Latest Updates
![Left-Timothee Chalamet is seen on location for the Bob Dylan biopic titled 'A Complete Unknown' on March 24, 2024 in New York City; Right-Bob Dylan plays a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar through an Ampeg amplifier while recording his album 'Bringing It All Back Home' on January 13-15, 1965 in Columbia's Studio A in New York City, New York](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uPDRUaQ3U9qGfWiQuVAv9E-320-80.jpg)
Timothée Chalamet on playing guitar in the Bob Dylan biopic – and the song that made it all click
By Janelle Borg published
Chalamet discusses the nuances of Dylan’s guitar playing and the moment his portrayal of the legendary songwriter came together
![Bassist Sean Hurley of John Mayer's band performs at the DTE Energy Music Theater on August 7, 2013 in Clarkston, Michigan](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AySLQizwZP7MFTwzgm8BGN-320-80.jpg)
Session bassist Sean Hurley on taking inspiration from Paul McCartney for a John Mayer session
By Janelle Borg published
Hurley aimed to build his Queen of California bass line around “the roots and flat sevenths” – taking a page from Macca's book
![Steve Lukather onstage with his signature Ernie Ball Music Man electric guitar in blue](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wuw9yEGyNmeFVSCXmf9CwM-320-80.jpg)
Steve Lukather on how Quincy Jones saved Michael Jackson’s Beat It from becoming a heavy metal track
By Phil Weller published
Jackson wanted a rock track for Thriller – and Lukather says Jones had to step in to stop the song from entering fully fledged metal territory
![Gary Rossington and Charlie Starr](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pZ9zgdEhZPvgDoXdGrncA4-320-80.jpg)
Gary Rossington’s ‘Free Bird’ SG will be loaned out for a series of A-list gigs
By Phil Weller published
The Chicago Music Exchange is working with Rossington’s family to help put the iconic guitar in the hands of big-name players, in a new initiative that aims to honor the late Southern rock icon’s legacy
![David Gilmour Rome 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yR7BuNRz7kA2jZhmubT7PB-320-80.jpg)
David Gilmour on why the guitar is still a vehicle for giving “birth to new tunes” – decades deep into his career
By Janelle Borg published
Gilmour talks about how limitations and “getting discomfited” are crucial to his songwriting process – and to keeping things sounding fresh
![[L-R] Ozzy Osbourne and Jake E. Lee](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GsG64nBua4FkRe2KkMC4xc-320-80.jpg)
Jake E. Lee on comparisons with Randy Rhoads – and what his fellow Ozzy shredder was better at
By Phil Weller published
The virtuoso has weighed in on the decades-long debate that has pitted him against his Prince of Darkness predecessor
![American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, and filmmaker Prince (1958-2016) performs onstage during the 1984 Purple Rain Tour on November 4, 1984, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FGdGBXhTCFsHMVTi3NvKtZ-320-80.jpg)
Ella Feingold auditioned to join Prince’s band – but was turned down because her playing was “too funky”
By Phil Weller published
Feingold has discussed her 2005 audition, during which her chops proved to be too funky – and not enough ‘Elton John’ – for Prince
![Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins performs onstage as Green Day kicks off their Saviors North America Stadium Tour at Nationals Park on July 29, 2024 in Washington, DC](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dYhqqcvxrjixrsBPEU7H2U-320-80.jpg)
Billy Corgan on how watching Iommi taught him the key to the playing style of Eddie Van Halen
By Matt Owen published
As Corgan explains, the distinctive aspect he observed of the ’Sabbath great, also shaped his understanding of players like Eddie Van Halen and Uli Jon Roth
![Musician Kenny Wayne Shepherd performs onstage during the Jim Irsay Collection Exhibit and Concert at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on January 11, 2024 in Los Angeles, California](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KtMP8NKnYZPkQEYRx3i859-320-80.jpg)
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
![Julian Lage and Carlos Santana performing in 1997](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pqAfd4DCrHqUhzmbdcY6iH-320-80.jpg)
How a 9-year-old Julian Lage ended up playing with Carlos Santana in front of 20,000 people
By Matt Owen published
While Santana was touring the US with Jeff Beck, Lage turned up unannounced to meet his hero – and was invited onstage for a jam
![John Mayer](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oGrRpWu9PDZyuBXFFtYop6-320-80.jpg)
John Mayer busts out his Charvel and an ultra-rare ESP as he breaks new ground during A-list R&B guest solo
By Matt Owen published
Mayer has shared behind-the-scenes snippets as he composed his latest collaborative lead effort, which takes his solo chops to new experimental heights
![John 5 Fender American Ultra II Telecaster](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4pWnDzRt8jP8Y6AEYXyCZg-320-80.jpg)
Tele obsessive John 5 provides the ultimate test for Fender’s new American Ultra II series
By Phil Weller published
The versatile shredder owns over 100 different Telecasters, but he’s full of praise for the upgrades that have been fitted to its latest iteration
![Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins performs on September 17, 2024 in Los Angeles, California](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vv2fNzPp3aSQyKYp4cLvgP-320-80.jpg)
Billy Corgan on why he thinks he’s still under-appreciated as a guitarist
By Matt Owen published
The creative force behind Smashing Pumpkins is often overlooked in the 'greatest guitarists of all time' conversation
![Left-Ernie Isley of The Isley Brothers performs onstage during the Fool in Love Festival at Hollywood Park Grounds on August 31, 2024 in Inglewood, California; Right-Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) performs live on stage playing a black Fender Stratocaster guitar with The Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 24th February 1969](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FyRCx7nN2K44Ypcz3H4ApA-320-80.jpg)
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
![Left-Andrew Synowiec of the SRT Band with Tom Scott perform in concert at Birdland Jazz Club on July 22, 2023 in New York City; Right-Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who perform onstage at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on September 15, 2019 in Wantagh, New York](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ETHHhLZu8Z4wVHwptNVkrf-320-80.jpg)
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
![Grace Bowers playing guitar in a football stadium](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQ6AmiRaqTAXXNPQm3oD7i-320-80.jpg)
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
![Drummer Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen perform at Shoreline Amphitheatre on July 16, 2015 in Mountain View, California](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/t6LQu9MUBCGbe7Tjif4tXD-320-80.jpg)
Eddie Van Halen’s soloing takes center stage once again as the last song he ever wrote with his brother is released
By Matt Owen published
Unfinished is a powerful, mournful instrumental epic that sees the late guitar legend let loose on six minutes of guitar action
![Paul Jackson Jr of Jeff Lorber Fusion performs on stage at Ahoy at North Sea Jazz Festival on July 12, 2014 in Rotterdam, Netherlands](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Pk2exc4vWJefsPjbprjJfY-320-80.jpg)
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
![Keith Urban and Peter Frampton perform onstage during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony streaming on Disney+ at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 19, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3WsJ5Jdxkx5defesEck7F8-320-80.jpg)
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
![Guitarist Eddie Van Halen joins pop star Michael Jackson on stage to perform his hit song "Beat It" during The Jacksons Victory Tour on July 14, 1984 at Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/STUKKRfTMCkz7CMonzAhde-320-80.jpg)
Eddie Van Halen recorded his Beat It solo in secret and his brother is still mad about it 42 years later
By Phil Weller published
Alex Van Halen says Eddie’s legendary appearance on the pop smash was a waste of his finite talents – and the perfect excuse for David Lee Roth to leave the band