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May 2025

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90 articles

May 31
- “I'm a dangerous f***er.” Pete Townshend says he gets a charge out of working. His latest comments offer a cryptic clue about the Who's future
May 30
- “Axl called me up and he was like, 'Zakk, you wanna get together and jam?” Zakk Wylde on Guns N’ Roses, Ozzy Osbourne and the fumble that sidelined his career
- “I wrote a lot of their music that made them. It showed a grotesque lack of character.” Dave Mustaine levels stunning new claim that Metallica pilfered his riffs from a tape recording after he was replaced by Kirk Hammett
- “I said, ‘You have no idea how many things I’ve stolen from you.’ And he said, ‘Yes, I have.’” Randy Bachman on his jaw-dropping introduction to Stephen Stills at Neil Young’s 70th birthday party
- “I thought, 'Oh, my God. This guy is doing everything that I was trying to do.' He just made me feel like I couldn't play.” Brian May on the mind-blowing difference between seeing Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix perform in the 1960s
- “The Doors were the first band that really took us under their wing when we came to L.A.” Alice Cooper and Robby Krieger recall when their groups ran together on the 1960s L.A. rock scene
May 29
- “It's just a little 'faffy.'” Alex Lifeson hasn't done it since he was in Rush. But he says far too many young guitarists do it today
- “You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great sound, and it doesn’t have to be overly complex.” Joe Bonamassa explains how to choose the right amp for any gig without breaking the bank
- “Holy moly!” Guns N’ Roses just played a show so hot, it melted the wax in Richard Fortus’s pickups
- Taylor creates “The Last of Us” Replica 314c in honor of the acclaimed HBO show, saying "It's a story of resilience, connection and finding beauty amid harsh realities — themes that resonate with Taylor guitar players.”
- "Without asking, I picked it up and plugged it into my amp. I thought, Yeah, I like that!" How Robin Trower got turned on to the Strat, courtesy of Jethro Tull's Martin Barre
May 28
- “My mum always would say, ‘You have a gift from God,’ and I’d say, ‘Sure — but I’m working my ass off!’” Yngwie Malmsteen on guitars, Eric Clapton and what he said when Kiss came calling for him in 1982
- “I asked, 'How do you write a song that sounds like it belongs on the radio?'" Guitarist Denny Dias reveals the secret behind Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's success with Steely Dan
- “He says, ‘You mean it won’t follow me? Well, what good is it?’” Mike Campbell says his collaboration with Bob Dylan ended when his hit-making studio technology left the folk-rocker mystified
- “You were the person that made me think, Wow, that slide can make some real good rockin’ music!” Rick Derringer told us how he inspired the Allman Brothers' Duane Allman to become the greatest slide guitarist in rock
May 27
- “Two weeks after the release, I realized I made a huge mistake.” The JHS Notadümblë pedal was meant to mimic John Mayer's one-of-a-kind Dumble stompbox. It used the circuit from something even rarer
- Rick Derringer, famous for "Hang on Sloopy" and "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo," has died. Read our exclusive 2024 interview where he recalled inspiring Eddie Van Halen and performing with Johnny Winter
- “I was like, ‘What's the story with this guitar, because it is god ugly.’” How Bon Iver turned down a 1960s Martin guitar in favor of a $199 Ibanez beater
- “Guns N’ Roses is what broke us all away from Mötley Crüe and Ratt... stuff we didn't want to be lumped with in.” Tracii Guns on L.A. Guns' long run — and why Slash was the right choice for GN’R
May 26
- “I’ve been in the Who, I’ve been in the Beatles, and I’ve been in Pink Floyd. Top that!” David Gilmour on his magical duet playing John Lennon with Paul McCartney
May 25
- "He played us a demo of this song. And we were looking at each other going, ‘So you're going to add guitars?’" Eddie Van Halen was looking for a change as he tried to abandon Van Halen and guitars in 1983
May 24
- "There’s so much yet to come." Guitarist Paul Stanley weighs in on Kiss’s Las Vegas show, admitting, "I certainly miss the camaraderie onstage" with Gene Simmons and Tommy Thayer
May 23
- The earliest live Sly and the Family Stone recordings are among the treasures from San Francisco's Summer of Love era rediscovered and released by High Moon Records
- Sweetwater is skipping the Memorial Day sale this year - but you can still get up to 50% off guitar pedals and amplifiers
- “The intro guitar sound was somewhat of an accident.” Mark Knopfler’s now-famous tone on a Dire Straits monster hit was all down to dumb luck
- “One night we were playing and in walks Pete Townshend.” The Doobie Brothers’ Patrick Simmons on the night Townshend picked up a guitar after a gig with the Who
May 22
- “I actually died on the operating table. I was, like, 'Really, man? What the hell!'” Former Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham gives a health update following his chilling flatliner experience
- The biggest name in guitar is a number. Here's the secret sauce behind IV, the guitarist from Sleep Token, whose new album is the modern era's best-selling hard rock record
- "I'm just pushing and fighting till I get somewhere.” Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda reveals his Sonny Rollins, "never say die" approach to marathon guitar solos
- “I always thought it has a strange, unique magic to it.” Brian May picks a deep Queen cut as his favorite — but it's never played live out of respect for Freddie Mercury
- “It’s an eclectic collection, but really it’s about spirituality.” Jim Irsay, who owned the guitars of David GIlmour, Eric Clapton, Prince, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia and others, has died
- Guitar Center just launched their Memorial Day sale with serious savings for guitarists - get $419 off the wildest Gibson Les Paul I've ever seen
May 21
- “Took it home, plugged it in, and immediately the entire room started to vibrate. I went, ‘Holy s***!’” Neil Young on his Old Black Les Paul and the amp that's been his go-to for nearly 60 years
- “Some things you are never supposed to touch." Josh Homme was stunned into silence playing the Telecaster George Harrison called "the worst guitar I have ever owned"
- "It was the ultimate 'FU' to the record company.” Andy Summers on his improbable success with Robert Fripp after the Police's record label tried to stop the duo in their tracks
May 20
- “After the second audition they said, ‘You’re the one.’ And I said, 'I’m not sure you’re the one.’” Ace Frehley recalled his Kiss audition and revealed the amp setting that works every time
- “Playing four notes to the bar with your thumb changed everything for me.” Mark Knopfler grew up wanting to be like Jimi Hendrix. He's revealed the guitarist who changed his mind
- “I threw my guitar in the air and kicked all the amps off the stage. Then I staggered off and just collapsed.” Eric Bell on the show that ended his dream-come-true gig as Thin Lizzy’s guitar player
May 19
- "It was life-altering — like, ‘Omigod, this is what we've gotta do with our lives!’" Nancy Wilson tells how a transformative Beatles concert set Heart's wheels in motion
- Win tickets to see Anders Osborne and Bella Rayne perform at GP Presents in California's North Bay Area
- Musician’s Friend is leading the charge for guitarists with up to 50% off for Memorial Day – get $450 off a Gibson Les Paul and over $1,000 off a Taylor acoustic
- “Every time I listened to myself after that I’d think, Oh no, everything’s out of tune.” How Steve Vai’s compliment made Andy Timmons paranoid about his tuning
- “I’ve always regretted it. I thought, I shouldn’t have done that. That was like killing the wife.” Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey don’t see eye to eye on his guitar-smashing past
- “I immediately picked up the guitar and went, ‘B*stards! — why didn’t I write that?’” How Chris Martin channeled Neil Young to write Coldplay’s chart-busting hit “Yellow” (and even made a fan out of Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher)
May 17
- “John Lennon would use my name every now and then for clout, as if I was the fastest gun.” Eric Clapton on his friendship with George Harrison and the shocking time he was nearly asked to join the Beatles
May 16
- “There's no chance to ever play together again.” Dave Navarro unloads about Jane's Addiction and the shocking night when Perry Farrell attacked him onstage
- “Delivers the genuine sound and response of the pedal it’s based on.” Boss turns eight of its legendary pedals into a one-stop plug-in, with more to come
- “I hear from people who want ‘Spirit in the Sky’ played at their funeral.” Norman Greenbaum tells how a Telecaster with a built-in fuzz helped him create a psychedelic hit about Jesus that even John Lennon liked
- "I stumbled upon the idea of using toy ray guns and putting them up to the pickups of my guitar." Steve Stevens explains the shocking techniques that made Billy Idol's 'Rebel Yell' a milestone for guitar sound design
- An acoustic guitar owned by George Harrison and Eric Clapton — with a Beatles and Cream connection — is being sold for $1 million
- “I was like, Is this the last picture of Gene Simmons in makeup?'" John 5 shares his photo of Gene Simmons' final time in full Kiss makeup as he begins tours of his Kiss memorabilia museum
May 15
- “His unique style of playing was something that no one could match.” Paul McCartney played with George Harrison and John Lennon in the Beatles, but he says there is one guitarist who was like no other
- “I’ve got no control over the music I make.” David Gilmour tells how he turned his biggest weakness into his greatest asset — with a little help from the Shadows' Hank Marvin
- Fender just fired up its Memorial Day sale early with up to 20% off – these are the 5 best guitar and accessory deals I’m grabbing
- “I said, “No, ‘Bad Company’ is the name of a song I'm working on.” Paul Rodgers reveals guitarist Mick Ralphs' role in the origins of Bad Company’s name and talks about recording his vocals in a field under a full moon
- I watched 'Becoming Led Zeppelin.' Here's how it shows acoustic guitar's vital role in Jimmy Page's heavy-metal musical vision
May 14
- "The guitar — the one I used on everything — falls and the top of the head breaks off." Neil Giraldo on the guitar-busting drive to cut his most fret-burning solo of all time for Pat Benatar's "Promises in the Dark"
- “He’s such an incredible human being and we get to play with him tonight. It is our honor.” Eddie Vedder praises Peter Frampton as the guitarist joins Pearl Jam in Nashville
May 13
- “I’m listening to the guitar riffs and what they’re talking about. It’s just blues music sung by white people.” How Alice In Chains' blues influences and three 1932 Dobro Cyclops guitars made 'Sinners' one of the year's biggest films
- The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour and White Album guitar tones live again in Aclam's Go Rocky Go pedal, a jaw-dropping re-creation of a 1967 Vox Conqueror's Brilliant Channel, complete with George Harrison–inspired graphics
- "I had to unravel the mystery of what George intended.” Robin Nolan talks collaborating with George Harrison, playing his 12-string Rickenbacker and completing a song the former Beatle started but never finished
May 12
- “I’m pretty sure that statement was not meant to be a compliment." Gary Clark Jr. thinks Eric Clapton dissed his guitar tone
- "My husband is skirting around the subject matter here: He had a heart attack two weeks ago." Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox reveal he suffered a heart attack last month
- “I’m just standing there strumming a chord. And the audience looks at me and goes, ‘How does he produce that noise?’” Pete Townshend on the Who's real lead guitar player
May 11
- He's played with Sinead O’Connor, the Buena Vista Social Club and Rhiannon Giddens. Here's what you can learn from Niwel Tsumbu's stylistic fingerpicking
- “Those aren’t the words. It’s ‘I can’t hide.’ ” How a misheard John Lennon lyric led Bob Dylan to meet the Beatles and change both their destinies
May 9
- “It’s a really dumb little thing with a lot of words that rhyme with c***.’’ Jill Sobule’s last song was a profane rant against J.D. Vance
- “That rhythm guitar is Freddie. I don't think I played any of that.” Brian May said Freddie Mercury edged him out of this chart-topping Queen hit
- “It was just Joe playing some chords and me struggling through this riff.” Steve Vai and Joe Satriani tell how a 50-year-old riff inspired the creation of the SatchVai Band in a new in-depth video interview
May 8
- “The Trump tariffs will kill the guitar industry.” Representatives and influencers are leading the fight to protect guitar and musical instrument makers from devastation
- “Eddie said, 'If he's playing, I'm not.'" Yngwie Malmsteen says Eddie Van Halen listened to his music all the time but ran from him every chance he got
- “George started freaking out. He said, ‘I feel like I’m dying.’ And then, Peter Fonda said, ‘Oh, I know what it’s like to be dead.’” Byrds founder Roger McGuinn on the origins of John Lennon’s trippiest track
May 7
- "When 'Dazed and Confused' fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page..." The guitarist is sued again over “Dazed and Confused” as the Led Zeppelin documentary sparks a fresh lawsuit from the song's composer
- "You’d be surprised what you can plug a guitar into." Lita Ford weighs in on what's more important — your guitar or your amp
- “How many weddings can you jam 'I’m Eighteen,' 'Enter Sandman' and 'Cowboys From Hell'?” Nita Strauss shreds with Alice Cooper at her wedding in newly released video
- "They were going for shock value, like, ‘There’s this whole new world of guitar...’” Steve Stevens on introducing the guitar synthesizer to America and shaping sounds on Billy Idol’s new hit album, ‘Dream Into It’
- “There was no spare, and Edward didn't have another amp. He said, 'You gotta cover me!'" Eddie Van Halen's former guitar tech recalls the virtuoso's disastrous guitar battle before a packed NAMM show crowd
May 6
- “It always comes through me. I'm the spark plug and the engine.” Eddie Van Halen talks tapping, “Eruption” — and why the weight of the band rested on his shoulders
- “This song depicts all that Joe and I used to think about as teenagers.” Hear Joe Satriani and Steve Vai’s debut track from the SatchVai Band, "I Wanna Play My Guitar"
- "Makes me feel closer to Pop that such an important part of his history can live with mine every time I record.” Wolfgang Van Halen posts a clip of himself with Eddie Van Halen's iconic Frankenstein guitar
May 5
- “I’m like, ‘What the f***? My guitar, it’s completely out of tune!’ ” Samantha Fish names the one thing that can ruin every gig
- “I never saw Ace or Peter. It wasn't the 'magical record.'" When Kiss’s 1998 reunion album was in jeopardy, Bruce Kulick returned to the fold to save the day
May 2
- “We turned the Marshall up all the way, with the wah-wah and the midrange setting, and said, ‘That’s it. That’s the sound.’” In a rare interview, Barry Goudreau talks creating Boston’s smash debut and his ongoing rift with Tom Scholz
- “I sometimes feel a bit apologetic about it." Brian May says Freddie Mercury fought his now-classic guitar solo on one of Queen's biggest hits
- Guitarist for pioneering death metal group killed in police shootout at his home in San Francisco
May 1
- “Les would be over the moon knowing his studio exists again.” Les Paul invented modern recording. Now his studio is back up and running. Can recordings from the vault be far behind?
- “Suddenly, this harmonic happened. I thought, Nobody sounds like this! This is us.” Mike Campbell reveals how he and Tom Petty developed the guitar tandem that defines the Heartbreakers' classic sound
- “My guitars sounded more nuanced and professional, as if they had a bit of production polish applied to them.” Positive Grid’s Spark Neo headphones had our reviewer feeling like he was recording in a pro studio
- “I thought I would I just play a Fender Mustang and have that sound. It drove me crazy.” The key to Kurt Cobain's 'In Utero' guitar tone has been discovered after one tone hunter's years-long search
- "He had used that guitar neck up. He did everything and anything that neck could do.” Sammy Hagar claims he made Eddie Van Halen a better musician and says the guitarist "dried up" in the 2000s