Michael MolendaSocial Links Navigation Latest articles by Michael Molenda “It’s tempting to look for more overdrive, distortion or feedback, but the volume control is what it’s all about. Just listen to Jeff Beck!”: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s Zal Cleminson on tone, Marshalls, and what he learned from his late bandleader By Michael Molenda published 24 January 24 Scales might be a “mystery” to this underrated riff-master, but few guitarists of Cleminson's (or any) era can match his flair for the dramatic. In this classic interview, Cleminson takes GP inside his enviable tone Bonnie Raitt: “I play the way I play, just like I sing the way that I sing. I’m not a schooled guitar player, and I can’t say I’m getting appreciably better, but I know how to do what I do. It’s the songs that change” By Michael Molenda published 16 October 23 The legendary slide-master discusses how to find the right bandmates and collaborators, and reveals why the "loosey-goosey parts" of songs can be the most exciting, in this classic GP interview Les Paul: "I Invented Multitracking, So I Know You Can Record Parts Separately, but I Don’t Do That... A Song Has to Have One Feeling – When You Punch in, You’ve Got One Feeling Over Here, Another in the Middle, and Something Different Near the End" By Michael Molenda published 2 October 23 The late guitar pioneer discusses chasing the perfect sound (even at 90 years old), reading a story to audiences through his playing, and the unparalleled beauty of one magnificent note in this 2005 GP interview. "I Kept Trying to Use Other Guitars, but Nigel Godrich Would Say, ‘You Know What We Should Try, Don’t You?’ ‘Casino?’ ‘Yep!’": Paul McCartney Reveals How He Fell Back in Love with His Epiphone Casino, and Transformed His Sound, in 2005 GP Interview By Michael Molenda published 7 September 23 For the critically acclaimed 'Chaos and Creation in the Backyard,' McCartney was encouraged to abandon his Les Paul, but also found time to beef up his acoustic fingerpicking, and plug into his old Vox AC30. "You Don’t Want to Play Like B.B. King or Somebody Else. You Want to Be You": Some Collected Words of Wisdom From B.B. King Himself By Michael Molenda published 31 August 23 "Try to ‘borrow’ a little bit from each guy. And, like that, you become you," said the King of the Blues “If You Want to Be Successful, You Have to Love What You Do:” EHX Founder Mike Matthews Reveals the Secrets of His Success By Michael Molenda published 17 April 23 “The first thing with me is Electro-Harmonix, the second thing is fishing, and the third thing is the ladies,” says the pioneering effects builder “Les Pauls, Teles, and Strats Restricted Me”: Joe Satriani Explains His Devotion to Ibanez Guitars By Michael Molenda published 14 April 23 How the virtuoso’s creative horizon expanded with Ibanez Three Ways to Get Terrific Speaker Cab Tones at Home By Michael Molenda published 14 April 23 Enhance your home studio production with these expert recommendations “I’m Very Much Into the Science of Building the Production Brick by Brick”: Caroline Jones Explains Why Production Elements Are Crucial to Songcraft By Michael Molenda published 13 April 23 The country singer-songwriter reveals her secrets to studio success “They Turned out to Be the Most Prolific Sessions I’ve Ever Done”: Jennifer Batten Explains How She Transformed a Session Gig Into a Starring Role By Michael Molenda published 13 April 23 Melodic, unpredictable and jaw-dropping, the guitarist’s fiery solos on the ‘BattleZone’ LP elevated her name “above the title” “You Have to Be Intuitive and Flexible”: Chris Cornell, Courtney Love and Pink Session Guitarist Pete Thorn Reveals His Go-To Gear By Michael Molenda published 12 April 23 “It all starts with the tuner,” says the tone-obsessed YouTube star “You Certainly Don’t Want to Be Looking for Commercial Success”: Andy Summers Reveals the Evolving Strategies That Keep His Creative Life Busier Than Ever By Michael Molenda published 16 March 23 “You have to be very much engaged in the pursuit of finding new and unique ways to express your art,” says the Police guitarist “If I Can Get That Live-Performance Spark Across in the Studio, I’m Very Happy”: Richard Thompson Talks Songwriting, Self-Production and His Fast-Paced Approach to Recording By Michael Molenda published 1 February 23 Following the release of his latest solo album, ’13 Rivers,’ the guitarist spoke to ‘GP’ about his creative process and how to put together the perfect Frankenstrat Andy Summers Tells the Turbulent Tale of ‘Zenyatta Mondatta' By Michael Molenda last updated 12 September 22 Video How the Police battled a tight deadline and vanquished label interference to make the album that would turn them into international superstars. Video “Hearing Yourself Too Well Is Almost as Bad as Not Hearing Yourself Well Enough”: Gretchen Menn Talks Stage Volume By Michael Molenda published 28 July 22 The guitar sensation and winner of Martin and Guitar World’s No Limits Challenge shares some wisdom on amps, speakers, effects and earplugs. “The Ultimate Destination for Guitar Players is to Create Heaven and Wonderment”: 5 Spiritual Lessons for Guitarists by Carlos Santana By Michael Molenda published 20 July 22 We celebrate the Grammy-winning guitarist’s 75th birthday with this insightful interview extract from the GP archive. “I Sit Down With an Acoustic Guitar”: Noel Gallagher Explains How Hit Records Are Made By Michael Molenda published 7 July 22 The Oasis singer-songwriter and guitarist reveals his tricks of the trade in this classic interview from the GP archive. Steve Hackett Reveals the Beatles’ Crucial Influence on Genesis By Michael Molenda published 12 October 21 The guitarist discusses the progression of modern music and his own evolution as a musician. Joey Landreth Reveals His Slide Tone Secrets By Michael Molenda last updated 23 September 21 Learn how the Canadian slide guitar phenomenon tailors his sound to suit the song. Marcus King: 4 Tips For Great Live Performance By Michael Molenda published 22 June 21 The blues guitar prodigy shares some of his top gigging tips. Four Classic Recording Strategies for a Digital World By Michael Molenda published 10 May 21 A mental “time tunnel” to help you check your modern mode at the studio door. The Little-Known Mick Ronson/David Cassidy Connection By Michael Molenda published 29 April 21 In 1976, the teen idol – left behind by his former core audience and fighting to stay musically relevant – connected with one of the decade's great guitar heroes. Jim Campilongo and Luca Benedetti on Jettisoning the Rhythm Section for a Very Special Six-String Duet By Michael Molenda published 14 April 21 Instigated by necessity, Benedetti and Campilongo establish a dynamic partnership on 'Two Guitars.' Who Really Played Aerosmith’s “Train Kept A Rollin’” Solos? By Michael Molenda last updated 6 July 20 You won't be a true rock trivia master until you know this! Five of Mick Ronson's Greatest Guitar Moments By Michael Molenda published 26 May 20 GP looks back on some of the glam-rock guitar god's most enduring six-string achievements. 12Archives MOST READ1How Robin Trower crafted his blistering tonal triumph, Day of the Eagle2Gary Clark Jr. never asked to be a guitar savior 3Best Travel Guitars 2024: Top Portable Instruments From Lowden, Furch, Martin and more4“‘Those old Beatle bashers?’”: Paul McCartney talks Vox amps, and his love of dirty tones5“I was 17 years old and found it in this local paper. It said, ‘Gretsch guitar, 100 bucks.’ I called the guy up and asked, ‘Is it like Eddie Cochran’s?’ He was like, ‘Who?’”: How Brian Setzer forged his trademark twanging tone
“It’s tempting to look for more overdrive, distortion or feedback, but the volume control is what it’s all about. Just listen to Jeff Beck!”: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s Zal Cleminson on tone, Marshalls, and what he learned from his late bandleader By Michael Molenda published 24 January 24 Scales might be a “mystery” to this underrated riff-master, but few guitarists of Cleminson's (or any) era can match his flair for the dramatic. In this classic interview, Cleminson takes GP inside his enviable tone
Bonnie Raitt: “I play the way I play, just like I sing the way that I sing. I’m not a schooled guitar player, and I can’t say I’m getting appreciably better, but I know how to do what I do. It’s the songs that change” By Michael Molenda published 16 October 23 The legendary slide-master discusses how to find the right bandmates and collaborators, and reveals why the "loosey-goosey parts" of songs can be the most exciting, in this classic GP interview
Les Paul: "I Invented Multitracking, So I Know You Can Record Parts Separately, but I Don’t Do That... A Song Has to Have One Feeling – When You Punch in, You’ve Got One Feeling Over Here, Another in the Middle, and Something Different Near the End" By Michael Molenda published 2 October 23 The late guitar pioneer discusses chasing the perfect sound (even at 90 years old), reading a story to audiences through his playing, and the unparalleled beauty of one magnificent note in this 2005 GP interview.
"I Kept Trying to Use Other Guitars, but Nigel Godrich Would Say, ‘You Know What We Should Try, Don’t You?’ ‘Casino?’ ‘Yep!’": Paul McCartney Reveals How He Fell Back in Love with His Epiphone Casino, and Transformed His Sound, in 2005 GP Interview By Michael Molenda published 7 September 23 For the critically acclaimed 'Chaos and Creation in the Backyard,' McCartney was encouraged to abandon his Les Paul, but also found time to beef up his acoustic fingerpicking, and plug into his old Vox AC30.
"You Don’t Want to Play Like B.B. King or Somebody Else. You Want to Be You": Some Collected Words of Wisdom From B.B. King Himself By Michael Molenda published 31 August 23 "Try to ‘borrow’ a little bit from each guy. And, like that, you become you," said the King of the Blues
“If You Want to Be Successful, You Have to Love What You Do:” EHX Founder Mike Matthews Reveals the Secrets of His Success By Michael Molenda published 17 April 23 “The first thing with me is Electro-Harmonix, the second thing is fishing, and the third thing is the ladies,” says the pioneering effects builder
“Les Pauls, Teles, and Strats Restricted Me”: Joe Satriani Explains His Devotion to Ibanez Guitars By Michael Molenda published 14 April 23 How the virtuoso’s creative horizon expanded with Ibanez
Three Ways to Get Terrific Speaker Cab Tones at Home By Michael Molenda published 14 April 23 Enhance your home studio production with these expert recommendations
“I’m Very Much Into the Science of Building the Production Brick by Brick”: Caroline Jones Explains Why Production Elements Are Crucial to Songcraft By Michael Molenda published 13 April 23 The country singer-songwriter reveals her secrets to studio success
“They Turned out to Be the Most Prolific Sessions I’ve Ever Done”: Jennifer Batten Explains How She Transformed a Session Gig Into a Starring Role By Michael Molenda published 13 April 23 Melodic, unpredictable and jaw-dropping, the guitarist’s fiery solos on the ‘BattleZone’ LP elevated her name “above the title”
“You Have to Be Intuitive and Flexible”: Chris Cornell, Courtney Love and Pink Session Guitarist Pete Thorn Reveals His Go-To Gear By Michael Molenda published 12 April 23 “It all starts with the tuner,” says the tone-obsessed YouTube star
“You Certainly Don’t Want to Be Looking for Commercial Success”: Andy Summers Reveals the Evolving Strategies That Keep His Creative Life Busier Than Ever By Michael Molenda published 16 March 23 “You have to be very much engaged in the pursuit of finding new and unique ways to express your art,” says the Police guitarist
“If I Can Get That Live-Performance Spark Across in the Studio, I’m Very Happy”: Richard Thompson Talks Songwriting, Self-Production and His Fast-Paced Approach to Recording By Michael Molenda published 1 February 23 Following the release of his latest solo album, ’13 Rivers,’ the guitarist spoke to ‘GP’ about his creative process and how to put together the perfect Frankenstrat
Andy Summers Tells the Turbulent Tale of ‘Zenyatta Mondatta' By Michael Molenda last updated 12 September 22 Video How the Police battled a tight deadline and vanquished label interference to make the album that would turn them into international superstars.
“Hearing Yourself Too Well Is Almost as Bad as Not Hearing Yourself Well Enough”: Gretchen Menn Talks Stage Volume By Michael Molenda published 28 July 22 The guitar sensation and winner of Martin and Guitar World’s No Limits Challenge shares some wisdom on amps, speakers, effects and earplugs.
“The Ultimate Destination for Guitar Players is to Create Heaven and Wonderment”: 5 Spiritual Lessons for Guitarists by Carlos Santana By Michael Molenda published 20 July 22 We celebrate the Grammy-winning guitarist’s 75th birthday with this insightful interview extract from the GP archive.
“I Sit Down With an Acoustic Guitar”: Noel Gallagher Explains How Hit Records Are Made By Michael Molenda published 7 July 22 The Oasis singer-songwriter and guitarist reveals his tricks of the trade in this classic interview from the GP archive.
Steve Hackett Reveals the Beatles’ Crucial Influence on Genesis By Michael Molenda published 12 October 21 The guitarist discusses the progression of modern music and his own evolution as a musician.
Joey Landreth Reveals His Slide Tone Secrets By Michael Molenda last updated 23 September 21 Learn how the Canadian slide guitar phenomenon tailors his sound to suit the song.
Marcus King: 4 Tips For Great Live Performance By Michael Molenda published 22 June 21 The blues guitar prodigy shares some of his top gigging tips.
Four Classic Recording Strategies for a Digital World By Michael Molenda published 10 May 21 A mental “time tunnel” to help you check your modern mode at the studio door.
The Little-Known Mick Ronson/David Cassidy Connection By Michael Molenda published 29 April 21 In 1976, the teen idol – left behind by his former core audience and fighting to stay musically relevant – connected with one of the decade's great guitar heroes.
Jim Campilongo and Luca Benedetti on Jettisoning the Rhythm Section for a Very Special Six-String Duet By Michael Molenda published 14 April 21 Instigated by necessity, Benedetti and Campilongo establish a dynamic partnership on 'Two Guitars.'
Who Really Played Aerosmith’s “Train Kept A Rollin’” Solos? By Michael Molenda last updated 6 July 20 You won't be a true rock trivia master until you know this!
Five of Mick Ronson's Greatest Guitar Moments By Michael Molenda published 26 May 20 GP looks back on some of the glam-rock guitar god's most enduring six-string achievements.
