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“We wanted this album to be orgasmic!”
No modern rock band polarizes opinion like Greta Van Fleet. But with new album The Battle At Garden’s Gate, will they finally shake off the ‘mini-Led Zeppelin’ label? Guitarist Jake Kiszka explains how they’re reaching for a sound that’s “orgasmic and cinematic”, and how he is constantly refining and rethinking his art
Steve Lukather
HE PLAYED ON THE BIGGEST SELLING ALBUM OF ALL TIME. HE’S THE DRIVING FORCE IN LEGENDARY ROCK ACT TOTO. AND HE JUST SO HAPPENS TO PLAY IN ANOTHER BAND WITH A BEATLE. IF ANYONE HAS SEEN AND HEARD IT ALL, IT’S STEVE LUKATHER. AND HIS ADVICE TO TG READERS IS SIMPLE: “YOU GOTTA BE CONSISTENT”
“MY HEROES WERE ALWAYS THE RHYTHM GUYS”
THIN LIZZY AND BLACK STAR RIDERS FRONTMAN RICKY WARWICK ON HIS LATEST SOLO ALBUM, VINTAGE GEAR AND COVERING BRITNEY SPEARS
PEAVEY INVECTIVE MINI HEAD
The Misha Mansoor signature, in lunchbox form...
“IT WAS LIKE A GEAR NERD'S DREAM!”
Danish post-punk band Iceage recorded their new album with a wizard-like producer, an array of rare, esoteric offset guitars and an amp favoured by metal hero Zakk Wylde. Guitarist Johan Wieth reveals how this strange combination “works out perfectly”
AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK...
His father was one of the greatest guitarists that ever lived, and now Wolfgang Van Halen is carrying that famous name forward. In a revealing interview, he discusses the creation of his new album Mammoth WVH – on which he played all instruments, including Eddie’s iconic Frankenstein. He recalls what he learnt as a boy from the best player on the planet, and the fun they had performing together in Van Halen. But as he tells TG: “I THINK IT’S UNFAIR TO HOLD ME AT THE SAME LEVEL AS MY DAD. I’M JUST BEING MYSELF...”
A MODERN-DAY PIONEER AT THE PEAK OF HER POWERS
IN HER BRILLIANT NEW ALBUM, ST. VINCENT’S ECLECTICISM AND LEFTFIELD APPROACH TO GUITAR HAS ECHOES OF JONI MITCHELL, PRINCE AND DAVID GILMOUR
“WE WANTED THIS TO BE UNIQUE”
The new album from Architects sees the British metal heroes expanding their horizons for their most ambitious work to date. Guitarists Josh Middleton and Adam Christianson discuss the creative process for an album that sets the bar high for 2021...
MXR FOD OVERDRIVE £189
A non-signature Dookie Drive? F-off and buy!
“THE WAY I BEND FROM ONE NOTE TO THE NEXT – THAT'S WHAT DRAGS PEOPLE IN”
MARTY FRIEDMAN’S LEAD WORK WITH MEGADETH SET THE BENCHMARK FOR TASTEFUL METAL SHREDDING. BUT ON HIS NEW SOLO ALBUM, TOKYO JUKEBOX 3, HE IS ONCE AGAIN REINTERPRETING JAPANESE POP IN HIS OWN INIMITABLE WAY
“LIKE TWO GUITARS PLAYING AT ONCE…”
In recent weeks, former Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has spoken in public for the first time since the death of the band’s drummer Neil Peart about what the future holds for himself and his fellow band member since the early days of Rush, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee.
Michael Schenker
IN THE 1970S, MICHAEL SCHENKER EMERGED AHEAD OF EDDIE VAN HALEN AS A GAME-CHANGING GUITAR HERO WHOSE GENIUS WOULD INFLUENCE GENERATIONS. BUT AS HE REVEALS THE SECRETS OF HIS UNIQUE STYLE AND CREATIVE APPROACH, HIS MESSAGE IS SIMPLE: “BE YOURSELF. DON’T TRY TO BE ANYBODY ELSE”
LUKE MARK AND ISAAC WOOD BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD
Two singles. That’s how much music Black Country, New Road had released before an over-excited music journalist called them the Best Band in the World.
FENDER CHRISSIE HYNDE TELECASTER £1249
Is this 60s model finish the real deal?
EPIPHONE INSPIRED BY GIBSON HUMMINGBIRD £749
Inspired By or rival to?
California Jam
As neighbours in LA, Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and virtuoso fusioneer Richie Kotzen have been jamming together for years. Now, they’ve created a new album together, sharing a mutual love of the blues, and swapping guitars whenever the mood took them...
BOSS GT-1000 CORE AMP MODELLER/FX PROCESSOR £599
Boss put the power of their flagship GT floorboard into a stompbox
The Making Of A Guitar Hero
Five things we learned about Joe Bonamassa from the new documentary guitar man
LET THERE BE ROCK!
Millions of people all over the world have been craving the return of live music, and nobody more so than Andy Copping, the organizer-in-chief of the Download festival. The 2021 event is scheduled for June 4th-6th, with Biffy Clyro, KISS and System Of A Down as the headline acts.
GOING ONCE...
THE GUITAR WORLD PAYS ATTENTION AS MORE HIGHLY-COVETABLE MODELS FIND THEIR WAY TO THE AUCTION BLOCK
MXR M267 OCTAVIO FUZZ
Get fuzzed!
TC ELECTRONIC DITTO+
The new best mini looper to buy?
LET'S DANCE!
IS THE NEW FOO FIGHTERS ALBUM SET TO BE THE FEEL-GOOD HIT OF 2021? PAT SMEAR AND CHRIS SHIFLETT SPILL THE BEANS...
FENDER AMERICAN PRO II STRATOCASTER HSS
The do-it-all Strat?
IRON MAIDEN THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST
Try out the gut-punching riffs and rapid-fire solos in Maiden’s classic slice of 80s British heavy metal
DANELECTRO '57
A ridiculously cool reissue of one of the original American electric guitars
ARI O'NEAL
“The secret behind getting so many gigs as a session player?” ponders American guitarist Ari O’Neal, who – in her years of playing for Beyoncé, Jay Z, Lizzo, Alicia Keys and more – would know a thing or two about finding work as a musician. “Post, post and post,” she continues, stressing the importance of making it as easy as possible for people to find you. “I’m always active on my social media pages, it’s really important... As is being different! I want to play like I’m an old black man, and still look like a Barbie [laughs].”
THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER...
Guitar-toting husband and wife Tyler Bryant and Rebecca Lovell are stars in their own right. “We’re the leaders of our own respective bands,” he says. But this year they’ve collaborated in each other’s music – her on the new Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown album, and him on Larkin Poe’s acoustic set. As they tell TG, it’s all about a “special connection” – and a lot of gear...
THE EVOLUTION OF… Yvette Young
ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED AND INNOVATIVE GUITARISTS OF THE MODERN ERA EXPLAINS HOW SHE DEVELOPED A UNIQUE STYLE THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION, INTUITION AND PLAIN OLD-FASHIONED HARD WORK. AS YVETTE YOUNG SAYS: “MY TIME IS STILL VERY MUCH BASED AROUND IMPROVING”
POCKET ROCKET
Boss’ latest box of tricks is loaded with stacks of features