Players Peter Frampton reveals the stories behind five of his classic tracks Well over 50 years into his career, the Les Paul-wielding guitar hero has covered amazing stylistic ground, and worked with the best of the best. Learn how he crafted some of his most timeless tunes How Noel Gallagher and Beck helped bring the Black Keys' latest funky full-length, Ohio Players, to life The Black Keys began life as a bare-bones two-piece, but, as Dan Auerbach tells GP, collaboration and an open musical mind have expanded the duo's sound to thrilling new heights Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit In 2019, the late Dickey Betts sat down with Guitar Player to reflect on the Allman Brothers and his musical career, from his early influences to his last solo live album Latest Players “The music I might hear, I can’t get on the guitar. It’s a thing of laying around daydreaming... If you pick up your guitar and just try to play, it spoils the whole thing”: Jimi Hendrix on translating his ideas to the guitar, and the joys of club gigs By John Burks published 8 April 24 In 1970, at the peak of his stardom, Hendrix sat down with GP for a chat about songwriting, informal jams, and some of his favorite guitar players “The best solos have soul, feeling and chops. Players concerned with only playing fast are missing the point...”: With heavy themes and cameos from Alex Skolnick and Vernon Reid, Jane Getter's new album features her most inspired playing to date By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 Channeling a multitude of influences, Getter has delivered a spunky record that transcends genre and easy categorization “My 1939 Martin was in a garbage bag for 15 years prior to me getting it in pieces. The neck was off and the body was crushed”: How unplugging reshaped Julian Lage's electric approach By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 The jazz guitar virtuoso reveals how his Collings OM1 JL signature model came to be, and why a solo acoustic show can actually be more “raucous” than an electric-driven affair “I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster By Richard Bienstock published 26 March 24 The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead “I went to Mickie Most's office with an acoustic guitar and played it. It was almost like one of those clichéd movie moments: he said, ‘That’s going to be a hit!’”: Session guitar ace Chris Spedding reveals the stories behind five of his best songs By Mark McStea published 25 March 24 A long-standing sideman to Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and the late Robert Gordon, Chris Spedding is a master of tasteful playing – just don't expect him to spend too much time looking back at his voluminous discography “Sister Rosetta Tharpe inspired artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry, and helped give birth to rock and roll, soul, and electric blues”: A brief look back at the career of a perennially under-appreciated rock guitar pioneer By Guitar Player Staff published 20 March 24 With her impassioned voice and twanging double-stop licks, Tharpe imbued her religious tunes with elements of jazz, blues, and a joyful, hard-driving rhythm “Slash came in with the riff, and I got behind the drum kit... we got it down real quick”: Lenny Kravitz breaks down 5 of his classic songs By Mark McStea published 20 March 24 High-octane collaborations, sudden, manufacturing-halting bursts of inspiration... the stories behind these songs are as eclectic as the tunes themselves “I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes By Richard Bienstock published 19 March 24 As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins “Link Wray does it all, but his style also reminds us how captivating a few well-chosen riffs can be when combined with compelling tone, passion, and musicality”: Link Wray's Rumble (1956–62) is an essential document of ‘less is more’ guitar playing By Jim Campilongo published 14 March 24 A spin of this fantastic compilation will make you fall in love with the guitar all over again “What impressed me the most was, at 72 years old, the guy still gets excited like a little kid, like a true rock fan... He had a lot of ideas”: Steve Brown details the inspiring process of working with Ace Frehley on his shocking new album, 10,000 Volts By Ken Sharp published 13 March 24 The Trixter guitarist reckons that the one-time Kiss guitarist's new LP is his “best all-around songwriting record,” featuring the “best vocal performances he’s ever had on record” 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1“If we were recording at Olympic Studios, we would often hear Led Zeppelin. I’d see Jimmy Page sitting there, overdubbing in darkness”: Peter Frampton reveals the stories behind five of his classic tracks2Three guitars that exemplify the PRS SE line in 2024 – reasonably priced, impeccably put-together, and versatile in terms of both tone and playability: PRS SE CE24, SE Custom 24 Quilt and SE Swamp Ash Special review 3“I bought my ’59 sunburst Les Paul from my first wife’s brother... he’d gotten sick – he called me and said, ‘I’m probably not gonna make it. Will you buy my Les Paul?’ Now it gets to live on and still make music”: Vince Gill on his beloved 'Burst 4“Noel’s process is purely guitar. He’s so in love with the chords, and he was cycling through and through... He wouldn’t stop until he was satisfied”: How Noel Gallagher and Beck helped bring the Black Keys' latest funky full-length, Ohio Players, to life5Best amp modelers 2024: Get your dream guitar tone with our top picks
“The music I might hear, I can’t get on the guitar. It’s a thing of laying around daydreaming... If you pick up your guitar and just try to play, it spoils the whole thing”: Jimi Hendrix on translating his ideas to the guitar, and the joys of club gigs By John Burks published 8 April 24 In 1970, at the peak of his stardom, Hendrix sat down with GP for a chat about songwriting, informal jams, and some of his favorite guitar players
“The best solos have soul, feeling and chops. Players concerned with only playing fast are missing the point...”: With heavy themes and cameos from Alex Skolnick and Vernon Reid, Jane Getter's new album features her most inspired playing to date By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 Channeling a multitude of influences, Getter has delivered a spunky record that transcends genre and easy categorization
“My 1939 Martin was in a garbage bag for 15 years prior to me getting it in pieces. The neck was off and the body was crushed”: How unplugging reshaped Julian Lage's electric approach By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 The jazz guitar virtuoso reveals how his Collings OM1 JL signature model came to be, and why a solo acoustic show can actually be more “raucous” than an electric-driven affair
“I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster By Richard Bienstock published 26 March 24 The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead
“I went to Mickie Most's office with an acoustic guitar and played it. It was almost like one of those clichéd movie moments: he said, ‘That’s going to be a hit!’”: Session guitar ace Chris Spedding reveals the stories behind five of his best songs By Mark McStea published 25 March 24 A long-standing sideman to Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and the late Robert Gordon, Chris Spedding is a master of tasteful playing – just don't expect him to spend too much time looking back at his voluminous discography
“Sister Rosetta Tharpe inspired artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry, and helped give birth to rock and roll, soul, and electric blues”: A brief look back at the career of a perennially under-appreciated rock guitar pioneer By Guitar Player Staff published 20 March 24 With her impassioned voice and twanging double-stop licks, Tharpe imbued her religious tunes with elements of jazz, blues, and a joyful, hard-driving rhythm
“Slash came in with the riff, and I got behind the drum kit... we got it down real quick”: Lenny Kravitz breaks down 5 of his classic songs By Mark McStea published 20 March 24 High-octane collaborations, sudden, manufacturing-halting bursts of inspiration... the stories behind these songs are as eclectic as the tunes themselves
“I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes By Richard Bienstock published 19 March 24 As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins
“Link Wray does it all, but his style also reminds us how captivating a few well-chosen riffs can be when combined with compelling tone, passion, and musicality”: Link Wray's Rumble (1956–62) is an essential document of ‘less is more’ guitar playing By Jim Campilongo published 14 March 24 A spin of this fantastic compilation will make you fall in love with the guitar all over again
“What impressed me the most was, at 72 years old, the guy still gets excited like a little kid, like a true rock fan... He had a lot of ideas”: Steve Brown details the inspiring process of working with Ace Frehley on his shocking new album, 10,000 Volts By Ken Sharp published 13 March 24 The Trixter guitarist reckons that the one-time Kiss guitarist's new LP is his “best all-around songwriting record,” featuring the “best vocal performances he’s ever had on record”