Latest articles by Michael Astley-Brown
From a virtuoso Tool support to Rabea Massaad’s new supergroup, meet the next generation of progressive guitar heroes
The UK’s ArcTanGent Festival is the world’s biggest celebration of heavy progressive music, and this year’s lineup featured epic sets from Meshuggah, Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. Could these 5 bands be the headliners of the future?
Mark Hoppus charts his bass origin story, embracing amp modelers and switching from Ernie Ball to Fender
In a rare interview, the blink-182 bassist shares his tone secrets, the bassline he still struggles to play, and how Ned’s Atomic Dustbin changed the way he approaches the bass
“He started playing bass… He got so into it he started bleeding”: Alex Van Halen reveals his and Eddie’s secret jams with Chris Cornell
Eddie Van Halen and his brother tried out the Soundgarden singer shortly before his death – and at one stage, an Ozzy Osbourne-fronted Van Halen album was also on the cards
Mark Hoppus explains why he switched to Kemper and Quad Cortex for blink-182’s mammoth arena shows
The blink-182 bassist conducted tone tests to make sure the modelers could match his previous tube rigs
David Gilmour explains why he still uses a 30-year-old Zoom multi-FX for his home demos
He may have once had a guitar worth $4 million, and you'll still see physical heads and cabinets at his live shows, but when laying tracks down at home, the Pink Floyd legend's tastes are far from expensive
Mark Hoppus combines Jaguar, Precision and Jazz Bass parts on his new Fender signature model
The blink-182 bassist’s latest signature arrives over two decades after his first Fender model, and follows bandmate Tom DeLonge’s recent Starcaster guitar
“I needed to get out of the way of it”: OG Incubus bassist Dirk Lance on how Drive taught him to stop overplaying
Alex Katunich’s busy slap and pop basslines fueled much of the band’s early output, but in a rare new interview, he explains how their biggest hit forced him to take a step back
Billie Eilish goes electric with a Fender Telecaster at tour debut, following guitar lessons from brother FINNEAS
The pop megastar kicked off her massive Hit Me Hard and Soft tour with a new electric guitar in tow
Taylor once released a replica of The Last of Us’ iconic acoustic guitar – now the real-life version will appear in season two of the TV show
A new trailer for The Last of Us season two shows the guitar in the hands of both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey – and it’s not the only acoustic that makes an appearance
“I have convinced myself that they are the best actual rock band in the world at the moment”: September 2024 Guitar World editors' picks
Your monthly round up of the freshest new cuts from the world of guitar courtesy of Tetrarch, The Cure, Larkin Poe, Amyl and The Sniffers, Dayglow, and many more
Why Gen Z guitar star Beabadoobee’s chords have confused her fellow guitarists – but won over Rick Rubin
Beabadoobee, aka Beatrice Laus, recently landed a number one album in her native UK, but her fondness for My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth and Elliott Smith has spawned a guitar style that has confounded her fellow players
The final pedal Diamond designed before the revered effects firm closed down is finally seeing the light of day
The innovative delay is a ‘greatest hits’ of Diamond designs, with a unique reverse mode that’s “like echoes bounding through a stormy canyon”
Perry Farrell punched Dave Navarro in the face backstage, alleges Jane’s Addiction guitar tech as he reveals the background to the band’s onstage fight
Dan Cleary was the man who restrained Farrell seconds after the singer attacked Navarro mid-gig – he opens up about the months of tension that led to what he believes to be the band’s last-ever show
Walrus Audio responds to player feedback and overhauls its flagship Mako pedal line with new MkII series
Four years on from the first Mako launch, the D1 Delay, R1 Reverb, M1 Modulation and ACS1 Amp + Cab Simulator have received a comprehensive update
How shredding dentist Steve Dadaian landed his dream collaboration with Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess
Steve Dadaian has loved Dream Theater since junior high. So when he had the opportunity to shred with the band’s keyboard wizard, he jumped at the chance to flex his chops
Jane’s Addiction cancel remaining tour dates as Dave Navarro says “goodnight” to the group following onstage altercation with Perry Farrell
The future of the reunited alt-rock outfit remains uncertain as members of the band share their concerns over Farrell’s mental health
Jane’s Addiction end show early after Perry Farrell punches Dave Navarro mid-solo
Fan footage shows Farrell verbally then physically attacking his bandmates, casting the reunited alt-rock band’s future in doubt
I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect pick – and it didn’t just improve my tone, it made me a better player
After using Tortex for 20 years, I tried Fender’s “game-changing” Offset Picks – they weren’t my final destination, but they made me realize what an important contribution picks make to your overall sound
“More proof of the rude health guitar music is in right now”: August 2024 Guitar World editors' picks
Our rundown of the finest fretboard cuts from the past four weeks is here – and with it comes new efforts from fast-rising guitar stars, a potentially generational indie rock group, Eric Clapton's favorite contemporary player and much more
Did Walrus Audio just drop the ultimate compact power supply for amp modelers and multi-FX rigs?
The Canvas Power HP is a small-footprint isolated supply designed for use with the Quad Cortex, HeadRush, HX Stomp and more
Tim Henson called him his favorite new guitar player. But RJ Pasin considers himself a producer more than a guitarist
After getting clean, Pasin has committed to a formidable work ethic – now he has millions of followers, he’s guested with Bring Me The Horizon, and he’s getting busy with Tim Henson
Acoustic virtuoso Mike Dawes names 10 guitarists who shaped his sound
One of today’s foremost acoustic virtuosos names the players who inspired his awe-inspiring percussive style and changed the game – and offers his pick for “the most criminally underrated name in guitar”
Electro-Harmonix unveils the POG3, the latest generation of the trailblazing octave pedal beloved by Joe Satriani and Jack White
With an all-new chassis, features cribbed from EHX's greatest hits, and a $645 price tag, does this premium pedal mark a new era for the storied New York FX co?
