Latest articles by Joe Matera
Phil Manzanera on the tone, tuning and technique of his teenage friend David Gilmour
David Gilmour's friend, Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, shares his insights on the Floyd legend's tone
Ian Anderson explains how an old Dave Brubeck jazz tune inspired him to write Jethro Tull’s biggest hit
Tull’s leader thought using the 5/4 rhythm from Brubeck’s “Take Five” would be commercial suicide, but listeners proved him wrong
Christopher Cross covering for a sick Ritchie Blackmore on Deep Purple's first U.S. show
The man behind "Ride Like the Wind" gets support for his tale from Eric Johnson, whose band opened for Deep Purple that night
His ex called up to complain about her marriage. The result was his first hit song
Fuel’s “Shimmer” launched the post-grunge act to fame. Carl Bell says it wouldn’t have happened without that fateful phone call
With more than 5,000 recordings to his name, he may be the most-heard guitar virtuoso you've never heard of
Janne Schaffer built a career in his native Sweden and America that saw the guitarist perform with the biggest stars in pop and jazz
Les Dudek on “Ramblin' Man,” “Jessica” and Dickey Betts' plans when Duane Allman died
The guitarist also recalls how an argument between Betts and Gregg Allman derailed the “Jessica” sessions
Steve Earle wrote a timeless tale of outlaws in America. It became a hit. Then Tennessee made it the state song
The al-country firebrand says he was just trying to build an audience for himself on rock radio when he wrote "Copperhead Road" in 1988
How a guitar accessory and a rejection of grunge created one of the 1990s' defining songs
Mark Bryan reveals how Hootie and the Blowfish claimed their biggest chart success with "Only Wanna Be With You"
It took 50 years, but this guitarist's tune has become an inescapable hit. You've probably heard it at least once today
David Paton's "Magic" was a number-five hit in 1975. Ozempic turned it into a 21st century pop-culture phenomenon
Ralph McTell scored a hit with “Streets of London.” It only took him 10 years — and three recordings
The guitarist says his song is better known in the U.S for a successful cover version
Ace Frehley takes us behind the scenes of five classic Kiss cuts
The Spaceman also gave us the lowdown on a pair of tracks from his 1978 solo album
Phil Manzanera on his Roxy Music Firebird, "Love Is the Drug" 1951 Tele and other favorite guitars
The guitarist gave us an exclusive look at the key axes from his long career
How the Offspring made the number-one indie-rock record of all time with two guitars and one amp
Noodles Wasserman reveals the story behind the group's 1994 hit "Come Out and Play"
“I had this really nice old Strat I used for a lot of stuff.” Chris Stein on Blondie’s hit “Dreaming” and its secret ingredient
Notes Stein, “I think I'm the first person to actually have an EBow credited on a record”
How a Rickenbacker and an empty toilet paper roll made one of the greatest guitar songs of the 1990s
Ed Roland says he was thrilled when Dolly Parton — of all people — covered "Shine" and won a Grammy for it
"It's a very weird situation, and I don't think I'll ever understand it." Guitarist K.K. Downing updates his status with Judas Priest as he tells the story behind the song that defined the group's heavy-metal image
The guitarist —who celebrates his birthday today — says he wrote "Run of the Mill" to show off Rob Halford's remarkable vocal range
It took guitarist Al Stewart 10 years to write his breakthrough hit. Then he tried to hide it
Al Stewart loved the guitar work on "Year of the Cat." The sax solo? Not so much
Why there are no guitar effects on the Modern English hit “I Melt WIth You"
Gary McDowell says the group's producer refused to use artificial reverb or delay on the pop group's 1982 breakthrough single
“A lot of weird things happened”: Ian Hunter on Mott the Hoople’s All the Way From Memphis
Poorly promoted by the band's record label, All the Way From Memphis nonetheless became a classic, and was later covered by Michael Schenker and Brian May
How Robin Trower crafted his blistering tonal triumph, Day of the Eagle
With some help from legendary Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, Trower laid down an inspired tune that – 50 years later – remains, for his money, his “best rock and roll song”
“It's about the band. There’s a kind of confession in it…” How the fear, hope and sadness of a love affair mixed with secret band tensions helped Justin Hayward write the Moody Blues’ The Story in Your Eyes
Justin Hayward lifts the lid on the making of the Moody Blues’ immortal 1971 hit single The Story In Your Eyes
“It's all about Bach and Beck. Before Beck, guitars used to just go ‘twang.’ Then they learned to sustain and scream and impersonate a woman’s voice and imitate brass instruments." The career and influences of Steve Hackett in five songs
Prog legend, innovator and “musical chameleon”, Steve Hackett spent six years in Genesis before a stellar solo career delving into everything from classical to blues and beyond. Here are five Genesis cuts he considers his best
Pink Floyd didn't mean anything to him, he told Thin Lizzy he wouldn't jump around onstage and he once had an accidental top 10 hit: The career of Snowy White, rock's easiest-going guitar hero, in five songs
Blues player, session legend and "accidental frontman", Snowy White has worked with everyone from Thin Lizzy to Pink Floyd. Here are five deep cuts he considers his best.
"The keyboard player said ‘Why are you just hitting random chords?’ I said, ‘You never know, I might get lucky!'" How Loverboy's Paul Dean wrote Working For The Weekend
How Loverboy made their floor-filling, meat-market moving, chart-topping, soundtrack favorite 1981 hit Working For The Weekend
