Players

Latest Players

Eddie Van Halen plays his custom Frankenstrat guitar at Cobo Arena during Van Halen's "Hide Your Sheep Tour" on August 13, 1982, in Detroit, Michigan.
Eddie Van Halen on the music teacher who slapped his face — and his all-time worst song

By Jas Obrecht Published

EVH touched on the essence of his approach to soloing in this classic Guitar Player interview

Guitarists
PJ Harvey performing at the Virgin V Festival 2003, Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom.
P.J. Harvey on why she stopped playing guitar onstage — and the real reason she chose her first pair of tour guitarists

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

Her first proper solo album in 1995 marked a turning point in the iconic performer’s approach to performance

Guitarists
Eric Clapton plays guitar onstage at the Nassau Coliseum in April 1978
Eric Clapton revealed why he’d grown tired of endless guitar solos in this 1976 interview: “You’re just repeating yourself over and over again”

By Dan Forte Published

in the years after Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos, Clapton said he’d become more interested in serving the song than showing off his chops.

Guitarists
Dweezil Zappa performs at the Zappa Plays Zappa concert at Emo's on May 1, 2015 in Austin
Dweezil Zappa on his new tour of Frank Zappa’s music and working with Eddie Van Halen: “I would have to show him certain licks” 

By Gary Graff Published

Dweezil recalls collaborating with Van Halen on his ambitious “What the Hell Was I Thinking?” project and discusses the latest edition of his long-running tour celebrating Frank Zappa’s music 

Guitarists
Joni Mitchell and B.B. King onstage in 1980.
Joni Mitchell on why she invented her own guitar language from more than 50 tunings

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

Teachers told her to play the masters instead of writing songs, but she was determined to create the sounds she heard in her head

Guitarists
The Beatles pose for a portrait in the studio in circa 1965.
What Paul McCartney taught Brian Ray about playing the Beatles’ songs: "One time in rehearsal I made a mistake in the chorus”

By Joe Bosso Published

The Paul McCartney guitarist shares his hard-won advice on how to perform any Beatles song perfectly

Guitarists
Scott Holiday performs with Rival Sons at the Danish heavy metal festival Copenhell 2024 in Copenhagen, June 21, 2024.
Rival Son’s Scott Holiday on the hit-and-run accident that inspired his new solo album

By Gary Graff Published

The Rival Sons guitarist goes solo with Topology, a cerebral, exploratory record that finds him singing, embracing prog and fusion, and pushing his guitar playing into new territory

Music
LEFT: Midge Ure at Rockore in Lochore Meadows Country Park, Scotland, August 23, 2025. RIGHT: Robert Fripp performs during Toyah and Robert's Sunday Lunch concert at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on October 21, 2023 in London
Ultravox’s Midge Ure on Phil Lynott, Kate Bush, the Sex Pistols and Robert Fripp: “He brought these 40 Japanese students along”

By Joe Matera Published

The guitarist recalls joining Thin Lizzy, nearly becoming a Sex Pistol, Kate Bush’s perfectionism, and what makes Robert Fripp such a virtuoso

Guitarists
LEFT: Steve Howe photographed at his home in south-west England, on December 7, 2017. RIGHT: Lou Reed poses for a portrait for the cover of his album "Lou Reed Live" in 1973
Steve Howe recalls his strangest guest sessions, from Lou Reed to Ella Fitzgerald:

By Gary Graff Published

The Yes guitarist looks back on the unexpected recording dates that put him in studios with Reed, Queen and other unlikely collaborators

Guitarists
Tears for Fears pictured on the cover of their 1985 album Songs From the Big Chair
How a simple guitar hook inspired Tears for Fears’ biggest hit: “I tuned the E string down to D and came up with this riff”

By Gary Graff Published

Roland Orzabal wasn’t convinced by the song at first, but a chance idea on his walnut Fender Stratocaster helped keep it alive

Guitarists
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives