Players “I had just written a classic — and I was terrified I might never do it again.” John Fogerty on CCR’s "Proud Mary" Fogerty also names the classic rock-and-roll guitarists who influenced his roots-rock style Neal Schon explains how Journey broke the first rule of songwriting with “Don’t Stop Believin’” Schon says he was shocked when Forbes named it the Biggest Song of All Time Kill your metronome. Vinnie Moore tells how his method of keeping time helps you find the groove and not sound mechanical Moore also shares four other tips to help you play better solos, learn more chords and develop a signature style Latest Players “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” “People used to show up in the parking lot and ask the crew to tell me that they had guitars to sell... One guy was facing trial and needed money for his lawyer. That's how I got my goldtop Les Paul”: Lenny Kravitz on recording, and unlikely gear finds By Mark McStea published 12 March 24 Since his first release, Lenny Kravitz has been the master of impeccable riffs, perfect guitar tone, and genre-melding music. As he releases his fiery new album, he takes GP inside his creative process and incredible collection of vintage guitars “Sly Stallone asked me about why AC/DC records sounded so powerful – I told him about tape compression...”: Survivor's The Eye of the Tiger beat out Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust for use in Rocky III – here's how the '80s smash came together By Mark McStea published 11 March 24 Though the rewards were ultimately huge, the process of putting together one of the most iconic rock songs of the 1980s – guitarist Frankie Sullivan tells GP – was sometimes a tense one “It’s mind-blowing to know I was a huge influence on a new crop of guitar players in the same way that Hendrix, Page, and Beck had an impact on me”: Ace Frehley on the creation of his new solo album, and the '59 Les Paul he'll forever regret selling By Ken Sharp published 8 March 24 Ace Frehley is back with a shockingly rocking new album in 10,000 Volts. Here, he tells GP about collaborating with Trixter's Steve Brown, re-working 40-year old demos, and the more unlikely guitars in his enviable collection “Mick Taylor would play the top lines. Keith Richards would write most of the songs... Once, Keith said, ‘You play too f*cking loud. I can’t work with you in the room right now‘”: Andy Johns on the Rolling Stones' turbulent Exile on Main St. sessions By Matt Blackett published 7 March 24 Though the late engineer had already worked with George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Free, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin, he saw what would become the Stones' masterpiece as “the most important project” he'd ever taken on “There’s a riff that represents my twisted idea of how Aerosmith might sound in 5/4”: How Guthrie Govan channeled his inner Steve Reich, and Steve Cropper, on the Aristocrats' humorous, musically dazzling new album, Duck By Joe Bosso published 6 March 24 Re-teaming with his fellow virtuosos for another roller coaster ride of an album, Govan was unafraid to explore yet more musical avenues and instruments, but in the end, it all always came back to his signature Charvel “When I went to my first meeting with Elton, I immediately hit him with ideas. Elton saw my willingness to put myself out there”: Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone reveals how learning the sitar benefited his guitar playing, and how (not) to get a gig By Joe Bosso published 5 March 24 After five decades and thousands of gigs with superstar Elton John, Davey Johnstone has plenty of valuable advice to help you reach the top of your game “When I switched to guitar, I still had the piano in me, so I developed the two-handed tapping technique to play the guitar more like a piano”: Stanley Jordan on playing piano and guitar simultaneously, and the pitfalls of higher (and lower) frets By Michael Ross published 4 March 24 Speaking to GP in 2008, the maestro discusses the particulars of his signature Vigier guitars, and how they avoid the tonal drawbacks one might encounter when two-hand tapping on other models “I was working with Ibanez in the mid-'70s, and they showed me a new guitar from Japan. I played it, and they told me they'd made it for George Benson. I said, ‘You can call the police, but I'm taking it’: Bob Weir on Ratdog, and his unique custom models By Jas Obrecht published 1 March 24 Having – at the time of this archival GP interview – recently lost his six-string brother in arms, Jerry Garcia, Weir was ready to move on with new sounds, new approaches, and ever-fascinating new custom guitars 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives 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 ARTICLES1"You have witnessed a revolution.” The closure of Guitar Player magazine marks the end of an era — and the start of a new one2"We sold a few and John Lennon ended up with one." The former Beatle's weirdest guitar is one of the last he played 3"I'm a bit rusty, and I don't know how much I can play, but I'll give it a go." Watch Brian May play guitar for the first time since suffering a minor stroke last month4“One of the coolest people on the planet. He was a like mad scientist that played guitar.” Joe Walsh reveals the story that made Les Paul his hero5 “I wanted to create something I thought Jeff Beck would have used.” David Kowalski’s Rare Earth Germanium Device is one of the most innovative fuzzboxes we’ve seen
“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”
“People used to show up in the parking lot and ask the crew to tell me that they had guitars to sell... One guy was facing trial and needed money for his lawyer. That's how I got my goldtop Les Paul”: Lenny Kravitz on recording, and unlikely gear finds By Mark McStea published 12 March 24 Since his first release, Lenny Kravitz has been the master of impeccable riffs, perfect guitar tone, and genre-melding music. As he releases his fiery new album, he takes GP inside his creative process and incredible collection of vintage guitars
“Sly Stallone asked me about why AC/DC records sounded so powerful – I told him about tape compression...”: Survivor's The Eye of the Tiger beat out Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust for use in Rocky III – here's how the '80s smash came together By Mark McStea published 11 March 24 Though the rewards were ultimately huge, the process of putting together one of the most iconic rock songs of the 1980s – guitarist Frankie Sullivan tells GP – was sometimes a tense one
“It’s mind-blowing to know I was a huge influence on a new crop of guitar players in the same way that Hendrix, Page, and Beck had an impact on me”: Ace Frehley on the creation of his new solo album, and the '59 Les Paul he'll forever regret selling By Ken Sharp published 8 March 24 Ace Frehley is back with a shockingly rocking new album in 10,000 Volts. Here, he tells GP about collaborating with Trixter's Steve Brown, re-working 40-year old demos, and the more unlikely guitars in his enviable collection
“Mick Taylor would play the top lines. Keith Richards would write most of the songs... Once, Keith said, ‘You play too f*cking loud. I can’t work with you in the room right now‘”: Andy Johns on the Rolling Stones' turbulent Exile on Main St. sessions By Matt Blackett published 7 March 24 Though the late engineer had already worked with George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Free, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin, he saw what would become the Stones' masterpiece as “the most important project” he'd ever taken on
“There’s a riff that represents my twisted idea of how Aerosmith might sound in 5/4”: How Guthrie Govan channeled his inner Steve Reich, and Steve Cropper, on the Aristocrats' humorous, musically dazzling new album, Duck By Joe Bosso published 6 March 24 Re-teaming with his fellow virtuosos for another roller coaster ride of an album, Govan was unafraid to explore yet more musical avenues and instruments, but in the end, it all always came back to his signature Charvel
“When I went to my first meeting with Elton, I immediately hit him with ideas. Elton saw my willingness to put myself out there”: Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone reveals how learning the sitar benefited his guitar playing, and how (not) to get a gig By Joe Bosso published 5 March 24 After five decades and thousands of gigs with superstar Elton John, Davey Johnstone has plenty of valuable advice to help you reach the top of your game
“When I switched to guitar, I still had the piano in me, so I developed the two-handed tapping technique to play the guitar more like a piano”: Stanley Jordan on playing piano and guitar simultaneously, and the pitfalls of higher (and lower) frets By Michael Ross published 4 March 24 Speaking to GP in 2008, the maestro discusses the particulars of his signature Vigier guitars, and how they avoid the tonal drawbacks one might encounter when two-hand tapping on other models
“I was working with Ibanez in the mid-'70s, and they showed me a new guitar from Japan. I played it, and they told me they'd made it for George Benson. I said, ‘You can call the police, but I'm taking it’: Bob Weir on Ratdog, and his unique custom models By Jas Obrecht published 1 March 24 Having – at the time of this archival GP interview – recently lost his six-string brother in arms, Jerry Garcia, Weir was ready to move on with new sounds, new approaches, and ever-fascinating new custom guitars
