Latest articles by Elizabeth Swann
Elvis Presley inspired it. John Lennon hated it. Behind the Rubber Soul track he wished he'd never written
As Rubber Soul gets a Super Deluxe reissue this October, we revisit the surprising Elvis-inspired origins of Lennon’s darkest Beatles cut
Tony Iommi announces his first solo album in years and premieres thunderous new single, “World Alone”
One year after Black Sabbath’s farewell performance, the guitar legend returns with From the Dark, featuring singer Jorn Lande
Bon Scott had never played bagpipes before AC/DC used them on “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)” — so he had to learn them fast
In honor of Bagpipe Appreciation Day, here’s the gloriously unlikely story behind AC/DC’s most unmistakable musical ingredient
Lou Koller, iconic frontman for Sick of It All, has died at 59
The Queens native co-founded Sick of It All in 1986 and fronted the influential New York hardcore band for nearly four decades, helping take its sound from the underground to a worldwide audience
David Lee Roth cancels U.S. tour and gets words of support from Sammy Hagar
Hagar even extended an invitation for Roth to join him onstage at his Las Vegas residency in September
Derek Trucks reveals the voicemail that launched his professional relationship with Slowhand
The slide guitar master thought he was being pranked during a family poker game — but calling Clapton back required an unexpected trip to the Verizon store
“It’s rather unfair for Stevie.” Mick Jagger recalls the onstage pie fight that ended the Rolling Stones’ 1972 tour with Stevie Wonder
In a new interview, the Stones frontman says the final show of the band’s celebrated 1972 tour culminated in an onstage food fight that even Stevie Wonder joined
“Why didn’t I write that?” Noel Gallagher on the Coldplay song he wishes he’d written
As ‘Parachutes’ turns 26, the story behind “Yellow” reveals how a nighttime break, a busted piece of studio gear and a Neil Young impression produced one of the biggest songs of the 2000s
Robert Smith on the studio blunder that accidentally changed one of the Cure’s biggest hits
The Cure frontman reveals how a simple mistake changed the feel of “Friday I’m in Love” — and why he decided to leave it that way.
Suzi Quatro thought she’d blown her first big ‘Happy Days’ scene. Then she saw Henry Winkler laughing
The rocker had never acted before when Winkler played a prank in front of a studio audience, just moments ahead of her debut as Leather Tuscadero.
“For a minute he thought, ‘They just both died tonight.’” Gregg Allman nearly died the same night Duane was killed, a new documentary reveals
A harrowing account in Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul details how a heroin overdose nearly claimed both Allman brothers on the same night in 1971.
Linda Perry says she threw Billy Corgan out of a Courtney Love session
The songwriter and producer says Corgan’s “God’s gift to rock and roll” attitude brought the session to a halt
“They didn’t attack the record. They attacked me.” When Cher tried to disappear into a hard rock band called Black Rose
At the height of her fame, Cher ditched the Vegas polish, recruited Allman Brothers guitarist Les Dudek, and tried to prove she could front a real rock group
What Neil Diamond really said to Bob Dylan backstage at The Last Waltz
An offhand remark from the Band’s farewell concert was recalled by Ronnie Wood in 1992 and has been retold for decades. Diamond said the truth is more nuanced
“I don’t think it’s a dirty song. It's something everybody does." Clarence Carter — famous for “Patches” and “Strokin’” — has died at age 90
The blind soul guitarist, whose catalog swung between gospel-level emotion and X-rated humor, knew fame would come but said, “I never knew it would happen that way”
“Joe took it really badly.” Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas, who died May 11, on the time Steve Hunter replaced Joe Perry on “Train Kept A Rollin’”
Douglas made the tough call to bring in outside guitarists for two songs — a moment that stung Perry but helped launch the band’s ’70s run
Coming soon: A chance to stand on the Beatles’ famous rooftop
Apple Corps plans to open the Beatles’ historic headquarters at 3 Savile Row in London, giving fans access to the site of the band’s final live performance.
“What kind of idiot does that?” Eric Clapton hit by object thrown from crowd at Madrid show
The guitarist abruptly ended the concert after the item struck him in the chest
“We’re two random dudes.” The story behind Angine de Poitrine, the viral masked microtonal duo
The Quebec musicians explain the homemade guitar, polka-dot masks and basement jams behind their unlikely rise.
How many pickups is too many? This guitar has 64
Engineer David Wieland’s PolyMap system captures each string at eight points, letting players create “virtual pickups” anywhere along the string
Guitar Center reveals the riffs customers play most — and “Stairway to Heaven” isn’t No. 1
CEO Gabe Dalporto says the retailer surveyed store staff nationwide about the songs they hear constantly from customers trying out guitars.
“Look up!” Olivia Rodrigo reveals the hidden note Jack White left in her ‘SNL’ dressing room
White texted her a hint, prompting a full-scale search of the dressing room ceiling and closets
“Even Clapton came out and gave me the thumbs up.” The day Ministry’s Al Jourgensen shut down a studio — while Eric Clapton was recording next door
The distortion-loving guitarist recalls how a tape experiment blew out the power while Clapton was recording his 1989 album ‘Journeyman’
