A MODERN-DAY PIONEER AT THE PEAK OF HER POWERS

IN HER BRILLIANT NEW ALBUM, ST. VINCENT’S ECLECTICISM AND LEFTFIELD APPROACH TO GUITAR HAS ECHOES OF JONI MITCHELL, PRINCE AND DAVID GILMOUR

“WE WANTED THIS TO BE UNIQUE”

The new album from Architects sees the British metal heroes expanding their horizons for their most ambitious work to date. Guitarists Josh Middleton and Adam Christianson discuss the creative process for an album that sets the bar high for 2021...

MXR FOD OVERDRIVE £189

A non-signature Dookie Drive? F-off and buy!

“THE WAY I BEND FROM ONE NOTE TO THE NEXT – THAT'S WHAT DRAGS PEOPLE IN”

MARTY FRIEDMAN’S LEAD WORK WITH MEGADETH SET THE BENCHMARK FOR TASTEFUL METAL SHREDDING. BUT ON HIS NEW SOLO ALBUM, TOKYO JUKEBOX 3, HE IS ONCE AGAIN REINTERPRETING JAPANESE POP IN HIS OWN INIMITABLE WAY

“LIKE TWO GUITARS PLAYING AT ONCE…”

In recent weeks, former Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has spoken in public for the first time since the death of the band’s drummer Neil Peart about what the future holds for himself and his fellow band member since the early days of Rush, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee.

Michael Schenker

IN THE 1970S, MICHAEL SCHENKER EMERGED AHEAD OF EDDIE VAN HALEN AS A GAME-CHANGING GUITAR HERO WHOSE GENIUS WOULD INFLUENCE GENERATIONS. BUT AS HE REVEALS THE SECRETS OF HIS UNIQUE STYLE AND CREATIVE APPROACH, HIS MESSAGE IS SIMPLE: “BE YOURSELF. DON’T TRY TO BE ANYBODY ELSE”

LUKE MARK AND ISAAC WOOD BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD

Two singles. That’s how much music Black Country, New Road had released before an over-excited music journalist called them the Best Band in the World.

FENDER CHRISSIE HYNDE TELECASTER £1249

Is this 60s model finish the real deal?

EPIPHONE INSPIRED BY GIBSON HUMMINGBIRD £749

Inspired By or rival to?

California Jam

As neighbours in LA, Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and virtuoso fusioneer Richie Kotzen have been jamming together for years. Now, they’ve created a new album together, sharing a mutual love of the blues, and swapping guitars whenever the mood took them...

BOSS GT-1000 CORE AMP MODELLER/FX PROCESSOR £599

Boss put the power of their flagship GT floorboard into a stompbox

The Making Of A Guitar Hero

Five things we learned about Joe Bonamassa from the new documentary guitar man

LET THERE BE ROCK!

Millions of people all over the world have been craving the return of live music, and nobody more so than Andy Copping, the organizer-in-chief of the Download festival. The 2021 event is scheduled for June 4th-6th, with Biffy Clyro, KISS and System Of A Down as the headline acts.

GOING ONCE...

THE GUITAR WORLD PAYS ATTENTION AS MORE HIGHLY-COVETABLE MODELS FIND THEIR WAY TO THE AUCTION BLOCK

MXR M267 OCTAVIO FUZZ

Get fuzzed!

TC ELECTRONIC DITTO+

The new best mini looper to buy?

LET'S DANCE!

IS THE NEW FOO FIGHTERS ALBUM SET TO BE THE FEEL-GOOD HIT OF 2021? PAT SMEAR AND CHRIS SHIFLETT SPILL THE BEANS...

FENDER AMERICAN PRO II STRATOCASTER HSS

The do-it-all Strat?

IRON MAIDEN THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST

Try out the gut-punching riffs and rapid-fire solos in Maiden’s classic slice of 80s British heavy metal

DANELECTRO '57

A ridiculously cool reissue of one of the original American electric guitars

ARI O'NEAL

“The secret behind getting so many gigs as a session player?” ponders American guitarist Ari O’Neal, who – in her years of playing for Beyoncé, Jay Z, Lizzo, Alicia Keys and more – would know a thing or two about finding work as a musician. “Post, post and post,” she continues, stressing the importance of making it as easy as possible for people to find you. “I’m always active on my social media pages, it’s really important... As is being different! I want to play like I’m an old black man, and still look like a Barbie [laughs].”

THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER...

Guitar-toting husband and wife Tyler Bryant and Rebecca Lovell are stars in their own right. “We’re the leaders of our own respective bands,” he says. But this year they’ve collaborated in each other’s music – her on the new Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown album, and him on Larkin Poe’s acoustic set. As they tell TG, it’s all about a “special connection” – and a lot of gear...

THE EVOLUTION OF… Yvette Young

ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED AND INNOVATIVE GUITARISTS OF THE MODERN ERA EXPLAINS HOW SHE DEVELOPED A UNIQUE STYLE THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION, INTUITION AND PLAIN OLD-FASHIONED HARD WORK. AS YVETTE YOUNG SAYS: “MY TIME IS STILL VERY MUCH BASED AROUND IMPROVING”

POCKET ROCKET

Boss’ latest box of tricks is loaded with stacks of features

LIVE AND DANGEROUS!

The Struts are Britain’s fastest-rising hard rock band, and for their new album Strange Days, they’ve pulled in some A-list guest stars including members of Rage Against The Machine, Def Leppard and The Strokes – and Robbie Williams. It was also recorded pretty much live in the studio, and as guitarist Adam Slack says, “It’s the most guitar-y album we’ve done!”

MASTER CLASS

HIS WORK WITH RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE AND PROPHETS OF RAGE HAS MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ROCK GUITARISTS OF HIS GENERATION. AND FOR THE READERS OF TOTAL GUITAR HE HAS A SIMPLE MESSAGE. “IT’S LESSON TIME,” TOM MORELLO SAYS. “SO WASH YOUR HANDS AND TUNE YOUR GUITAR. BUT IF YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE OR THE OTHER... WASH YOUR HANDS!”

HARLEY BENTON SC-JUNIOR £177

More than the sum of its parts?

JOE DUPLANTIER SIGNATURE PRO-MOD SAN DIMAS STYLE 2 HH MAHOGANY £719

Another Signature model from the Gojira frontman, but this time he’s gone vintage

DUNLOP CRY BABY Q-ZONE £169

Cocked and loaded

EPIPHONE PROPHECY FLYING V £799

With top-dollar spec and classy finish, is this 2020’s best metal guitar?