George Harrison's amazing career as a guitarist, during and after the Beatles – only in the new Guitar World

april 2025
(Image credit: Getty Images)

What more can you write about the late George Harrison, who would've turned 82 on February 25?

People have been writing about the Beatles – pretty much nonstop – since 1963, when Peter Lorre, Andrés Segovia, John Coltrane, Stan Laurel and Bud Abbott still walked the earth.

Well, to answer my own question, it might actually be a story like our April 2025 cover feature – a story where all of Harrison’s albums (including everything by the Beatles) are laid out, side by side, in chronological order, along with some of his most important side trips and guest appearances, making it all seem like one huge body of work, which – guess what! – it is.

It’s a feature in which – for better or worse – oddities like Wonderwall Music, Encouraging Words and Is This What You Want? are given the same space and word count as major players like Abbey Road, Revolver and All Things Must Pass.

But perhaps the cherry on top is our new interview with George’s son, Dhani Harrison – he of thenewno2, Fistful of Mercy and solo fame – who sheds some light on another major player in George Land, 1973's Living in the Material World, home of some of the elder Harrison's finest guitar work and compositions.

On that note, here's what we've got in this issue!

>>> Extra Texture: An album-by-album guide to George Harrison's greatest songs, guitar solos, milestones and innovations – by Neville Marten, Damian Fanelli, Bill DeMain and Ian Fortnam.

>>> George's Other Masterpiece: Dhani Harrison dissects the making of his father's 1973 album, Living in the Material World, and everything that went into producing the new 50th-anniversary Material World box set.

>>> Wonderwall to Be Here: A new interview with frequent George Harrison collaborator John Barham. Plus...

>>> Dream Theater: Forty years into their career, the prog-metal masters have received a vital transfusion via the return of original drummer Mike Portnoy. John Petrucci takes you inside the reunion and the band's new album.

>>> Spiritbox: Spiritbox guitarist Mike Stringer dispels the illusion of the Canadian band's "overnight success."

>>> Warren Haynes: From an incomplete Gregg Allman track to appearances by former ABB bandmate Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes' new album is packed with serious Allman Brothers Band mojo.

>>> Buck Dharma: A new interview with the Blue Öyster Cult guitarist. And yeah, we ask him about cowbells.

>>> 60 Years of Peavey: Peavey CEO Courtland Gray looks back on the company's most beloved products, including gear designed with Eddie Van Halen.

This issue – aka the shockingly breathtaking April 2025 issue of Guitar World – is available right here, right now!

april 2025

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Hold on, now! There's also this other stuff...

>>> Paul Gilbert's life in three guitars: The Mr. Big co-founder and Racer X whiz reveals the three guitars that have meant to most to him.

>>> Cobra Kai's guitar guys: The guys behind the music heard in the popular Netflix series that stars William Zabka, the guy who plays Chas Osborne in Back to School.

>>> Billy Zoom: The X guitarist discusses the making of a true lost classic, 1982's Under the Big Black Sun.

Plus new interviews with Jinjer's Roman Ibramkhalilov, Steve Hackett, Yasmin Williams, Neon Nightmare's Nate Garrett, the guys from Spiral XP and Billy Idol man Steve Stevens, who revisits a classic Guitar World cover from 1986.

Gear-wise, we explore the history and allure of the B.C. Rich Mockingbird, and we review all this cool stuff:

>>> Orange Dual Baby 100 and Gain Baby 100 amps
>>> Cort G250 SE guitar
>>> Mooer Ocean Machine II
>>> Bare Knuckle Pickups PolyPaf Humbuckers
>>> D'Angelico Premier SS guitar

We have new columns by Joe Bonamassa, Jared James Nichols, Jim Oblon and Andy Wood, plus transcriptions of Dogs of War by Mötley Crüe, Holy Diver by Killswitch Engage and Bridge of Sighs by Robin Trower.

Joe Bonamassa: The unrivaled guitar mastery of the late, great Gary Moore - YouTube Joe Bonamassa: The unrivaled guitar mastery of the late, great Gary Moore - YouTube
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Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.

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