Latest Features
Sludge titans Thou have never been afraid to tear up the rulebook – but they do need a spreadsheet for their tunings
Andy Gibbs and Matthew Thudium reflect on abyssal drop tunings, their DIY ethic, silly song nicknames and the value of having a tuning spreadsheet
Iron Maiden remain one of most domineering forces in heavy metal – and bassist Steve Harris has led the charge
Steve Harris has always pushed beyond the conventions of rock bass guitar, but in his mind, he’s no bass hero
How Ibanez flipped the script for Japanese electrics with the Iceman
The story of an electric guitar so cool, there's no wonder they called it the Iceman
Tom Lieber apprenticed to Jerry Garcia's guitar builder Doug Irwin in the ’70s – now he’s raising the ’Dead once again
This is the story of Tom Lieber, the aspiring guitar builder who wouldn’t take no for an answer and ended up learning how to make some of the rock world’s most prized instruments
He was described by Bert Jansch as “the most underrated guitarist ever” – the life and times of a beatnik folk pioneer
Wizz Jones may not be a household name but he came out of the same scene as Eric Clapton and influenced everyone from Keith Richards to Thurston Moore
Eric Bell tells the tale of how he joined forces with Noel Redding after leaving Thin Lizzy as a self-confessed ‘basket-case’
Northern Irish guitarist recalls his difficult departure from Phil Lynott’s band and the strange experience of connecting with Redding – who’d never, ever talk about Jimi Hendrix
Decades after his death, Shawn Lane remains perhaps the greatest little-known guitarist of all time
He was made a guitar legend by his jaw-dropping speed, but Shawn Lane is more worth remembering for his sheer fretboard versatility – he aced country sessions, while blowing minds onstage equally with Southern rock bands and Indian classical-influenced ensembles
A pre-gig brawl ended John McKay’s tenure with Siouxsie and the Banshees, but not his influence on a generation of players
A two-year stint left McKay with fans including the Edge, Robert Smith and Geordie Walker, plus a stack of demo tapes that he’s finally turned into an album
