Latest articles by Richard Bienstock
"I'm gonna live this for the next year." Jerry Cantrell on the future of Alice in Chains and his heavy new solo album
Cantrell, who teamed up with Duff McKagan and other pals for his new record, tells Guitar Player, "It’s no secret where my loyalty lies"
Adrian Belew on the initial challenges of teaming up with Robert Fripp in King Crimson
The guitarist recently opened up to GP about his early struggles adapting to Fripp’s playing style, with Steve Vai facing similar challenges tackling his parts for the Beat tour
“I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster
The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead
“I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes
As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins
“I used to fall asleep with it on my chest — it’s literally a one-of-a-kind, unreplaceable keepsake": Randy Bachman on the trauma of having his prized 1957 Gretsch 6120 stolen and the remarkable story of how he was reunited with it
Stolen 45 years ago, the tale of the Gretsch's global journey is now the focus of a new documentary.
“Instrumental Music Became Like a Personal Growth Thing for Me”: Joe Satriani Talks Becoming an Instrumental Guitarist
“You can break it down into what you’re trying to accomplish physically, artistically and economically,” says Satch
‘Led Zeppelin III’ Track by Track
Freewheeling, exotic and rootsy, 1970's ‘Led Zeppelin III’ showcased the band’s profound evolution and extended the reach of rock music
“I Still Get Excited About New Music”: Stone Gossard’s Loosegroove Records Returns After a Long Hiatus With New Discs From Jonny Polonsky, Brittany Davis and Brad
“We want to encourage bands to take it one day at a time and to really enjoy the ride,” says the Pearl Jam guitarist
“I Record Pretty Much Everything at My Apartment”: Jonny Polonsky’s Credits Include Johnny Cash, Donovan and Tom Morello, but His New Solo Album, ‘Rise of the Rebel Angels,’ Is a Homemade Marvel
Is it possible to record a great album at home on a budget? Absolutely! Critically lauded axe-slinger Jonny Polonksy reflects on his remarkable music career
Watch the Claypool Lennon Delirium’s Cosmic “Blood and Rockets” Performance
VIDEO This outstanding live studio rendition showcases a unique meeting of musical minds
“You Come to the Shows and You See Kids, Older People, Young Girls, Guitar Nerds”: Tyler Bryant and Graham Whitford on the Universal Appeal of Rock and Roll
The Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown guitarists are working to bring riffy, guitar-centric blues-oriented rock back into the mainstream
“Our Attitude Was, ‘F**k the ’60s! We’re Going to Chart the New Decade!’” How Led Zeppelin Took the ‘70s By Storm With Their Game-Changing Third Album
As a new decade unfolded, 'Led Zeppelin III' unlocked the musical adventurism that flowed freely throughout the band’s subsequent albums
“Here’s a Song I Wrote in a Little Apartment, and We’re in Bruce’s Farm-Barn Studios Singing It Together”: Jesse Malin Reflects on Working With Bruce Springsteen and Ric Ocasek
The hardcore troubadour takes us on a guided tour of his prolific career with five choice discs from his extensive catalog
The Slash Guitar Collection: 8 Rare Treasures From Guns N’ Roses History
Slash selects the models he treasures most and traces their journeys through his career and hits
“In a Lot of Cases, Cheaper Guitars Sound as Good or Better Than Expensive Guitars”: Warren Haynes Shares Some Invaluable Tips for Blues and Rock Guitarists at Every Stage of the Game
How do you get a great blues-rock sound on a budget? Why is it important to play in front of an audience? The Allman Brothers Band guitarist and Gov’t Mule founder answers these questions and more
“Be the Guy Who Shows up on Time and Has a Good Attitude”: Whitesnake’s Joel Hoekstra and Reb Beach Reveal the Habits of the Successful Guitarist
From session work to Broadway to the band's latest album, 'Flesh & Blood,' the Whitesnake axemen explain what’s needed to make it in show business
“Rick Rubin Said We Needed One More Song for the Album”: Billy Gibbons Explains How ZZ Top Melded Hip Hop and Blues Rock With “I Gotsta Get Paid”
“We had this great meeting of the minds,” says the frontman
Five of Joe Satriani’s Coolest Vintage Guitars
The man with the futuristic Ibanez guitars also owns a nice collection of vintage axes
“Putting in the Work Is How You’re Going to Become a Better Player”: John Petrucci’s Top Ten Tips for Guitarists
The Dream Theater axeman offers advice to improve your chops and guarantee a long, healthy and knowledge-filled guitar life
“We Were Still the Little Band From Texas, Interpreters of That Great American Art Form the Blues”: Billy Gibbons on the Making of “Gimme All Your Lovin’”
How ZZ Top’s 1983 classic took the blues “up a notch”
“The Essence of the Song Is Not Just the Notes but the Space Between Those Notes”: Devendra Banhart Talks Songwriting and the Importance of Silence
“The guitar is terrain for endless exploration,” says the Venezuelan-American maestro
“Somehow, Something Went Haywire, but in the Right Direction”: Billy Gibbons Recalls How ZZ Top's Happy Accident, “Cheap Sunglasses,” Came to Life
“So much of the stuff that you, me and the rest of the world grew up listening to, a good amount of it, if not more than half, was all done by accident,” states the ZZ Top frontman
“People Talk About the Good Old Days, but the Good Days Are Today”: Television Guitarist Richard Lloyd Reflects on His Highly Influential Career in Music
The most galvanizing guitarist to emerge from New York’s CBGB scene recalls a lifetime of nerve-tingling axe work
