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Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has teamed up with the master luthiers at Gibson Custom in Bozeman, Montana, to introduce the Kirk Hammett Raven, a “majestic counterpart” to the firm’s legendary Hummingbird model. 

Limited to 100 guitars worldwide – and consequently priced at a handsome £4,399 – the guitar shares the Hummingbird’s square-shoulder shape, but sets itself apart with a “dark, artistic twist on the Hummingbird aesthetic”.

• READ MORE: “Do you want heavy?!” Remind yourself why Metallica’s Sad But True is one of the hardest-hitting classic metal riffs in this new pro-shot live video

Supported by a traditional scalloped Advanced X-bracing, the Kirk Hammett Raven sports a Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides, with a round-profile mahogany neck topped with a 20-fret bound ebony fingerboard with mother-of-pearl star inlays.

Grover Rotomatic tuners complete the spec sheet, alongside TUSQ components – including the nut, saddle and bridge pins – ensure tonal consistency and tuning stability.

Where this instrument really stands out, though, is in its visual appointments. The Kirk Hammett Raven pays homage to Gibson’s tradition of wildlife-inspired designs, with an intricately ornate double pickguard, raven-themed tailpiece accent and a striking mother-of-pearl raven skull inlay in the headstock.

The guitar is also bolstered by an L.R. Baggs Element VTC +4 electronics system, with discreet volume and tone controls located inside the soundhole. They offer “easy access without disrupting the guitar’s aesthetics”, plus an additional 4dB of output for extra headroom when needed.

Each Kirk Hammett Raven ships with a black Gibson Custom hardshell guitar case decorated with a matching raven skull graphic, as well as a certificate of authenticity and custom raven-themed strap. In a very cool touch, too, each guitar is hand-signed by Kirk Hammett himself on the soundhole label.

“This Ebony-finished acoustic is destined to become a collector’s treasure,” says Gibson. “Availability is extremely limited – secure yours before they vanish into the night.”

While these days much talk of Kirk Hammett’s guitar collection centres around Greeny, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard formerly owned by Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green and Gary Moore, he certainly has a penchant for gothic six-strings, including his White Zombie and Ouija ESP signature models, which are staples in his Metallica live arsenal.

Learn more about the Kirk Hammett Raven at Gibson.

The post “Secure yours before they vanish into the night”: Gibson reveals the Kirk Hammett Raven acoustic, a super-limited “audacious counterpart” to the Hummingbird appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Since it was first introduced in 1958, Vox has released myriad iterations of the AC15 combo—built variously in England and Asia, and offered in both hand-wired and PCB formats. The new AC15 Hand-Wired suggests a strictly old-school ethos, but several of its features—most notably a move from EF86 to 12AX7 preamp tubes—are deviations from vintage form. That does result in a different feel in some situations; at times it sounds and feels more like a half-power, 1x12 AC30 than a vintage AC15. But this iteration is arguably more flexible than its predecessor, too.

Channel Crossing

Given the microphonic tendencies of EF86 tubes, the switch to 12AX7s is an intriguing and practical move. Elsewhere among the tube complement, there’s a 12AT7 for the preamp and phase-inverter, two EL84s in the output stage for 15 watts RMS, and a GZ34 tube rectifier. It’s all housed in a classic Vox combo cab measuring 22 1/4"x23 1/4"x1 1/2".

The AC15 Hand-Wired’s normal channel has just a single knob for volume. But its voicing can be tweaked via a bright switch and the tone cut knob in the master section, and there’s also a boost switch to increase gain. The top boost channel features volume and dedicated treble and bass controls, but no boost or bright switch. Both channels have high and low inputs, and the latter can be handy for taming hot humbucker-equipped guitars.

The fine-tuning capabilities of the amp extend to the footswitchable, tube-driven, spring reverb circuit, which has a tone control in addition to its level, enabling you to fine-tune the frequency emphasis of the reverb itself. Send and return jacks for the effects loop—along with a bypass switch and a –10/+4 dB level switch for compatibility with both rack and pedal effects—are smartly positioned along the lower edge of the upper-back panel, rather than on the underside of the chassis. Dual speaker-outs have an impedance switch for 8- and 16-ohm operation. (The combo’s Vox-labeled Celestion Alnico Blue requires the latter.)

Vox was careful to reproduce the windings of a vintage AC15 output transformer circa 1963, which results in a heftier chunk of metal than you might expect in an amp this size. Vox makes up some of that weight by using slightly thinner plywood for the cabinet walls, which are just less than 1/2" in thickness—matching vintage specifications and, in Vox’s estimation, enhancing resonance and dimensionality. As with many AC15s past, the transformer and alnico speaker help push this new edition to 50 lbs, making for a surprisingly heavy combo of this size and output power. It might have been nice for Vox to slim things down. On the other hand, the amp might lose what turns out to be a strong, audible vintage spirit without those heavier design elements.

Chiming In

Paired with a Gibson ES-335 and a Fender Telecaster, the AC15 Hand-Wired plated up many impressive slices of vintage Vox tone, with plenty more versatility on top. With all knobs at noon and the boost and bright switches on the normal channel engaged, the two channels sound remarkably similar. There might be just a touch more grind and sparkle on the top boost side, but it’s close! At these levels, both channels still summon plenty of break up with a Telecaster. Switching to the ES-335’s humbuckers predictably kicks the overdrive up a notch at the same settings.

The boost switch on the normal channel isn’t always a breeze to manage. It delivers a pretty big jump in gain and, with it, a slightly ragged edge at some settings. With both boost and bright switches down, though, the normal channel is rich, warm, and muscular, and makes an excellent, adaptable platform for gain pedals (in my case an Analogman Prince of Tone and a Wampler Tumnus Deluxe). Knock this normal channel volume up to around 2 o’clock and it segues into toothsome sounds that dip into clipping under heavier pick attack.

Arguably the most delectable tones are found in the top boost channel with all three knobs set to around 11 o’clock. Here, the AC15 Hand-Wired achieves its closest approximation of vintage Vox tone: chewy midrange, lots of chime and sparkle in the highs, and a dynamic edge-of-breakup touch sensitivity that you can control and vary via pick attack. Cranked up, the top boost channel roars with a throaty, shimmery vintage lead tone, although at the expense of the delectable dimension and clarity achieved at lower volumes.

The amp’s master volume, by the way, is very effective at tailoring the AC15 Hand-Wired for a range of room requirements, and is essential for smaller venues. This amp is loud when maxed—probably a lot louder than you’d expect from a 15-watt 1x12" combo—which is another classic characteristic of the AC15. It’s worth noting that things can get a little ratty with the master below 10 o’clock and either channel volume up high, but that’s par for the course with such circuits.

The Verdict

Vox’s new AC15 Hand-Wired combo does a good job of capturing much of the vintage-voiced spirit of the classic while offering many features that are must-haves for modern guitarists less burdened by complete vintage correctness. And if it’s not a point-perfect reproduction, it honors the sound and spirit of the original—and looks the part onstage, too.

Time to start training for your local rock and roll marathon: Foo Fighters have confirmed their first stadium tour since the massive 2023-2024 Everything or Nothing at All run that sold out football and baseball fields the world over. Kicking off August 4 at Rogers Stadium in Toronto, the new tour will see Foo Fighters bringing the maximum volume euphoria of the band’s recent surprise US club gigs and overseas outdoor / arena spectaculars to a total of 12 North American cities, concluding (for now) September 26 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.

Queens of the Stone Age will be direct support on all dates except September 12 in Fargo.

General on sale for all shows is Friday, October 31 at 10am local time. Don’t sleep on information re: tickets, pre-sales and more at foofighters.com

If that’s not enough good news for you, today sees the release of new Foo Fighters song “Asking for a Friend.” Featuring a decidedly darker melodic approach than the smash hit “Today’s Song,” “Asking for a Friend” ratchets up the energy and intensity of its predecessor in favor of hypnotic opening verses that build and explode into impassioned refrains of “What is real? I’m asking for a friend…” By the time the song's final breakneck rave-up screeches to a halt with a throat-shredding “Or is this the end?”, FF fans of all ages will find themselves joyfully bludgeoned into submission.

Dave Grohl wrote at length about inspiration for the new music and upcoming tour, in a post that read in part:

"Since our return to the stage in San Luis Obispo five weeks ago, we have been reminded of why we love and are forever devoted to doing this Foo Fighters thing. From reuniting as a band and staring at a list of 30 years worth of songs to brush off, to reimagining versions with the incredible blessing of the one and only Ilan Rubin behind the drums, to reconnecting with our amazing fans and blasting them with everything we’ve got (no matter the size of the venue) because we would not be here without them, we have the most solid core. And the sun is finally rising over the horizon.

What better way to share the view than with close friends?

In 1992 I first saw the legendary Kyuss perform at the Off Ramp in Seattle and met Mr. Josh Homme. The band were friends of a friend, and before long their album Blues for the Red Sun became the soundtrack to that summer. 33 years later and with many miles behind us, I have shared some of my life’s most rewarding musical moments with my dear friend, Josh. A lifelong bond that goes far beyond the sound we’ve made together. So it is with great happiness that we can share this next chapter together with his almighty Queens of the Stone Age.

Take cover.

But none of this would be complete without new music to share from Pat, Nate, Chris, Rami, Ilan and I. ‘Asking for a Friend’ is a song for those who have waited patiently in the cold, relying on hope and faith for their horizon to appear. Searching for ‘proof’ when hanging by a wish until the sun shines again.

One of many songs to come…”

To read the full statement, go to https://FooFighters.lnk.to/DG-TakeCover

Many more shows to come as well -- keep an eye out for impending announcements and sign up to the mailing list at: foofighters.com to stay inFFormed.

Foo Fighters are Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee and Ilan Rubin.

FOO FIGHTERS

2026 Stadium Tour

August 4 — Toronto ON — Rogers Stadium
August 6 — Detroit MI — Ford Field
August 8 — Chicago IL — Soldier Field
August 10 — Cleveland OH — Huntington Bank Field
August 13 — Philadelphia PA — Lincoln Financial Field
August 15 — Nashville TN — Nissan Stadium
August 17 — Washington DC — Nationals Park
September 12 — Fargo ND — Fargodome
September 15 — Regina SK — Mosaic Stadium
September 17 — Edmonton AB — Commonwealth Stadium
September 20 — Vancouver BC — BC Place
September 26 — Las Vegas NV — Allegiant Stadium

Fans can sign up for Artist Presales now through Sunday, October 26 at 11:59pm PT.

If you are already on Foo Fighters Newsletter, sign up using the same email address at https://livemu.sc/foofighterslist for first access to tickets during the Newsletter Artist Presale. Tickets will be available beginning on Tuesday, October 28 at 10am local time

If you are not signed up to Foo Fighters Newsletter, sign up at https://livemu.sc/foofighters for access to the General Artist Presale. General Artist Presale begins on Wednesday, October 29 at 10am local time.

Fender has endowed blues maestro Christone “Kingfish” Ingram with a newly finished version of his signature Telecaster Deluxe.

Dubbed the Kingfish Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe – for his Mississippi Delta origins and strong delta blues roots – the new guitar is, specs-wise – the same as his previous Mississippi Night-finished Telecaster Deluxe which arrived in 2022, but now sports a Daphne Blue finish plus a three-ply white Parchment pickguard.

• READ MORE: Do all the coolest guitars come out of Japan? Meet the HZK1, a souped-up 7-string signature model for Nemophila shredder Hazuki

Otherwise, the guitar’s spec sheet features an alder body with a gloss urethane finish, dual Custom Kingfish humbucking pickups – controlled via two volume pots, two tones and a three-way toggle switch – and an Adjusto-Matic with an anchored tailpiece.

The Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe, like its predecessor, also rocks a V-shape roasted maple neck with a 21-fret slab rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays, satin urethane neck finish and ’70s Style headstock.

There’s also a custom serialised neck plate with Kingfish’s logo, for a little bit of extra visual eye candy.

“Recognised at a young age for his exceptional musical talent, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram’s path has taken him from hometown hero to global star,” says Fender.

“Christone’s raw and inspired guitar playing, soulful vocals and mature songwriting have captured the imagination of legions of new fans and fellow musicians alike, propelling him to become the face of a new generation of blues artists.”

You can watch Kingfish take his new Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe for a spin in a new episode of From the Factory Floor with Fender below. Watch him perform Voodoo Charm, Bad Like Me and Nothin’ But Your Love:

Last month, we caught up with Kingfish to ask him to name his six most influential blues guitar albums of all time. BB King, Jimi Hendrix and Johnny “Guitar” Watson all got mentioned, as well as the unexpected guitarist he calls a “prophet”.

The Kingfish Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe is available now, priced at $2,249.99 / £2,599.

For more info, head to Fender.

The post Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is one of today’s top blues guitarists – do yourself a favour and watch him rip some tasty licks on his new Fender Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Seymour Duncan, a leading manufacturer of guitar and bass pickups, effects pedals, and pedal amps, is proud to announce The JB Jr. for Tele® is now available to order from seymourduncan.com and from authorized Seymour Duncan dealers.

The JB Jr. for Tele

The legendary JB tone, now reimagined for Telecasters. The JB Jr. for Tele brings high output, tonal versatility, and signature harmonic richness to your Tele bridge, all in a single-coil-sized humbucker design.

Seymour Duncan is proud to offer this special pickup set featuring:

• Design: Single-coil-sized side-by-side humbucker for Telecaster bridge position.
• Magnet Type: Ceramic.
• Output: High-output design for powerful and dynamic tones.
• Wiring: 4-conductor lead wire, enabling series, parallel, and split coil wiring options.
• Compatibility: Fits most standard Telecaster bridge single-coil routs.
• Construction: Hand-built in Santa Barbara, CA, and vacuum wax potted for squeal-free performance.

MAP pricing: $129.00

Looking for a way to inject your Telecaster® with the raw power and versatility of Seymour Duncan’s legendary JB humbucker? The JB Jr. for Tele® is here to deliver. Designed specifically for Telecaster bridge routs, this single-coil-sized humbucker captures the beloved punch, harmonic sparkle, and searing highs that made the original JB a classic.

For decades, the Seymour Duncan JB humbucker has been the go-to pickup for guitarists across countless genres. Its distinct sound has shaped iconic tracks and defined legendary performances. The JB Jr. for Tele continues this legacy, bringing that same tonal magic to the timeless simplicity of the Telecaster.

Whether you’re chasing the sounds of legendary players or crafting your unique voice, the JB Jr. for Tele captures the spirit and flexibility of the classic JB.

It rhymes with cello for a reason—EHX’s new attack filter lends beautiful blooms to every note.

Electro-Harmonix is excited to introduce the Pico Swello Attack Envelope pedal. Inspired by the legendary POG2 ATTACK slider, the core effect of the Swello is a polyphonic attack filter which applies individual volume swells to each note you played, even within chords and through sustained arpeggios. This unique effect is paired with an adjustable Low Pass Filter for smooth swells and envelope filter-style effects.

Housed in EHX’s Pico-sized chassis, the Swello has a simple four knob/one button layout. VOL adjusts the overall output of the pedal while ATTACK sets the attack envelope time. Low ATTACK settings attenuate just the initial attack of your instrument, while higher settings offer epic, long note swells. The Low Pass Filter is controlled by the FILTER button as well as the FREQ and MOD knobs. FILTER engages the LPF and applies an adjustable high or low resonance setting. The FREQ knob sets the cutoff frequency of the LPF and the MOD knob controls the depth and direction of the filter modulation akin to an envelope filter. Turn MOD up from noon for an upward filter sweep or down from noon for a downward filter sweep.

The EHX Pico Swello comes equipped with a standard EHX 9 Volt power supply. It will be available Mid-September and features a U.S. Street Price of $149.50.

Few heavy metal riffs hit quite like Metallica’s Sad But True. Sure, there have been many metal subgenres since its release with the Black Album in 1991 which arguably blow its ‘heavy factor’ out the water, but those stomping D standard chugs that follow the intro’s precipitous chord hang just smack differently.

So every time we see Metallica have uploaded a new pro-shot live performance of the track, you can bet we’re watching it on repeat (even if just to relive the time I saw the song live at Twickenham Stadium in June 2019…)

• READ MORE: Predictable: Korn just released a pedal which channels the guitar tone of their landmark album – but it’s already sold out

The latest pro-shot performance comes after the band’s recent set at San Francisco’s Chase Center, during Salesforce’s annual Dreamfest fundraising event, which raises money for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

Available in glorious 60fps, the video sees frontman James Hetfield asking fans (for the thousandth time, probably): “Do you want heavy?!” to which the crowd responds with stadium-filling rapturous noise. We can’t quite make it out, but we reckon there were a few yes’s in there…

Following Lars Ulrich’s four-count, Hetfield and Kirk Hammett enter with the track’s suspenseful opening power chords – armed with a black ESP Snakebyte and Jackson Rhoads model, respectively.

And when that mega riff finally lands, you’re taken back for the thousandth time to the first time you heard it. Sort of like a comfort blanket that punches you in the face.

Anyway, that’s enough rambling from us, let the performance speak for itself…

Metallica performed a 12-song set during the event, which also saw a performance from pop megastar Benson Boone.

The set was entirely populated by the classics, with Creeping Death as the opener, followed by For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fuel and The Memory Remains, and closed out with Master of Puppets and Enter Sandman. Take a look at the full setlist below.

1. Creeping Death
2. For Whom The Bell Tolls
3. Fuel
4. The Memory Remains
5. The Unforgiven
6. Sad But True
7. Wherever I May Roam
8. Nothing Else Matters
9. Seek & Destroy
10. One
11. Master Of Puppets
12. Enter Sandman

The annual Dreamfest benefit concert has previously seen performances from Fleetwood Mac, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and many more. Since its inaugural event in 2010, the shows have raised $120 million for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

Metallica’s M72 World Tour continues, with an Australia/New Zealand leg set to kick off on 1 November in Perth, and a string of Europe shows planned for summer 2026.

View a full list of the band’s upcoming tour dates at Metallica.com.

The post “Do you want heavy?!” Remind yourself why Metallica’s Sad But True is one of the hardest-hitting classic metal riffs in this new pro-shot live video appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

By: Carlos Martin Schwab

After a year of intensive use in my studio and on gigs without any problems, it was time to review my go-to wireless system.

The Joyo JW-06 is a digital wireless system designed for guitarists and bassists who want greater freedom of movement without complications. It operates in the 5.8 GHz band, a less crowded frequency than the popular 2.4 GHz, which reduces the chances of interference with other common wireless devices. This technical detail is especially useful in enclosed spaces with many active WiFi networks, where other systems may experience signal conflicts.

One of the JW-06’s highlights is its ease of use. The pairing process between transmitter and receiver is simple and fast: with a couple of clicks, both devices are connected. This makes it accessible even to musicians who are unfamiliar with wireless technology. In addition, its connectivity is standard, using a 6.35 mm jack, making it compatible with most guitars, basses, pedalboards, and amplifiers without the need for adapters.

The convenience of the JW-06 extends to its charging system. The product includes a charging case with a portable battery function, similar to those found in wireless in-ears. This base allows the transmitter and receiver to be recharged without the need for individual cables, making it easy to transport and organize your equipment. With the case charged, you can achieve a total battery life of over 15 hours of use, enough for rehearsals, performances, and long practice sessions.

Another advantage is its light weight and compact design. Its outer body measures only 3.5 x 3 x 1.5 cm and is one of the smallest on the market. Requiring no straps, pockets, or clips, it connects directly to the instrument and adds hardly any bulk. This is useful on small stages or during performances where the musician moves around a lot, and where every inch of freedom counts. Its low weight means you won’t notice it on your instrument. It is made of plastic, so it can survive minor impacts, but nothing more.

In terms of performance, the system offers a good volume signal, minimal distortion, full frequency response (48K/24 bits, 20 Hz-20kHz), and latency of less than 6 ms, allowing for performance without perceptible delay. Although most users find it reliable for everyday use, some reports indicate signal loss if the transmitter is covered or used at a distance with obstacles. However, these problems are not generalized and are usually linked to specific conditions of use.

The most appropriate application for the Joyo JW-06 is rehearsals, performances in small or medium-sized venues, and personal practice at home or in the studio. In these contexts, the system offers reliable performance thanks to its low level of interference in the 5.8 GHz band and its ease of setup. In addition, its range is sufficient for moderate movement on stage without signal loss, provided there are not too many physical obstacles or nearby interference. Its compact design and extended battery life, thanks to the charging case, make it particularly useful for musicians looking for a quick and functional wireless solution without technical complications.

Retail Price: US – $79.99

More info: joyoaudio.com

Japan gets all the cool guitar toys once again. Ibanez has just unveiled the HZK1, a seven-string RG signature for Nemophila and Koiai metal guitarist Hazuki – and yes, it’s a Japan-only release.

Visually, the HZK1 is an absolute stunner. The HZK1 pairs a turquoise stone-inspired spalted maple top with an alder body, creating a guitar that’s equally striking on stage as it is on display.

• READ MORE: Eddie Van Halen’s Kramer Ad guitar becomes the sixth most expensive ever sold at nearly $3 million – here are the five that sold for even more

Under the hood, the HZK1 is all about shredding comfort. The ultra-thin Wizard-7 neck is made from a five-piece maple/wenge laminate, while the bound rosewood fingerboard boasts Luminlay side dots, stainless steel frets, and Ibanez’s signature fret edge treatment. Offset mother-of-pearl inlays add a subtle touch of elegance amid the metal mayhem.

Tonally, the HZK1 is just as formidable. Two Fishman Fluence Modern active humbuckers in chrome cover everything from searing leads to chunky riffs, while the Lo-Pro Edge 7 bridge delivers Floyd Rose-style dive-bombs without compromising your tuning.

Notably, the HZK1 also comes without a tone knob, a tweak Hazuki requested after repeatedly hitting it with her strumming hand. Coupled with its lightweight design, this change lets her tackle hours-long sets with far less fatigue.

“The RG was my sidekick when I was a music student; I have a lot of memories with it,” says Hazuki. “I have played many guitars, but the RG sounds exactly the way I want a guitar to sound… This guitar has changed my playing on stage so much.”

At ￥440,000, the HZK1 is priced for serious collectors – and heartbreakingly, only available in Japan. For everyone else, it’s a bittersweet reminder that some of the coolest Ibanez signatures seem destined to stay an island affair.

Check out the HZK1 in action below.

Learn more at Ibanez.

The post Do all the coolest guitars come out of Japan? Meet the HZK1, a souped-up 7-string signature model for Nemophila shredder Hazuki appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Slash apparently isn’t sold on the idea of Guns N’ Roses ever taking on a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, an immersive venue in the heart of the world’s entertainment capital.

Since opening in 2023, the $2.3 billion, state-of-the-art venue has hosted residencies from U2, Phish, the Eagles, and even the Backstreet Boys. A second Sphere venue has also been confirmed for Abu Dhabi.

• READ MORE: Slash confirms that he didn’t like this iconic Guns N’ Roses song: “I have to admit I did have a thing with it”

Speaking on a recent episode of SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Slash says that while the Sphere “looks amazing”, he’s skeptical about whether the experience fits the raw spirit of a rock gig. Asked if Guns N’ Roses could ever take on a residency at the venue, the guitarist’s answer was less than enthusiastic.

“Everything that I’ve seen, or most everything that I’ve seen of it, looks amazing,” he says [via NME]. “I’m real trepidatious about playing there, because…it’s a great visual show. I think that in almost every case for a band, it becomes a visual show as opposed to seeing a rock and roll show. So there’s that.”

He adds that after speaking with Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh – whose band performed at the Sphere – his doubts only grew stronger.

“[My concern] is that it’s not really sort of rock and roll friendly, the way that it’s set up. So it’s just one of those things where it seems like a really cool thing and conceptually there’s probably a lot of cool things that you could do, but I don’t think it would be the right environment for a proper rock and roll show.”

Still, the guitarist admits there’s at least one band that could make it work: Metallica.

“I could see them doing it because I can imagine them… because you have to prepare your mind to put on not just a band performance, but 50 per cent of what you’re doing is going to be the projection, or whatever you call that – the outer wall…what you’re putting on as content,” Slash says.

“And so that is something that’s gonna be the main focus of your show and the main focus of what everybody’s gonna be looking at. And so you have to sort of get into that mindset, and I think that’s hard for us to go that far into it. But we’ll see. Maybe down the road.”

The post “It’s not really rock and roll friendly”: Slash doubts Guns N’ Roses will ever play the Las Vegas Sphere, but names the metal band he reckons would pull it off appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Been a Korn fan since the early days? Guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer has unveiled the Indigo Sludge Preamp + Fuzz, a limited-edition pedal that captures the heavy, fuzzed-out tones of the band’s first records.

Designed to channel the same high-gain aggression and woolly fuzz that powered Korn’s landmark debut album and 1996’s Life Is Peachy, the pedal brings the rawness of the band’s Indigo Ranch sessions straight to your pedalboard.

• READ MORE: “We’re going on a pedal quest!”: This YouTuber has created a Dungeons & Dragons inspired pedalboard game – and we wanna play…

Limited to just 500 units, the Indigo Sludge combines a searing high-gain preamp section with a fuzz circuit based on the same modded pedals used during Korn’s mid-’90s recording sessions with producer Ross Robinson.

The result is that unmistakable down-tuned aggression, sustain-heavy distortion, and the same “preamp roar and fuzzed chaos” that fuelled classics like Blind and Shoots and Ladder – all housed in a compact, road-ready enclosure.

Visually, the pedal mirrors the intensity of Korn’s early era with a striking red-and-black design. It offers a full EQ section with Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain, Volume, and Presence controls, plus independent fuzz parameters that let players shape the balance between tight crunch and full-blown sonic sludge. There’s also an octave switch for extra low-end depth – perfect for down-tuned chugs and subterranean riffs.

True bypass switching and standard 9V power ensure easy pedalboard integration, while a rugged chassis makes the Indigo Sludge ready for the stage or studio alike.

The Indigo Sludge isn’t just “‘inspired by’ Korn’s tone. It’s built on the same ingredients that forged it,” says the band.

“It really takes me back to the days of the Indigo Ranch,” Munky adds.

Priced at $250, each pedal comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Munky himself and is available exclusively through Korn’s official website.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KoRn (@korn_official)

Learn more at Korn’s website.

The post Predictable: Korn just released a pedal which channels the guitar tone of their landmark album – but it’s already sold out appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Two Octobers ago, on Friday the thirteenth, Creeper released their third album, Sanguivore, a sprawling, electrifying glam-rock concept record centring on vampires. This Halloween, they’re following it up with Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death. Writing a sequel was new territory, especially for a band who, much like their chosen subject matter, tends to kill off and rebuild their artistic iterations after each record. “I imagine Creeper like American Horror Story,” guitarist Ian Miles tells Guitar.com. “It’s the same cast, but a different theme per season. And this is Season Sanguivore.”

• READ MORE: The Last Dinner Party’s Emily Roberts on why she decided to embrace her most “outrageous” guitar impulses on new album From The Pyre

Sanguivore II doesn’t continue the first record’s storyline, but instead pivots to exploring a different set of characters within this fictional universe. Set against the backdrop of the Satanic Panic, Sanguivore II follows a hedonistic vampire rock band, played by Creeper, as they’re chased by a vampire hunter called the Mistress of Death. Bodybuilder Sarah Page takes on the character of the “anti-hero,” as Miles calls her. “We were very typical cliché rock stars, and so it’s the Mistress’s job to hunt us down and end our reign of terror,” Miles elaborates. “Will [Gould, frontman] was really keen on the idea of it being a powerful female to turn that role on its head.”

Creeper often play with conventions – particularly regarding gender and sexuality – in their music and visuals. “We’re not a serious political band, but we like to challenge when we can,” Miles explains. That comes from the hardcore scenes they grew up in. “Ethics has always been deeply ingrained in everything we do. But that’s not what we’re telling you,” Miles laughs. “What you’re getting is silly gay vampires dressing up and running around and drinking vials of blood like they’re cocaine.” He’s referring to the music video for Blood Magick (It’s a Ritual), which subverts rock’n’roll excess.

In the opening of Blood Magick, after the swaggering guitars, and before the verse kicks in, “There’s that little motorbike revving guitar part, and then a squeal,” guitarist Lawrie Pattison details. It allowed him to tap into a particular sound. “I just have a lot of fun doing that kind of shit,” Pattison explains. “That’s where the virtuosos I got into when I was a teenager – like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani and Frank Zappa – that’s where those guys come into my playing style a little bit more. That’s what works really well for this record, because it’s that eighties metal vibe.”

Sanguivore II leans into that era and embraces bigger, pop-style singalong choruses than its predecessor. “We wanted to make this record more anthemic, more of a hard rock record,” Miles says. It also marks a shift in tone between the two Sanguivores. “We’ve gone from a jack-o’-lantern to a plastic pumpkin,” Miles laughs.

They’ve dialled up the humour, which has always been integral to Creeper. “In this band, we’re a bunch of goofballs, aren’t we?” Miles asks his bandmate. “We’re a bunch of idiots.”

“When the six of us are together, it’s just chaos, but very silly,” Pattison agrees. “It sounds like a bunch of kids in a playground.”

Pattison had been a session player for Creeper since 2021 and joined the band full-time shortly after the release of Sanguivore. “After touring Sanguivore I with Lawrie fresh in the band, we felt like we unlocked a new part of Creeper with dual guitar work,” Miles says. “We never really had that before.”

They were then able to take Creeper’s guitar playing to another level. “We’ve worked on harmonized parts together purposefully built for the live setting, to try and put fucking those big guitars back in rock music,” Miles enthuses.

Having two guitarists opened up a lot of new possibilities, whether it’s playing at the same time or more of a back-and-forth, like for the solo on blistering single Headstones. “It feels like a question-and-answer, that classic call-and-response thing,” Pattison adds.

For Sanguivore II, and playing live with Creeper, Pattison has stuck to Charvels. “The first time I played the Charvel, must have been a couple years back now, [I] just had a quick little go on one in the music shop, and was just like, ‘Man, I feel like it’s been custom built for me,’” he elaborates.

Miles alternated on his choice for guitar. “There was something about holding that white Gibson James Hetfield Explorer in the studio, and lots of the rhythm, the big chuggy parts, I was just like, ‘Oh, this feels just right,’” Miles says. He opted for his Gordon Smith on the lead parts.

And the album does feature some intense lead parts. The nearly six-and-a-half-minute epic album closer, Pavor Nocturnus, showcases Creeper at their most expansive – it has an interlude that runs close to two minutes, going from sweeping piano accented by strings to a wailing guitar solo to dramatic choir vocals. “The outro was going to be shorter, and then we were both just like, ‘We need more time for our solos,’ because we felt like we were rushing them,” Pattison recalls. “Initially, we just went once around the chord progression each and we were both like, ‘Nah, we’re gonna have to double this,’ double both of the guitar solos, double the piano solo as well.’”

It’s a suitably grand conclusion for the album, capturing the band’s all-out approach to music, as well as narrative and worldbuilding. In the same spooky blood-soaked vein, we asked Miles and Pattison to pick their five favourite scary records for Halloween:

Misfits – Famous Monsters (1999)

Miles: “The first visual representation [of Misfits] I saw when I was younger was the video for Scream! which is obviously massively Halloween-coded. It’s the first video I ever saw with blood in it. So that was a big first look into… horror music in general. And seeing that video when I was younger, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is like all the B movies that I grew up watching secretly away from my mum’s eye.’”

Slipknot – Iowa (2001)

Pattison: “I remember seeing Slipknot videos on TV when I was a kid, and it was before I really knew their music, and this was when some of their videos could only be shown past 10 p.m.

“I turned the TV down a little bit because, you know when you’re watching a horror movie, and you’re like, ‘If I turn the sound down, it’s not scary anymore’? I don’t know what age I would have been, but I remember seeing it and being kind of freaked out… It’s just so hectic, visually. To be fair, that was probably before I’d really gotten into horror movies in general. It’s weird to think that it was probably bands more so than movies that became a gateway into horror movies for me.”

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Murder Ballads (1996)

Miles: “That flips what we’ve been talking about on its head in terms of, aesthetically, it’s just some dudes wearing suits, but the music on that record – you don’t need a visual… It conjures up the image in your head, and it lets your imagination do the work. And the content of the songs is scary. I remember [the] first time, listening to that record. I just had to stop and sit and listen to the words and be like, ‘Oh my God. He’s getting away with writing lyrics like this? They’re literally all about killing people.’ And some of them are so beautifully subtle as well. That record is aggressive, scary, dark and timeless.”

AFI – All Hallow’s EP (1999)

Miles: “They just opened my eyes to a whole new view of music, rather than it just being something that I would sit and listen to and enjoy sonically, it added a new element of visuals to it for me, which has become, obviously, super important with where we are as a band… Marrying the image and the audio is something that resonated with me from being a big movie nerd as well and it’s like, ‘Oh, people do that with music.’”

Honourable Mention: The Cramps – Off the Bone (1983)

Miles: “I listened to The Cramps [for the first time], and I was like, ‘This is fucking sick.’ And I could see why the likes of Tiger Army and AFI reference The Cramps, because you can hear it in their music, the more psychedelic surf-rock and the fucking punk rock attitude that The Cramps have.”

Creeper – Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death (2025)

Pattison: “I think the stuff that I do like about Halloween is the stuff I liked about Halloween when I was a kid, and it is the more kitsch, silly, fun things, rather than the really horrific horror stuff. And I think that’s the cool thing about this record, is that it’s just fun… The video for Prey For The Night does that so well, because it’s fun and it’s silly, but you can still see the horror elements in there. It’s still a vampire story.”

The post “We’ve gone from a jack-o’-lantern to a plastic pumpkin:” Creeper on the best horror-themed albums appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Adrian Belew has spent his career on the cutting edge of guitar sounds, inventing the most forward-thinking tones to ever appear on record. His work as a solo artist and with King Crimson would be enough to land him on every guitarist’s radar. But that’s just one facet of his musical life, and he’s famously spent time with some of the biggest artists of all time: David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails. He even appears in places you’d never expect experimental guitar, like Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.”

To talk about Adrian, we called up Blair White. As co-owner of Nashville’s Eastside Music Supply, White and Belew struck up a friendship and they ended up working together to decode some of the tones that Belew needed for the much-lauded Beat tour and beyond. Blair gives us some insight into Belew’s playing, his process, and helps us solve a mystery.

IRON MAIDEN today announces the highly anticipated North American dates of their critically acclaimed RUN FOR YOUR LIVES WORLD TOUR. In celebration of their 50th Anniversary, the band will be performing at stadiums and major amphitheaters across the United States and Canada, allowing fans the chance to witness the brand new, state-of-the-art production, on the scale it is intended for – huge stages in outdoor venues, to accompany the once-in-a-lifetime setlist of songs from the band’s groundbreaking first nine albums. They will also headline America’s biggest rock festival, Louder Than Life at the Highland Festival Grounds in Kentucky on 17th September 2026.

Steve Harris says, “We are greatly looking forward to bringing this RUN FOR YOUR LIVES TOUR to North America and hope the fans enjoy seeing the show and hearing the set list as much as we do playing it. It’s an added bonus to have a few of our good friends on the tour with us. MEGADETH are playing all the shows and it’s an honour to have them join us on their last ever tour. We also have Anthrax with us on the bigger shows, we had a great time with them when they came out with us on Ed Force One around the world in 2016. We’re delighted to have both bands with us for this tour and know our fans will enjoy seeing them.”

Bruce Dickinson adds, “This whole tour has been such great fun. I really enjoy belting out all these great old songs, and the whole band are loving playing them too! We’ve got all the big ones from that early period including Hallowed, Run To The Hills, Trooper, Number Of The Beast, Killers, Powerslave, 2 Minutes… and some of them we haven’t played in the US for over 20 years!! Plus there’s some real epics including my particular favourite ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ and Seventh Son... We are doing them all and more. I mean, who wouldn’t for a 50th birthday party!”

“For a tour celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Iron Maiden” notes Manager Rod Smallwood, “the scale and incredible visual aspects of this tour deserve larger venues than the arenas we have generally played in the past. We particularly chose this time of year to go bigger outdoors but to give us darkness when we go on stage so you will see the best of the production. Fans certainly won’t be disappointed in the show or the 50th anniversary set list that is for sure!

“We particularly look forward to playing the huge shows in Montréal and the Alamodome in San Antonio, two of the biggest shows we have ever played in North America plus, of course, Louder Than Life – America’s biggest Rock Festival! Along with the stadium shows in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Hershey we have also chosen to play a few of the biggest amphitheaters as they always have a fantastic atmosphere and great visual sight lines. We’re also going to be doing everything we can to bring the hugely popular Eddie’s Pop-up Dive Bar experience across the Atlantic for the very first time. Our European fans just loved these and we’re convinced that the mix of Maiden fans, Trooper Beer & exclusive Tour merch makes for a winning combination.

“Likewise we will continue to offer the well-loved Trooper VIP Experience at all venues.

“Finally it was really special on our European dates this year to see that the vast majority of our fans appreciated and respected our request to severely limit their use of phones at our concerts, ideally just keeping it in their pockets the whole time, especially in those standing areas in front of the stage. Our fans’ understanding and cooperation made a colossal difference to the atmosphere of every show and increased the enjoyment enormously for the band and fans alike.

So for all our North American shows we are once again requesting that fans keep their phones in their pockets and enjoy the show ‘in the moment’, rather than raise their phone in the air trying to film sections and thus inconveniencing those around them and annoying the band. So if a so-called fan near you thinks they are special and filming what they selfishly want please just ask them, very politely of course, to put their phone somewhere the sun doesn’t shine!”

These upcoming tour dates will mark 45 years since IRON MAIDEN first visited Canada and the USA on the 1981 Killer World Tour, and feature some of the biggest shows the band has ever played there. The return to BMO Stadium concert in Los Angeles on September 25th will be the 25th time the band has played in the City of Angels. A history-making tour for sure!

There will be an exclusive Iron Maiden Fan Club presale beginning on Tuesday October 28. Headline shows go on general sale on Friday October 31. Head to ironmaiden.com for all ticketing and tour information.

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

AUGUST 2026

29 Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena *

SEPTEMBER 2026

03 Montréal, QC - Parc Jean-Drapeau *^

05 Harrison, NJ - Sports Illustrated Stadium *^

09 Boston, MA - TD Garden *

11 Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live *

12 Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion *

15 Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium *

17 Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival

19 Shakopee, MN - Mystic Lake Amphitheater *

22 Chicago, IL - Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *

25 Los Angeles, CA - BMO Stadium *^

* Megadeth
^ Anthrax

Wampler Pedals proudly announces the release of the MINI EGO 76, a studio-grade compressor pedal that channels the unmistakable spirit and tone of the legendary 1176 Peak Limiter. Designed by renowned pedal designer Brian Wampler, the MINI EGO 76 brings decades of recording studio magic to your pedalboard—without sacrificing dynamics, space, or signal integrity.

While many compressor pedals are known for flattening tone, the MINI EGO 76 takes a different path: it enhances, enriches, and elevates. Inspired by the iconic 1176—arguably the most celebrated compressor in studio history—this compact powerhouse captures the musical soul of vintage FET compression while offering modern controls designed specifically for guitarists.

A Studio Icon, Reimagined for the Stage

First introduced in 1967, the 1176 Peak Limiter was the first solid-state compressor of its kind, famed for its aggressive character and FET-driven sonic signature. The MINI EGO 76 borrows that DNA and reshapes it for a live performance context, giving players access to that same harmonic richness and dynamic control, all in a pedalboard-friendly format.

“At its core, the MINI EGO 76 is about tone,” says Brian Wampler. “It’s not just about compression—it's about adding character, feel, and response that you typically only get from the best studio gear. We set out to recreate the experience of using an 1176, not just the circuitry.”

Classic Tone Meets Modern Control

The MINI EGO 76 features three essential knobs—Level, Compress, and Parallel Clean Blend—allowing for precise tonal shaping. Two three-way switches provide selectable Attack and Release settings, based on classic studio configurations. The result is a pedal that gives players fast, intuitive control over how the compression reacts, from subtle sustain to punchy, expressive snap.

A standout feature is the Parallel Clean Blend, enabling players to mix in their uncompressed signal—an approach borrowed from high-end studio production techniques. This lets guitarists preserve articulation and dynamics, even while achieving that signature “glue” of compression.

Built for the Pedalboard, Inspired by the Control Room

Encased in a premium chameleon sapphire finish with aluminum knobs and rugged hardware, the MINI EGO 76 is compact enough to live comfortably on any pedalboard. Designed to be an “always-on” pedal, it delivers studio-level enhancement without adding bulk or complexity.

Key Features:

• High-grade components for superior tone and response
• Parallel Clean Blend for studio-style parallel compression
• Five controls: Level, Blend, Compress, plus Attack and Release switches
• Premium aluminum construction and finish
• Compact footprint: 1.6” x 3.9” x 2”
• 9V DC operation, 20mA draw
• Built in the U.S.A. with a limited 5-year warranty

More Than a Compressor—A Sonic Signature

Far from a simple emulation, the MINI EGO 76 is Brian Wampler’s tribute to the timeless sound of analog studio recordings. Whether it’s sweetening a clean rhythm track or adding punch to a lead line, the MINI EGO 76 becomes an extension of your tone—one you may never want to turn off.

The MINI EGO 76 is available now at wamplerpedals.com and authorized dealers worldwide.

Dragons! Wizards! Pedals? While a 20-sided dice is often reserved for fantastical roleplaying adventures, YouTuber Pedal Playhouse, AKA Joan Braga, has injected some D&D magic into pedalboard curation.

Braga’s brand new YouTube series, Pedal Quest, sees her and two guests, Science of Loud’s Colin Scott and 60 Cycle Hum’s Ryan Burke, embarking on a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired journey. The mission is to create the ‘perfect’ collaborative pedalboard, and the rules are simple: with each roll of your D20, you must add a pedal to the board.

• READ MORE: The guitar influences of Kurt Cobain

The D20 number reflects a certain category, with Braga splitting pedals into Distortion, Fuzz & Overdrive, Modulation Effects, and left-field ‘Wild Magic’ pedal categories… with one such option being the Miku Stomp by Korg.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Dungeons & Dragons without a few consequences and acts of trickery. For example, if you roll a one, and you’re doomed to add the infamous Boss Metal Zone MT-2 to your board. There is also a Deception round, which allows a chance for members of the party to swap out any pedals they’re unhappy with, or just adjust the general circuit set-up.

Plenty of pedals are in the mix, too. Braga’s selection spans from Mad Professor, to Universal Audio, to MXR, and more.

While it’s a fun way to mix up your pedal building process, it also looks like a great way to just have a laugh with your pals. It’s good to push yourself now and then – even if it means trying to miraculously make a ridiculous set-up work. “So we’ve got two reverbs, a delay, and a fuzz now… we’re done!!!” Burke jokes midway through the video.

At the end, every member of the party performs with the pedalboard setup. That’s when the creativity really comes into play, as Braga and the group try to conjure up what kind of D&D character the guitar tone might represent. Perhaps it’s a fried, chaotic evil burst of distortion because you rolled a one and have to use a Metal Zone. Or maybe it’s an otherworldly, god-like tone drowning in tremolo and reverb?

Regardless, Pedal Playhouse has cooked up a fun new approach to pedalboard building. It’s exactly what we’d expect from Braga, with the YouTuber emphasising the importance of ‘play’ wherever possible. “[In my videos], we’re looking at a pedal, but really it’s approaching things with the curiosity of a child again,” she told us back in 2022.

“The idea that, despite whatever else is going on in the world, there’s this thing with a sense of wonder and whimsy, and that anything is possible,” she smiled.

Check out the Pedal Playhouse YouTube channel.

The post “We’re going on a pedal quest!”: This YouTuber has created a Dungeons & Dragons inspired pedalboard game – and we wanna play… appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Back in August, it was revealed that Eddie Van Halen’s modded 1982 Kramer guitar – also used by Mick Mars to record Dr. Feelgood – was headed to the auction block.

Hosted by Sotheby’s, the guitar was expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million. It seems researchers had done their homework, as the guitar sold for a cool $2,734,000 on Friday (24 October).

The guitar – often dubbed the ‘Kramer Ad’ guitar after an ad in the early ‘80s featured EVH holding it alongside the caption “It’s very simply the best guitar you can buy today” – was one of the first Kramer guitars Van Halen played and helped build.

The Kramer Ad guitar was modelled on Van Halen’s legendary Frankenstein six-string, bearing the same classic red-black-and-white striped aesthetic.

According to Sotheby’s, Eddie Van Halen built the guitar “to his own specifications” at the Kramer factory in 1982, “using the original Frankenstein guitar as a template”. Photos provided by Sotheby’s show EVH working on the guitar with an electric drill.

• READ MORE: Wolfgang Van Halen: “I’d rather fail at my own thing than succeed on my dad’s legacy”
  

“Van Halen was endlessly striving to create the ultimate guitar for tone, playability and dependability; this Kramer guitar personifies not only Eddie Van Halen innovative playing style but also his passion for design and engineering and was the culmination of Van Halen’s experience and research up to this time,” the auctioneer wrote on the listing.

The guitar was played on tour by Eddie in ‘82 and ‘83, in Philadelphia, Caracas, Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires. It was eventually sold by his guitar tech Rudy Leiren to Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars, who used it to record Dr. Feelgood among other cuts.

At a final sale price of $2,734,000, it’s hard to imagine many guitars commanding a higher price tag, but there have been a few…

• 5. John Lennon’s Framus Hootenanny 12-string ($2,857,000) – Famously used on the Beatles fifth album Help! (1965), the Hootenanny was thought lost for many years, until discovered in the attic of a British countryside house by its new owners in 2024.The guitar was also used by Lennon to record It’s Only Love, I’ve Just Seen a Face and Girl, and by George Harrison on Norwegian Wood.
• 4.  Eddie Van Halen’s Hot For Teacher Kramer ($3,932,000) – Guitar used by Eddie Van Halen in Van Halen’s classic Hot For Teacher video.
• 3. David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster ($3,975,000) – The Pink Floyd man’s most iconic guitar, his 1968 Black Fender Stratocaster was originally bought from Manny’s Music in New York, and was heavily modded over the years. Throughout the ‘70s Gilmour swapped between two ‘50s necks – one rosewood and one maple. It’s now part of the Jim Irsay Collection after selling for almost $4 million.
• 2. Kurt Cobain’s Smells Like Teen Spirit Fender Mustang ($4,550,000) – Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit remains – and will always be – one of the landmark rock tracks of all time. And so the guitar used by frontman Kurt Cobain in its accompanying music video, predictably, commanded an astronomically high sale price. Like Gilmour’s Black Strat, it found its way into the Jim Irsay Collection after selling for over four and half million bucks.
• 1. Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-18E ($6,010,000) – Yep, Kurt Cobain’s selfish enough to steal both first and second place in the list of most expensive guitars ever sold publicly. Topping out the list is his Martin D-18E, which he used during Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance in 1993. The guitar was left to Cobain’s daughter Francis Bean, and ended up with her ex-husband Isaiah Silva as part of their divorce settlement. It was bought by RØDE Microphones founder, Peter Freedman in 2020 for just over $6 million – a figure which hasn’t been beaten since.

You can read more about Eddie Van Halen’s Kramer Ad guitar at Sotheby’s. You can also read more about the 15 most expensive guitars ever sold at auction.

The post Eddie Van Halen’s Kramer Ad guitar becomes the sixth most expensive ever sold at nearly $3 million – here are the five that sold for even more appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

There’s something beautifully paradoxical about Luther Dickinson’s new album, Dead Blues Vol. 1. It’s a collection of blues standards that were performed by the Grateful Dead throughout their career, yet it sounds like neither traditional blues nor Dead-style interpretations. Instead, it exists in some liminal space between the Mississippi Delta and the cosmos—a place where Blind Lemon Jefferson meets synthesizers and omnichords, and Willie Dixon’s words floats over funk grooves and ambient soundscapes.

“I would never claim to be a bluesman,” Dickinson says during a phone interview from the road, somewhere between Asheville and Nashville. For someone whose band, North Mississippi Allstars, has earned multiple Grammy nominations exploring roots music, it’s a surprising admission. “I’m more of a psychedelic folk rocker, you know? That’s what I claim, if anything.”

This perspective—reverent toward tradition but unbound by its conventions—defines Dead Blues Vol. 1. The album reimagines nine blues songs from the Dead’s repertoire, featuring the remarkable vocals of Datrian Johnson alongside contributions from Phil Lesh’s son Grahame Lesh, the Hold Steady’s Steve Selvidge, Dickinson’s brother and Allstars band mate Cody, and pedal-steel wizard Ray Ray Holloman.

The genesis of the record stemmed from two separate ideas colliding in Dickinson’s mind. In 2013, Phil Lesh invited Dickinson and his brother Cody to join Phil & Friends, the legendary Grateful Dead bassist’s rotating collective of musicians. As Dickinson studied up on the Dead catalog for rehearsals and performances, he and Grahame Lesh began performing casual Dead Blues shows focusing specifically on the blues songs in that band’s repertoire. “Grahame and I started doing the Dead Blues to do looser, easier shows outside of the Dead musician pool,” Dickinson explains. “We’d bring in musicians like the Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Charlie Musselwhite—artists outside of Phil’s scene—to play with us. That was really fun.”

Around the same time, New West Records approached him about doing a Grateful Dead tribute. “I was like, man, I don’t know,” he admits. “My only in was like, ‘Well, I could do a Dead Blues thing.’ But that was years ago, and I didn’t really consider it. It wasn’t at the top of my to-do list, you know?”

The project might have stayed dormant had the pandemic not shifted Dickinson’s creative direction. When touring stopped in 2020, he found himself working on an instrumental record—and not only that, but one “where I didn’t play guitar,” he explains. Instead, he wrote the material on bass and keyboards during the lockdown, creating spacious, experimental soundscapes with no connection to the blues standards—"Who Do You Love,” “I’m a King Bee,” “Little Red Rooster”—they would eventually be paired with.

Then came the revelation. “I woke up one morning and I was like, ‘Datrian could sing the Dead Blues lyrics on top of this instrumental record!’ And sure enough, it just happened so easily. It was so fun that, within three sessions, we had the record done. And after the fact, I went in and overdubbed guitar on it as the last flavor.”

Which Dickinson actually does frequently. “Usually if I’m overdubbing guitars, I’ll do it at the last minute,” he says. The guitar work he added referenced the original blues melodies even when Johnson’s vocals didn’t directly follow them. “Even if Datrian isn’t singing it, the guitar work I added is more referential, a nod to the original melodies. My stance is the melody and the poetry is to be protected. All the trappings of production, the beats, the fashion of an interpretation—that’s malleable. But the melody and the poetry is what’s interesting to protect.”

Datrian Johnson proved to be the crucial element that transformed the project. Keyboardist John Medeski had introduced Dickinson to the Asheville-based vocalist a couple of years ago during work with The Word, Dickinson’s band with Medeski and Robert Randolph. The chemistry was immediate. “He’s one of the most moving vocalists I’ve ever worked with onstage,” Dickinson says. “I’ve worked with Mavis Staples, John Hiatt, Patty Griffin, Robert Plant, Chris Robinson—some of the best vocalists in rock ’n’ roll. But Datrian has this thing. People are like, ‘What the…?’”

Indeed, his delivery on tracks like “Little Red Rooster” and “High Heeled Sneakers” demonstrates an interpretive depth that honors the source material while completely reimagining it. “He’s such a humble, unassuming guy,” Dickinson continues of Johnson. “And then he starts singing … I just remember people’s reactions. I’ve never seen anyone make an audience gasp before.”

The album’s unconventional approach—featuring melodica, Wurlitzer, DX7 synthesizer, omnichord, and what Steve Selvidge calls “space-funk guitar”—reflects Dickinson’s philosophy about roots music. These blues standards may be traditional, some stretching back nearly a century, but Dickinson gives them a somewhat futuristic-sounding treatment. Which, to his mind, puts him in the same forward-thinking tradition as the bluesmen themselves. “Musicians that try to be old-timey—I’m not into it,” he says. “If you think about it, Charley Patton was revolutionary. He was forward-thinking. Howlin’ Wolf was forward-thinking. Little Walter, Robert Johnson … none of these guys were trying to be old-fashioned. Every great musician—Charlie Christian, Jimi Hendrix—they were all forward-thinking.”

“Every great musician—Charlie Christian, Jimi Hendrix—they were all forward-thinking. No one was trying to be old fashioned.”

That same spirit could be found in the Grateful Dead, though Dickinson’s relationship with the band came relatively late. “I didn’t grow up with it. I stayed away from it,” he says. That changed in 2013, with Phil Lesh’s invite. “We jumped at the opportunity and studied up on the catalog,” Dickinson recalls. The education deepened over years of performances, particularly at Lesh’s venue Terrapin Crossroads. “Most of our work was on the West Coast, but then when Phil took me to New York and I saw the East Coast Deadheads, I was like, ‘Holy shit.’ They were singing along to every word. It’s not just the parking lot and the dancing and the jamming. It’s the songs.”

That realization also deepened Dickinson’s appreciation for Robert Hunter’s lyrics, which he calls, “pure, classic Americana, on a par with Dylan, I think,” he says. “That generation, Garcia as well, they weren’t hippies, they were beatniks. They were older than the hippies. They grew up reading Jack Kerouac and listening to the radio. They remember before rock ’n’ roll. That generation of writers that grew up like Dylan and Hunter and my dad—they grew up listening to the radio before TV, and they had a way with words that will never come again.”

“When Phil [Lesh] took me to New York and I saw the East Coast Deadheads … they were singing along to every word. It’s not just the parking lot and the dancing and the jamming. It’s the songs.”

That wildness manifests in bold instrumental choices and fearless reimagining. The omnichord, played by Paul Taylor, adds an otherworldly shimmer. Ray Ray Holloman’s pedal-steel work provides both traditional country blues flavor and sci-fi textures. Steve Selvidge’s “space-funk guitar” creates grooves that feel simultaneously vintage and futuristic. Selvidge has been in Dickinson’s orbit since childhood—their fathers played in a band together. “Steve is so multifaceted,” Dickinson says. “He can play country blues like his dad, he can play rock ’n’ roll—he’s my favorite rock ’n’ roll player of my peers. With the Hold Steady he’s straight rocket. But space funk, that’s the style he’s playing on this record.”

For his part, Dickinson discovered that synthesizers could intertwine with slide guitar in ways that feel both ancient and futuristic, which can be heard throughout the album, particularly on tracks like “Little Red Rooster” and “High Heeled Sneakers.” “I realized a synth can be as expressive as a slide guitar,” he says. “And I’ve never experimented with slide guitar and synths together before, which was really fun. I was like, ‘These sound cool.’”

Perhaps the track that best exemplifies the album’s aesthetic is “Who Do You Love,”—a Bo Diddley classic transformed by layers of funk guitar and bass, DX7 synthesizer, cajon, and omnichord into something that sounds like it could soundtrack a midnight drive through Mississippi on Mars. Yet Dickinson’s guitar work, added last, references the original melody, grounding the experimentalism in tradition. “That one worked really nicely,” Dickinson says, especially when we realized we could put the hook over that melody. And then Datrian made it so smooth.”

“I realized a synth can be as expressive as a slide guitar.”

For Dickinson, Dead Blues represents the next step in a significant shift in his approach to guitar. “During 2020, I sold most of my Gibsons,” he reveals. “I grew up playing Les Pauls and 335s, and I just got burned on that very sound I used to strive for—the neck pickup, midrange feedback, sustain, fat, oozy tone. It started hurting my ears. I think it was just too much of a good thing.”

Dickinson says there were “a lot of things” that led to him changing up his sound, but working with Phil Lesh was an important factor. “Playing with Phil, I was finally able to become comfortable playing clean as opposed to relying on distortion or fuzz. It really changed my life. My whole time I’ve been trying to make an electric guitar respond like an acoustic guitar. And what really turned me on was that Steve Selvidge gave me a guitar, a partscaster, with Lollar Regal pickups—Fender-style wide-range humbuckers. Man, those pickups are so cool because they’re a quiet humbucker, but they don’t sound like a PAF or whatever. They’re beefier than a Strat, kind of like a civilized gold-foil. Those pickups just changed my life. And then my friends and I started making guitars called Vibratone. Those two guitars are a lot of what you hear on the album.”

Even as Dickinson releases Dead Blues Vol. 1, he’s characteristically busy with multiple projects. North Mississippi Allstars are continuing to tour behind their recent album, Still Shaking, and also preparing for a new studio effort. Additionally, Dickinson reports he’s working on what he calls an “ambient blues” project—“like a folk film score. Instrumental modern acoustic country blues with organic drones.”

Luther Dickinson’s Gear

Guitars

Partscaster with Lollar Regal wide-range humbuckers

Vibratone prototype

1970s Yamaha acoustic

Gretsch parlor acoustic

Amps

Category 5 signature LD50

Category 5 signature LD30

Strings & Picks

DR Strings (.009–.042)

Fender thin picks

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