Latest articles by Phil Weller
Mike Campbell reveals how he and Tom Petty developed the guitar tandem that defines the Heartbreakers' classic sound
Petty had started out as a bass player, but when he moved to electric the seeds of one of rock’s greatest guitar partnerships were sown
Aaron Rash has spent years learning the tonal secrets of Nirvana’s “In Utero”, and he’s just discovered his Holy Grail
The exact make, model and specs of the guitar that produced the album’s “mean stuff” eluded Aaron Rash until he took a chance on an oddball axe
Sammy Hagar claims he made Eddie Van Halen a better musician and says the guitarist "dried up" in the 2000s
The Red Rocker believes Van Halen's musical horizons broadened during their time together, only to shrink in the years after they parted ways
How Lita Ford rediscovered her stolen B.C. Rich Mockingbird — and then let it go again
The guitar joins the ranks of star-owned axes that have mysteriously disappeared, only to return again
Elliot Easton reveals how Mutt Lange drove the Cars mad when making their 1984 comeback, 'Heartbeat City'
Having cut their first albums with Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker, the band sought Lange's magic touch, only to find it far heavier than they imagined
Kim Thayil says Soundgarden's Rock Hall induction is important to the late Chris Cornell's legacy
The band will be inducted along with the White Stripes, Bad Company and others, while Oasis, Billy Idol and Black Crowes are shunned once again
Why Ian Anderson counts this Jethro Tull track as the band's most signficant work
The 1974 smash reversed Tull's fortunes as they entered the studio for their sink-or-swim fourth album
Pete Townshend says he doesn’t like being onstage, and would rather work alone
The guitarist is still as creative as ever but is retreating further away from live shows and collaborative projects
Robert Plant is selling gear for charity and only one guitar remains – a golden-era Strat with a storied history
Available for an eye-watering £20K, Plant bought it off Chicken Shack’s Stann Webb before luthier John Birch made some drastic changes to it
Sammy Hagar says Eddie Van Halen wanted to tour with him again and shares his new song co-written with Ed via “communication from the beyond”
Sammy Hagar says Eddie Van Halen wanted to tour with the singer again before he died, as the Red Rocker shares his new song co-written by the guitarist via “communication from the beyond”
Etsy sells Reverb to investors with stakes in Fender and SoundCloud, but says no one is getting “preferential treatment”
The sale follows Etsy’s $275 million takeover in 2019, and its new owners have some key changes in store for the site
New albums from the original Alice Cooper Band and Faces teased – marking the first releases from both lineups since 1973
The reformed Alice Cooper Band will release "The Revenge of Alice Cooper" later this year, while the Faces’ return is mooted for 2026.
David Lee Roth was a demanding band leader – his former guitarists dish the details on what it was like to be his foil
David Lee Roth had a litany of guitar-playing talents in his band and they all agree on one thing…
"I got carried away": How being in Whitesnake with Steve Vai made Adrian Vandenberg a better player
Let's face it: Playing alongside Steve Vai would make you re-evaluate some things…
Yngwie Malmsteen explains why he rejected UFO to venture into the unknown with Alcatrazz
Back in 1983, Yngwie Malmsteen received two big offers in the space of 24 hours –here's how he made his decision…
Why old coins proved the perfect guitar pick for Brian May
The guitarist is famed for his use of his Red Special guitar and a Vox AC30 amp, but a Queen expert believes his unusual choice of pick is just as important to achieving his tone
Alex Lifeson on the audience member who brought Rush crashing down to Earth
The band’s first taste of playing a major gig soon turned to a moment that left Lifeson reconsidering his future
The Beatles song with three guitarists, three bassists, McCartney on drums — and a lyric that made enemies
Inspired by Chuck Berry, aided by the Beach Boys, Back In The USSR annoyed people on both sides of the political spectrum
How David Crosby's casual recommendation changed George Harrison’s guitar playing forever
Harrison’s love for Ravi Shankar and his sitar experiments are well documented, and it seems Crosby got the ball rolling
Jimmie Vaughan says Stevie Ray would agree there's no tone difference between maple and rosewood fretboards
It’s a light/dark battle that has raged since the first Stratocasters went into production, but the Vaughan family's opinions go against the grain
Lenny Kravitz guitarist Craig Ross just played Jeff Beck’s ‘59 Yardburst Les Paul for a full tour
Matt’s Guitar shop bought the guitar for earlier this year, and now it wants to keep its legacy alive by lending it to the best guitarists in the business
Why the Beatles couldn't have made "Helter Skelter" without the Who
McCartney was seduced by the idea of a “screaming record” after reading about the Who, and said the Beatles cut their track “in madness and hysterics”
Watch Andy Summers teach John Mayer how to play “Message in a Bottle”
Mayer was due to perform with the British trio, but first Summers had to help him tackle a song he had struggled with himself
