Latest articles by Gary Graff
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
Micky Dolenz on the worst tour match-up in rock history: the time Jimi Hendrix opened for the Monkees
The singer says he’s “the one to blame for that little bit of insane rock and roll trivia”
As he approaches 90, guitar legend Buddy Guy prepares to return to the road with the BG90 tour
Three years after retiring from the road, Guy is still out there and has no plans to stop
Mike Campbell on his studio secrets, channeling Jimmy Page, and what “terrifies” him about the Heartbreakers’ catalog
Fresh off his best-selling memoir, Tom Petty’s legendary chief lieutenant and the band he calls “my go-to project” return with ‘Mission of Mercy’
“It was his simplest stuff.” Sammy Hagar says fans are wrong about Eddie Van Halen’s best work
The Red Rocker explains why EVH's most brilliant masterpieces actually came much later — and reveals the one track that still leaves Joe Satriani completely baffled
“Chris said, ‘See, you don’t need me at all.” Kim Thayil recalls Chris Cornell’s final hours
As he releases his new Soundgarden memoir, the guitarist shares painful memories of Cornell’s last show and offers an update on the band’s long-awaited final recordings
Mark Knopfler on why he’s ditched the pick in favor of fingerpicking
The former Dire Straits guitarist told us why he moved away from the plectrum but still regards the pick as “a superior thing”
“I think I want you to play with the Who now.” Peter Frampton on Pete Townshend’s career-saving invitation — and the silence that followed
As his new documentary premieres, Frampton recalls the moment Townshend invited him to replace him in the Who — only to leave him waiting by the phone as his career hit rock bottom.
The Journey single that became “the Biggest Song of All Time” thanks to TV, baseball and Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Neal Schon says the classic hit owes a debt to its producers’ unusual request
Todd Rundgren recalls taking over Badfinger’s ‘Straight Up’ after George Harrison abandoned the troubled sessions
Rundgren says Harrison left the album unfinished as Apple Records scrambled to salvage the project behind “Baby Blue” and “Day After Day.”
“We were gonna be the American Led Zeppelin — and he couldn’t take it.” Sammy Hagar on the torment of Ronnie Montrose
The Red Rocker shares insights into Montrose, Joe Satriani, Neal Schon and Vic Johnson as he recalls four guitar greats he’s played with
Jim McCarty recalls Eric Clapton’s “quite unhappy” time with the Yardbirds
The Yardbirds drummer tells GP Clapton thought the group was selling out when it chose to record “For Your Love.” It turned out to be their first hit
Melissa Etheridge walked into a guitar shop — and nobody knew who she was
What she learned on her visit helped her become her band’s lead guitarist after years of playing acoustics
“They advertise it as a safe tonic to give you energy — and it’s not.” Brian Setzer on the “health drink” that sent him to rehab
The Stray Cats guitarist explains how an over-the-counter tonic derailed the group’s last tour
Narada Michael Walden on the night he walked away from Tommy Bolin
The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jeff Beck collaborator says Bolin’s addictions forced a heartbreaking decision, months before the guitarist’s death.
“Everyone goes on about the guitar, but I just love that voice.” Phil Manzanera on working with David Gilmour
As the Roxy Music guitarist tours the U.S., he recalls helping Gilmour sort through “153 little bits” of music for ‘On an Island’ and assembling Pink Floyd’s ‘The Endless River’
Todd Rundgren on the tense sessions for XTC’s ‘Skylarking,’ the hit album that nearly broke up the band
The producer recalls the infighting and conflicts behind the 1986 record that saved the group’s career
“Django had only two fingers, Pete. Get on with it”: Peter Frampton on adapting his playing as IBM progresses
The guitarist says thinner strings, new fingering approaches and sheer stubbornness are helping him keep playing — and recording new music on ‘Carry the Light’
“He was angry I’d given away a No. 1 hit.” Neil Diamond says he was fired five times before the Monkees scored a hit with his song “I’m a Believer”
Diamond, who returns this week with a new album, said he nearly offered the song to a country star before the pop group made it their biggest hit
“It was such great stuff.” Steve Vai says he’s heard Eddie Van Halen’s unreleased recordings
Vai recalls sitting in Eddie’s studio surrounded by unheard music — and explains why the guitarist believed Van Halen already was his solo career.
Adrian Smith on Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris’s stage battles in Iron Maiden
The guitarist says the rivalry erupted shortly after Dickinson joined the band — and is captured in the new documentary Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition.
Joe Satriani and Vai on the upcoming SatchVai album — and their plans for the group’s future
The virtuoso duo reveal how their latest single took shape and how their solo successes made this the right time to join forces
Dethklok/Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small says he lost rare guitars gifted by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai
The Dethklok guitarist has also downsized his collection and changed his playing technique to correct years of bad habits
“John McLaughlin scared the hell out of me.” Narada Michael Walden on his 1970s adventures with Mahavishnu, Robert Fripp and Carlos Santana
The drummer and producer for Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin recalls the intimidating moment he first jammed with the Mahavishnu Orchestra leader
