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June 2025

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91 articles

June 30
- “Bob said, ‘What’s that?’ I told him, ‘That’s one of your songs, man.’” Roger McGuinn says Bob Dylan didn't recognize his own song when the Byrds performed it for him
- "The first time a major manufacturer has offered a standalone triple-element pickup system with dual outputs." We review the Fishman Jon Gomm Powertap Earth Pro pickup system
- "Eric Clapton just tried your amp, and he’s asking if he can have it.” Über producer Bob Rock learned the secret sauce behind Alexander Dumble's amps during his long friendship with the famed designer
- “He found it in my gear trunk and threw it away! I couldn’t believe it.” Tony Iommi’s tech threw out the one-of-a-kind treble booster behind Black Sabbath’s classic guitar tone
June 29
- “Doing this makes me feel like he's always going to be here with me.” Chuck Berry and Bob Marley are buried with guitars. Mark Wood's dad is in the neck of a Fender Telecaster
- “I got a single-edged Gillette razor blade and cut round the cone like this.” Kinks founder Dave Davies on the speaker-slashing skills that transformed rock and thrilled Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck
June 28
- “He was the first person to instill in me a sense of purpose." Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, George Harrison and John Lennon performed with him. Today he’s virtually unknown
- “Though they had their roots in blues, they were going somewhere else.” Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson says Eric Clapton and Cream are the birthplace of prog rock
June 27
- “They are the three classics that I love to listen to, and they all remind me of certain times in my life.” Paul McCartney names his three favorite albums (not including the Beatles)
- “I’ve always asked myself that question. I hope I never get the answer to it.” Graham Nash says this is his most selfless song for Crosby, Stills & Nash
- “It was much harder to get a Rolling Stones sound with him.” Brian Jones, Mick Taylor or Ronnie Wood? Keith Richards says one guitarist was the wrong fit
- I wasn’t expecting to see 45% off this early, but Guitar Center’s 4th of July sale is already packed with major guitar deals including $850 off Music Man guitars
- “The right method is to bleed. Your hand and pick have to connect with the effing string” The Who's Pete Townshend on the correct way to do a windmill guitar strum — and what Keith Richards says about inventing the move with the Rolling Stones
June 26
- “They sent me two 5150 amps. They sounded great for about 10 seconds, then they were fried!” Uli Jon Roth on his amp-destroying Sky guitar
- "You can do anything with a Stratocaster.” Joe Bonamassa explains the one feature and simple hack that make the Strat the Swiss Army knife of guitars
- Musician's Friend just dropped a seriously stacked 4th of July sale with a whopping $850 off Music Man, $400 off D'Angelico, and $150 off Epiphone
June 25
- “It was like, What am I doing here? This is painful!” In honor of Global Beatles Day, here's why there are four George Harrison guitar solos on “Let It Be”
- “I've always wanted to buy a sunburst Stratocaster from Crowley's. Today I did.” Joe Bonamassa visits the store where Rory Gallagher bought his legendary Strat and buys a sunburst of his own
- “It became the record I made, not necessarily the record that I was interested in making.” Bruce Springsteen says his best-selling album didn’t match his creative vision
- “When I first heard Van Halen’s version of ‘You Really Got Me,’ I laughed. It really misses the point of the whole meaning of the song.” Dave Davies on Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page and the Kinks’ power revolution
June 24
- "It was like a hunk of wood with two knobs on it. I found one for about $100 in a junk store.” The late Mick Ralphs on the influence of Leslie West and the glorious guitars that rocked Mott the Hoople and Bad Company
- "It's a cheap guitar, and I did everything wrong, but I think they’re perfect notes.” Mark Knopfler on the guitar solo he calls even better than Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing"
- "Most of them wound up in a trance, while others were moved to tears." Acoustic guitar virtuoso Peppino D’Agostino hopes to help pain sufferers with his 'Calm the Storm' music project
- “David Bowie came along one day and said, ‘I’ve got a song I’d like you to record.’” Guitarist Mick Ralphs on how a Bowie song for Mott the Hoople accidentally led to the formation of Bad Company
- Mick Ralphs, founding guitarist with Mott the Hoople and Bad Company, has died at age 81. Ian Hunter tells how Ralphs' stolen guitar inspired one of Mott's biggest all-time hits — "All the Way From Memphis"
June 23
- "That's just what I've been using since I was 10 years old." Molly Tuttle on what makes all the difference when it comes to choosing a guitar pick
- “We had to tell her that the console had quit. They didn't like that at all.” Never mind Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones. Here's how Grady Martin, Nancy Sinatra and Ann-Margret helped the fuzz pedal become every guitarist's favorite effect
- “One day this kid came in, and it's Tom Petty. He wants to learn to play guitar.” Don Felder on his early years with Petty, Stephen Stills, Duane Allman and Florida's burgeoning rock scene
June 21
- “The next person that walks across this stage is gonna get effing killed!” Pete Townshend declared war at Woodstock when Abbie Hoffman interrupted the Who in the middle of their biggest gig
- “Every time I think or say it’s over, things like this show come along.” Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne insist Black Sabbath is over, but Geezer Butler refuses to rule out more shows
- “We had a barney and I said, ‘Oh, eff you!’ I think George played bass.” When Paul McCartney stormed out of a Beatles session, George Harrison was the glue that held it all together
June 20
- "I couldn't believe it. Someone actually gave me a guitar!” Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith on the 'Number of the Beast' Ibanez Destroyer he got for free — and still uses to this day
- “We didn't believe it. For one thing, there were all these rumors that Paul McCartney was dead.” Robby Krieger on the Doors’ "stupid" decision to carry on without Jim Morrison
- "It hit me hard, much like Eddie Van Halen’s ‘Eruption’ did years earlier. This whole new world opened up for me.” Alex Skolnick on five jazz albums every rock and metal guitarist needs to hear
- “His spirit was in the room with us the whole time.” The late Glen Buxton makes an appearance on the new Alice Cooper album, courtesy of a rediscovered guitar riff
June 19
- "I was never a ‘Wrecker’ at all…. that’s a terrible insulting name.” Beach Boys bassist Carol Kaye dismisses Rock Hall induction as it goes against what she stands for
- "I really wanted to say, ‘See, there’s nobody out there, so we gotta walk away from this.’ But I couldn’t." Scott Gorham on how John Sykes' heavy metal thunder gave Thin Lizzy one last chance
- “Randy would take what was already recorded and push it to new levels of intensity.” Rudy Sarzo on Randy Rhoads’ relentless drive and unique approach to Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath songs
June 18
- “You’re everything that scares the girls of America.” Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley fought against a Kiss makeover. But it gave them their biggest hit
June 17
- “Ronnie heard that, and he didn't really like it.” Tony Iommi says Led Zeppelin's John Bonham meant to compliment Black Sabbath's Ronnie James Dio. It didn't go well
- “That is so huge. It makes all the difference in the world.” Jason Isbell on the one thing young players should do when buying their first guitars
- “We used to do a great trick with acoustic guitars.” Paul McCartney reveals three Beatles techniques that explain why they stood out from every other rock and roll band
June 16
- “He was one of those guys — a slimeball in a satin jacket.” Nancy Wilson on “Barracuda,” the 1977 Heart hit she blasts Donald Trump for using in his military parade
- “I went into the studio that night and told them, ‘I gotta get this pedal!’” Ernie Isley reveals the sonic ingredients behind his iconic fuzz guitar tone on the Isley Brothers hit “That Lady”
- “He decided he didn't want to be the lead guitar player anymore.” Pete Townshend on Roger Daltrey’s career-changing move that made the Who guitarist an axe-wielding icon
- "There were a couple of guys there listening at the door, and they wanted to hear what Ed played.“ Michael Anthony reveals David Lee Roth's career-saving advice to Eddie Van Halen during Van Halen's early days
June 15
- “It’s feel-good music, it’s undeniable Doobies, and some of the greatest songwriting ever.” The Doobie Brothers, Beach Boys’ Mike Love, George Clinton and more inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
June 14
- “If he was that tuned into me and missed that point, then he missed the whole point.” Eric Clapton on the one thing Eddie Van Halen didn’t understand about playing the blues
June 13
- “We wanted an album that immersed you in the experience.” Paul Stanley on the Kiss record that captured the group in all its glory and became his all-time favorite
- “It’s like a Jack White sensibility: ‘I’ll take this crappy guitar and see what happens.’” Alex Lifeson says he still uses his first guitar, a $57 Japanese knock-off
- “With my wrist, the arthritis and everything, that would be very challenging.” Jake E. Lee says he may be unable to play his biggest hit with Ozzy at Back to the Beginning
- “It’s the most weird song. I’ve no recollection of ever recording it.” How a John Lennon rocker got banished from the Beatles' albums
- “He got it home and realized what he had pretty quickly.” How Ben Harper got a rare Dumble belonging to the Beach Boys from a yard sale
June 12
- “He said, You've gotta put a battery in your guitar.’ I was like, ‘A battery?’” How a modded Fender Mustang changed Zakk Wylde’s sound for the better
- “It was like had I died and gone to heaven. It was a really emotional moment.” Jimmy Page on how playing with the Black Crowes redefined the Led Zeppelin live experience
- "I got a guitar, amp and $500 for eight bars of work.” Wrecking Crew guitar aces Billy Strange and Tommy Tedesco recalled the mad guitar genius of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson
- "It started with some mad experiment I was cooking up in my hotel room one night” Dave Stewart reveals how Stevie Nicks inspired one of Tom Petty’s biggest hits — which led to one of Mike Campbell’s greatest guitar solos
June 11
- "The world has changed. I can confidently make up my mind to stop." Former Evanescence guitarist Jen Majura is stepping away from music, citing AI as a factor
- "It’s good to be a little bit of a street gutter rat and get out there and jam with people.” Lita Ford on the one thing young guitarists should be doing... and what they shouldn't
June 10
- "The worrying thing for me is the unknown. We don't know what's going to happen." For Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, Black Sabbath’s final show stirs fear and uncertainty
- “Before or after I crapped my pants?” Zakk Wylde tells how he felt after scoring his gig with Ozzy — and why he beat the competition
- "That’s the guitar you want.” Joe Bonamassa on the one thing you should look for when buying
- Win tickets to Little Feat and Pure Prairie League at Guitar Player Presents in Napa, California
June 9
- “He kicked me in the butt one night. I was playing rhythm and he said, ‘Go on. Play lead!’" Stephen Stills on the guitar skills he learned following Jimi Hendrix for two years. "He was my guru"
- "I learned to play Blind Blake’s ‘Police Dog Blues’ and put it on YouTube. It got a lot more attention than we’d expected." Just 18, Muireann Bradley has become the leader of a country-blues guitar revival
- “They’ve got two guitar players, but we’ve got Jimi.” Ernie Isley recalls sitting next to Jimi Hendrix as the Beatles made their American television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show
- Joe Bonamassa says, “He’s right up there with some of the greats.” How D.K. Harrell kickstarted a one-man blues guitar revival in the spirit of B.B. King
June 8
- "It was either that or we were gonna come to fisticuffs." Don Felder recalls the fight with Glenn Frey that brought the Eagles to a guitar-smashing end one night in July 1980
- “Not since the Renaissance.” Gene Simmons on the group he calls the best in over 200 years
June 7
- “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet.” Michael J. Fox never spoke truer words. Here’s what ‘Back to the Future’ got wrong about Marty McFly’s Chuck Berry–inspired guitar show
- “I turned the radio on one day, and there it was. I thought, Hey, I made it!” Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, seven guitarists — and one impossible solo. How Jay Graydon nailed it on Steely Dan’s “Peg”
June 6
- "The further devaluation of music.” Major record labels are working out deals with AI firms. Where does that leave musicians and songwriters?
- “I’m going, ‘Cello? Dude, I’m ready to write a song with you on cello!’” Sammy Hagar says Eddie Van Halen was preoccupied with the classical instrument when he died
- If World String Change Day isn’t enough to convince you to change your strings, how about 25% off D’Addario XS packs at Guitar Center?
- “Oh my god, they’re closing the casket with that guitar in it!’” Chuck Berry was buried with a Gibson ES-355. His son reveals his family's brain-twisting task to honor the Father of Rock and Roll
- “When the song ended, the rain stopped. It was like a religious experience, and it changed me.” Mike McCready on Stevie Ray Vaughan, acid and the night that made him fall in love with guitar again
- “And it has all been done for a quick and easy buck." Klon sues Behringer's parent company for "blatant counterfeit" of its iconic overdrive pedal
- “We’re just hoping against hope and sending the best prayers we can send.” Nancy Wilson responds after police arrest suspect in Heart's gear theft — but there’s still no sign of the missing guitar and mandolin
June 5
- “I loved his playing, I loved his presence.” Martin Barre on the guitarist that put the fire into his “Locomotive Breath” solo
- "For most guitarists, the idea of spending this kind of money on a pick is pretty bonkers.” How a $35 guitar pick made fans out of John Mayer and Billy Strings
June 4
- “I wasn’t going let anybody fix it. I just left the electronics broken.” Eric Schenkman on the bizarre mishap that gave his guitar its signature sound on the Spin Doctors' new album (Dweezil Zappa's Strats have it too)
- "We've been talking about doing a signature guitar for some time, but it was always met with false starts." Coheed and Cambria's Claudio Sanchez walks us through his wicked new guitar company and his first-ever signature model
- “I’ve never been very confident as a player.” Alex Lifeson reveals he had doubts about his guitar playing throughout his career with Rush
June 3
- Steve Morse: My 5 go-to ideas for playing and writing
- “An audience member asked me, ‘How did you make your guitar sing like that?’ ” Our reviewer says the DigiTech HammerOn Pitch Shifter pedal makes him sound like a more creative lead player
- “Since we don’t have a time machine, this is our best chance to solve a decades-long mystery.” Gibson launches hunt for the 'Back to the Future' guitar that inspired John Mayer and Coldplay's Chris Martin
- “Not just Wayne's sound but his attitude, and the grit and rawness of the MC5.” Tom Morello tests the new MXR Jail Guitar Doors overdrive designed with the late MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer
- "This is so f***ed up. 2025 is a scary time, my friends." Joe Bonamassa shares AI-generated deepfake video of himself created to deceive the guitar player's fans
June 2
- "It's a notch more hot-rodded to squeeze maximum versatility from the classic Strat format." We review the Fender Player II Modified Stratocaster
- “Bernie Leadon told me, ‘If you want to write songs with Don Henley and Glenn Frey, write musical beds." Don Felder's latest album features new songs inspired by rediscovered recordings dating back to the Eagles
June 1
- "I was hurt. I was damaged. I gave it away to end that chapter of my life.” John Fogerty didn’t want his Creedence Clearwater Revival guitar back. He got it anyway and revived his love for his classic tracks