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“If I stopped what I was doing because I was blinded by fame and money, that would be selling my soul”: Why Michael Schenker didn’t join Ozzy Osbourne’s band
Michael Schenker has explained why he chose not to join Ozzy Osbourne’s band after the tragic death of Randy Rhoads in 1982.
It was Jake E. Lee who went on to take up guitar duties for the Prince Of Darkness after Brad Gillis first stepped in, but a number of players were asked to audition, including Vito Bratta, George Lynch, and others. At the time, Schenker had not long left bands UFO and Scorpions, the latter of which he joined in support of his brother Rudolf.
Speaking to Guitar World, he says, “With Scorpions, I helped them out as a gesture to my brother. They were lost; they couldn’t do an album, so I worked with them as a jump-starter.
“When Ozzy approached me, there was an inner warning light that said, ‘Don’t do that because you have just left UFO and Scorpions.’ I had time to digest my situation and the message was clear to me. I wanted to carry on doing my thing and purely self-express, and not run after a trend, which Scorpions and UFO had been trying to do since I left.”
He adds, “I’ve always believed in doing exactly what I feel like. That’s freedom of expression. If I did something just because it was what people expected, or if I stopped what I was doing because I was blinded by fame and money, that would be selling my soul.”
In other Michael Schenker news, the guitarist’s iconic 1971 Flying V was recently recreated by the Gibson Custom Shop, as a limited launch of just 50 hand-signed Collector’s Edition models. The run sold out in just one day. Take a look below:
Based on 3D scans of the original instrument, which is currently owned by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, the guitar was used to record UFO’s first three records, and went on to earn a striking black and white makeover.
The post “If I stopped what I was doing because I was blinded by fame and money, that would be selling my soul”: Why Michael Schenker didn’t join Ozzy Osbourne’s band appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“The way my guitar looks with the circles and squares – I was trying to find my own pattern”: How Jerry Cantrell was inspired by Eddie Van Halen to create his own legendary modded guitar
The G&L Rampage guitar has become synonymous with Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, and he pretty much intended for that to be the case.
Cantrell’s Rampage is known for its unique look featuring a pattern of circles and squares, and has also been heavily modded by Cantrell over the years. Much like Eddie Van Halen with his Frankenstein guitar, Cantrell wanted to find “his own pattern”, and have something that could be associated with him.
Speaking to Guitar World in its new print issue, Cantrell explains, “Van Halen is one of my favourite bands, and Eddie was just a fucking alien. I was like, ‘How the fuck does this guy make his guitar sound like this?’ It was inspiring on many levels, and he was also into tinkering.
“His guitar is called Frankenstein for a reason! The artwork – the striped pattern – was a direct influence on me and the way my guitar looks with the circles and squares. I was trying to find my own pattern.”
As for the other changes he made to his G&L, Cantrell goes on to share, “The strings always came off the Kahler because it was top-mounted. I felt like it needed a bit more tension, so I counter-sunk the Kahler down into the body a little, which added a bit more tension at the rolling bar. It came with a shitty locking mechanism where the screws were made out of tin foil or something.
“Every time I changed the strings, I was replacing nuts because you’d strip them. So I put a Floyd Rose nut up top as that’s what Eddie had and counter-sunk the Kahler. I added a Seymour Duncan JB as my main pickup,” he says.
Asked how his G&L impacts the way he plays, Cantrell explains: “To some degree, you’re a mechanic. You use whatever tool you need for the job. Even if the G&L is my main guitar and is gonna be on most of the stuff and the one I feel most comfortable with, if I’m writing a song that sounds better on a Tele or a Strat or a V, I’m gonna use that. But then there’s the one you’re kinda known for. Angus [Young] plays a Gibson SG or Eddie’s got his guitar. The G&L is mine. It’s the one that felt right.”
The post “The way my guitar looks with the circles and squares – I was trying to find my own pattern”: How Jerry Cantrell was inspired by Eddie Van Halen to create his own legendary modded guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Police uncover organised crime ring targeting multiple West Coast Guitar Center stores, suspect arrested
Guitars are the common target of thieves, sometimes petty opportunists, but often members of fully organised crime rings.
And a number of Guitar Center stores across the west coast of the United States have found themselves victim of such a crime ring, police say, following a recent arrest made of one of the alleged perpetrators.
After a $3,000 guitar was stolen from Guitar Center’s Redmond, Washington store in October last year, authorities reckon they’ve pieced together a crime ring that spans several states in the region, including Washington, California, and Oregon.
The Redmond police department explains in a press statement that following the theft of the $3,000 guitar, detectives spotted the same guitar at a local pawn shop. Employees of that shop “reported a man had pawned multiple high-value instruments in a short timeframe”. Via transaction records and CCTV, police identified the suspect who had pawned the stolen guitar as Armando Jacome Vignaud.
Officers responded to another theft at the same store on 21 March, 2026, and later confirmed Vignaud was also involved. He was apprehended on 26 March, and charge with Theft in the Second Degree. An investigation linked him to 15 other valuable guitars pawned in quick succession.
“This arrest is what premier law enforcement looks like in practice,” says Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe.
“Organised retail theft is a serious, coordinated crime, and we treat it that way. Our detectives are diligent, they are persistent, and they are dedicated to holding criminals accountable.”
Another member of the scheme, 25-year-old Laurentiu Miclescu, allegedly stole two guitars from the Redmond store, too. Miclescu was charged on December 3, 2025, after being caught on camera hiding instruments under a jacket. At least four other stores, in addition to Redmond, were also targeted.
According to Guitar World, the suspects were nabbed with a classic sting operation, whereby an undercover officer reached out to purchase one of the guitars online, and arrested the suspects without incident when they arrived at the meet with the guitar.
Sadly, guitars have become a common target for thievery. In one recent incident, session guitarist Mason Stoops revealed he had had a Gretsch and a Jazzmaster stolen from his van. Joe Bonamassa has put out a call for the instruments to be recovered.
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Up close with iconic guitars from Ace Frehley, Kirk Hammett, Stevie Ray Vaughan and more at Julien’s Music Icons auction
Julien’s Music Icons auctions have become a regular event in the music industry calendar, often showcasing some of the most interesting and iconic rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia of all time and, most importantly for our purposes of course, guitars.
The Music Icons auction returns for 2026 in rare form – when the collection of rock ‘n’ roll artefacts goes under the hammer at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square next month, the pick of the lots going under the hammer will be a selection of truly legendary electric guitars.
Before the sale, the headline items on the sale were taken to the Hard Rock Cafe in London’s Piccadilly Circus for the launch of the sale and for the public to check these iconic guitars out, before heading to Tokyo to do likewise and then back for the auction itself.
A Les Paul played by Billy Duffy of The Cult. Image: Adam Gasson
Guitar.com snuck into the Hard Rock Cafe before the launch of the sale to get up close and personal with the most important instruments in the sale, and to chat with Julien’s Co-founder and Executive Director, Martin Nolan. Given the wealth of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia that decorates every Hard Rock Cafe, it was a fitting location.
“We’ve been doing this for 21 years,” Nolan explains. “And yes, the auction is exciting and the record prices are exciting. But the most rewarding part, and the part that I personally find more exciting, is to bring these items to various places around the world where people would never dream they could be up close with such a significant or important guitar.”
Space Man
The most iconic guitar in the sale is also the most poignant. The sad passing of KISS icon Ace Frehley at the end of last year makes the sale of his most iconic guitar barely six months later feel all the more significant.
Frehley’s #1 Les Paul wasn’t the Space Ace’s first Les Paul, but it is certainly his most famous and important – the guitar, which he started using a Cherry Sunburst 1975 Les Paul Custom in around 1976 after which it became his primary guitar until around 1978, and remained a frequent feature on stage and in the studio until he left KISS in 1982.
Image: Adam Gasson
It’s the guitar that Ace was using for many of the band’s most iconic moments, including their legendary Tokyo Budokan performance in 1977.
Ace modded this Les Paul with a pair of DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups (while also adding in a third dummy pickup in the middle because he “liked the look”) and you can see it also features a re-located strap button and a sticker on the back. When you picture Ace Frehley in your head, he’s probably playing this very guitar. It’s estimated to fetch between $400,000-$600,000 in the sale.
Ace modded this Les Paul with a pair of DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups (while also adding in a third dummy pickup in the middle because he “liked the look”) and you can see it also features a re-located strap button and a sticker on the back. When you picture Ace Frehley in your head, he’s probably playing this very guitar. It’s estimated to fetch between $400,000-$600,000 in the sale.
Guitar Heroes
The interesting part about this particular Music Icons auction is that many of the guitars featured are from artists who made their names in the 80s and 90s – and there’s perhaps none more important and influential than Metallica’s Kirk Hammett.
Of all of the varied and unique guitars that Hammett has used throughout his time in Metallica, perhaps none is more recognisable than his ‘Ouija’ ESP – this striking guitar has been replicated and iterated on time and time again by Kirk and ESP over the decades, but the one going under the hammer here is the original – it says so.
Kirk Hammett’s ‘Ouija’ ESP guitar. Image: Adam Gasson
Kirk has helpfully scrawled a small essay on the back of the guitar, explaining that it is indeed his first ever Ouija ESP, and noting that it was used on countless tours, as well as for the recording of the Black Album, Load and Reload.
As meaningful instruments in the history of Metallica go, this one is up there – and it’s estimated to fetch around $250,000-$300,000 in the sale.
A Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion guitar played by Izzy Stradlin, formerly of Guns N’ Roses. Image: Adam Gasson
Is there a more iconic 1980s guitar moment than the Welcome To The Jungle video? It’s the moment that announced Guns N’ Roses to millions as the saviours of rock ‘n’ roll, and became a staple of MTV for decades to come.
In that video, you can see Izzy Stradlin riffing away on a striking and unconventional 1987 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion model – a leftfield choice for anyone at that time, but one that has become a hugely significant part of rock ‘n’ roll history. Stradlin sold the guitar a few years later, but its place in history is assured, as its estimate of around $50,000.
I Want My MTV
The power of MTV has had a huge impact on the rising value of all-star guitars in the last decade. Two of the top five most expensive guitars sold at auction are instruments used for MTV Unplugged performances, and one of the instruments up for sale in the 2026 Music Icons auction shares that important facet.
For many guitar players, Stevie Ray Vaughan remains the absolute pinnacle of electric guitar playing, but in many ways that all makes his 1990 MTV Unplugged set all the more remarkable.
Watching SRV do Pride And Joy is a treat regardless, but to watch him shred the song on a 12-string acoustic really does reinforce the otherworldly guitar talent that Stevie possessed, not to mention the strength and ferocity of his approach.
A Guild ’69 Guild F-412 acoustic guitar played by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Image by Adam Gasson
It makes being in the presence of the ’69 Guild F-412 he used for the entire performance just months before his tragic death a moving and powerful experience – this is a guitar touched quite literally by genius, that demonstrated his true mastery of the instrument. It’s no surprise it’s estimated to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000 at the sale.
Juliens and the Hard Rock Cafe are giving fans a chance to experience these wonderful, important guitars up close, and it’s something that Nolan clearly values.
“That’s the reward you’ve given people,” he explains. “It’s not a money grab. This is about celebrating rock and roll history, preserving the legacy, telling the story, and giving regular people a chance to see really incredible items.
“People love that connection. They’re works of art. They’re investment pieces, yes, but each piece also lets someone connect with Ace Frehley or Izzy Stradlin – we all have these people that we love, and we remember how impactful they were when we were growing up.
“And so this is the legacy of that. These pieces live on to tell the story. And in 10 years, 30 years, 50 years, 100 years from now, these will still be iconic pieces. So whoever the new owners there, I remind them they are just caretakers. Because they have to preserve them so that generations to come will have an opportunity to appreciate them too.”
Julien’s Music Icons 2026 sale takes place at the Hard Rock Cafe, Times Square, New York on 29-30 May – to browse the full catalogue visit juliensauctions.com
The post Up close with iconic guitars from Ace Frehley, Kirk Hammett, Stevie Ray Vaughan and more at Julien’s Music Icons auction appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Martin continues its commitment to sustainability with new penguin-themed acoustic guitar for Earth Day
It’s Earth Day 2026, and regular as clockwork, Martin has unveiled its latest nature-themed acoustic guitar celebrating its commitment to sustainability.
Every year, on Earth Day, Martin showcases a brand-new Biosphere guitar that pairs meaningful artistry” with responsibly sourced materials. Like last year’s D Biosphere III, this year’s guitar, the 00L Biosphere IV, sports original artwork from renowned artist and Martin collaborator Robert Goetzl.
This year, Martin’s focus turns to “one of the most extreme and fragile environments on Earth: Antarctica.
The stunning artwork across the guitar’s Sitka spruce top showcases the powerful moment between an emperor penguin and its chick. “Shielded from the Antarctic wind, the image reflects both resilience and vulnerability in a rapidly changing world.” Martin says.
“When your environment is at threat, you feel very protective of your offspring – and the creatures around you that need protecting,” says Goetzl. “That’s what this piece is about.”
Credit: Martin
Alongside its artwork-adorned Sitka spruce top, the sloped-shoulder 00L Biosphere IV features a sapele back and sides, plus a flamed maple binding. There’s also a modified Low Oval neck with a High-Performance Taper, as well as a 1 ¾” fingerboard width at the nut. Other features include an FSC-certified ebony bridge, plus a scalloped X bracing.
Both left- and right-handed configurations are available, both priced at $2,399.99.
Credit: Martin
Alongside the launch, Martin has partnered with the Global Penguin Society, and has given a “generous donation” to its mission to protect penguins, preserve critical coastal habitats and advance global education and stewardship.
Martin has also released its 2025 Impact report, highlighting its continued progress in environmental sustainability. Milestones include:
- 103 grants awarded through the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, totalling $594,750
- $35,000+ in donated instruments for music education and environmental causes
- First Martin Sustainability Summit held at the solar-powered Commerce Lane facility
- Six new instruments built with sustainable and domestically abundant tonewoods
- 200+ tons of recycled material across Martin facilities
Learn more about the 00L Biosphere IV at Martin, and check out Martin’s 2025 Impact Report in detail.
The post Martin continues its commitment to sustainability with new penguin-themed acoustic guitar for Earth Day appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
This Jackson x Blizzard guitar is a Diablo player’s wet dream
Are you a guitar-loving metalhead who also happens to be fanatical about Diablo? Your two biggest passions might not always be catered for at the same time, but today, this one’s bang on the money.
Forged in the fires of Jackson’s design room in partnership with Diablo developers Blizzard Entertainment, we introduce you to the X Series Limited Edition Diablo Kelly HT. Inspired by the dark world of the Diablo video game series, this guitar is a contender for one of the most metal six-strings ever.
Adorned with the menacing visage of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred – one of the three Prime Evils of the Diablo universe – the guitar sports a hellish black, red and white colour scheme across a nyatoh body with a blood-red binding which wraps the body, neck and headstock. Elsewhere, there’s a through-body one-piece maple neck with graphite reinforcement, plus a 12”-16” compound-radius 24-fret amaranth fingerboard with custom red Diablo-inspired inlays.
Credit: Jackson
Metal-ready tones come by way of a pair of Jackson-designed high-output pickups with a singular volume control. “When you’re channeling pure evil, you need maximum output, period,” says Jackson.
Other “battle”-ready features include a Jackson hardtail bridge built for “exceptional tuning stability and enhanced sustain”, plus precision die-cast tuners.
Credit: Jackson
“The Blizzard and Diablo partnership is a natural fit because it fuses the raw, high-performance aggression of Jackson guitars with the dark, immersive mythology of Diablo,” says Jon Romanowski, VP of Product, Jackson.
“The Diablo graphic amplifies that identity, making the guitar feel powerful and visually commanding, carrying the game’s darkness and intensity in every detail. The Jackson Kelly is the perfect platform for this sort of endeavour as its sharp angles and horns give it a weapon-like appearance. It’s a physical crossover between metal culture and gaming lore that feels authentic, collectible and built for the same audience.”
Watch YouTube star Cole Rolland demo the guitar below:
“This guitar is the essence of Diablo forged in the real world,” says Gavian Whishaw, executive producer and VP of Diablo IV.
“Jackson has captured the metal, infernal power of the battle between good and evil with the sleek red and black design. This collaboration is for those who stand at the crossroads of Hell and Rock and Roll, and turns that passion into something you can hold, play and unleash. It’s a crossover we’re proud to crank up to eleven.”
The X Series Limited Edition Diablo Kelly HT is available now, priced at $1,299.99 / £1,199 / €1,409, and comes with a premium Jackson gig bag.
“Perfect for metal masters seeking the ultimate collector’s piece and players who demand both crushing tone and jaw-dropping aesthetics,” Jackson says. “This limited run won’t last forever – prepare to unleash hell and make a deal with the devil for incredible sound.”
Credit: Jackson
The Jackson x Diablo guitar lands at a crucial moment in the history of the massive online game, as 28 April will see a new expansion, Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred. Diablo IV launched in 2023, shattering records as the best-selling opening in Blizzard’s history, crossing an eerie $666 million in global revenue within the first five days of release.
Jackson’s parent company Fender is no stranger to partnering with media franchises on super-cool limited-edition guitars. Last year, Fender Japan unveiled three Godzilla-themed Stratocaster guitars – with one even able to roar at the push of a button.
Learn more at Jackson.
The post This Jackson x Blizzard guitar is a Diablo player’s wet dream appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Alternative rockers: 10 cool new dirt pedals you need in 2026
It’s at least 20 years now since the boutique stompbox industry really took off – and while makers have had to deal with some economic ups and downs over that period, for tone-hungry guitar players this is the boom that just keeps on booming. That’s especially true in the marvellously mucky world of overdrive, distortion and fuzz.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with the classics: if you want to stick with established noise makers like the Ibanez Tube Screamer, ProCo Rat and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, they’re all still around and still sounding fabulous – as are their countless clones and tributes. But this is a great time for pedal buyers in search of something a little bit different.
All the pedals on this list have been launched with the intention of offering an alternative to the usual staples. That doesn’t mean they all sound like barking jackals or faulty washing machines, though: this is a highly diverse selection of products, and some of them are actually very tasteful indeed.
Most are from North America but there are also representatives of the UK and mainland Europe – even prim little Switzerland! – and while not all of them can claim to be truly ‘boutique’ or even ‘indie’, each one has the tones to be worth taking a chance on.
At a glance:
- Best pedal for fuzzy chaos: Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz
- Best combined overdrive and clean boost: Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante
- Best Tube Screamer alternative: DOD Badder Monkey
- Best pedal for black-panel crunch: Superlunar SR-01
- Best vintage-voiced fuzz: Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver
- Best fuzz for shoegaze: RhPf Electronics Mosrawr
- Best all-rounder: Silktone Expander
- Best fuzz with modulation: Blue FX Fuzz Fields
- Best dual overdrive: Warm Audio Throne of Tone
- Best pedal for tweed crunch: Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J
- Why you can trust Guitar.com
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Best pedal for fuzzy chaos: Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz
Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz. Image: Adam Gasson
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You know pretty much what this one’s about just from the name – at least, you do if you’re a fan of British alt-rock gods Muse. Frontman Matt Bellamy is the majority shareholder in Manson these days, and the Devon guitar maker’s first stompbox is a bold and belligerent fuzz that nods to the band’s biggest hit, Supermassive Black Hole.
But this hefty unit, built in collaboration with ThorpyFX, is not just about bringing the colossalness while you strut across an imaginary stadium stage – it also has an extremely powerful EQ filter with adjustable bandwidth and a footswitchable ‘peak’ mode for fruity feature sounds that will leap out from any mix.
Need more? Read our Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz review.
Best combined overdrive and clean boost: Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante
Image: Richard Purvis
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If we hop to the opposite end of the scuzz spectrum, we find the Konstante: a drive and boost pedal that’s about as recklessly noisy as a sleeping cat… and very nearly as adorable.
The left side of this compact unit is based on the Greer Lightspeed, a hugely popular boutique overdrive that specialises in adding dirt without colouring your tone too much; and the right side is inspired by the preamp of an old Echoplex tape delay. Neither one is especially radical on its own, but the way you can combine them – in either order – makes this German-made stomper unusually flexible, and a bit of a low-key gem.
Need more? Read our Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante review.
Best Tube Screamer alternative: DOD Badder Monkey
Image: Adam Gasson
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The story behind the Badder Monkey is, frankly, a bit silly. But there’s nothing silly about the performance of the pedal itself – an enhanced reissue of the Bad Monkey made in the early 2000s by DOD’s sister brand DigiTech. That was a simple overdrive in the Tube Screamer vein, and it wasn’t much missed… until Josh Scott, JHS Pedals boss and one-man YouTube infestation, published a video suggesting it could sound as good as the almighty Klon Centaur.
The fact is, the Badder Monkey only exists because of the hype generated by that moment. That’s nothing to complain about, though: this new pedal is not just a remake but a much more versatile overdrive with a unique ‘barrel’ control that blends between three different variants of the circuit, and it sounds ace. Thanks, Josh!
Need more? Read our DOD Badder Monkey review.
Best pedal for black-panel crunch: Superlunar SR-01
Image: Richard Purvis
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The hardest thing to do with this boost, drive and fuzz pedal is tear your eyes away from its stunning asymmetrical design for long enough to start playing. And the second-hardest thing is to stop playing, because it sounds very nearly as tasty as it looks.
The SR-01 sets out to recreate the tones of a mid-60s Fender amp, ranging from mild breakup all the way through to the kind of raggedly fuzzy mayhem that you’d only get from the real thing by cranking it up to full blast and making your housemates cry. The controls don’t always feel intuitive, but it nails every aspect of the brief.
Need more? Read our Superlunar SR-01 review.
Best vintage-voiced fuzz: Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver
Image: Richard Purvis
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If you’re hunting for new tones, 1971 might not seem like the most obvious place to look… but the Colorsound Overdriver is a forgotten giant of early British fuzz, and this cheeky little chunk is proof that you don’t have to rely on the usual Fuzz Face and Tone Bender circuits if you want to sound huge and hairy.
In fact, this pedal from Tru-Fi’s new Mini range includes recreations of two Colorsound models: flick up the toggle switch and you get the 1969 Power Boost, which is simply the Overdriver running on 18v instead of 9v. Both are very much vintage in character, and surprisingly versatile.
Need more? Read our Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver review.
Best fuzz for shoegaze: RhPf Electronics Mosrawr
Image: Richard Purvis
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This is a high-gain fuzz that sounds great on its own, but what it really wants to do is hang out with other, like-minded pedals and create towering walls of noise together. Because the Swiss-made Mosrawr from RhPf Electronics is specifically designed for “shoegaze, noise rock and post-rock”.
In tonal terms, that means it’s extremely gnarly and has a strong midrange to ensure it stays clear in the mix, never dissolving into washiness even when it’s running through excessive delay and/or reverb. It works brilliantly as a tool to bring the rage to your soundscaping adventures… and as a not inconsiderable bonus, it’s got a bright pink dinosaur on it.
Need more? Read our RhPf Electronics Mosrawr review.
Best all-rounder: Silktone Expander
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The really smart thing about this ultra-high-class American boutique overdrive is its tone control… or, to look at it another way, the fact that it doesn’t have one. What the Silktone Expander does have is a ‘choke’ knob for rolling off the lower frequencies and a three-way toggle switch for dark, normal or bright voicing. And that’s quite the potent pairing.
Yes, it takes a while to properly get the best out of such an unconventional EQ setup, but the array of different tones on offer here is amazing – aided by a gain range that covers everything from crispy grit to splatty fuzz, with lots of lovely crunch sounds in between.
Need more? Read our Silktone Expander review.
Best fuzz with modulation: Blue FX Fuzz Fields
Image: Richard Purvis
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The key with this Danish-built stomper is supposed to be all the things it can do beyond fuzz – including tremolo, vibrato and synthy envelope-following sweeps – but wait! If you’re in too much of a hurry to explore all the kooky stuff you’ll miss the best bit. Yes, the extra tricks are great, and make this a truly unique stompbox, but underpinning all that is a core fuzz voice that’s rich, smooth and downright enormous.
The Blue FX Fuzz Fields is an expensive bit of kit – especially if you pay extra for the ‘It’ control module, which is definitely worth getting to unlock all the rhythmic effects – and it’s also on the complicated side. But fuzzes with filtering and modulation don’t get better than this.
Need more? Read our Blue FX Fuzz Fields review.
Best dual overdrive: Warm Audio Throne of Tone
Image: Press
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On the face of it, the Warm Audio Throne of Tone has no business being on this list: it’s just a couple of clones in one box, isn’t it? Well, no, not quite. The basics are, indeed, basic – it’s a dual overdrive based on the Marshall Bluesbreaker and Analogman King of Tone – but then you notice that it’s got eight knobs and seven toggle switches, and realise (unless you’re very bad at maths) that there must be something more going on here.
In fact, both sides of this pedal are identical, and each can be set to either circuit – so you can have two Bluesbreakers, a full double King, or one running into the other in either order. You also get an added presence control on each side, making this way more versatile than the average two-in-one drive.
Need more? Read our Warm Audio Throne of Tone review.
Best pedal for tweed crunch: Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J
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The first thing that marks this out as no ordinary drive pedal is the sketchy handwritten scrawl of the control panel; the second is the fact that two of those controls are marked ‘Response’ and ‘Supply’. Intriguing… and even more so when you clock that the two designers behind this collab are Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX and Jesse Hoff of Lazy J Projects.
This is, essentially, Jesse’s J 20 combo – one of the best tweed-style amplifiers you can buy – in stompbox form. The angle is ultra-realism, in feel as well as tone. You get footswitchable normal and bright channels, and even a toggle switch for flipping between simulated 12AX7 and 12AY7 preamp valves. This might be the ultimate overdrive for people who don’t like their pedals too… well, pedally.
Need more? Read our Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J review.
Why You Can Trust Us
Every year, Guitar.com reviews a huge variety of new products – from the biggest launches to cool boutique effects – and our expert guitar reviewers have decades of collective experience, having played everything from Gibson ’59 Les Pauls to the cheapest Squiers.
That means that when you click on a Guitar.com buyer’s guide, you’re getting the benefit of all that experience to help you make the best buying decision for you. What’s more, every guide written on Guitar.com was put together by a guitar obsessive just like you. You can trust that every product recommended in those guides is something that we’d be happy to have in our own rigs.
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“It’s such a player’s guitar”: how the Pacifica SC is shifting the perception of Yamaha’s most popular instrument
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For decades, Yamaha’s Pacifica has been a byword for quality and reliability at the affordable end of the guitar spectrum. In fact, if you’re reading this there’s a good chance that you made your start on a Pacifica guitar that offered a level of sound, playability and build that vastly outperformed its humble price tag.
But in the last few years, you’ll have noticed the buzz around the Pacifica change somewhat. Back at NAMM 2024, Yamaha revealed the brand new Pacifica Professional and Standard Plus guitars – instruments that redefined what people expected when they saw that iconic Pacifica logo on a guitar’s headstock. The new Pacificas were the result of years of research and development of the kind that only Yamaha could do – painstakingly reimagining the brand’s most successful and famous guitar for a new era, and a new type of player.
And that was the most interesting thing of all – Yamaha wasn’t just speaking to beginner guitar players to find out what they needed, they were speaking to professionals, artists: those whose experience was vast and whose requirements were exacting.
Plenty of other student-focused guitars have evolved to find themselves deployed across the biggest stages and the biggest stars – it was Pacifica’s turn. There will always be a Pacifica guitar for the beginner of course, but Yamaha knew it was time for model to spread its wings and show just how good it can be – and for 2026, this revolution is reaching a whole new level.
Single Minded
The single-cut Pacifica has been something of a cult hit among aficionados of the model. It hasn’t been a regular feature in the brand’s line-up since the late 90s, but earlier this year that changed with the launch of the Pacifica SC in both Japan-made Professional and Standard Plus configurations. Instantly, artists stood up and took notice.
In a few short months, the guitar has found its way into the hands of some of the most respected musicians in their fields, in a way that few Pacifica guitars before have done. But that’s actually quite fitting.
Because real ones will know that while the single-cut hasn’t been in the standard Pacifica line for decades, it has lived on in the shape of Yamaha’s only Pacifica signature model – the Japan-made 1611 Mike Stern. The modern SC takes the torch that jazz virtuoso Stern has been carrying for years and pushes it to another level, and he’s no longer alone in singing its praises.
One of the SC’s early adopters is Britpop legend Graham Coxon. The Blur guitarist used a single-cut guitar to craft some of the most iconic and inventive guitar riffs of the 90s, but he was also informally involved in the development of the model with Yamaha. We did say they’d been consulting with professionals… they weren’t doing things by half measures.
But Coxon’s interest in the Pacifica SC has been more than just as a consultant – he’s come to really love the guitar as he’s spent more time with it.
“The neck is very comfortable,” Coxon explains. “The guitar seems to disappear when playing it leaving nothing between you and the sound, and those Rupert Neve pickups are flipping amazing! This guitar is getting a lot of use in the studio right now.”
Another artist who’s flying the flag for the Pacifica SC is Jack Taylor from rising British indie band Corella, and as is often the case with a Yamaha guitar, the craftsmanship and consistency have helped make him a convert.
“When I first picked up the new Pacifica SC I was really impressed by the overall build quality, every detail felt as though it’d been properly thought through and designed with intention,” Jack explains. “The stand out feature for me is the playability, it’s so easy to play I’ve found myself reaching for it more and more in our live shows. The pickups also sound great, they’re super dynamic and responsive, whilst being really defined in the top end.”
Jack Taylor of Corella performing with the Yamaha Pacifica SC.
Pushing The Boundaries
That artists are falling in love with the Pacifica SC is no surprise – it’s one of the most thoughtfully and carefully designed electric guitars on the market today, with every aspect of the design contributing to the whole.
You can see it in the body itself, which is meticulously contoured for maximum comfort. It’s a far more ergonomic proposition than a traditional single-cut, while the smoothly carved neck joint heel, and perfectly balanced design provide effortless upper fret access that allows you immersive, stress-free playing.
That body also takes advantage of Yamaha’s innovative Acoustic Design technology – a process of precisely routing the body wood to maximise resonance and vibration through the neck, and thereby enhancing the sustain.
You’ll also find it in the Reflectone pickups that Coxon was raving about. Designed in collaboration with Rupert Neve Designs, these SH pickups deliver clear, articulate tones with solid lows and sparkling highs, with the EQ-shaping Focus switch adding further tone-shaping options.
Combine all this with premium hardware from Gotoh, a wonderful selection of eye-catching classic colours, and great looks, and it’s no wonder that artists are falling head over heels with the Pacifica SC.
“I love the new Pacifica SC, it’s such a player’s guitar,” enthuses Circa Waves guitarist Joe Falconer. “It puts out a broad selection of tones that are practical in almost any situation in the studio and on stage. I love how it feels in my hands and it’ll definitely be a workhorse for me on tour over the summer.”
The professionals are already getting the message, isn’t it time for you to see if the Pacifica SC can be your new workhorse too?
Find out more about the Pacifica SC at yamahaguitargroup.com
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“The label went, ‘Steve’s got three necks and you have two. You know what you need?’ And I went, ‘Four’”: The story behind Michael Angelo Batio’s ludicrous quadruple-neck guitar
When it comes to wacky guitar design, Michael Angelo Batio has a strong claim to the crown. You probably already know him for his double neck guitar, which unlike a standard double neck guitar features two necks facing in opposite directions, but he also once designed something far weirder: a guitar with four necks.
And in a new interview with Guitar World, the guitarist recalls how a sort of rivalry with virtuoso Steve Vai led his label to push him to expand his design horizons (even further than they already were).
He explains that the inverted-commas “rivalry” came about after Vai revealed his triple-neck heart guitar while performing with David Lee Roth.
“What happened was, I had a two-neck guitar, and then Steve Vai came out with his three-neck heart guitar. My label wanted me to challenge Steve to a duel. I didn’t see the point in competitions like that.”
Adding that he didn’t want to partake in a sort of real life Crossroads guitar duel, Batio continues: “The label went, ‘Michael… Steve’s got three necks and you have two. You know what you need?’ And I went, ‘Four.’ They loved it.
“As it happened, Wayne Charvel was building all my guitars. I said to him, ‘Can you do this?’ He said, ‘Sure.’ I have a good engineering mind for guitar design, so I designed the Quad. I told him how I thought it should be four separate guitars, and that was that. It was the wildest thing. There was no limit to what we were trying to do.”
Michael Angelo Batio ultimately debuted the Quad guitar – which featured two seven-strings on top and two six-strings on the bottom – in the 1989 music video for Nitro’s Freight Train. Check it out below:
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“It became a very expensive hobby – we were getting barred from hotels we liked to stay in”: Inside the raucous touring world of the Eagles in the ’70s
Following the departure of founding guitarist Bernie Leadon in 1975 – which followed a period of creative tension and ultimately a confrontation with Glenn Frey where Leadon poured a beer over Frey’s head – the Eagles were imbued with a new rock streak with the entry of Joe Walsh.
But as Don Henley explains in the latest issue of Guitar World, the introduction of Walsh meant the raucous rock ‘n’ roll antics soon followed.
Henley explains how the addition of Walsh into the fold helped spring the band – and guitarist Don Felder – forward.
“Joe, being a bona fide rock ‘n’ roll guitar slinger, was the perfect foil for Don Felder,” he says. “They propelled one another in a friendly-but-competitive sort of way. We had upped our horsepower. This is not to take anything away from Bernie, who was – and still is – a highly-skilled musician.”
Joe Walsh also kicked the unruliness up a notch, as Henley continues: “Keith Moon [The Who drummer] and Joe were good buddies, and that, of course, led to some mischief.
“It was amusing for a little while, but it eventually became a very expensive hobby, and we were beginning to get barred from some of the hotels we liked to stay in. So after a while, the chainsaws got locked away in storage and other kinds of dramas replaced the ‘remodelling’ of rooms and hallways… But, at least Joe got a hit song out of it! [1978’s Life’s Been Good].”
Last year, Don Felder re-recorded his 1981 solo cut Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride) for his latest album The Vault – Fifty Years of Music. The song has roots in the Eagles’ late-’70s heyday, and was originally written as the ultimate guitar showdown between he and Joe Walsh.
The song was written in the wake of the band’s career-defining album and smash hit track Hotel California.
“It had a real kind of heavy hand to it and I wrote it so that Joe and I could play even harder than we did – or edgier than we did – on Hotel California, against each other,” he said. “It had harmony parts, trading-off solos and a much harder rock edge.”
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This Custom Amp Configurator from Sweetwater and Mesa Boogie lets you design the amp of your wildest dreams
Imagine having the ability to visually customise your very own Mesa Boogie amplifier online before ordering it? Now, at Sweetwater, you can.
Thanks to a new partnership between the retail giant and legendary amp maker, a new interactive Custom Amp Configurator lets customers do exactly that, creating one-of-a-kind amps that “reflect their personal style and creative vision”.
At launch, Sweetwater’s Mesa Boogie configurator features over a dozen different amp models, with more amps and custom options to come “soon”.
Customers can choose from a range of base models, including combos like the Fillmore 50, Mark Five and Mark Seven, heads including the ‘90s Dual Rectifier, Triple Crown 100 and even the JP-2C John Petrucci Signature, plus a range of cabinets.
From there, choose your material – there’s some pretty out-there options aside from the classic black or monochrome, including red or orange… – then top panel colour, grille, piping, corners and handle. You can pick any combination of colour options for each of these, with “millions of possible combinations available”, according to Sweetwater.
“The goal of the configurator is to let people truly visualise the Mesa Boogie amp they’ve been dreaming of,” says Matt Duncan, Vice President of Merchandising Operations at Sweetwater.
“When customers visit Sweetwater, they can customise their amp in real time by selecting model, custom details, and colour, and instantly see an amp that inspires them to create more music.”
“At Mesa Boogie, we’ve been crafting custom amplifiers from the very beginning, and partnering with Sweetwater allows us to elevate that tradition in an exciting new way,” adds Barry Staller, Amplifier Business Development Manager at Gibson (Mesa Boogie’s parent company).
“Our new configurator empowers players to shape their dream amp with ease and creativity. Sweetwater has always championed Mesa Boogie, and we can’t wait to see the remarkable custom builds musicians imagine.”
Check out the Mesa Boogie Custom Amp Configurator at Sweetwater, and start designing your own right now…
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Ronnie Wood announces new UK and Germany solo shows due to overwhelming demand
Last month, Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood announced a rare solo show at Amsterdam’s Paradiso, to take place in September. The gig sold out in minutes, and when he added a second night due to the phenomenal demand, so, too, did the second.
Now, due to the continued demand, Ronnie Wood has added a pair of new dates to his 2026 touring itinerary, with a show at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum on 21 August and Cologne’s E-Werk on 3 September.
Described as an “opportunity to see one of the world’s most iconic guitarists outside of his stadium performances with the Rolling Stones”, the shows will mark the first full live solo sets Ronnie Wood has played in over 16 years.
Joining Ronnie Wood and his band on the dates will be his close friend, Irish singer-songwriter Imelda May, who he’s collaborated with numerous times on record, plus live, including at the 2023 Jeff Beck Tribute Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
“I’m looking forward to kickin’ ass with my back catalogue and some new songs – look out, London!” Ronnie says.
Elsewhere, Ronnie Wood has a new book coming out this year, Fearless: The Anthology, in which he’ll chart some of the most defining moments of his career, from performing in London clubs with The Birds in the ‘60s to his five decades with the Rolling Stones. The new edition will also open up Ronnie Wood’s instrument archive, showcasing a selection of his legendary guitars and rare instruments via special photography.
In an extract exclusively shared with Guitar.com, Ronnie remembers living with guitar icon Jimi Hendrix in the late ‘60s, saying he was a “quiet flatmate”.
“He’d just sit back and play right-handed or left-handed guitar – that ambidextrousness blew my mind. If I try to play left-handed it’s like giving a child a guitar.
Ronnie Wood’s Fearless: The Anthology is available now for pre-order. Tickets for his new London and Cologne shows go on sale this Friday, 24 April at 10am local time.
Credit: Ronnie Wood
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These budget-friendly guitars just got even cheaper – check out all the Squier deals in Guitar Center’s Guitar-A-Thon sale
Looking for a cheap and cheerful guitar to use at home? Or maybe you’re a beginner and you’re looking for a budget-friendly model to get you started? Well, look no further than Guitar Center’s Guitar-A-Thon sale, where over 20 Squier models are currently reduced.
All of the Squier models that are reduced online are below $700, with the cheapest coming in at $149.99. From Stratocasters to Telecasters, and even Mustangs and Jazzmasters, there’s something for all players, and you can even save on handy bundles including soft cases, straps, and mini amps to get you started.
[deals ids=”1C7yitDz0bZnLLRzpNGQUS”]
Just one one of the highlights is the limited-edition Squier Sonic Stratocaster in a Surf Green finish. This model is now reduced to $187.49, and offers a slim C-shaped neck profile and a thin, lightweight poplar body for comfort. It’s loaded with a trio of Squier ceramic single-coil pickups and has a five-way pickup switch, master volume and two tone controls for sound shaping.
Another Sonic model, exclusive to Guitar Center, is the uber-cool Squier Sonic Mustang in Graffiti Yellow, completed by a laurel fingerboard and a thin, lightweight body, a pair of Squier single-coil pickups, and a short 24” scale length. And speaking of short scale length, be sure to check out the limited-edition Mini Stratocaster, which is perfect for small players and is now $149.99.
Credit: Guitar Center
If you’re looking for something with humbucking power, the Squier Affinity Series Telecaster HH is currently reduced as part of the Guitar-A-Thon in an open-box deal. It offers a slim C neck and maple fingerboard, and two humbucking pickups featuring an open-coil design for a “brighter, tighter tone”, according to Guitar Center.
If you’re a complete beginner looking to get all the basic necessities to start playing, including amps, cables and plectrums, then there are four bundle deals included in the sale. These are:
- Sonic Stratocaster limited-edition model in Arctic White
- Sonic Stratocaster limited-edition model with Maple fingerboard, in Sonic Blue
- Sonic Stratocaster in Black
- Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster in Black
To view the full range of Squier deals in the Guitar-A-Thon, head over to Guitar Center.
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Why Billy Corgan practiced guitar for years in total darkness
If you’re looking to play shows in dimly lit environments, you’d better know your guitar’s fretboard inside out. And how’s best to get to that point? As Billy Corgan would tell you, by practicing at length in total darkness.
In a new conversation on the And The Writer Is… podcast [via Guitar World], the Smashing Pumpkins frontman recalls his unusual practice regimen of practicing for four hours a day in the dark.
“I was the type of guy who would have a record on eight hours a day. I was literally that guy,” Corgan says, before elaborating on his decision to develop an obsessively strict practice schedule.
“I was like, ‘Okay, if I’m going to do this, I’m really going to do it.’ I made this weird decision that day: I’m going to play four hours a day. I don’t know why I picked four hours a day. I would time myself, and I would get up in the middle of night, play it in the middle of the night, in the dark, no light, and just learn how to play the guitar without seeing it.”
Corgan ultimately set a goal to practice guitar for four hours a day for four years in a row, and as you might predict, stuck to his goal.
“When I hit the four-year anniversary, I was like, ‘I’m good.’ I still practiced, but not like I did.”
So what do you think – is practicing at length in pitch-black darkness a smart way to get to know your guitar inside out, or a little overkill? We might give it a go and find out…
In the same interview, Billy Corgan touches on AI, and outlines his staunch opposition to the technology in music.
“You didn’t ask me, but I’m gonna make a declaratory statement,” he says. “I refuse, refuse, patently refuse to use AI in my music creation. Because, to me, it’s a deal with the devil. Simple. Whether it’s the Promethean fire myth or whatever, to me you’re literally leaning into the thing that will destroy you. Period.”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
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“I wake up every morning thinking about what’s on my pedalboard” Adam Granduciel on his love of effects and the next The War On Drugs album
If you’ve ever listened to The War On Drugs, you’ve probably guessed that frontman and guitarist Adam Granduciel likes his effects pedals. But you only have to broach the topic with him for a moment before it becomes apparent that he doesn’t just like pedals – he loves pedals.
“I wake up every morning thinking about what’s on my pedalboard,” he explains. “And I have so many pedalboards everywhere. I love that feeling of when you plug into one and just think, ‘Oh, that’s amazing!’”
The wonderfully dense, effected soundscapes that Granduciel has crafted to Grammy Winning-success across The War On Drugs’ discography is also notable for how heavily he leans not into the modern world of boutique effects, but the everyman excellence of the humble Boss pedal. Indeed, such is his love of Boss pedals, when we catch up with him backstage at the 2026 NAMM Show, he’s about to be honoured by Boss with a lifetime achievement award for his enduring and abiding love of the brand’s pedals – both new and old. It was a subject he was very keen to talk more about…
When did you first become aware of Boss pedals?
“I feel like, before even getting my own guitar, I was aware of Boss, because any picture you’d see when I started playing, of any band, on the floor you’d see like, yellow square, red square, purple square… y’know?
“Around this time, my friend Jeff’s dad, he had a red Washburn, a Boss RT digital effects system and a huge Peavey or whatever. And he encouraged me to play it. And the first time I played it, I couldn’t believe what I had experienced. All this chorus and distortion! So from the first time I played, I was just like I’ve got to get that sound. So I think pretty quickly I was aware of the gear that was making those things.
“I think I got my own guitar maybe a year later, and I bought Boss Flanger, and I borrowed someone’s DS-1. And then you know how it is, someone else has some other Boss pedal and so you plug into that and it’s amazing.
“And multi-effects were big then too – and they had an expression pedal! Man, I wanted one of those. But my mom was like, No, that’s too many! Just get one! So I got a flanger and maybe a wah. Boss is just one of those things that is synonymous with electric guitar playing for me.”
Obviously you could use anything at this point, what is it about Boss pedals that keeps you sticking with them?
“The sounds are just the best. I like an original 70s chorus, and then there’s an 80s one I use all the time, the pink Digital Dimension pedal, which I use on keyboards, guitar, and for re-amping. And then there’s the Slow Gear, which I use all the time, and the Dynamic Filter, which is like an auto-wah – there’s so many.
“Boss stuff, it’s all incredibly easy to figure out how to use. I was just thinking that because, [Adam starts playing around with a Roland drum machine on the desk in front of him] I can get this cooking in like, nine seconds, and it’s all just very intuitive. And that’s just the same with the Boss pedal. It just makes sense immediately, what you’re doing with it, yeah? And it’s always just been the most reliable thing, you know? Even the Boss tuner. If it’s not a Boss tuner, I don’t really trust it!”
You’re a guitar player who uses effects in such an involved but considered way, why do you love them so much?
“I’m not a guitar player who can just plug straight into a Marshall and that’s all I need – that’s not how I got into guitar. I’ve always been more into playing with like, delay and reverb. Or being like, ‘Oh, what does this modulation do?’ My style is about finding textures and ways to express myself with a guitar that feels like it’s an extension of my voice.”
Has that always been the case?
“Even when I started recording myself, it was on a Boss recorder that had all the effects sounds built into it. So I had a mic, and I would just plug the mic into the input and play the acoustic and through the headphones, it would sound like a rock guitar!
“You could add all the shit to it, and start coming up with worlds, you know? And it was a way of recording that, for me, was way cooler than, like a cassette four-track, because I didn’t have much gear. It was just like a guitar and recorder, really.”
You must still love the experimental side of pedals too…
“I have one rig at home that’s just like, seven chorus pedals with a wah at the end! Just to be like, ‘Maybe this could be something cool’. And then the studio, there’s all these different boards around. And always if I get bored, or the engineer’s like doing a mix, I’ll just start building a board! You know, get the Dual Lock! I don’t know, at this point, it’s just a way of life, you know?”
Is that experimentation maybe turning into a new The War On Drugs album?
“Yeah I’m almost done making a record, and we’re close to the end. I wanted to do something that’s not different, necessarily, in terms of the way it sounds, but something that’s trying to get back to the first couple of records I made.
“So it’s basically fully homemade. I mean, people always joke because I’m like, ‘I want to make a homemade record’. And they come to my house and my studio is like, vintage API and all my Neve stuff… and they’re like, ‘This is a homemade record?!’
“But the only way I could do this record is if I had all the time and the access to be able to do it the way I want. So, it’s coming along, but I just work on it all the time. It still sounds like a band, but there’s all sorts of stuff.”
Are there any new pedals that are heavily featuring on the new record?
“It’s always similar ones, like the Digital Dimension. I did get a Bi-Phase recently, a vintage one, so I put that on everything! I traded a whole bunch of stuff to a kid for a Bi-Phase!”
Finally then, if you could only have one Boss pedal, which one would it be?
“Oh, the Digital Dimension from the 80s. I put it on everything. It’s usually always on. I’ll have one at one setting and another one after a different setting. It just adds a glassiness. It’s not like a wobbly chorus, it’s like a very high-end shimmer. It just has something. It’s only four knobs, you know – but sometimes all of them are all the way up!”
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A petition has been started for a Randy Rhoads memorial statue in Burbank – and it’s gaining momentum fast
Many of the world’s most influential guitar players have had statues made in their honour commemorating their enduring impact. And the ones that don’t are regularly at the heart of fierce campaigns to have them recognised.
In November, it was revealed that a campaign to erect a statue in Belfast in tribute to blues icon Gary Moore had been successful, and that creation was underway.
Now, Ozzy Obsourne’s once-right-hand man Randy Rhoads is the centre of a campaign to get his statue erected in his hometown of Burbank, California.
The Randy Rhoads Memorial Project – started by musician and Randy Rhoads fan Bill Lonero – already has the backing of Randy’s sister, Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio, as well as former Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley, music photographer Neil Zlozower and Rhoads’ former Quiet Riot bandmate, bassist Kelly Garni.
At the time of writing, a petition to make the Randy Rhoads statue a reality has amassed 5,200 verified signatures on Change.org.
“Randy Rhoads is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in rock history,” says Bill Lonero. “His groundbreaking work with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot reshaped heavy metal, inspired generations of musicians around the world, and set new standards for guitar performance and composition.”
“Burbank is not just where Randy lived, it’s where he grew, where he taught, where he inspired, and where his legacy truly began,” the petition adds. “Honoring him there is more than appropriate, it’s personal. It’s meaningful. It’s home.
“If there is any place in the world that deserves to celebrate Randy Rhoads and preserve his legacy for future generations, it is the city of Burbank. Now is the time to make that recognition permanent.”
To add your signature to the petition, head over to Change.org. You can learn more at the Randy Rhoads Memorial Project.
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Ritchie Blackmore claims “most guitarists aren’t nice people”
Over his years playing in Deep Purple and Rainbow, Ritchie Blackmore has crossed paths with plenty of musicians – but that doesn’t mean he got on with all of them.
In a recent Instagram live to celebrate his 81st birthday, the guitarist reveals that, behind the scenes, he’s been quite disappointed by his guitar-playing peers. “Most guitar players aren’t nice people,” he jokingly admits.
However, that doesn’t extend to Tommy Bolin, the guitarist who joined Deep Purple in 1975 to replace Blackmore. “He was such a nice guy that I couldn’t believe he was a guitar player…” Blackmore says. “I would go around his house, and we’d often have fun just talking to each other.”
Though, he does note one flaw with Bolin’s approach to guitar. “I said to Tommy once, ‘When did you last change your strings?’ ‘cause they were so caked in dirt and grit,” he says. “And he looked at me, like, ‘I should change them?’ And I said, ‘Well, yeah.’ And he said, ‘Well, probably about five years ago!’ He was a brilliant player, a great player, but he never changed his guitar strings!”
Regardless, Blackmore stands by Bolin’s skills and the value of his friendship. He concludes by saying: “There was never ever any envy, no competition whatsoever.”
Those themes of “envy” and “competition” seem to be at the centre of Blackmore’s “guitar players aren’t nice” claim; considering the rockstar ethos can come with a side of ‘ego’, it makes sense that a sense of competition and envying others might impact how nicely an artist treats their peers.
There’s plenty of competitiveness within the guitar world, with Exodus recently declaring themselves “faster” than thrash rivals Metallica and Megadeth. However, plenty of artists are trying to cut down on the toxic mindset of guitar-playing being a “competitive sport”.
Back in 2024, Swedish star Yngwie Malmsteen took to Instagram to encourage people to stop focusing on guitar rivalries and competitiveness. “Even if you are making a career out of it, if you play with the thought that I’m going to compete with another guitar player or another musician, you will be miserable,” he wrote. “Competition is for sports and athletes, not for guitar playing, period. [Guitar playing is] not a competition. The instrument of the guitar is to be played and enjoyed at any level.”
Last year, Mateus Asato shared similar reflections in his Guitar.com cover story. “After I won a guitar contest, I realised I never want to mix those things again in my life…” he said. “I understood that if I didn’t win, that would have probably sent me down a very melancholic road where I’d have probably decided that I did not want to play guitar any more… I know now that it’s not about competition.”
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“There’s so much hate and fear – it’s such a drag”: Dave Grohl speaks on the state of American politics
While the Foo Fighters aren’t known for having outwardly political lyrics, frontman Dave Grohl has previously stated that it’s “pretty easy to figure out where [he falls] on the map”. Consider the band’s response to Donald Trump’s 2024 election campaign, which saw him using the track My Hero without permission; the band denounced the usage, then donated all the royalties to Democrat Kamala Harris’ rivalling campaign.
In a new interview with the Irish Times, Grohl allows another glimpse into his political leanings, reflecting on how divided America is in its current state. “It’s hard not to feel political living in America, where we’re deeply divided,” he says. “There’s injustice, and there’s so much hate and fear, and it’s such a drag.”
“I try to love everyone, because I think that’s what you’re supposed to do – and I do,” he continues. “But there needs to be change in that direction, and it’s been hard to find in the States.”
While it’s unclear whether the upcoming Foo Fighters record, Your Favourite Toy, is set to explore more political themes, Grohl takes a moment to praise Neil Young’s candid political lyricism. “Fucking Neil Young is angrier than ever – jeez, Louise,” Grohl says.
Not only has Young previously pursued legal action against Trump for using his music without permission on presidential campaigns, but Young also released a track aimed at the US President just last year. Big Crime was directed squarely at Trump, with the rocker proclaiming: “Got to get the fascists out, got to clean the White House out… No more ‘great again’”
Back in 2017, following Trump’s first political win, Grohl voiced similar fears, noting how a “conservative wave” had washed over America. “I’m looking at a candidate that has blatant disregard for the future environmentally [or] when it comes to women’s rights,” he told Kerrang! magazine. “I have three daughters that are going to survive me for decades – how are they going to get on unless there’s some positive and progressive change?”
Grohl isn’t the only musician critiquing Trump at the moment. Just a few days ago, Jack White was hot on Trump’s tail following the President seemingly likening himself to Jesus Christ, posting an AI-generated image of him ‘healing’ veterans.
“How did so many millions of people fall for this conman?” White ponders in an Instagram post. “He’s already got worst President in the history of America on lock, but I’m gonna go ahead and take the honour of pronouncing Trump ‘Worst American of All Time.’”
The Foo Fighters’ new record, Your Favourite Toy, drops Friday 24 April.
The post “There’s so much hate and fear – it’s such a drag”: Dave Grohl speaks on the state of American politics appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Iron Maiden aren’t attending their Rock Hall induction ceremony – but not for the reason you might think
After many years of fans believing Iron Maiden were entitled to a place, the British metal icons are finally set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
It turns out that Maiden won’t be attending the ceremony in November, but not for the reasons you might immediately think.
In the past, Bruce Dickinson – as well as bassist and bandleader Steve Harris – has spoken repeatedly about his disinterest in joining the Rock Hall, even calling the institution an “utter and complete load of bollocks” during a spoken word tour in 2018. He even said he’d “refuse” an induction if offered, according to the Jerusalem Post.
But their snub of the 2026 ceremony has nothing to do with their previous distaste for the institution, but rather due to scheduling conflicts, as the band will be in Australia on their Run For Your Lives tour.
“As the most observant have already noticed, the band will be on tour in Australia around the November date of the Induction ceremony for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles,” Maiden manager Rod Smallwood tells Billboard [via Louder].
“In accepting, Iron Maiden made it very clear to the R&R HoF that the fans always come first and that the shows will of course go on.”
“We would like to assure all our fans in Australasia that the Australian and New Zealand dates will remain unaffected, and we look forward to bringing the Run For Your Lives Tour to them on the penultimate stop of our 50th anniversary celebrations.”
Smallwood thanked the Rock Hall for Iron Maiden’s induction last week, saying: “Iron Maiden have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades. However, having said that, it’s always nice to be recognised and honoured for any achievements within the music industry too!”
Also among the list of 2026 Rock Hall inductees are Oasis, Billy Idol, Wu-Tang Clan, Joy Division/New Order and Phil Collins.
Like Iron Maiden, Oasis have shared similar less-than-positive takes on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the past, with Liam Gallagher writing on X after the announcement of Oasis’s induction last week, somewhat sarcastically:
“I wanna thank all the people who voted for us. It’s a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about one day being in the RnR hall of fame. It’s true what they say, anything is possible if you have a dream.”
I wanna thank all the people who voted for us it’s a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about 1 day being in the RnR hall of fame it’s true what they say anything is possible if you have a dream LG x
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) April 14, 2026
This year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on 14 November.
Learn more at rockhall.com.
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“I wanted to give Ozzy one last hug, but I realised I probably wasn’t needed”: Gus G on his omission from Black Sabbath’s final concert
From Metallica, to Guns N’ Roses, to Slayer, the Back To The Beginning line-up was certainly star-studded. However, not everyone was fortunate enough to receive an invite – including Ozzy Osbourne’s ex-guitarist, Gus G.
Despite serving as Ozzy’s lead guitarist between 2009 and 2017, Gus reveals that he was never asked to attend Black Sabbath’s triumphant farewell show. Speaking on the Signals From Mars podcast, he explains: “I would’ve definitely loved to be there. I really wanted to see Ozzy one last time, to give him one last hug.”
However, Gus doesn’t hold any resentment over his lack of invitation. Plenty of killer guitarists were in attendance, including his predecessor Zakk Wylde (who proved to be his eventual successor, when he reclaimed his role in Ozzy’s band in 2017). “I realise that I probably wasn’t really needed there – there were so many other people!” he admits. “So, it didn’t really bother me in that sense.”
Instead of ruminating on how he wasn’t able to attend, Gus instead focuses on how impressive the event was. “My mindset was more as a fan,” he explains. “When I saw the press release, I was like ‘Oh, cool! Ozzy’s finally doing his last show! He really wanted to get back on stage… and he’s gonna go out in the biggest way possible!’”
The excitement surrounding the gig was also somewhat overshadowed by one of Gus’ own personal milestones – the birth of his first child. “I had my kid the day before the show in Birmingham…” he smiles. “Wven if I was invited, I probably would’ve had to sit out of the rehearsals… I just came to the realisation that I had something much more important that I should be attending.”
While he may not have performed alongside Ozzy last July, nothing can take away Gus’ impact on Ozzy’s career. Even if we consider Nuno Bettencourt’s involvement in Back To The Beginning, the Extreme guitarist famously auditioned for Ozzy’s band and was ultimately turned down – Gus, in contrast, was Ozzy’s right-hand man for 8 strong years.
Not only is Gus is one of a small handful of guitarists to have served in Ozzy’s band, he also had the honour of appearing on Ozzy’s 2010 record, Scream. With all that in mind, Gus feels pretty positive about things. Whenever someone focuses on the “pity” of him not attending Ozzy’s last show, he believes that to be “looking at it from half-empty glass” perspective.
“You hear all these stories from all these incredible legendary players [about] how they auditioned… and then those guys never got the gig…” he reflects. “I’ve read a lot of those stories since Ozzy’s passing… and think ‘Wow, they must have auditioned everybody in Hollywood’. Just by putting all these stories together, [I can tell] how rare it was.”
“What were the chances of a guy like me – a kid from Greece, not even from America, that has really no history in heavy metal – to even get to that level,” he continues. “[To have the chance] to be there in that room with them and to get the stamp of approval. So, to me, that means everything. It’s like one of those stamp of approvals that is for life.”
He also expresses gratitude over just how long he was able to stand by Ozzy’s side. “It’s incredible that I got to do a whole album [with Ozzy], because I was originally signed to do an album and a tour, and I ended up being with the Osbournes for about seven years,” he explains. “I got a lot more time with Ozzy on stage and off stage than I was offered originally. So, I have no complaints.”
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