Latest articles by Christopher Scapelliti
How one man used math to solve the Beatles’ greatest guitar mystery
Released on this day in 1964, “A Hard Day’s Night” has confounded guitarists with its famous opening chord. Here’s why no one was ever able to play it correctly.
Neil Young on why guitar virtuosos and music schools doomed the future of rock — and why one note is enough
Long before social media made technical perfection a currency, Young argued that feeling — not flawless technique — was the true measure of a great guitarist
“I cried for two years. I blamed myself.” Don McLean on the “unspeakable” death that haunts his iconic hit “American Pie”
The songwriter kept silent about the meaning behind the song for half a century
Billy Gibbons says one unforgettable solo showed him Prince’s talents — then Prince invited him to talk guitar until dawn
The ZZ Top guitarist says Prince’s legendary Rock Hall performance opened his eyes to his playing before a chance late-night meeting in Manhattan turned into an hours-long masterclass
Buddy Guy on the endorsement that helped him more than any record company
The blues legend reflects on learning from Muddy Waters and B.B. King, inspiring Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, and why authenticity matters more than originality
Ritchie Blackmore says a “brilliant” performance was lost during the making of Rainbow’s epic “Stargazer”
Inspired by an advance listen to Led Zeppelin’s unreleased ‘Presence,’ Rainbow aimed higher than ever on its 1976 masterpiece. Not everyone’s contribution survived the session
Pete Townshend on the one thing that has kept Angus Young and AC/DC from evolving
The Who guitarist still called Young “one of my favorite guitar players” but used AC/DC to illustrate a point he'd been making ever since he built one of rock's first home studios
Johnny Marr on shredders, guitar heroes — and why he’s selling nearly 100 of his guitars dating back to the Smiths
As Marr prepares to sell his guitars, we recall his long-running disdain for the 1980s shred culture
“This was one of the greatest guitar safaris of my life.” Joe Bonamassa on tracking down Terry Reid’s 1952 Telecaster
A dead-end search, a Facebook message and a trip into the California desert led Bonamassa to one of the most meaningful guitars in his collection.
Thomann sues Fender over S-style cease-and-desist to take on fight for smaller manufacturers
The retailer says it is stepping in on behalf of makers as Fender seeks to enforce copyright claims tied to the Stratocaster body shape.
Lenny Kravitz on the desperate deal that gave him his number-one guitar
The guitarist learned vintage-guitar hunting from Tom Petty and Mike Campbell. Then a chance parking-lot encounter landed him a ’53 Goldtop conversion that's appeared on every album since Are You Gonna Go My Way.
“I won’t name any names... but I think those people missed my point.” Eddie Van Halen had a blunt critique of his imitators
The rock pioneer said his followers stripped the soul out of his guitar innovations and helped usher in the 1990s disregard for guitar virtuosity
The interview that ended Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton's friendship
History says Clapton insulted Van Halen. Taken within context, his comments were part of a wider discussion about understanding the blues
Randy Rhoads’ constant practice drove Ozzy Osbourne crazy. The solution? A tiny pedalboard designed to please them both
A unique feature were the "Ozzy Jacks," added at the singer's insistence
"It was tense... then he waved his magic wand." Andy Summers reveals the Beatles connection that saved the Police's biggest album
When a screaming match threatened to destroy Synchronicity, a desperate hike across a Caribbean island to find legendary Beatles producer George Martin changed everything
Dave Davies on Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page and the Kinks’ power revolution
Davies' influences are scattered far and wide — but he hasn't always appreciated how musicians have responded to the Kinks' music
“I remember opening the case for the first time. I almost started crying.” The reason Alex Lifeson chose Gibson over PRS
As Epiphone reissues his iconic 1976 ES-355, we recall when the Rush guitarist admitted PRS built "better" guitars — but why Gibson ultimately won his heart.
“He just made me feel like I couldn’t play.” Brian May thought he'd seen it all — until two guitar heroes proved him wrong
May recalls the impact of seeing Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix perform and how it pushed him to become a better guitarist
“We had two kinds of blues: one that was forbidden, and one that wasn’t.” James “Blood” Ulmer, guitarist who redefined blues through free jazz and harmolodic theory, dies at 86
From rural South Carolina to Ornette Coleman’s circle, he built a guitar style that defied categorization and influenced generations.
Tom Petty on the song that defined him as a new kind of guitar-slinging American rocker
The tune went on to challenge the norms for music videos with a storytelling approach that was unique for the time
Vince Gill on the guitar that launched his career
Purchased at a bluegrass festival in the 1970s, the Martin D-28 Herringbone has play a keyed role in his music
We review Solid State Logic’s SSL 1 portable USB-C audio interface
Designed for beginners, mobile musicians and content creators, the SSL 1 packs the company’s renowned audio quality into a compact and affordable unit
“You should be doing rap like Limp Bizkit.” Zakk Wylde recalls the career advice that backfired
At the height of the nu-metal boom, Wylde says he was repeatedly told to follow trends instead of trusting his instincts
