Latest articles by Christopher Scapelliti
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
Randy Bachman on his jaw-dropping introduction to Stephen Stills at Neil Young’s 70th birthday party
Read one of Guitar Player's top stories of 2025
Randy Rhoads’ constant practice drove Ozzy Osbourne crazy. The solution? A tiny pedalboard designed to please them both
Read one of Guitar Player's top stories of 2025
Don McLean on the “unspeakable” death that haunted the writing of his iconic acoustic hit “American Pie”
Read one of Guitar Player's top stories of 2025
The Journey single that became “the Biggest Song of All Time” thanks to TV, baseball and Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Read one of Guitar Player's top stories of 2025
Pete Townshend on the Who's real lead guitar player
Read one of Guitar Player's top stories of 2025
Buddy Guy on how a 150-foot guitar cable, a great big lie and a little kindness got him the gig that launched his career
The legendary guitarist's story reveals the supportive brotherhood hidden beneath Chicago's cutthroat blues scene
Jimmy Page on the Beatle who inspired Led Zeppelin’s most beautiful song — and why it owes a debt to James Taylor
At least one of the Fab Four was no fan of loud guitar rock.
Vince Gill on the guitar that launched his career, and the vintage treasures that have inspired his muse
Purchased at a bluegrass festival in the 1970s, the Martin D-28 Herringbone has play a keyed role in his music
Pete Townshend claimed this guitar innovation was the Who’s idea. The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood proved him wrong
The historical record gave Pete the edge — but Wood delivered proof he had the idea first when his 1965 diary was published
The jazz guitar great who fell into success with George Benson and Michael Jackson has died
Phil Upchurch, whose death last month was just announced, was a giant among a jazz men
The surgeon who tried to save John Lennon's life remembers the night the former Beatle died
Frank Veteran was on call the night Lennon was shot. He was the last doctor to attend to the slain Beatle
The late guitar ace who spurned the jazz world, climbed the pop charts and lived in terror of taking a solo
Wes Montgomery revealed the insecurities that forced his retreat from jazz, even as he was celebrated as a giant of jazz
