Latest articles by Jonny Scaramanga
Inside Black Country, New Road's freewheeling DIY guitar approach
Guitarists Luke Mark and Isaac Wood are sawing up Teles and sending the press reaching for the hype button
Dry Cleaning’s Tom Dowse: “I play all day and it’s a big part of my life, but I just can’t think of myself as a guitarist!”
Improvisation, guitar abuse... the UK post-punk noisenik shares his guitar wisdom, and you'd best pray for truss rod fortitude
Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil: “I swear to God I cannot get rid of the Boss Metal Zone. It’s the one thing that brings the Stratocaster into that real heavy world”
The Biffy frontman shares his fat Strat strategies, demystifies weird time signatures and tells us why the Scottish rockers’ latest album is all joy and togetherness
IDLES: “The ability level of what we do is not out of reach of anyone. That’s the best thing. It’s just the use of pedals, the sonics and the timing”
Guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan unpack the breathtaking sonic evolution of the world's most innovative post-punk band and share the secrets of their pedalboards
Wet Leg: "We didn’t set ourselves any boundaries. We’d just hit our guitars sometimes – actually hit them!"
Hester Chambers on how the Chaise Longue duo's novel approach to playing and anything-goes songwriting ethos made them a viral smash – and one of 2022's bands to watch
How to play the F chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: Learning the F chord is often one of the biggest obstacles new guitarists face, but there are a variety of simple alternatives to make it easier to play
How to play the B chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: the B chord is one of the trickier chords you'll learn as a beginner, but mastering it will close that gap and make you a more well-rounded player
How to play the D chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: the D chord fuels countless rock classics and pop ballads alike. Here, we break it down for you, as well as some useful variations
How to play the G chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: we introduce you to one of the most commonly found chords in guitar playing, as well as some useful variations
How to play the E chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: Get to grips with one of the easiest and most useful chords you'll ever learn, as well as some tasty variations
How to play the A chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: The A chord is one of the most important chords you'll ever learn. Here, we show you how to play the essential open shape, as well as several variations
Charvel DK24 HH HT E review
A sleek and speedy hardtail Superstrat with humbuckers that would hold their own in any company
The Vaccines’ Freddie Cowan and Justin Young on the tones and Tex-Mex inspirations behind Back In Love City
Recorded at Sonic Ranch, El Paso, Back In Love City finds the Vaccines reference classic rockabilly tones, Morricone, and the irresistible energy of Mexico City
John Mayer’s 10 best guest appearances
In 10 key collaborations, John Mayer has travelled from classic blues to hip-hop, modern rock to mainstream pop and beyond...
Shame's Josh Finerty and Eddie Green discuss the three-guitar magic behind the London post-punks' exhilarating sound
How single-coil pickups, stone room reverb and a DIY ethos turned the chart-topping Londoners a deep shade of Drunk Tank Pink
How to play the C chord on guitar
Beginner guitar: Here's how to play one of the most common chords you'll find on your guitar-playing journey, as well as several easy variations
Mary Spender on how she ended up writing a John Mayer song (sort of)
The English singer-songwriter on her idea to finish and release John Mayer’s new single before he could...
James Dean Bradfield: “I have smashed a few Gibsons in my life. I know, it’s disgusting. I was young and f**kin’ mental“
The Manic Street Preachers guitarist/vocalist discusses how he gets his chops up – by jamming classic rock and soul tunes, and working that little finger...
10 of today‘s brightest guitar talents discuss the everlasting impact of Eddie Van Halen
Yvette Young, Plini, Nita Strauss, Jared James Nichols and more salute the maestro
Iceage‘s Johan Wieth: “You should be very careful listening to too much music when you're writing an album. It has a tendency to become a little too explicit“
The guitarist for the Danish post-punks talks wizard producers, the weird appeal of offsets, and finding gold in unorthodox gear combinations
Status Quo's Francis Rossi: "I put a Tune-o-Matic bridge on my Tele like the old Gibsons. I think all that stuff, and taking off the lacquer, added to the tone"
How a hardware calamity led the Quo legend towards the Telecaster
Tash Sultana: “I always think there is never enough guitar on records. I’m all for the guitar layering and layering and layering...“
One of Fender's latest signature artists explains how jazz, soul and pop and whatever else goes, just so long as it makes sense for the song
Wolfgang Van Halen: "Dad would rather people not try and sound like him but sound like themselves. I’m being myself – I’m not sitting there doing covers of Panama"
The multi-instrumentalist details the recording of Mammoth WVH, and explains why making the music he wants to make is the best way to honor his father
