Players “I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead “I went to Mickie Most's office with an acoustic guitar and played it. It was almost like one of those clichéd movie moments: he said, ‘That’s going to be a hit!’”: Session guitar ace Chris Spedding reveals the stories behind five of his best songs A long-standing sideman to Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and the late Robert Gordon, Chris Spedding is a master of tasteful playing – just don't expect him to spend too much time looking back at his voluminous discography “Sister Rosetta Tharpe inspired artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry, and helped give birth to rock and roll, soul, and electric blues”: A brief look back at the career of a perennially under-appreciated rock guitar pioneer With her impassioned voice and twanging double-stop licks, Tharpe imbued her religious tunes with elements of jazz, blues, and a joyful, hard-driving rhythm Latest Players “Slash came in with the riff, and I got behind the drum kit... we got it down real quick”: Lenny Kravitz breaks down 5 of his classic songs By Mark McStea published 20 March 24 High-octane collaborations, sudden, manufacturing-halting bursts of inspiration... the stories behind these songs are as eclectic as the tunes themselves “I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes By Richard Bienstock published 19 March 24 As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins “Link Wray does it all, but his style also reminds us how captivating a few well-chosen riffs can be when combined with compelling tone, passion, and musicality”: Link Wray's Rumble (1956–62) is an essential document of ‘less is more’ guitar playing By Jim Campilongo published 14 March 24 A spin of this fantastic compilation will make you fall in love with the guitar all over again “What impressed me the most was, at 72 years old, the guy still gets excited like a little kid, like a true rock fan... He had a lot of ideas”: Steve Brown details the inspiring process of working with Ace Frehley on his shocking new album, 10,000 Volts By Ken Sharp published 13 March 24 The Trixter guitarist reckons that the one-time Kiss guitarist's new LP is his “best all-around songwriting record,” featuring the “best vocal performances he’s ever had on record” “People used to show up in the parking lot and ask the crew to tell me that they had guitars to sell... One guy was facing trial and needed money for his lawyer. That's how I got my goldtop Les Paul”: Lenny Kravitz on recording, and unlikely gear finds By Mark McStea published 12 March 24 Since his first release, Lenny Kravitz has been the master of impeccable riffs, perfect guitar tone, and genre-melding music. As he releases his fiery new album, he takes GP inside his creative process and incredible collection of vintage guitars “Sly Stallone asked me about why AC/DC records sounded so powerful – I told him about tape compression...”: Survivor's The Eye of the Tiger beat out Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust for use in Rocky III – here's how the '80s smash came together By Mark McStea published 11 March 24 Though the rewards were ultimately huge, the process of putting together one of the most iconic rock songs of the 1980s – guitarist Frankie Sullivan tells GP – was sometimes a tense one “It’s mind-blowing to know I was a huge influence on a new crop of guitar players in the same way that Hendrix, Page, and Beck had an impact on me”: Ace Frehley on the creation of his new solo album, and the '59 Les Paul he'll forever regret selling By Ken Sharp published 8 March 24 Ace Frehley is back with a shockingly rocking new album in 10,000 Volts. Here, he tells GP about collaborating with Trixter's Steve Brown, re-working 40-year old demos, and the more unlikely guitars in his enviable collection “Mick Taylor would play the top lines. Keith Richards would write most of the songs... Once, Keith said, ‘You play too f*cking loud. I can’t work with you in the room right now‘”: Andy Johns on the Rolling Stones' turbulent Exile on Main St. sessions By Matt Blackett published 7 March 24 Though the late engineer had already worked with George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Free, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin, he saw what would become the Stones' masterpiece as “the most important project” he'd ever taken on “There’s a riff that represents my twisted idea of how Aerosmith might sound in 5/4”: How Guthrie Govan channeled his inner Steve Reich, and Steve Cropper, on the Aristocrats' humorous, musically dazzling new album, Duck By Joe Bosso published 6 March 24 Re-teaming with his fellow virtuosos for another roller coaster ride of an album, Govan was unafraid to explore yet more musical avenues and instruments, but in the end, it all always came back to his signature Charvel “When I went to my first meeting with Elton, I immediately hit him with ideas. Elton saw my willingness to put myself out there”: Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone reveals how learning the sitar benefited his guitar playing, and how (not) to get a gig By Joe Bosso published 5 March 24 After five decades and thousands of gigs with superstar Elton John, Davey Johnstone has plenty of valuable advice to help you reach the top of your game 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1“If a modern shred axe with a bayonet-sharp headstock and a floating Floyd suits your musical vibe, you’ll be thrilled with how useful this new guitar is”: Jackson American Series Virtuoso review 2“I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster3“I was using a Telecaster because it had a really clean tone for my fingerstyle approach. Fleetwood Mac's pre-existing sound was much fatter, and they felt the Tele really didn’t fit”: Lindsey Buckingham on his turn to Turner guitars 4“I went to Mickie Most's office with an acoustic guitar and played it. It was almost like one of those clichéd movie moments: he said, ‘That’s going to be a hit!’”: Session guitar ace Chris Spedding reveals the stories behind five of his best songs 5“If Seven Worlds had come out at the time it was ready, instead of being held back, he would have been as big as Jeff Beck”: Stevie Ray Vaughan details his friendship with Eric Johnson
“Slash came in with the riff, and I got behind the drum kit... we got it down real quick”: Lenny Kravitz breaks down 5 of his classic songs By Mark McStea published 20 March 24 High-octane collaborations, sudden, manufacturing-halting bursts of inspiration... the stories behind these songs are as eclectic as the tunes themselves
“I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes By Richard Bienstock published 19 March 24 As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins
“Link Wray does it all, but his style also reminds us how captivating a few well-chosen riffs can be when combined with compelling tone, passion, and musicality”: Link Wray's Rumble (1956–62) is an essential document of ‘less is more’ guitar playing By Jim Campilongo published 14 March 24 A spin of this fantastic compilation will make you fall in love with the guitar all over again
“What impressed me the most was, at 72 years old, the guy still gets excited like a little kid, like a true rock fan... He had a lot of ideas”: Steve Brown details the inspiring process of working with Ace Frehley on his shocking new album, 10,000 Volts By Ken Sharp published 13 March 24 The Trixter guitarist reckons that the one-time Kiss guitarist's new LP is his “best all-around songwriting record,” featuring the “best vocal performances he’s ever had on record”
“People used to show up in the parking lot and ask the crew to tell me that they had guitars to sell... One guy was facing trial and needed money for his lawyer. That's how I got my goldtop Les Paul”: Lenny Kravitz on recording, and unlikely gear finds By Mark McStea published 12 March 24 Since his first release, Lenny Kravitz has been the master of impeccable riffs, perfect guitar tone, and genre-melding music. As he releases his fiery new album, he takes GP inside his creative process and incredible collection of vintage guitars
“Sly Stallone asked me about why AC/DC records sounded so powerful – I told him about tape compression...”: Survivor's The Eye of the Tiger beat out Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust for use in Rocky III – here's how the '80s smash came together By Mark McStea published 11 March 24 Though the rewards were ultimately huge, the process of putting together one of the most iconic rock songs of the 1980s – guitarist Frankie Sullivan tells GP – was sometimes a tense one
“It’s mind-blowing to know I was a huge influence on a new crop of guitar players in the same way that Hendrix, Page, and Beck had an impact on me”: Ace Frehley on the creation of his new solo album, and the '59 Les Paul he'll forever regret selling By Ken Sharp published 8 March 24 Ace Frehley is back with a shockingly rocking new album in 10,000 Volts. Here, he tells GP about collaborating with Trixter's Steve Brown, re-working 40-year old demos, and the more unlikely guitars in his enviable collection
“Mick Taylor would play the top lines. Keith Richards would write most of the songs... Once, Keith said, ‘You play too f*cking loud. I can’t work with you in the room right now‘”: Andy Johns on the Rolling Stones' turbulent Exile on Main St. sessions By Matt Blackett published 7 March 24 Though the late engineer had already worked with George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Free, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin, he saw what would become the Stones' masterpiece as “the most important project” he'd ever taken on
“There’s a riff that represents my twisted idea of how Aerosmith might sound in 5/4”: How Guthrie Govan channeled his inner Steve Reich, and Steve Cropper, on the Aristocrats' humorous, musically dazzling new album, Duck By Joe Bosso published 6 March 24 Re-teaming with his fellow virtuosos for another roller coaster ride of an album, Govan was unafraid to explore yet more musical avenues and instruments, but in the end, it all always came back to his signature Charvel
“When I went to my first meeting with Elton, I immediately hit him with ideas. Elton saw my willingness to put myself out there”: Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone reveals how learning the sitar benefited his guitar playing, and how (not) to get a gig By Joe Bosso published 5 March 24 After five decades and thousands of gigs with superstar Elton John, Davey Johnstone has plenty of valuable advice to help you reach the top of your game