CATEGORIES

Part Of The Band

L.S. DUNES IS A BAND UNLIKE ANY OTHER, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE COLLECTIVE OF MUSICIANS WHO ARE INVOLVED. AS THEY PREPARE TO UNLEASH A DEBUT ALBUM THAT'S BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR LITERAL DECADES, FIVE FRIENDS TELL THE STORY OF HOW THEY SET ABOUT CREATING SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL.

BUCKET LIST ALEX THOMPSON WITCH FEVER

ALEX WALKS US THROUGH THE CAREER CHECKLIST.

Rocky Mountain High

Bob Weir and Company take classic Grateful Dead songs to bold new places on live in Colorado, his first live album with the Wolf Bros. Also up for discussion? Stage fright!

The Beatles – It was 60 years ago today...

On the very first day of 1962, The Beatles failed their audition with one of the biggest record companies in the UK. On the final day of 1962, WITH they had a No 1 single in the can and played their last gig on the Hamburg club circuit – on the verge of conquering Britain in 1963, and the world in 1964. How could just one year change their fortunes so vastly? As the 60th anniversary of Love Me Do approaches, we offer a full appraisal of their 1962 recordings, and the myths and mysteries that continue to surround them. Richie Unterberger delves into the archives.

Billy Idol – "I was a proper 80s rock star"

With pin-up good looks and a refusal to toe the Year Zero party line, Billy Idol was dismissed by the music press as a major-label plastic punk. Yet 45 years on from his recording debut with Generation X, his music has survived to tell a very different story, one of masterful songwriting and unashamed showmanship. Here, the ace face of the late 70s charts his transition to leather-clad staple of 80s MTV on the back of hits such as White Wedding, Eyes Without A Face and Rebel Yell, and confirms his aversion to stasis. "You can't always stay in your comfort zone, it's boring," he tells Lois Wilson.

Alexisonfire

DALLAS GREEN AND WADE McNEIL EXPLAIN WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE THE BAND’S LAST ALBUM — FROM 13 YEARS AGO! — INCLUDING THEIR GUITAR DYNAMIC

Royal Flash

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN MAJESTY 8-STRING

Light Reading

GW CATCHES UP WITH DEVIN TOWNSEND, WHOSE PREDICTABLY UNPREDICTABLE 21ST SOLO ALBUM, LIGHTWORK, WILL SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY LATER THIS MONTH

A Gigaton of Charm

JOSH KLINGHOFFER WAS A RED HOT CHILI PEPPER — AND NOW HE RECORDS WITH EDDIE VEDDER AND PERFORMS WITH PEARL JAM. WHAT IS IT ABOUT HIM THAT ALL THESE (HUGELY SUCCESSFUL) ACTS WANT?

Poly Sci

On Remember That You Will Die, instrumental prog-rock's resident devils achieve startling new levels of intricacy and wow-factor mayhem. Below, Polyphia's Tim Henson and Scott LePage talk gear, practicing, their Steve Vai collab - and the album with the feel-good title of the year

The Cort of Public Opinion

CORT G290 FAT II

Rockin’ Role Model

EVH 5150 ICONIC SERIES 40W 1X12 COMBO

C. 1981-1990 MARSHALL JCM800 2203

CATEGORY: AMPLIFIER HEAD

Molly Tuttle

EXPERIENCING A CREATIVE RUT? IT MIGHT BE A SIMPLE CASE

WHEN JIMI MET SPOCK

IN 1968, JIMI HENDRIX BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN — ALMOST BURNED IT DOWN, IN FACT — IN CLEVELAND. BUT THE STARS WERE IN ALIGNMENT THAT DAY FOR A MIND-MELD WITH ANOTHER COSMIC AVATAR, LEONARD “MR. SPOCK” NIMOY

Poly Vai

Want Steve Vai to play on your album? Polyphia’s Tim Henson and Scott LePage (and Steve Vai!) tell you how it’s done. Behold the epic saga of “Ego Death”

Pup

STEFAN BABCOCK AND STEVE SLADKOWSKI REVEL IN THE UNRAVELING OF PUP (THE BAND)

El Perro

WITH THIS NEW PROJECT, LONGTIME RADIO MOSCOW GUITARIST PARKER GRIGGS DOGGEDLY PURSUES HIS GROOVY, PSYCHEDELIC DREAM

Thunders Lightning

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF Johnny Thunders, THE NEW YORK DOLLS AND HEARTBREAKERS GUITARIST WHO CRYSTALLIZED THE ESSENCE OF STREET-COOL ROCK 'N' ROLL

Buzz Bin Fender Paramount PD-220E Dreadnought

WHEN IT COMES to mid-priced acoustics, your choices are boundless. And to make matters more complicated, once you've set your sights on a particular brand or model, along comes one of your trusted guitar-playing buddies to make a strong case for another. Well, let me be that friend for a moment.

William Bell – Ace Venturer

You may not know William Bell, but you'll know his co-writes - You Don't Miss Your Water, Born Under A Bad Sign, his hit duet with Judy Clay, Private Number - his samples (hello, Kanye), or his covers: his songs have been performed by everyone from The Byrds to Billy Idol. Garth Cartwright meets the Stax legend, now in the seventh decade of his career

BÉLA BARTÓK Romanian Folk Dances 1-3

Declan Zapala explores the folk music of Eastern Europe with Bartok’s delightful Romanian Folk Dances, full of colourful chords and delicious dissonances.

TOMMY EMMANUEL

This month Stuart Ryan gets to grips with just one of the styles of an Australian firebrand who’s become a superstar of the acoustic guitar.

CHARLIE GRIFFITHS Five Lead Licks

With a new solo album out, Haken guitarist and GT tutor Charlie Griffiths presents five examples to challenge your picking and fretting hands plus test your theory skills.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

This month Martin Cooper checks out the funky, rocking sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and their Hendrix influenced guitarist, John Frusciante.

ERIC JOHNSON

Crank up the delay and join David Gerrish as he takes a look at the bluesier side of Texan virtuoso and Grammy award winner, Eric Johnson.

JAZZ ARPEGGIO SOLOING PT1

In the first of a new series, Fundamental Changes author Tim Pettingale looks at how great jazz players use arpeggios as the basis for their solos.

THE GREAT BRITISH BLUES INVASION

Jon Bishop checks out styles of five British blues guitar icons. From the arena filling Jimmy Page through to the aficionados’ favourite Peter Green, there’s something here for everyone.

TIM LERCH Video Masterclass

We set sail for classy harmonic territory with Tim Lerch, whose solo performance features a glorious clean tone courtesy of his 1951 Gibson ES-350, fitting perfectly with Jason Sidwell’s pop-jazz groover, Soul And Roll. Jon Bishop is your guide.

IMPROVE YOUR BENDS

Simon Barnard explores one of the guitar’s most emotive techniques. It sounds great when you get it right, but dire if you get it wrong!