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Duane Eddy reflects on his signature sound, hanging with Elvis and the story behind his go-to Gretsch
By Matt Parker published
In this 2018 interview, available online for the first time, Eddy discusses the lessons learned as one of the founders of rock ‘n’ roll guitar
10 legendary blues guitars, featuring Lucille, Lucy, Greeny – and the Loch Ness Monster of Les Pauls
By Jonathan Horsley published
Named and famed! Behind every great blues player is a great guitar, and they don’t come more iconic than this...
Sum 41's Deryck Whibley and Dave Baksh talk perfect guitars, amp profilers – and saying goodbye
By Andrew Daly published
How Sum 41’s valedictory album, Heaven :x: Hell, came together on the simple arithmetic of pop-punk and Slayer-inspired thrash, for an album that's light, dark and all shades between
The story of B.B. King, the greatest blues guitar player of all time
By Neville Marten published
How the King of the Blues heard his calling, found a guitar, and developed a style that made him the undisputed greatest of all time
12 blues guitar albums that chart the genre – and the instrument’s – evolution
By Ellie Rogers published
From Son House to Eric Gales, John Lee Hooker to Albert Collins, these classics highlight how blues guitar has changed over the years – its stories, tones and techniques all passed down and reinvented
Cedric Burnside on keeping country blues real – and why he plays guitars built by a brain surgeon
By Phil Weller published
Cedric Burnside’s style of country blues is deep, deceptively complex, and unafraid of sending in a curveball – because if it feels right it is right
Joe Bonamassa explains what makes a great blues guitar player
By Andrew Daly published
The guitar phenom offers his own definition of greatness, and reveals his 3 best guitars for blues
“This disease won’t beat me and I will continue writing and playing for as long as I can”: Glenn Tipton explains how Richie Faulkner and a ‘no surrender’ mindset has helped him adapt his Judas Priest role
By Matt Owen published
Tipton stepped back from official touring duties in 2018, but continues to write and record alongside Faulkner as a crucial member of Judas Priest
“I could have headed towards blues or shred. I chose blues… Fast-forward to 2020, I decided to become a 12 year-old learning guitar again – I went the other way and got an Ibanez with a Floyd Rose!” Gary Clark Jr. is finally unleashing his inner shredder
By Amit Sharma published
On his powerful and experimental new album, Gary Clark Jr. is channeling the pioneering spirit of the greats and finding new shades of blue
“I have Marshall, Orange and Victory amps, but they just don’t have the bark I need for this project. The 5150 is what metal sounds like to me”: Meet Jaguar Throne, the UK metal big beasts following in the hoofprints of Mastodon
By Amit Sharma published
Steve Sears builds a bestial, musically adventurous sound with dark prog vibes, monster riffs and some serious production savvy
“I just need one good sound and I’m set. A lot of players forget that”: Gus G’s tone and soloing philosophy is always evolving – and right now, it’s full of Floyd Rose divebombs
By Amit Sharma published
The Greek guitar phenom goes over the top on Firewind's new album, Stand Up, proving that all those hours locked away with Paul Gilbert instructional DVDs did not go to waste
“It was found in the trunk of a car. They had sanded it to make it look like it wasn’t mine”: Tyler Bryant's stolen Pinky One Strat was played by Jeff Beck, inscribed by Steven Tyler – and, miraculously, returned to him five years after it was taken
By Matt Parker published
The blues-rock guitarist recalls the loss – and remarkable recovery – of his most significant six-string
“Those virtuoso guys can do anything. But sometimes it’s more fun to hit one note and see if it can mean as much. Sometimes it can mean even more”: Rich Robinson on earning AC/DC’s approval, losing guitars to a hurricane, and The Black Crowes’ return
By Amit Sharma published
The Robinson brothers are back in session as The Black Crowes complete their triumphant comeback. Here, Robinson gives us the guitar story behind the rock ’n’ roll album of the year
“The initial thought was, ‘What the hell am I gonna play?’ There are so many players on this track, and so much is going on, but they just let me be me”: Steve Lukather takes you behind the scenes of Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes
By Andrew Daly published
Going Home is the all-star charity guitar track of the year, with Knopfler recruiting over 50 players to the cause. Toto legend Steve Lukather reflects on making a little bit of music history
“It’s like Brian May walked over to his tone booth and just turned it up to 11!” Kirk Hammett names his favorite Queen song – and it’s a seriously deep cut
By Jonathan Horsley published
Metallica may have covered Stone Cold Crazy, but that’s not Hammett’s no. 1…
“I’m now running a dual rig – it’s like hearing Queens of the Stone Age and Guy Ritchie movies mixed together!” Meet Kid Kapichi – the UK beat-punks busting out Chuck Berry moves and opening for Liam Gallagher
By Amit Sharma published
Ben Beetham is a pedalboard thrill-seeker whose tones make Kid Kapichi one of the most vital bands on the UK rock scene
“My tone is already destroyed by the time it gets to the amp”: Yard Act are redefining post-punk guitar with plugins and ‘cheapo’ gear – and they reckon a Squier Bullet Tele sounds great DI’d
By Jonathan Horsley published
In a radical new album, Yard Act are blurring the lines between post-punk and hip-hop. Guitarist Sam Shipstone reveals how it was made – with sampling, budget gear and an experimental approach to tone
“Freddie was a good riffmeister! He was a devotee of Jimi Hendrix. People think he was just concerned with the lighter stuff but it’s not true. He did enjoy the heavy stuff”: Brian May reveals the inside stories behind 13 classic Queen tracks
By Chris Bird published
In a world-exclusive interview, Brian May takes you behind the scenes of the making of 13 iconic Queen cuts, and reveals what inspired his magical guitar playing in Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now and many more
“Poverty accounted for many of my choices – I had this knockoff, fake Tele I used on Rain Dogs… It was awful but also beautiful”: Marc Ribot on recording Tom Waits classics with cheap gear, and why ‘How can I destroy it?’ is one of his session mantras
By Andrew Daly published
A session legend who has recorded with Tom Waits, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and many more, Ribot returns with a new solo album, Connection, and, musically, anything goes
“I’ve used Gibsons and Fenders in the past, but, honestly, nothing compares to how good my signatures sound. It’s almost a joke!” How Nick Johnston found tonal nirvana by plugging straight into the amp
By Amit Sharma published
Just a couple of his best-selling Schecter signature models, an amp and a taste for adventure, and Canadian six-string phenom Nick Johnston had all he needed to make the album of his career