Janelle Borg
Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.
Latest articles by Janelle Borg
Ernie Isley on the time he met Paul McCartney – and jammed on Twist and Shout
By Janelle Borg published
The Isley Brothers and The Beatles both found career-making hits in Twist and Shout – and the two groups would prove pivotal for each other's musical trajectories
Fender reveals its most successful modern finishes – and why it was worth the struggle to create them
By Janelle Borg published
Fender's Director of Product Management takes us behind the considerations that go into creating a brand-new colorway – and names the legacy brand's most popular finishes
Kenny Wayne Shepherd on why playing through a Dumble doesn't guarantee a great sound
By Janelle Borg published
While Shepherd is a proud proponent (and owner) of Dumble amps, he admits that if your technique is not up to scratch, using one of the legendary amps can be a humbling experience
Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley on why he decided to bet on the Prince of Darkness’ post-Sabbath career
By Janelle Borg published
Daisley had just been unceremoniously replaced in Ritchie Blackmore’s band, Rainbow, when the opportunity to join Osbourne in his new venture came about
Dolly Parton recalls writing Jolene’s iconic guitar parts and pushing the boundaries of her playing (before the long fingernails)
By Janelle Borg published
Jolene’s guitar parts were eventually recorded by Nashville session players Wayne Moss and Chip Young
Olivia Rodrigo on how ’90s alt-rock and riot grrrl inspired her record-breaking GUTS tour
By Janelle Borg published
Rodrigo cites The Breeders, Hole, Sleater-Kinney, L7 and Babes in Toyland as some of the key bands that shaped her guitar-leaning musical taste and career trajectory
“The sonic equivalent of a fist-fight between James Hetfield and Alex Lifeson”: October 2024 Guitar World editors’ picks
By Michael Astley-Brown published
The hot new tracks and deep cuts GW editors have been listening to this month
Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver, on why he put pedal steel guitar front and center on his latest release
By Janelle Borg published
Vernon reunited with pedal steel guitar master Greg Leisz – who previously worked with Eric Clapton, David Crosby, and Sheryl Crow – for his 2024 release SABLE
Ritchie Blackmore recalls buying his first Gibson from amp pioneer Jim Marshall's music store
By Janelle Borg published
Blackmore used the Gibson ES-335 all throughout the '60s, from The Outlaws to Deep Purple’s 1970 breakthrough album, In Rock
Elvis Costello explains why he never sued Olivia Rodrigo's team for interpolating one of his guitar riffs
By Janelle Borg published
Rodrigo credited Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Hayley Williams, and Josh Farro as co-writers after fans noted similarities between tracks on her debut album, SOUR, and songs and riffs by those artists
Jack White's Third Man Hardware teams up with Eventide on Knife Drop – a sub-octave fuzz and analog synth powerhouse of a pedal
By Janelle Borg published
The Jack White-certified pedal is all about extreme experimentation – with dual octave control, precise filtering options, flexible expression pedal integration and an intuitive preset system
Why Brian May and Queen were unhappy with their debut album – and how the newly revamped version fixes the “very dry” guitar parts
By Janelle Borg published
Queen just released a remixed version of their iconic 1973 debut, and Brian May reveals that “every instrument has been re-examined from the bottom up”
Ernie Isley on growing up with Jimi Hendrix and witnessing his fast-developing guitar playing in his living room
By Janelle Borg published
Hendrix lived with the Isley family from the spring of '63 through Thanksgiving of '65 – a period that was pivotal in shaping young Ernie Isley's musical taste
Jimmy Page reveals his favorite amp, which did “flippin’ everything” throughout his career
By Janelle Borg published
Page’s affinity for his modded Marshall head stood the test of time – so much so that his boutique Sundragon amps are inspired by its unique tone
Hollywood's go-to guitarist, Andrew Synowiec, on how he ended up playing on a Who record
By Janelle Borg published
The seasoned session guitarist received a last-minute call to step in and play a guitar part in a style not typically associated with The Who and Pete Townshend
The Breeders’ Kim Deal details Olivia Rodrigo’s love of guitars after opening her mammoth GUTS tour
By Janelle Borg published
Rodrigo's tour has been chock-full of guitar moments that pay homage to the female rock icons who came before her, while also paving her own way
Rick Springfield on the vintage Fender Stratocaster he feels “terrible” about buying
By Janelle Borg published
As a bona fide guitar collector, Springfield owns many storied guitars – including his trusty Gibson SG, on which he wrote his career-making hit
How Jason Narducy went from playing bass in a cult punk band to covering R.E.M. with Hollywood veteran Michael Shannon
By Janelle Borg published
Narducy describes the “mind-blowing” moment of meeting Peter Buck and picking his brain about how he plays some key R.E.M. classics
Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley on taking a chance on Randy Rhoads – despite label pushback
By Janelle Borg published
Daisley remembers playing with Rhoads for the first time and knowing right away that the dynamic was special
Alex Van Halen reveals the real reason David Lee Roth quit Van Halen
By Janelle Borg published
In his recently-released book, Brothers, the Van Halen drummer talks about the push-and-pull dynamic between Roth and the two brothers, and what eventually led to the singer's departure following the 1984 Tour
When Oasis needed a new guitarist, Johnny Marr was ready to fill in alongside Noel Gallagher
By Janelle Borg published
Marr and the Gallagher brothers go way back, with The Smiths guitarist famously lending Noel one of his prized guitars after an early Oasis gig
Universal Audio packs classic Mesa/Boogie Rectifier sounds into stompbox form with its Knuckles '92 Dual Rec Amplifier pedal
By Janelle Borg published
With six classic microphone and cabinet configurations, and the original amp's green, orange, and red channel voicings, the new UAFX pedal aims to supply the authentic high-gain tones of punk, rock, and metal
Grace Bowers continues her winning streak with a wah-laden rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at an NFL game
By Janelle Borg published
Over the past week, Bowers opened for The Roots, played with the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and made a surprise appearance at a Marcus King show
Paul Jackson Jr. on working with Michael Jackson – from his Jackson 5 era to Thriller, Beat It and beyond
By Janelle Borg published
Jackson Jr. reveals which guitar parts he played on Beat It – which also features the work of Steve Lukather and Eddie Van Halen
Peter Frampton and Keith Urban bust out the talk box for dueling solos at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony
By Janelle Borg published
After being introduced by The Who's Roger Daltrey, Frampton performed Baby (Somethin’s Happenin) and was later joined by Urban for a blistering rendition of the iconic Do You Feel Like We Do
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