Guitar World - October 2024

In this issue

THE GEAR HUNTER: BLACKSTAR
Meet two head designers at Blackstar Amplification.

MARTY FRIEDMAN
The former Megadeth man promises “the absolute purest, highest-percentage, highest-calorie version” of who he is as a guitarist.

MASTODON & LAMB OF GOD
Ahead of their Ashes of Leviathan tour, Mark Morton and Bill Kelliher look back on their respective 2004 releases..

Purple Pro

DEEP PURPLE GUITARIST SIMON McBRIDE ON THE BAND’S NEW ALBUM, TAKING THE REINS FROM STEVE MORSE AND HOW HE PLAYS “SMOKE ON THE WATER”

4 mins

LOST CLASSICS: Helmet

PAGE HAMILTON REVISITS THE MAKING OF THE NYC ALT-ROCKERS’ NOW-BELOVED 1994 CURVEBALL OF AN ALBUM, BETTY

7 mins

McKinley James - Why all you really need is a guitar, a drummer and some serious low-end six-string skills

Nashville-based blues rocker McKinley James came flying out of the gate in 2022 with his Dan Auerbachproduced EP, Still Standing By. His momentum screeched to a halt, however, when his keyboardist split, leaving only him and his drummer, Jason Smay (who also happens to be his father). “For a moment, I was like, ‘What are we going to do?” James says. “But then I thought, ‘Well, other bands have succeeded as a duo. Maybe we can, too.”

2 mins

Creatures of the Night

A BRIEF HISTORY OF KISS'S SESSION GUITARISTS

6 mins

Kittie - Guitarists Morgan Lander and Tara Mcleod discuss the canadian metal powerhouse's unexpected rebirth — by fire!

Guitarists Morgan Lander and Tara McLeod explain that making new music was “not on their bingo card” when the band regrouped in 2022 for a few festival appearances, preferring to think of the sets as more of a “final lap” than a new beginning. But drilling into old favorites — whether the nu-flavored teenage slams of 1999’s Spit or the more venomously groove-thrashed tunes of their late-’00s period — revealed that despite not having raged together in years, there was something undeniably special about Kittie’s musical connection. “Playing with these girls is like putting on an old pair of pants,” Lander says. “It’s very comfortable — and it looks good too.”

2 mins

Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse

HOW A CORNISH AXMAN AND A NEW ORLEANS CHANTEUSE ARE FORGING A FRESH BLEND OF BLUES

2 mins

VICTORY AMPS

With notable users including Guthrie Govan, Richie Kotzen, Chris Buck and Bill and Brent from Mastodon, VICTORY has gone from strength to strength since launching just over a decade ago

5 mins

ERIC BAZILIAN

The Hooters frontman/ guitarist talks gear, massive Eighties success, his one-take “All You Zombies” guitar solo ond forging hits with Cyndi Lauper, Joon Osborne and Mick Jogger

10 mins

DC UNIVERSE

CARLOS O'CONNELL-half of the rapidly rising Irish rockers' twin-guitar attack - discusses the importance of space in a mix, the finer points of his Fender Rory Gallagher Strat and why the band's singer played what just might be the best guitar solo on their new album, Romance

7 mins

FIRE STORM

MATT PIKE and JEFF MATZ discuss the lead-up to and aftermath of HIGH ON FIRE’s latest release, Cometh the Storm, an album that couldn't have come at a better time for the Oakland metal masters.

10+ mins

SAVING Savalage

In 1994, following the death of Criss Oliva, their brilliant young guitarist, reeling Tampa metallers Savatage enlisted then-ex-Testament man ALEX SKOLNICK for an album and tour. Although his time with the band was brief, it would have a lasting impact...

10+ mins

PHISH RENAISSANCE MAN

AS THEY CELEBRATE THEIR 41st YEAR TOGETHER, PHISH ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR RENAISSANCE — AND THE BAND IS JUST ONE OF FRONTMAN/GUITARIST TREY ANASTASIO’S MANY PROJECTS. IN THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND INTERVIEW, TREY DISCUSSES HIS MUSICAL REBIRTH, CREATIVE PROCESS, INTENSE PRACTICE REGIMEN AND SO MUCH MORE

10+ mins

A LIVE ONE

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO TREY ANASTASIO’S LIVE RIG, COURTESY OF HIS TECH, JUSTIN STABLER

2 mins

MAN OF ADVENTURE

A LOOK AT SOME OF THE CREATIVE WAYS IN WHICH TREY ANASTASIO DRAWS UPON HIS DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLISTIC INFLUENCES TO TAKE AUDIENCES ONA THRILLING MUSICAL RIDE

8 mins

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Guitar World Magazine Description:

For more than 31 years, Guitar World has served as North America's leading publication for rock guitarists, providing unique instructional content, exclusive photography and interviews with the genre's leading celebrity guitarists. Each month, Guitar World offers lessons that help players refine their craft, in-depth reviews of the latest guitars, amplifiers and effects, current happenings from around the rock scene, celebrity columnists and one-on-one conversations with artists ranging from iconic superstars to the young guns of today.