Tom Poak

Tom Poak

Tom Poak has written for the Hull Daily Mail, Esquire, The Big Issue, Total Guitar, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and more. In a writing career that has spanned decades, he has interviewed Brian May, Brian Cant, and cadged a light off Brian Molko. He has stood on a glacier with Thunder, in a forest by a fjord with Ozzy and Slash, and on the roof of the Houses of Parliament with Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham (until some nice men with guns came and told them to get down). He has drank with Shane MacGowan, mortally offended Lightning Seed Ian Broudie and been asked if he was homeless by Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch.

Latest articles by Tom Poak

Cyber Monday pedal deals

The most affordable way to transform your sound: Get a Cyber Monday effects pedal deal before it's too late

By Tom Poak published

The clock is tick-tick-ticking and the deals are almost over: check out these deals on some of the coolest pedals around while you still can…

Guitarist Kevin 'Geordie' Walker of Killing Joke performs at Hammersmith Apollo on April 09, 2022 in London, England.

"When I heard him play, it was like fire from heaven": Tributes pour in for Killing Joke guitarist Geordie Walker who has died, aged 64

By Tom Poak published

Tributes posted for pioneering Killing Joke guitarist Kevin 'Geordie' Walker, whose fans included Nirvana, Metallica and Jimmy Page

Fender mini-deluxe amp

Fender are selling this Mini-Deluxe amp for just $25 this Cyber Monday. Yeah: $25

By Tom Poak published

This Fender Mini Deluxe is half price – it's cute, it's fun, you could hang it from your Christmas tree, stick in a stocking, or just use it as the coolest desk accessory around

Guitar amps in the Cyber Monday sale

The biggest, fattest, chunkiest Cyber Monday guitar amp deals: save up to $1000 on Bad Cat, Marshall, Mesa/Boogie, Kemper and more

By Tom Poak published

Here be monsters: There are some huge savings on heavyweight guitar amps this Cyber Monday. Here are the deals that are still live…

Yamaha THR speakers in Black Friday Deals

It's one of the best amps available right now: the Yamaha THR30II WL – and others in the same range – is $50 off in the Amazon Black Friday sale

By Tom Poak published

Amazon has just slashed the price of the Yamaha THR series: THR10II, THR10II WL, and THR30II WL

Jimi Hendrix performing live onstage at The Speakeasy in Margaret Street London W1, playing guitar with teeth

"Wait a minute – that's the guy that plays guitar with his teeth!" Watch the new official mini-documentary that captures the seven crazy nights the Jimi Hendrix Experience spent opening for the Monkees

By Tom Poak published

Experience Hendrix has made a short documentary with archive interviews with Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding and Micky Dolenz about the Jimi Hendrix Experience's explosive few gigs with the Monkees

Keith Richards with guitar and the cover of Guitar Player

“It wouldn’t have worked!” Keith Richards on why Jeff Beck wasn’t the right fit for the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney’s bass carnage – and why his 5-string Telecaster works

By Tom Poak published

In a new interview in the latest Guitar Player, Keith Richards opens up about Charlie Watts, Jeff Beck, playing with McCartney and this theory on why his 5-string Telecaster works

Marshall headphones

The Coolest Headphones? Marshall. And this Cyber Monday There Are Deals Galore

By Tom Poak published

Check out the best bargains on Marshall's iconic range of speakers and headphones

Cyber Monday Thomann deals

Here Are The Best Bargains in Thomann's Cyber Week Sale – but Hurry Because It Ends Tomorrow

By Tom Poak published

If you live in the UK or Europe, it's your last chance to check out the Thomann sale, with up to 60% off a huge range of gear

Line 6 deals

Get 50% Off Line 6 Plug-Ins Right Now in Sweetwater's Black Friday Sale

By Tom Poak published

Save $200 on Line 6 Helix Native plus more half-price bargains on Metallurgy, Echo Farm 3 and Amp Farm plug-ins

Christone Ingram playing live

What's This? Oh, Nothing, Just Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Blasting Through Jimi's "Red House" on the Roof of Hendrix's Last-Known House

By Tom Poak last updated

JIMI AT 80 Jimi Hendrix would have been 80 this week. Kingfish celebrates the occasion in style in this exclusive video

JIMI AT 80
Fleetwood Mac

By June 1971, Fleetwood Mac Had Lost Two Guitarists. Watch Them Debut the New Guy on German TV...

By Tom Poak last updated

VIDEO Peter Green cracked up. Jeremy Spencer joined a cult. But for a little while it looked like Bob Welch might actually do just fine.

VIDEO
Bob Weir's guitar

Like this Bob Weir guitar? It could be yours (if you have over $250k to spare)

By Tom Poak published

Do you have a spare quarter of a mill for this gorgeous Dead & Company guitar?

Paul McCartney, Dave Gorhl and Bruce Springsteen

Watch Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl Trading Solos on a Beatles Classic

By Tom Poak published

Paul McCartney became Glastonbury's oldest headliner at the weekend and invited some special guests along to help celebrate, including… John Lennon?

Surfer throwing horns

Watch this guitarist prove that black metal without distortion is really just... surf music?

By Tom Poak published

Guitar YouTuber Kevin Balke demonstrates what black metal could have been like if it had come from California, not Norway