Players Ralph McTell scored a hit with his classic “Streets of London.” It only took him 10 years — and three recordings The guitarist says his song is better known in the U.S for a successful cover version Zakk Wylde explains his weirdly effective method for creative guitar playing Of the guitarist’s five guitar tips, the central theme is to do what comes naturally "Alternate tunings — it was like the sky opened up.” Rival Son’s Scott Holiday on how to get out of ruts The guitarist also has valuable advice for anyone who takes their career as a musician seriously Latest Players Blue Öyster Cult's Buck Dharma on the stories behind (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and other BÖC classics By Gary Graff published 24 June 24 Less cowbell, more songs – the Blue Öyster Cult guitarist goes deep on the writing and recording of some of the band's greatest tunes How Amos Garrett and switching away from a Strat helped Glenn Tilbrook write Squeeze’s Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) By Joe Bosso published 21 June 24 Though most of Squeeze’s breakthrough US hit came easy for Tilbrook, its solo took the guitarist out of his usual comfort zone David Gilmour reflects on Syd Barrett, and Pink Floyd's Live 8 reunion By Mark Ellen published 27 May 24 “The years in what is now considered to be our heyday were 95 percent musically fulfilling and joyous and full of fun and laughter – and I don’t want to let the other five percent color my view of what was a long and fantastic time together” Betty Davis's self-titled debut album is essential funk guitar listening By Jim Campilongo published 17 May 24 This oft-overlooked, and recently-reissued, album sprang from the early '70s Bay Area music scene, which featured some of the best funk ever played by human hands With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic By Gary Graff published 16 May 24 Though he often feels, when called to the stage to start a solo show, “like the executioner has arrived to take me to the gallows,” Ellis's new acoustic album, Naked Truth, finds the veteran guitarist right at home without accompaniment Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his masterpiece, Field Day By Christopher Scapelliti published 14 May 24 With the help of producer-of-the-moment Steve Lillywhite, Marshall Crenshaw made the guitar album of his dreams. Critics, however, panned its production, halting his rising career. Four decades later, Field Day is finally being reappraised How Guitar Player's Spotlight column made Yngwie Malmsteen a guitar hero overnight By Matt Blackett published 14 May 24 “It wasn’t just the notes in his playing, but the energy and the attitude behind them,” tastemaker and Spotlight author Mike Varney told GP Meet Max Light, the jazz guitarist who loves Coltrane, Miles, and Meshuggah in equal measure By Bill Milkowski published 9 May 24 The Brooklyn-based virtuoso is unafraid to challenge himself – see his mind-boggling re-interpretation of Coltrane’s 26-2, and tunes so challenging he could only get through one take in the studio – but is nonetheless a “serial monogamist” when it comes to his beloved Collings Slowly emerging from a hiatus, Sarah Longfield's ever-impressive playing is “more chill now” By Andrew Daly published 9 May 24 Having recently served as an instructor at Vai Academy 7.0, the genre-blending, Strandberg-wielding innovator is set to take her playing in an entirely new direction Ska, reggae guitar king Ernest Ranglin on the origins of the ‘skank’ style, and the early Jamaican scene By Jimmy Leslie published 8 May 24 In a 2014 chat with GP, the pioneering six-stringer discussed his tonal preferences and guitar teaching philosophy, and the most beloved – and enigmatic – guitar in his collection 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors LATEST ARTICLES1Ralph McTell scored a hit with his classic “Streets of London.” It only took him 10 years — and three recordings 2Mary Ford made her name as Les Paul’s singing guitar partner. At long last she’s getting her own signature Gibson Les Paul 3Max out your amp modeling with a massive 75% Black Friday discount on this IK Multimedia Tonex and Amplitube 5 software bundle4Zakk Wylde explains his weirdly effective method for creative guitar playing5Fuchs' ODH hybrid tube/solid-state amp is a gig-worthy tone machine at an approachable price
Blue Öyster Cult's Buck Dharma on the stories behind (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and other BÖC classics By Gary Graff published 24 June 24 Less cowbell, more songs – the Blue Öyster Cult guitarist goes deep on the writing and recording of some of the band's greatest tunes
How Amos Garrett and switching away from a Strat helped Glenn Tilbrook write Squeeze’s Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) By Joe Bosso published 21 June 24 Though most of Squeeze’s breakthrough US hit came easy for Tilbrook, its solo took the guitarist out of his usual comfort zone
David Gilmour reflects on Syd Barrett, and Pink Floyd's Live 8 reunion By Mark Ellen published 27 May 24 “The years in what is now considered to be our heyday were 95 percent musically fulfilling and joyous and full of fun and laughter – and I don’t want to let the other five percent color my view of what was a long and fantastic time together”
Betty Davis's self-titled debut album is essential funk guitar listening By Jim Campilongo published 17 May 24 This oft-overlooked, and recently-reissued, album sprang from the early '70s Bay Area music scene, which featured some of the best funk ever played by human hands
With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic By Gary Graff published 16 May 24 Though he often feels, when called to the stage to start a solo show, “like the executioner has arrived to take me to the gallows,” Ellis's new acoustic album, Naked Truth, finds the veteran guitarist right at home without accompaniment
Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his masterpiece, Field Day By Christopher Scapelliti published 14 May 24 With the help of producer-of-the-moment Steve Lillywhite, Marshall Crenshaw made the guitar album of his dreams. Critics, however, panned its production, halting his rising career. Four decades later, Field Day is finally being reappraised
How Guitar Player's Spotlight column made Yngwie Malmsteen a guitar hero overnight By Matt Blackett published 14 May 24 “It wasn’t just the notes in his playing, but the energy and the attitude behind them,” tastemaker and Spotlight author Mike Varney told GP
Meet Max Light, the jazz guitarist who loves Coltrane, Miles, and Meshuggah in equal measure By Bill Milkowski published 9 May 24 The Brooklyn-based virtuoso is unafraid to challenge himself – see his mind-boggling re-interpretation of Coltrane’s 26-2, and tunes so challenging he could only get through one take in the studio – but is nonetheless a “serial monogamist” when it comes to his beloved Collings
Slowly emerging from a hiatus, Sarah Longfield's ever-impressive playing is “more chill now” By Andrew Daly published 9 May 24 Having recently served as an instructor at Vai Academy 7.0, the genre-blending, Strandberg-wielding innovator is set to take her playing in an entirely new direction
Ska, reggae guitar king Ernest Ranglin on the origins of the ‘skank’ style, and the early Jamaican scene By Jimmy Leslie published 8 May 24 In a 2014 chat with GP, the pioneering six-stringer discussed his tonal preferences and guitar teaching philosophy, and the most beloved – and enigmatic – guitar in his collection
