Latest articles by Christopher Scapelliti
Bill Wyman on the $15 bass guitar that powered the Rolling Stones’ classic hits
Long before stadium tours and Platinum sales, a cheap Dallas Tuxedo was the bassist’s secret studio weapon
Ritchie Blackmore on Eric Clapton, show business and the anxiety he couldn’t outrun
Blackmore blamed his ruthlessness on insecurity — and the anxiety he couldn’t outrun
B.B. King on his trick for getting more sounds out of your guitar
The King offered invaluable advice that any guitarist can put to use
Johnny Cash on the true story behind his infamous signature song
The celebrated country icon spoke with us as he enjoyed a long-awaited — and much-deserved — career revival
Dr. John on the fight that nearly killed his guitar-playing dreams — and set him on a new path to music immortality
Years before he scored his 1973 hit, Mac Rebennack was in the wrong place at the wrong time — and changed his life forever
George Benson on fame, freedom — and why jazz only forgives you when you’re broke
"People love us when we’re starving,” noted Benson, who said performing may not pay, but it lets musicians stay true to their musical soul
Alice Cooper on his teen-rebellion anthem that won Bob Dylan’s stamp of approval
The song came at a turning point in Cooper’s profile, with icons like John Lennon praising his music
Jorma Kaukonen on how he forged the sound of psychedelic rock on Jefferson Airplane’s groundbreaking hit
Kaukonen was still making the transition from acoustic to electric guitar when he improvised his transformational solo
Guitar legend Link Wray on the hit that introduced distortion to rock and roll, inspired Jimmy Page to play guitar — and caused public outrage
Behind the 1958 guitar instrumental that changed rock and roll’s sonic landscape forever
George Harrison on the time Eric Clapton asked for a little help from his friend
The two guitarists were growing closer as friends and musicians when they leaned on the other for assistance
How a devastating childhood accident and chance encounters with legends helped Ry Cooder become one of guitar’s most influential stylists
The guitarist would help define the Rolling Stones’ late-‘60s shift to country rock and bring Cuban music to a global audience
Brian May says Queen will not perform in the U.S. “Everyone is thinking twice”
May’s comments come in the wake of ICE killings in Minnesota
Pete Townshend on the music he despises, even though he influenced it with one vital Who album
The guitarist wondered “why these guys look like that, and why it is that they think they look so cool?”
Mark Knopfler on his difficult collaboration with his childhood hero, Bob Dylan
The guitarist was at his peak with Dire Straits when Dylan hired him to produce the celebrated album that ended his “born-again” phase
Keith Richards on forcing out his and Mick Jagger’s first hit
The result was a song entirely unlike anything the Rolling Stones would have recorded
How Jeff Beck foiled David Bowie’s plans after appearing with him on the biggest night of the Ziggy Stardust tour
Beck had been Bowie‘s first choice as guitarist in the Spiders From Mars. He proved temperamental to the end
How Alice Cooper spun a 1960s ballad into his own glam-rock anthem
As the lead track to 1973‘s ‘Billion Dollar Babies,‘ it served double duty as a dramatic opening number on the album‘s tour
How Bob Weir stole one of his favorite guitars from George Benson
Weir, who died on January 10, had about 100 guitars, but Benson‘s was special
Brian May on Freddie Mercury and the mega-hit that changed Queen’s relationship with their audience
The tune was a highlight of ‘News of the World,’ the album on which Queen brought their fans into the act
How Eric Clapton survived rock guitar‘s most transformative era and found his way to the blues
Like Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend, Clapton was thrown when Jimi Hendrix arrived on the rock scene
How Mike Campbell survived his toughest audition — in front of Tom Petty
The guitarist didn’t have the gear but he had the chops, and that was all that really mattered
The secret sound that has David Bowie’s “‘Heroes’” surging on the charts following its ‘Stranger Things’ appearance
Producer Tony Visconti reveals how Robert Fripp’s guitar work made the 1977 song a timeless anthem
As ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’ turns 50, Peter Frampton tells how its success nearly killed his solo career before it started
The guitarist has announced he’ll release his next album on April 10, 50 years after ‘Alive!’ went to number one
