Naomi Baker

Naomi Baker

Naomi Baker is a contributing freelance music journalist for GuitarWorld.com. After interviewing the legendary Mick Wall for her dissertation on rock journalism’s evolution, she now pursues her passions for writing and rock music. Naomi plays guitar and bass and loves nothing more than scrutinizing artists who heavily shaped and paved the ways of rock. She revisits music played extensively throughout her childhood daily, with acts like Thin Lizzy, The Darkness and Queens of the Stone Age top of the list.

Latest articles by Naomi Baker

Left-Mick Rogers of Manfred Mann's Earthband performs on stage at Gasometer City on May 9, 2014 in Vienna, Austria; Right-Jeff Beck performs on stgae at Pearl at the Palms, Las Vegas, Nevada, 18th October 2013

Mick Rogers may be in possession of Jeff Beck's last-ever studio recording

By Janelle Borg published

Mark Knopfler’s charity single Going Home, released in March 2024, was widely thought to be Beck’s final recording, but Rogers says he has an unreleased studio track that may very well take that crown

Guitarists
Mick Rogers (left) and Gene Simmons perform onstage

Mick Rogers recalls Kiss supporting Manfred Mann's Earth Band in their early days

By Janelle Borg published

Kiss opened for Manfred Mann's Earth Band back in 1974, hot on the heels of their self-titled debut album

Bands
Midge Ure

When Midge Ure joined Thin Lizzy on a make-or-break US tour, he had just one day’s notice and no rehearsals

By Naomi Baker published

The Live Aid orchestrator and Ultravox synth-pop pioneer looks back at his trial by fire with Thin Lizzy, swapping out his Yamaha electric because it wasn’t cool enough, refusing to join the Sex Pistols, and how The Edge might have changed Band Aid’s charity single

Guitarists
Midge Ure performs during Rewind Festival at Scone Palace on July 21, 2024 in Perth, Scotland

Thin Lizzy guitarist and Live Aid mastermind Midge Ure was asked to join the Sex Pistols – but he didn’t think twice about turning them down

By Janelle Borg published

Ure claims he was scouted for his look by Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and his punk co-conspirator (and later, the Clash manager) Bernard Rhodes

Guitarists
Jim Suhler

Jim Suhler was married by Billy Gibbons, failed to pay Joe Bonamassa and met Stevie Ray Vaughan

By Naomi Baker published

Best known as George Thorogood’s right-hand man, the Texan slide demon has racked up plenty of adventures with his Monkey Beat trio

Guitarists
Jim Suhler of George Thorogood And The Destroyers performs at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on July 29, 2022 in London, England AND Joe Bonamassa performs in concert at Park City Arena on November 19, 2024 in Park City, Kansas

Jim Suhler on the time Joe Bonamassa played on one of his tracks – and delivered a searing solo while sick

By Janelle Borg published

Suhler met Bonamassa back in 2001, when the then-rising star was supporting George Thorogood, and has stayed in touch with him ever since

Guitarists
Jim Suhler & Stevie Ray Vaughan

Jim Suhler on the first time he met SRV – and the profound advice he received

By Phil Weller published

Suhler crossed paths with the blues great entirely by chance when he visited the family’s jewelry shop in 1989

Guitarists
Warner E. Hodges

Why Jason & the Scorchers’ Warner E. Hodges refused to sell his ’64 Jazzmaster to Bob Dylan

By Naomi Baker published

The cowpunk pioneer on the many guitar casualties of his slinging and spinning on stage, why switching from Fender to Gibson was “like learning another language”, touring with the Ramones and R.E.M. and making a Dylan song their own

Guitarists