for his tenures with Bruce Springsteen and Lone Justice – played lead guitar on Heart's legendary cover of the none-more-iconic eight-minute epic

How Tommy Thayer’s junior high disappointment fired him up for success with Kiss
By Andrew Daly published
Kiss’ longest-serving Spaceman on sticking to the Les Paul when it wasn’t cool, the joy of discovering you’ve been playing something wrong for years, why he avoided ’80s-style playing, and what he’s doing next

Shane Fontayne on the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Stevie Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren in Bruce Springsteen's band
By Jackson Maxwell published
Springsteen had seen Fontayne perform with Lone Justice on Saturday Night Live years before, and was impressed. When the time came to put together a new band, Fontayne was one of his first calls

The moment Tommy Thayer knew he would be officially joining Kiss
By Phil Weller published
The band’s longest-serving Spaceman opens up on his history with the glam rock legends – and the moment he became their official guitarist

Phil X on playing Livin’ on a Prayer with Richie Sambora – and how his predecessor plays the Bon Jovi classic differently
By Matt Owen published
Two eras of Bon Jovi combined during a recent LA benefit concert, when Phil X and Sambora shared the stage with Orianthi and Matt Sorum for a rendition of the classic hit

How Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez started his own guitar company, Evil Instruments
By Andrew Daly published
The Coheed and Cambria leader doesn’t worry too much about the specs of his new Jackhammer – that’s someone else’s problem – but he knows his creation feels right, and there might be a followup model soon

NWOBHM survivors Raven on giving insecure Metallica their first national tour
By Andrew Daly published
Even after 50 years and a near-fatal accident, British metal’s Gallagher brothers still have enough attitude to give young bands a run for their money

Steve Hackett on his pedalboard, the illusion of noise, and why prog players need a volume pedal
By Andrew Daly published
The Genesis alumnus and prog trailblazer reveals what's on his pedalboard and explains the need for dynamics and the “delinquent” sounds

Harvey Mandel replaced big names without a thought, and lost out via EVH and Keith Richards
By Andrew Daly published
The two-hand tapping pioneer on playing with Canned Heat, Jerry Garcia and John Mayall, getting beaten to the Stones gig by Ronnie Wood – and that time he was kidnapped by Alvin Lee and Mick Taylor

Tommy Thayer emerged in a scene of shredders and guitar heroes – but the style they pioneered never appealed to him
By Matt Owen published
The Kiss guitar player was surrounded by shredders in an era of evolution for guitar music, but felt a stronger affinity for what came before

Jason Orme on the unexpected challenges of working with Alanis Morissette, Kelly Clarkson and Sarah McLachlan
By Andrew Daly published
The longtime Alanis Morissette guitarist talks nerve-wracking audition callbacks, choosing between modelers and tube amps, and why he never tried to play like Eddie Van Halen

Andy Timmons on the agony of guitar thefts, his “birth-week” Strat, and his search for the ultimate single coil
By Andrew Daly published
The Ibanez signature artist discusses a life in gear, admitting that he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with his Marshall JTM45 but he will get around to using it, and why you've got to try before you buy

These rockstar sons all grew up with guitar legends as fathers. Now they’re forging their own careers
By Andrew Daly published
What's it like to make music when your dad is a legend in the business? We ask Tommy Prine, Greg Guy, Evan Stanley, Michah Nelson, Duane Betts and Harrison Whitford

Harvey Mandel was one of the pioneers of the two-handed tapping technique – yet he claims he was never properly credited for it
By Janelle Borg published
The technique reached new heights in the late '70s and early '80s thanks to Eddie Van Halen and his peers. However, Mandel was already using it several years earlier

When Metallica hit the road for their first national tour, crowds weren’t convinced by their music
By Phil Weller published
James Hetfield and co went on tour with British heavy metal band Raven when they came over to the States in the early 1980s – but they didn’t always win over the audience

Shred hero Vinnie Moore reveals his greatest gear hits and misses – and why the best guitars are free
By Andrew Daly published
Though he’s most associated with all things ’80s shred, some of the UFO guitarist’s gear choices might just surprise you…

Harvey Mandel nearly became a Rolling Stone – here’s why he thinks he would have been a better fit
By Janelle Borg published
While the former Canned Heat guitarist impressed Mick Jagger, he didn't manage to convince Keith Richards...

Steve Lukather on wielding Beck’s Strat, jams with George Harrison – and his best solo slip-up
By Andrew Daly published
Luke sets the record straight on recent fake interview about modern players, explains how he knew when Michael Jackson liked his playing, and hints at what to expect from his new Music Man signature
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