Mike McCready Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to Pearl Jam’s Lead Guitar Hero
He played the "Alive" solo in one take. He ended up with the headphones wrapped around his face.
"That was my first lead on an...
Michael Schenker Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to the Flying V Legend’s Tone
He was eleven years old when he played his first gig. He was fifteen when he recorded his first album. He was seventeen when...
Matt Bellamy Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to Muse’s Guitar-Synthesiser Architect
He wanted a guitar with the body of a Fender Telecaster and the sound of a Gibson Les Paul. What Hugh Manson gave him...
Marc Ribot Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to New York’s Most Versatile Guitar...
Tom Waits talks about the guitar as a character in a play.
"Waits thinks dramatically, in the sense that he is creating music for theater,"...
Lowell George Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to Little Feat’s Slide Guitar Genius
He lost twenty guitars in record time. All stolen.
His solution: "A Stratocaster. I try to buy a stock guitar so if it gets stolen...
Link Wray Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to the Man Who Invented the...
"Rumble" was banned from radio in 1958.
Not for its lyrics — there are no lyrics. It's an instrumental. It was banned because the sound...
Lightnin’ Hopkins Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to Texas Blues’ Lone Wolf
"I had the one thing you need to be a blues singer," Lightnin' Hopkins used to say. "I was born with the blues."
He wasn't...
Leslie West Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to Mountain’s Les Paul Junior Giant
Felix Pappalardi sent him downtown to pick up a guitar.
"He says, 'The guy's got one of my guitars in there. He's repairing it. Tell...
Leo Kottke Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to the 12-String’s Most Dangerous Player
His first 12-string guitar was a Mexican cheapy with a nail behind the 12th fret.
Not a capo — a nail. Literally a nail hammered...
Lee Ritenour Guitars & Gear: The Complete Guide to Captain Fingers’ Tone
The nickname came from the cartage guys — the roadies responsible for hauling his equipment to sessions across Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. They...
