Joe Bosso
Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.
Latest articles by Joe Bosso
![Joe Bonamassa performs on stage in aid of the Sunflower Jam charity, supporting the integration of conventional and complimentary therapy, at Royal Albert Hall on July 8, 2011 in London, United Kingdom.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bEUnJUQQmskRjCEM4K5cQf-320-80.jpg)
Joe Bonamassa says he's played over 3,500 shows. This was his worst
By Joe Bosso published
“Not even the bartender was watching us," Bonamassa says of that luckless night in Memphis. But he got a Diet Coke out of it
![Oz Noy performs at North Sea Jazz Festival on Juli 14th, 2018 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8T7RnJcvDfeZT2fLtRRDvd-320-80.jpg)
Oz Noy explains the one thing every guitar player needs to unlock fretboard knowledge
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist also tells why it's important to tune your guitar by ear, along with five other top tips
![Andy Summers of The Police performs on stage at Ahoy on 10th April 1980 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He plays a Fender Telecaster guitar.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DvjFujBo5VFBH6yz5atr3D-320-80.jpg)
How Andy Summers used chord fragments and an Echoplex to change the sound of rock guitar
By Michael Molenda, Joe Bosso published
The former Police guitarist told us how the group's evolution in the midst of punk led him to his breakthrough achievement as a singular guitar stylist
![A photo of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/he8BWCgpS5WPhaUnPuYB9Y-320-80.jpg)
Bumblefoot says his top guitar tips will help you break out of ruts and engage with the music
By Joe Bosso published
The shred virtuoso also talks about working with Steve Vai and Brian May for his new album, 'Bumblefoot....Returns!'
![Kiki Wong of The Smashing Pumpkins performs at Fenway Park, August 7, 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9wG4fHuWyTZgEDPoGtkkSG-320-80.jpg)
Kiki Wong shares the five guitar tips behind her Smashing Pumpkins success
By Joe Bosso published
The social media influencer reveals how her attitude and work ethic eased the struggles in the worst of times
![Lzzy Hale of Halestorm performs at Pine Knob Music Theatre on July 13, 2024 in Clarkston, Michigan.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dFVRaBAiTF9jVxvG3Aq7DC-320-80.jpg)
“The best Van Halen album — period.” Lzzy Hale tells us the 10 records that changed her life
By Joe Bosso published
“It’s one of the magical things about music,” she says. “If it gets inside you, it’s yours, and nothing can take that away”
![Andy Summers poses in his home studio in 2019 for a feature in Guitar Player magazine](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/V3xx37K5zYAcmJ4Wr7riXW-320-80.jpg)
How Andy Summers made a massive Police hit using a hand-wrenching guitar figure and a Telecaster with a mysterious history
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The guitarist says “It’s a famous riff, and I have to admit, it’s hard to play. You have to be a real guitarist to do it well."
![Eric Gales poses in a studio wearing a red track suit and holding his signature Magneto RawDawg electric guitar](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4KZr2EJzivmAjXWpREZnbM-320-80.jpg)
Eric Gales shares his secret for developing your own guitar style
By Joe Bosso last updated
The guitarist's five tips focus on inspiration and perseverance to keep guitar playing fun, even when we get down
![Rick Derringer poses with his Gibson Explorer backstage at the Shaboo Inn in Willimantic, Connecticut, before performing with his eponymous group, June 1976.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uiGu3kMVMAZiwJqWo2tAYa-320-80.jpg)
Rick Derringer recalls a young Eddie Van Halen and performing with Johnny Winter
By Joe Bosso last updated
Since his first hit with "Hang on Sloopy" in 1965, the guitarist has been among the most active players in rock — on stage, in the studio and behind the board
![Samantha Fish performs at Fair Grounds Race Course on April 27, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S37rCPVfMpAkT3PHqr2mk8-320-80.jpg)
Samantha Fish talks Guns N' Roses, B.B. King and the 10 albums that changed her life
By Joe Bosso published
The blues guitarist reveals the albums that shaped her as a musician
![Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls during Words and Music in Honor of "Fahrenheit 9/11" at House of Blues in Hollywood, California, United States.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FmSJhqgRYVpPQqSe3mTsYC-320-80.jpg)
John Rzeznik reveals how his odd alternate tuning resulted in a song that's reached 2 billion streams
By Mark McStea published
The Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” has become one of the most played songs in the world
![Toadies](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/V8m2wWbUk6B4tjyVELmS7A-320-80.jpg)
His song about a killer and a haunted lake launched an urban legend. Thirty years later, some fans still think "Possum Kingdom" is true
By Joe Bosso published
The Toadies' hit gripped listeners, whose elaborate theories about the song involved tales of serial killers and the occult
![VALENCIA, SPAIN - JULY 11: George Benson performs in concert during the Feria de Julio Music Festival on July 11, 2012 in Valencia, Spain.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cxdqxf3685wtq2Mva6Mo7H-320-80.jpg)
“Bobby came in and he went, ‘Da-da-da-da-da-da-da DUH-daaa!’ I said, ‘That’s the only thing you think I should do?’” George Benson tells how one small change turned the song “Breezin’” into an instrumental guitar sensation
By Christopher Scapelliti last updated
The guitarist also shares how he got his Gibson Johnny Smith guitar for a steal
![Zakk Wylde poses with guitars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nUiJHd8eJM9GG48BwjPxfi-320-80.jpg)
Zakk Wylde explains his weirdly effective method for creative guitar playing
By Joe Bosso published
Of the guitarist’s five guitar tips, the central theme is to do what comes naturally
![Dickey Betts (left) and Warren Haynes perform with the Allman Brothers Band at Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta, Georgia Circa 1993](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cqieoHcV748v9VsBKAkYee-320-80.jpg)
Warren Haynes reveals how one of the best-loved songs in the Allman Brothers’ catalog was almost lost.
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist says "this one poured right out of us in the studio. We were on a real roll.”
![Rival Sons guitarist Scott Holiday holds a vintage acoustic guitar as he poses in a guitar shop](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnbUypTNVyGdW5a5CsMXYh-320-80.jpg)
"Alternate tunings — it was like the sky opened up.” Rival Son’s Scott Holiday on how to get out of ruts
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist also has valuable advice for anyone who takes their career as a musician seriously
![Robby Krieger performing live onstage, December 30, 2006](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mqkriMrX7Ke3e2kP3VLrp4-320-80.jpg)
Robby Krieger reveals how breaking the rules resulted in the Doors' breakthrough hit, "Light My Fire"
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist says his chart-topping song came about because Jim Morrison said "We need more originals"
![Matthew Caws of Nada Surf](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/smu9CPdMrSWZZKi2ThNFsV-320-80.jpg)
Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws talks vintage Gibsons, Ric Ocasek’s gift and scoring their second hit after 28 years
By Joe Bosso published
He says the group's long-running success came from learning to fill a small room rather than half of a big room
![Adrian Belew performs on stage during Guitar BCN 2016 at Sala Bikini on March 2, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UaD56sJ7m7zJX2DQWwozkK-320-80.jpg)
"As much as I love gear and gadgets, there’s no substitute for what you can do with your fingers." Adrian Belew reveals six ways to change your guitar game right now, for free
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist also explains how he made a new instrument out of a child’s toy and used it on his latest album
![Nancy Wilson of Heart at The Oakland Coliseum in 1977 in Oakland, California.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zYcpcj7JZuzUiaXQRiudB-320-80.jpg)
Nancy Wilson tells how blazing guitars, powerhouse riffs and Yes combined to make Heart's monster hit "Barracuda"
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist also recalls the controversial history behind the group's 1977 classic rocker
![Eddie Martinez poses for a portrait in New York City, March 3, 1989.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9bBQjsVjdvixWb6mkHiYxS-320-80.jpg)
“He said, ‘Come by the studio tomorrow and bring your guitar.’ All at once, my life changed.” How an unknown guitarist turned a lunch date into session work on the biggest hits of the 1980s
By Joe Bosso published
Eddie Martinez’s chance encounter made him a go-to session player for Mick Jagger, Steve Winwood, Robert Palmer and others
![Guitarist Tim PIerce](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7XZ6VYaTtRUFQYPdhpd29T-320-80.jpg)
Session guy Tim Pierce on his hits with Bon Jovi, Crowded House, Goo Goo Dolls and more
By Joe Bosso published
Tim Pierce on the Goo Goo Dolls' Iris and the Michael Jackson hit inspired by Motley Crue
![Steve Stevens of the Billy Idol band performs during the second annual Rock for Recovery benefit concert at The Fonda Theatre on September 16, 2017 in Los Angeles.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JwfAscyV89vmDKkMB9fTjN-320-80.jpg)
"It's probably the greatest electric guitar solo of all time.” Steve Stevens talks Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and the 10 albums that changed his life
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist behind Billy Idol's groundbreaking albums reveals the albums that shaped him as a musician
![Steppenwolf pose circa 1969. (left) Rushton Moreve, Michael Monarch, Jerry Edmonton, John Kay and Goldy McJohn.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Kq4KeuvWvH7gwL7n3hpsak-320-80.jpg)
"The words just popped into my head!" Guitarist Mars Bonfire reveals the strange story behind “heavy metal thunder” and Steppenwolf's “Born to Be Wild”
By Joe Bosso published
Mars Bonfire says his song was rejected by numerous publishers before Steppenwolf turned it into a hit rock and roll anthem
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