Rod Brakes
Rod Brakes is a music journalist with an expertise in guitars. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions for leading publications and websites such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar in addition to specialist music books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.
Latest articles by Rod Brakes

Watch the Electric Prunes Perform Their Signature Hit "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" on ‘American Bandstand’ in 1967
By Christopher Scapelliti, Rod Brakes published
Video Heavy tremolo, fuzz guitars and Eastern-inspired lead lines – this psychedelic rock smash has it all!

Watch Stone Temple Pilots Slay the Crowd With Their Alt-Rock Classic, “Interstate Love Song”
By Mark McStea, Rod Brakes published
Video This clip from 2001 captures the magic of an era-defining band during one of their best performances on film

"There Were so Many Places in This Country, Being a Mixed-Race Group, That We Could Not Play”: Johnny Echols Recounts the Incredible History of Love and ‘Forever Changes’ in This Essential Interview
By Christopher Scapelliti, Rod Brakes published
Video The story of one of the greatest bands of the ‘60s psychedelic era and beyond told by its co-founding guitarist

Watch Iron Butterfly’s Kaleidoscopic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” Performance Film
By Rod Brakes, Christopher Scapelliti published
Video All 17 minutes of this acid rock epic in full lysergic glory

Watch Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton’s Surly "Brand New Cadillac" Music Video
By Rod Brakes published
Video The duo launch new collaborative project with a mean cover of this late ‘50s rockabilly classic

Watch Moby Grape’s Historic “Hey Grandma” Performance at the Monterey Pop Festival
By Art Thompson, Rod Brakes published
Video Born in San Francisco in 1967, this signature song is a quintessential Summer of Love anthem

Watch the Trailer for Unmissable John Scofield Documentary, ‘Inside Scofield’
By Rod Brakes published
Video Filmmaker Joerg Steineck gets inside the mind of the multiple Grammy-winning “road dog” jazz guitar master

Watch Glen Campbell Take a Rare Fender VI Solo in this 1968 TV Appearance
By Rod Brakes published
Video His Grammy Hall of Fame-inducted hit "Wichita Lineman" features the textbook Fender VI sound

What’s the Most Collectible Gretsch Guitar? These White Penguins Are As Rare As Penguin’s Teeth
By Rod Brakes last updated
Video Vintage Guitar Veteran David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars shows us the “Holy Grail” of Gretsch.

Watch Jimi Hendrix Erupt During a Fiery Performance of “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” on the Edge of a Volcano
By Rod Brakes published
Video We return to this red-hot rendition from Maui in celebration of Hendrix’s 80th birthday

“So Much of It Is in the Fingers, but the Guitar Is Still Your Closest Thing”: Brian May Talks Tone, Building the Red Special, Early Queen and More in This Unmissable Podcast
By Rod Brakes published
Video If you’re a guitar player and you like Queen then you’ll love ‘The Red Special Guitar Podcast’

Don’t Miss the Rolling Stones’ New “2000 Light Years From Home” Music Video
By Rod Brakes published
Video Originally shot using 35mm film, this 1967 “promotional” movie has now been restored in 4K resolution

Watch Southern Rockers Robert Jon & the Wreck’s Explosive “Pain No More” Music Video
By Rod Brakes published
Video Co-written by Charlie Starr, the band's latest track was produced by Nashville’s multiple Grammy-winning Dave Cobb

Watch Slide Guitar Extraordinaire Troy Redfern’s Fiery “Mercy” Music Video
By Rod Brakes published
Video The new single is the latest from the critically acclaimed blues-rock guitarist’s album ‘The Wings of Salvation'
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