John Frusciante

2022 saw the release of two monumental albums by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, in which John Frusciante demonstrated once again why he is one of the most powerful, intuitive and soulful guitar players on the planet. What's more, he also dug deep to create a song in homage to Eddie Van Halen - a heartfelt tribute from one great player to another, with an extraordinary one-take solo that underscores why TG names him Guitarist Of The Year.

- Richard Bienstock

Now, in a wide-ranging interview, John discusses his creative process in depth: how he finds more punch in clean tones; how an appreciation of space serves the band dynamic; how an understanding of theory allows for pure emotional expression; and how the spontaneity in EVH's playing continues to inspire him..

He plays in one of the biggest and loudest rock bands in the world, but when John Frusciante talks about what he strives for most as a guitarist, the keyword is 'vulnerability'. "I think a lot of the time people want to sound confident on their instrument," he says. "But to me, vulnerability is one of the most endearing things to hear in a piece of music. And I realized it felt like I was giving more of myself if I was vulnerable on the instrument. That ties into using clean tones, doing things that are understated, all these things. And I think that's universal. As much as we admire confidence in people, we all know deep down that vulnerability is one of the hardest things to achieve. And any little degree that you can allow yourself to be more vulnerable, with your friends or with your partner or with your playing, it's one of the strongest things you can do."