Latest articles by Christopher Scapelliti
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
Ronnie Montrose offered a brutal assessment of Sammy Hagar
Montrose had fired Hagar from his namesake band, but in 1983 he still believed his former singer was “adequate” at guitar and “just ends up using every cliché in the book”
Tommy Emmanuel on the challenging guitar technique Chet Atkins taught him in a dream
Emmanuel was just 11 when he found solace in Chet Atkins’ albums. Years later, the guitarist appeared in a dream and taught him the technique he couldn’t figure out in waking life
Vince Gill explains how his fingers became the secret to the Telecaster sound that fooled a steel guitarist
From his beloved ’53 Telecaster to the fingerstyle technique he learned from Mark Knopfler, Gill explains why the sound of a guitar ultimately comes down to the hands playing it
Bonnie Raitt on learning her guitar work was the theme for the hit TV show ‘Baywatch’
Her signature slide work went from studio backing track to primetime beach anthem without her even knowing it
L7 bassist Jennifer Finch has died at age 59
The bassist’s death comes just days after news of her cancer battle was made public
How Peter Gabriel’s breakthrough solo hit “Solsbury Hill” was recorded with just hours to spare
Gabriel wrote the song about letting go after leaving Genesis, while Steve Hunter faced a daunting challenge: creating its intricate acoustic guitar part in 7/4 time
Pete Townshend on the Who's real lead guitar player
Townshend and John Entwistle said their inadvertent switching of lead guitar and bass roles confused fans — but it defined the Who's sound
Mike Campbell on the Tom Petty song that stunned him at every performance
The guitarist also shared details behind the hit song that gave the Heartbreakers their greatest challenge in the studio
David Gilmour says he never learned to play one of his most iconic Pink Floyd guitar solos
The guitarist says that when it comes to performing live, he has a different approach that makes rote repetition unnecessary
Fender sues Thomann in latest escalation of its Stratocaster copyright crackdown
The guitar giant says its countersuit is the “expected next step” after Thomann sued over cease-and-desist letters sent to Harley Benton, PRS, Yamaha and other makers of Stratocaster-style guitars.
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
"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
