
Phil Weller
A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.
Latest articles by Phil Weller

Robin Trower on the stroke of luck behind one of the 1970s’ celebrated live albums
By Phil Weller Published
Trower says the band only discovered the tape a copy was sent to them. One quick vocal overdub later, they had ‘Robin Trower Live!’ — now expanded for its 50th anniversary

George Harrison wanted the Beatles to record this song in 1963. It became one of the biggest hits of his solo career
By Phil Weller Published
After discovering the track during a visit to America, Harrison carried it with him for nearly a quarter-century before revisiting it on ‘Cloud Nine’

Brian May names the guitar solo he considers the greatest in the world
By Phil Weller Published
The solo changed the Queen guitarist’s life, but when he tried to pay tribute to its writer, the effort backfired spectacularly

Jeff Beck believed Eric Clapton was jealous of his success. Then Clapton paid him the ultimate compliment
By Phil Weller Published
Beck saw evidence of rivalry stretching back to the Yardbirds and his Stevie Wonder collaborations. But a remark Clapton made late in Beck’s career changed his perspective

Billy Gibbons played “Purple Haze” onstage while opening for Jimi Hendrix
By Phil Weller Published
The Moving Sidewalks took a gamble by covering Hendrix songs in front of the guitar icon himself. His reaction launched a friendship that lasted until his death

Joe Satriani reveals David Lee Roth wanted him in a Van Halen band in the ’90s
By Phil Weller Published
Years before the ill-fated post-Eddie Van Halen tribute tour, Roth approached Satriani with a very different proposal: a band dedicated to Van Halen's music while Eddie was still on the road.

Stewart Copeland on why he and Sting are still friends despite a $2 million royalties lawsuit
By Phil Weller Published
Copeland says he and Sting still talk regularly — and have finally figured out how to keep the peace

Billy Gibbons called Norman’s Rare Guitars looking for a young musician he'd seen online in the shop’s videos
By Phil Weller Published
Norman Harris says giving back is important. Through the store's hugely popular videos, he's helped emerging players find audiences — and in some cases launch careers, including Marcus King’s

How John Lennon’s murder inspired one of Mark Knopfler’s most personal songs
By Phil Weller Published
The Dire Straits leader drew on his experiences with an obsessive fan who followed him from show to show — but it took him 16 years to finish the song

Gregg Allman said he spent his life trying to impress his brother, Duane
By Phil Weller Published
A new documentary uncovers the intense sibling dynamic that fueled the group’s rise — from fighting over a guitar to reaching rock stardom

Grace Bowers returns to YouTube with a powerful statement of defiance
By Phil Weller Published
The guitarist is embarking on a new chapter, making “music for the girls in the front row”

Samantha Fish on the best advice about guitar solos she ever heard
By Phil Weller Published
The guitarist says she used to fill her solos with every trick in the book. Then she tuned into the song’s melody — and it changed everything

“I have to confess to a certain sort of jealousy.” David Gilmour reveals the guitarist whose career he envies most
By Phil Weller Published
Despite crafting some of rock's most celebrated solos, the Pink Floyd legend admits he'd happily swap places with Eric Clapton — and explains why.

Joe Walsh's backstage jam with Jimi Hendrix
By Phil Weller Published
A young Joe Walsh shared a stage and a dressing room with Hendrix in the early ‘70s, and it proved to be an education

Marcus King tried to help Brent Hinds after he left Mastodon. It all fell apart on tour
By Phil Weller Published
The guitarist says he offered one of his heroes a lifeline after Mastodon, but a string of chaotic incidents brought their partnership to an abrupt end

“Oh my god — I ruined my guitar!” Brian Setzer on the night a stunt went wrong and destroyed the rockabilly star’s beloved ’59 Gretsch
By Phil Weller Published
The Stray Cats star says he watched in horror as his prized 6120 snapped in two during a show in Japan

John Fogerty on the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit he wrote in 20 minutes to save his career
By Phil Weller Published
Written amid a volatile political backdrop, the song remains just as relevant today as it was decades ago

“It’s like a fossil in a tar pit.” Brad Paisley reveals the unbelievable discovery hiding inside his 1968 Fender Telecaster
By Phil Weller Published
Fender’s late-’60s wallpaper finishes were widely considered a commercial flop, causing owners to paint over them in droves. Decades later, a routine finish-stripping session by a master luthier shocked the gear world—and completely redefined the value of a "bad paint job."

Tommy Lee recalls Mötley Crüe and Ozzy's notorious 1984 tour, which ended with the singer's onstage breakdown
By Phil Weller Published
Jake E. Lee and Mick Mars almost came to blows as well when Ozzy and Mötley Crüe hit the road together in 1984

“I think it sounds lousy.” Mick Jagger says he isn’t a fan of the Rolling Stones’ most celebrated album
By Phil Weller Published
Though the record classic is now hailed as a masterpiece, Jagger calls it one of his least-favorite albums and blames the disorder that surrounded its creation

Simon McBride explains why some Deep Purple guitar parts are untouchable
By Phil Weller Published
Despite being told not to imitate Ritchie Blackmore or Steve Morse, the Deep Purple guitarist says classics like “Highway Star” demand a different approach.

Phoebe Bridgers reveals how a gruesome gardening accident made her a more inventive guitar player
By Phil Weller Published
An afternoon in her garden had huge impact on her relationship with the guitar

“I can gauge his reaction.” Paul McCartney says he still talks to John Lennon while writing songs
By Phil Weller Published
McCartney says he often imagined what Lennon would think of his new material — and could still hear his old songwriting partner's voice in the process.

Lzzy Hale reveals how Alice Cooper helped her find herself
By Phil Weller Published
An awkward sleepover, a classic Cooper album and some advice from her father helped the future Halestorm star realize that fitting in wasn’t the point

“I can’t stand Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing. He ruined rock guitar.” Jesus and Mary Chain’s William Reid takes aim at Van Halen’s influence
By Phil Weller Published
The alt-rock pioneer says Van Halen led generations of guitarists to prioritize speed and technique over memorable musical ideas.
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