Latest articles by Jackson Maxwell
Sixto Rodriguez, singer-songwriter of Searching for Sugar Man fame, dies at 81
The Detroit native's two once-obscure early '70s albums – filled with distinct, plain-spoken songs focused on oppression, poverty, and racism – found a massive audience in South Africa, which he remained unaware of for decades
“The kids just went ape”: Link Wray's Rumble inspired Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend and Jeff Beck – and had a guitar tone so aggressive it was banned from the radio
Finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, Link Wray was a guitar pioneer who – when he released Rumble in 1958 – made the instrument sound more dangerous than anyone before him
“I don’t want someone coming away from my show thinking, ‘He doesn’t sound any good’”: Buddy Guy opens up on his retirement from the road
The blues guitar legend says that seeing the toll advanced age took on the live performances of some of his own heroes – including B.B. King – played a significant factor in his decision
Marty Friedman revisits his thrash heyday once again for ferocious four-song guest spot with Megadeth
The Wacken Open Air festival played host to the legendary shredder's second 2023 reunion with the metal icons
“I don't know whether we played it properly, but the audience loved it”: When Black Sabbath regularly covered Smoke on the Water – and unwittingly inspired Spinal Tap's Stonehenge
Sabbath's ill-fated Born Again tour featured comically oversized props “as big as the real Stonehenge”, onstage spills, and a crowd-pleasing hard-rock crossover
Johnny Cash’s 1930s Martin makes a comeback – and so does Napster-era crunch: This week's essential guitar tracks
You just gotta hear these new songs from Sophie Lloyd, The String Revolution ft. Tommy Emmanuel, Crypta, Graveyard, The Linda Lindas, Wilco, Nervosa and so very many more
His underrated guitar playing influenced everyone from the Beatles to Nirvana – here's how Lead Belly used his 12-string skills to play his way out of prison
Huddie Ledbetter's magnetic musical talent got him an early release from a hellish Texas prison – yet his full impact on 20th century guitar playing is often overlooked
Wolfgang Van Halen’s new single has a monster tapping solo – featuring his uncle operating his wah pedal
On the latest preview from the forthcoming Mammoth II album, Wolfgang shows that – when it comes to chops – the apple didn't fall far from the tree
Paul Gilbert thinks freeform guitar solos are “pretty dangerous” – but he’s brought them back for Mr. Big’s farewell tour anyway
Though the virtuoso has admitted he's “a bit rusty with the artform” of freeform soloing, there's little sign of it in the electrifying examples that have surfaced from the band's ongoing final tour
The bizarro novelty hit from 1965 that featured one of the wildest alternate tunings in guitar history – and Lou Reed
Pickwick Records specialized in elevator music and clearance-rack recordings major labels wanted to rid themselves of. One of its releases, however, was not like the others…
"Man, I like this thing!" Watch Billy Gibbons play the blues on a cardboard Strat
Even with the odd body material, the ZZ Top man looks – and sounds – right at home
Chuck Berry-by-way-of-the-gutter riffs and choppy Strat-isms from Fender's latest signature artist: This week's essential guitar tracks
Must-hear new cuts from Brian Setzer, Steve Lacy, Of Mice & Men, Buck Meek, Bad Wolves and loooads more
Singer/songwriter Sinéad O'Connor dies at 56
O'Connor's 1990 re-interpretation of the sweeping Prince ballad, Nothing Compares 2 U, topped the charts in the US, UK, and a number of other countries
Eric Clapton and Van Halen covered his songs, and he led Jimmy Page's favorite American band: Watch overlooked guitar genius Lowell George demonstrate his slide technique on German TV
A guitarist for Frank Zappa before forming and taking the reins of Little Feat, George's influence has long overshadowed his recognition
Joe Bonamassa transforms Madonna’s Like a Prayer into a soulful blues-rock solo showcase
As a guest of the band Scary Pockets, Bonamassa brilliantly brings the worlds of blues, funk, and disco together
High-profile collabs with '90s alt-rock guitar royalty and Keanu Reeves' return to music: this week's essential guitar tracks
The freshest cuts from Code Orange ft. Billy Corgan, Alice Cooper ft. Tom Morello, The Gaslight Anthem ft. Bruce Springsteen, Dogstar, Brothers Osborne, Night Verses and a heck of a lot more
Conan O’Brien nearly bought Buddy Holly’s amp – here’s what stopped him
During a chat with Billy Corgan on his radio show, the comedian also told an amusing, gear-related anecdote about the time George Harrison stopped by the set of Saturday Night Live
Session guitar pro explains why he played a used $99 Squier Strat from Guitar Center on a chart-topping album
But for the removal of its volume knob, Tom Strahle's Squier was almost entirely stock, with a five-year-old set of strings
Gene Simmons says Geddy Lee "didn't understand what a blues scale was" when they first jammed together
At that point, the Kiss bassist says, "Geddy played purely by ear." Of course, he continued, "later on, he learned what the notes were and stuff like that“
Nuno Bettencourt on playing with Rihanna: "I’m sorry, most of the guitar players who I admire could not in their lifetime play that gig"
"Slash is one of the greatest rock guitar players of all time but I guarantee – and he’d be the first to tell you – that if he jumps up and he’s got to play a clean intro to Rude Boy by Rihanna, it ain’t happening,” the Extreme virtuoso says
Creed to reunite for first live performances in over a decade
The occasion is the Summer of '99 cruise – a true bonanza of late-'90s/early-noughties rock featuring a who's who of platinum-selling bands of the era
"For me, it’s perfect": PRS drops stunning new Private Stock John McLaughlin model
Limited to just 200 examples in 2023, McLaughlin's new signature guitar has one of the most stacked spec sheets we've seen all year, including a neck made of hormigo – a tonewood often used on marimbas
Watch John Mayer lead Dead & Company out for the final time with a series of stunning fretboard displays
The Grateful Dead offshoot closed their final performance – held, of course, in San Francisco – with Dead classics Truckin' and Brokedown Palace, and a spirited version of Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away
Guitar tour of the year? Mammoth WVH and Nita Strauss to hit the road together this fall
Wolfgang Van Halen's band will join forces with Strauss for a North American tour in November and December
He's played the Super Bowl and is a go-to guitarist for music's biggest names – see why Rob Gueringer has the hottest session chops around in this jaw-dropping demo at Norman's Rare Guitars
Having made his name as the six-string sideman for a who's who of hip-hop giants, Gueringer showcases his jazzier side on a vintage Gibson
