Players “Paco needed to relax, so he smoked a joint and the second take was the one”: Al Di Meola on the magic of Mediterranean Sundance Reflecting on his chemistry with Paco De Lucia in a 2009 GP interview, Di Meola revealed that the spontaneous creative fire of the Mediterranean Sundance session stunned all of its participants – including the guitarists themselves Peter Frampton on lessons learned from George Harrison and Steve Marriott Armed with a “million-dollar Marshall,” Frampton took cues from Hank Marvin and Django Reinhardt for his stellar 2010 effort, Thank You Mr. Churchill. That same year, he spoke with GP about the album's genesis, and gear revelations On Tripliciti, Andy McKee, Calum Graham, and Trevor Gordon Hall put their fluid fingerstyle chemistry on stunning display This formidable trio's self-titled debut is the ensemble guitar album of the year – and a watershed acoustic moment Latest Players How Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner transformed Lou Reed's moody, street-smart performances into an album of twin-guitar-led hard rock heroics By Gary Graff published 2 July 24 After Reed’s dark concept album, Berlin, bombed, guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner helped him get his groove back. The result was Rock ’n’ Roll Animal, the live classic that revitalized Reed's spirit and rescued his career Scott Henderson on trombone-emulating pedals, and balancing dense arrangements with blues progressions By Bill Milkowski published 1 July 24 Scott Henderson spent lockdown training his ears and building improv skills. As his new album, Karnevel!, shows, his jazz chops reached new heights, but his blues-rock roots remain as strong as ever Walter Trout is healthier and playing better than ever, but he’s still being dragged down by the world around him By Mark McStea published 27 June 24 On Broken, Trout – with some help from Dee Snider and a ’60s Coral electric sitar – tries to bring hope in a divided world through some of the most fiery licks of his career Blue Öyster Cult's Buck Dharma on the stories behind (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and other BÖC classics By Gary Graff published 24 June 24 Less cowbell, more songs – the Blue Öyster Cult guitarist goes deep on the writing and recording of some of the band's greatest tunes How Amos Garrett and switching away from a Strat helped Glenn Tilbrook write Squeeze’s Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) By Joe Bosso published 21 June 24 Though most of Squeeze’s breakthrough US hit came easy for Tilbrook, its solo took the guitarist out of his usual comfort zone David Gilmour reflects on Syd Barrett, and Pink Floyd's Live 8 reunion By Mark Ellen published 27 May 24 “The years in what is now considered to be our heyday were 95 percent musically fulfilling and joyous and full of fun and laughter – and I don’t want to let the other five percent color my view of what was a long and fantastic time together” Betty Davis's self-titled debut album is essential funk guitar listening By Jim Campilongo published 17 May 24 This oft-overlooked, and recently-reissued, album sprang from the early '70s Bay Area music scene, which featured some of the best funk ever played by human hands With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic By Gary Graff published 16 May 24 Though he often feels, when called to the stage to start a solo show, “like the executioner has arrived to take me to the gallows,” Ellis's new acoustic album, Naked Truth, finds the veteran guitarist right at home without accompaniment Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his masterpiece, Field Day By Christopher Scapelliti published 14 May 24 With the help of producer-of-the-moment Steve Lillywhite, Marshall Crenshaw made the guitar album of his dreams. Critics, however, panned its production, halting his rising career. Four decades later, Field Day is finally being reappraised How Guitar Player's Spotlight column made Yngwie Malmsteen a guitar hero overnight By Matt Blackett published 14 May 24 “It wasn’t just the notes in his playing, but the energy and the attitude behind them,” tastemaker and Spotlight author Mike Varney told GP 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 LATEST ARTICLES1Yngwie Malmsteen’s #4 Strat has been listed on Reverb – and it comes with a free Ferrari2David Gilmour and his daughter Romany surprise Brighton pub with Wish You Were Here duet3Ritchie Blackmore once protested hotel construction by cranking his amps at 3 a.m. – but didn't know that Eric Clapton was in the room next door4Scotty Moore details the legendary Elvis Presley That’s All Right session5Ashdown’s new SX tube amp series offers mid-priced options for vintage amps with modern features
How Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner transformed Lou Reed's moody, street-smart performances into an album of twin-guitar-led hard rock heroics By Gary Graff published 2 July 24 After Reed’s dark concept album, Berlin, bombed, guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner helped him get his groove back. The result was Rock ’n’ Roll Animal, the live classic that revitalized Reed's spirit and rescued his career
Scott Henderson on trombone-emulating pedals, and balancing dense arrangements with blues progressions By Bill Milkowski published 1 July 24 Scott Henderson spent lockdown training his ears and building improv skills. As his new album, Karnevel!, shows, his jazz chops reached new heights, but his blues-rock roots remain as strong as ever
Walter Trout is healthier and playing better than ever, but he’s still being dragged down by the world around him By Mark McStea published 27 June 24 On Broken, Trout – with some help from Dee Snider and a ’60s Coral electric sitar – tries to bring hope in a divided world through some of the most fiery licks of his career
Blue Öyster Cult's Buck Dharma on the stories behind (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and other BÖC classics By Gary Graff published 24 June 24 Less cowbell, more songs – the Blue Öyster Cult guitarist goes deep on the writing and recording of some of the band's greatest tunes
How Amos Garrett and switching away from a Strat helped Glenn Tilbrook write Squeeze’s Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) By Joe Bosso published 21 June 24 Though most of Squeeze’s breakthrough US hit came easy for Tilbrook, its solo took the guitarist out of his usual comfort zone
David Gilmour reflects on Syd Barrett, and Pink Floyd's Live 8 reunion By Mark Ellen published 27 May 24 “The years in what is now considered to be our heyday were 95 percent musically fulfilling and joyous and full of fun and laughter – and I don’t want to let the other five percent color my view of what was a long and fantastic time together”
Betty Davis's self-titled debut album is essential funk guitar listening By Jim Campilongo published 17 May 24 This oft-overlooked, and recently-reissued, album sprang from the early '70s Bay Area music scene, which featured some of the best funk ever played by human hands
With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic By Gary Graff published 16 May 24 Though he often feels, when called to the stage to start a solo show, “like the executioner has arrived to take me to the gallows,” Ellis's new acoustic album, Naked Truth, finds the veteran guitarist right at home without accompaniment
Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his masterpiece, Field Day By Christopher Scapelliti published 14 May 24 With the help of producer-of-the-moment Steve Lillywhite, Marshall Crenshaw made the guitar album of his dreams. Critics, however, panned its production, halting his rising career. Four decades later, Field Day is finally being reappraised
How Guitar Player's Spotlight column made Yngwie Malmsteen a guitar hero overnight By Matt Blackett published 14 May 24 “It wasn’t just the notes in his playing, but the energy and the attitude behind them,” tastemaker and Spotlight author Mike Varney told GP
