Joe Bosso
Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.
Latest articles by Joe Bosso

Rev Up Your Rig with Joe Satriani
By Joe Bosso last updated
Find out how to get the tone of your dreams in this essential in-depth interview.

“We Didn’t Sound Like Anybody Else”: Andy Summers Talks Five Career-Defining Songs
By Joe Bosso last updated
As 'The Police – Greatest Hits' returns in a deluxe edition, the guitarist reflects on five classics from the band’s timeless catalog.

Robin Trower: My Career in Five Songs
By Joe Bosso last updated
From his Jimi Hendrix tribute to his latest blues track, here are the cuts that make Robin Trower proud.

George Benson: My Career in Five Songs
By Joe Bosso last updated
From “Breezin’” to “On Broadway” – George Benson reveals the stories behind his most significant tracks.

Lita Ford: "I Don’t Know Why Power Ballads Have Such a Bad Rap, I Think They’re Badass. And ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ is as Badass as it Gets"
By Joe Bosso published
The glam metal guitar icon reveals how a few games of pool (and a shared bottle of wine) with Ozzy Osbourne played a role in the writing of their smash hit duet.

Tom Bukovac: "The Firebird is a Great Nashville Guitar, Because it’s Got the Midrange That Can Cut Through a Big Band. It’s Like a Big Giant Tele"
By Joe Bosso last updated
One of Nashville's top session guitarists discusses his new LP with Dean DeLeo, the vintage guitars he brings to every session, and what sets him apart from his Tele-slinging peers.

"A Record Like This Was Destined to Be Made, and We Wanted to Be the Ones Making it”: Steve Howe on 50 Years of Yes's 'Close to the Edge'
By Joe Bosso published
Yes's longtime axeman details the intense rehearsals, rare Gibson archtops, and inspired improvisations that formed the band's masterpiece.

"It’s the Basis for Everything I Do Because it Tells the Truth": How Joan Jett Combined Punk Toughness and Ear-Candy Pop Smarts on “Bad Reputation”
By Joe Bosso published
The rock icon reveals how a stint touring with the Ramones inspired one of her most enduring hits.

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter: "I Wanted to Put Some Muscle in 'My Old School'"
By Joe Bosso published
The session guitar great explains why he chose to re-work two Steely Dan classics, “The Rose,” and more for his adventurous solo debut album, 'Speed of Heat.'

How "25 Bucks and a Six-Pack of Bud" Got Jeff “Skunk” Baxter the Guitar He Used on Donna Summer's “Hot Stuff”
By Joe Bosso published
The session guitar king also revealed the cheaper-than-you'd-expect "star guitar" of his new solo album, 'Speed of Heat.'

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter: "Whether it’s a Guitar or a Missile-Defense System, There’s Always a Way to Make it Work Better"
By Joe Bosso published
The Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers guitarist talks the "My Old School" solo, how he helped Jimi Hendrix acquire his first Strat, and the key role his mom’s sewing machine plays in his tone.

John Petrucci: "There Are Moments that You Can Pinpoint and Say They Were Truly Life-Changing, and for Me, Hearing Steve Morse Play Guitar Was One of Them”
By Joe Bosso published
In conversation, the two Ernie Ball Music Man-wielding titans of shred reveal how they've inspired one another to go the extra mile in practice, technique, guitar design, and sticking to their musical guns.

“I Hate the Way I Play Guitar. I Hate the Way I Sing”: Joe Bonamassa Opens Up in His Most Brutally Honest Interview Ever
By Joe Bosso published
Find out why "the man in the suit" thinks he is understood and misunderstood in equal measure.

How Steve Vai Wrote "For the Love of God"
By Joe Bosso published
The virtuoso's first "real visceral, long-playing guitar" piece came during a 10-day fast, changing his life in the process.

“I Never Thought the Song Would Be A Hit”: Aldo Nova Tells the Incredible Tale of His Breakthrough Single “Fantasy”
By Joe Bosso published
How some free studio time led to the 1982 smash that kickstarted his career.

“We Had to Make an Album in Two Weeks!” Legendary Engineer and Producer Ken Scott Recalls the Ascent of David Bowie
By Joe Bosso published
From One-Hit Boy Wonder to the Nazz of Glam and the album that made it all happen: 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.'

“I Didn’t Have Any Idea It Would Be a Hit”: Rick Springfield Tells the Story of His Unexpected 1981 Smash, “Jessie’s Girl”
By Joe Bosso published
The pop-rock ear-candy surprise hit that bucked convention and topped the charts.

“More Joe Than Anything Else”: Joe Satriani Opens Up On His Adventurous New Album, ‘The Elephants of Mars’
By Joe Bosso published
In search of new themes and textures, the guitar virtuoso explores the unexpected and discovers new sonic territory.

“Virtuosity on the Guitar Comes in Many Forms”: We Go Behind the Scenes of the Inaugural G3 Tour with Dream Team Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson
By Joe Bosso published
With new albums and tours of their own, the trio sat down to recall how it all went down.

Pat Travers Spills Out the Tale Behind His Classic 1980 Cut “Snortin’ Whiskey”
By Joe Bosso published
Taking shape in mere minutes, this inspired hit remains a live show staple decades down the line.

Alt-Rock Pioneer Bob Mould Names His Top Five Career-Defining Tracks
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist takes a look back at some of his most significant Hüsker Dü, Sugar and solo numbers.

“I Have a Whole Career That’s Based Around Crazy Ideas”: Sammy Hagar Reveals How Inspiration Struck Him and Eddie Van Halen
By Joe Bosso published
The Red Rocker tells the inspiring tale behind Van Halen’s enduring hit “Right Now.”

“It Was Fun to Keep that Solo Old-School Rock ’n’ Roll”: Steve Stevens Talks Recording Billy Idol’s ‘The Roadside’
By Joe Bosso published
Sidelined by the pandemic the pair made an EP that recalls old times.
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