Players “It’s the sound of the Stones: a five-string with a six-string on top. Guitars are amazing things – you can make an orchestra out of them…” Keith Richards on life without Charlie, The Beatles and the Stones, and new album Hackney Diamonds In an exclusive interview, Keith Richards talks about the magic of the new album Hackney Diamonds, and why losing a string created a whole new sound for the Rolling Stones “We worked out a big, long harmonized guitar solo. It’s my little homage to Thin Lizzy.” Foo Fighter Chris Shiflett on his new solo album Lost at Sea and why he's happy to not be the loudest guitarist in the room After he regretted not playing more guitar on his solo albums, Chris Shiflett assembled a six-string dream team for Lost at Sea. The result is a treat for the ears “I had a gold Klon but I lost it in Hurricane Katrina...” Blues supremo Eric Johanson on being both a Metallica and Jack White fanboy and why he’s into tone as much as music With the help of "a really gritty velcro fuzz", blues guitarist Eric Johanson gets into the raw experience of the moment on his latest album, The Deep and the Dirty Grid List Latest Players "Every kid who picks up a guitar wants to be Keith Richards, right?" How Andrew Watt kicked Keef and Mick Jagger "up the ass in the studio," connected the Stones back to Muddy Waters, and recruited Paul McCartney for a punky cameo on the band's new album By Brad Tolinski published 9 November 23 Andrew Watt has made records with Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Pearl Jam, and more, but manning the boards for the Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds was, he says, "the honor of my lifetime” Adrian Belew recounts his audition with Frank Zappa: "We sat on his purple couch. I placed my Pignose amplifier face down on it so I could get a little bit of sustain... At the end of it, he reached out his hand and said, ‘You got the job’" By Jimmy Leslie published 8 November 23 Belew got the gig in the end, but his audition was anything but smooth sailing... Billy Gibbons: “We went to the second change, but Lightnin’ was still in the first... Our bassist said, ‘Lightnin’, that’s where the second change is supposed to be, isn’t it?' Lightnin’ said, ‘Lightnin’ change when Lightnin’ want to change!’” By Jas Obrecht published 8 November 23 ZZ Top's main man and Johnny Winter recount their time backing Lightnin’ Hopkins, where they quickly learned that to accompany the blues legend meant doing things his way David Bowie: "I've only ever showed one person how to play Rebel Rebel properly. I was downstairs in a hotel and there was some guy playing guitar – dreadful metal stuff. He started playing Rebel Rebel. I went stomping upstairs, and it was John McEnroe” By Joe Gore published 7 November 23 In this extensive 1997 GP interview, Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels talk Parker Flys, seeing the guitar neck as a "landscape," taking riff inspiration from Jimmy Page, and that time Bowie showed a tennis legend how to play one of his most famous riffs... Sharon Isbin: "The ability to improvise is something that is a part of all of us, but when it’s developed to the fullest in artists like Steve Morse or Steve Vai, who can just create music on the spot, it’s truly something to marvel at" By Barry Cleveland published 6 November 23 In this vintage GP interview, the classical guitar maestro reveals how she took improv inspiration from Heart's Nancy Wilson – and how players can improve their dynamics – and discusses the benefits of practicing guitar pieces... without the guitar "For slide, I've always used a glass Coricidin bottle, like Duane Allman. He told me that a bottle sounds different than a steel slide, so I copied him": Gary Rossington on the gear – and unlikely household tool – that inspired Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird By Lisa Sharken published 2 November 23 It's now the all-time bar band song request, but this classic rock epic was going nowhere until the late Skynyrd guitarist did some wallet-friendly modding... Jerry Garcia: "There’s a thing about playing stoned without having pressure to play competently... People pay a lot of money to see us, so it becomes a matter of professionalism. You don’t want to deliver somebody a clunker just because you’re too high” By Jon Sievert published 31 October 23 In this 1978 chat with GP, the late Grateful Dead legend discusses why he chose to not include anything shorter than a half-note in a solo for a year, and reveals how the five-string banjo informed his unique six-string approach “They had strippers and crabs everywhere... People would get pissed and start shooting at the stage. You had to duck and keep playing!” Stevie Ray Vaughan talks his Number One Strat, Dumbles, and his craziest gigs in classic GP interview By Dan Forte published 30 October 23 On the heels of his sophomore album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, SRV tells tales of jamming with B.B. and Freddie King, and tells GP what it takes to cover Hendrix "I’m not as emotionally invested in guitars as I used to be…” Hot Tuna’s electric days will soon be a thing of the past… By Derek McCabe published 28 October 23 When Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady bring 2023 to a close, Hot Tuna’s plugged-in performances will also end… "Advice? Sometimes you are going to be so frustrated you want to give up – you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarded.” Jimi Hendrix talks technique, songwriting, making records and more in this 1968 Guitar Player interview By Guitar Player Staff published 25 October 23 Electric Ladyland was released 25 October 1968. Guitar Player interviewed Jimi Hendrix shortly before the album's release... 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“It’s the sound of the Stones: a five-string with a six-string on top. Guitars are amazing things – you can make an orchestra out of them…” Keith Richards on life without Charlie, The Beatles and the Stones, and new album Hackney Diamonds2"You son of a b****, you're playing a Fender?" Watch Keith Richards and Les Paul jam in rare footage from 20003These 40 huge Black Friday and Cyber Monday guitar gear deals are still live – but they won’t be around much longer4Build your own Fender Stratocaster with this fun Cyber Monday Lego deal5The most affordable way to transform your sound: Get a Cyber Monday effects pedal deal before it's too late
"Every kid who picks up a guitar wants to be Keith Richards, right?" How Andrew Watt kicked Keef and Mick Jagger "up the ass in the studio," connected the Stones back to Muddy Waters, and recruited Paul McCartney for a punky cameo on the band's new album By Brad Tolinski published 9 November 23 Andrew Watt has made records with Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Pearl Jam, and more, but manning the boards for the Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds was, he says, "the honor of my lifetime”
Adrian Belew recounts his audition with Frank Zappa: "We sat on his purple couch. I placed my Pignose amplifier face down on it so I could get a little bit of sustain... At the end of it, he reached out his hand and said, ‘You got the job’" By Jimmy Leslie published 8 November 23 Belew got the gig in the end, but his audition was anything but smooth sailing...
Billy Gibbons: “We went to the second change, but Lightnin’ was still in the first... Our bassist said, ‘Lightnin’, that’s where the second change is supposed to be, isn’t it?' Lightnin’ said, ‘Lightnin’ change when Lightnin’ want to change!’” By Jas Obrecht published 8 November 23 ZZ Top's main man and Johnny Winter recount their time backing Lightnin’ Hopkins, where they quickly learned that to accompany the blues legend meant doing things his way
David Bowie: "I've only ever showed one person how to play Rebel Rebel properly. I was downstairs in a hotel and there was some guy playing guitar – dreadful metal stuff. He started playing Rebel Rebel. I went stomping upstairs, and it was John McEnroe” By Joe Gore published 7 November 23 In this extensive 1997 GP interview, Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels talk Parker Flys, seeing the guitar neck as a "landscape," taking riff inspiration from Jimmy Page, and that time Bowie showed a tennis legend how to play one of his most famous riffs...
Sharon Isbin: "The ability to improvise is something that is a part of all of us, but when it’s developed to the fullest in artists like Steve Morse or Steve Vai, who can just create music on the spot, it’s truly something to marvel at" By Barry Cleveland published 6 November 23 In this vintage GP interview, the classical guitar maestro reveals how she took improv inspiration from Heart's Nancy Wilson – and how players can improve their dynamics – and discusses the benefits of practicing guitar pieces... without the guitar
"For slide, I've always used a glass Coricidin bottle, like Duane Allman. He told me that a bottle sounds different than a steel slide, so I copied him": Gary Rossington on the gear – and unlikely household tool – that inspired Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird By Lisa Sharken published 2 November 23 It's now the all-time bar band song request, but this classic rock epic was going nowhere until the late Skynyrd guitarist did some wallet-friendly modding...
Jerry Garcia: "There’s a thing about playing stoned without having pressure to play competently... People pay a lot of money to see us, so it becomes a matter of professionalism. You don’t want to deliver somebody a clunker just because you’re too high” By Jon Sievert published 31 October 23 In this 1978 chat with GP, the late Grateful Dead legend discusses why he chose to not include anything shorter than a half-note in a solo for a year, and reveals how the five-string banjo informed his unique six-string approach
“They had strippers and crabs everywhere... People would get pissed and start shooting at the stage. You had to duck and keep playing!” Stevie Ray Vaughan talks his Number One Strat, Dumbles, and his craziest gigs in classic GP interview By Dan Forte published 30 October 23 On the heels of his sophomore album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, SRV tells tales of jamming with B.B. and Freddie King, and tells GP what it takes to cover Hendrix
"I’m not as emotionally invested in guitars as I used to be…” Hot Tuna’s electric days will soon be a thing of the past… By Derek McCabe published 28 October 23 When Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady bring 2023 to a close, Hot Tuna’s plugged-in performances will also end…
"Advice? Sometimes you are going to be so frustrated you want to give up – you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarded.” Jimi Hendrix talks technique, songwriting, making records and more in this 1968 Guitar Player interview By Guitar Player Staff published 25 October 23 Electric Ladyland was released 25 October 1968. Guitar Player interviewed Jimi Hendrix shortly before the album's release...
