After 20 years in the punk rock trenches, The Menzingers have learned a lot
The Menzingers are from Scranton, Pennsylvania, home of the American version of The Office and… well, that’s it.
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“I was just lying on a stretcher with intravenous liquid going in”: Ghost’s Tobias Forge remembers the severe food poisoning that forced him to cancel Mexico gig last year
The costumed hard rockers scrapped the first of three shows in Mexico City,
“It starts out polite but then gets loud, dirty and nasty enough to pick a fight with fuzz”: Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Booster review
Warm Audio revives the Dirty Boy Ball Buster circuit but without the boutique price tag.
Jimmy Eat World: ‘None of us can really believe that we’re still here’
EXCLUSIVE: Jimmy Eat World open up on nurturing their 25-year-old album Bleed American.
Bad Bunny caught up in copyright case that could see massive consequences for reggaeton as a genre
Bad Bunny has become embroiled in a legal battle that could have huge consequences for the reggaeton scene and its producers.
How Tool, slowly but surely, went prog rock
Atmospheric soundscapes building into prog metal workouts replaced the abrasiveness of their early work with a desire to break boundaries
“I’m probably the only director who always has a guitar on his set”: Robert Rodriguez, the filmmaker behind From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City, and Spy Kids, lifts the lid on his guitar collection, including two guitars previously owned by Stevie Ray Vaug
The filmmaker takes us through his extensive guitar collection, including gifts from the likes of Billy Gibbons and Kirk Hammett,
Elvis ex Linda Thompson returns to King’s grave in ‘sombre, bittersweet’ visit
Elvis Presley's old flame returned to Graceland, where she lived with the King of Rock and Roll for almost five years.
“At around $69, it’s hard to think of another pedal that’s so cheap, so reliable, and that so many famous players continue to use on their boards”: Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive review
We find out if the iconic yellow box of tone still has a place in the modern world
Eastwood debuts the Micawber, a Keith Richards-inspired Tele-type factory-fitted with five strings
Canadian manufacturer Eastwood Guitars is adding to its hot streak of recent vintage-inspired builds by crafting the Micawber, a five-string T-type inspired by Keith Richards' iconic Tele and his trademark open G tuning.
Audio-Technica AT-ERP5 earplugs review
These swanky gigging earplugs from Audio-Technica are remarkably clear and eminently attenuative
“The studio manager came out with a guitar case and said, ‘We have something here that Jimi might have wanted you to have’”: Peter Frampton on how he ended up with one of Jimi Hendrix’s most experimental instruments
Peter Frampton has looked back on how he got his hands on one of Jimi Hendrix’s most experimental instruments – which he later used in David Bowie’s band
“Prince liked it loud on stage - Your head would be vibrating after those shows. Your body and your mind were shaken to the core”: We find out what it was really like being on-stage with Prince
In the wake of 1984’s 25 million copy-selling cultural phenomenon Purple Rain, Prince was elevated into the position he was born to occupy, as the world’s foremost rock god.
“We made a lot of decisions that really pissed off our customers”: Guitar Center CEO explains how customer feedback is helping to turn the chain around
Gabe Dalporto had a huge task ahead of him when he became Guitar Center CEO in late 2023. There is still work to do, but he feels the stores’ recent success has come from player feedback helping steer its ship.
“Playing with her taught me how it feels to situate oneself within great songs”: Phoebe Bridgers’ new album features one of the most eclectic guitar lineups we’ve seen in years – including an industrial-metal icon and the son of a rock legend
Phoebe Bridgers’ new album, Lost Weekend, arrived on Friday (August 14), and the album’s credits have revealed a bumper cast of guitarists across its 16 tracks.
“I was 18 when I recorded it, so we didn’t know anything about writing, about recording, about singing”: Nightwish’s Floor Jansen on her worst album – and the prog metal deep cut which makes her cry
The velvet-voiced symphonic metal singer details the soundtrack of her life
“We wish him the best in his future endeavours”: Slipknot confirm that Sid Wilson is no longer a member of the band
Slipknot have confirmed that Sid Wilson, their DJ and keyboard player has left the band. In an Instagram post that has now been taken down, the band have said: “Effective immediately, Slipknot will no longer be associated with Sid Wilson. We wish him the best in his future endeavours.” The split was first floated by TMZ in late July. That same day, Slipknot guitarist Jim Root cautioned on Instagram that fans should take that report with a pinch of salt, writing: “Don’t believe everything you read. Stop. Think. Take a breath.
“He heard us playing his song electric. You could see the gears grinding in his head. It was like watching a slow-motion lightning bolt”: How The Byrds reinvented a great Bob Dylan song and inspired Dylan to revolutionise his music
It was the first Dylan track to land at No 1 despite him not playing on it
“We were just looking at each other like, ‘Holy crap,’ Like, he has turned back time”: Geddy Lee talks about the vocal prep he had to do for Rush’s 50 Something tour
We’ve heard about the preparation that new drummer Anika Nilles had to put in ahead of Rush’s 50 Something tour, but what about the other two? Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have both had to get match fit after a decade’s absence from the live stage.
“The idea came from Bowie and Star Wars”: We speak to Ash’s Tim Wheeler about the making of their beloved sci-fi love song
Ash’s Tim Wheeler remembers the creation of the band’s most popular song - written while they were still at school!
“Brian May got on the phone to me and said, ‘You have to look at what we just did’”: How a Fender Strat anniversary event led to Queen’s first world tour since Freddie Mercury’s death
Back in 2005, Brian May and Roger Taylor embarked on their first full Queen world tour since the death of their enigmatic frontman, Freddie Mercury.
“I wasn’t there to play correct notes. I was there to see old friends”: Ritchie Blackmore opens up on his Deep Purple reunion performance
It was a huge cause for celebration when Ritchie Blackmore stepped on stage with Deep Purple for the first time in over three decades last week.
“A superbly built, affordable reverb pedal that rivals pricier competitors”: Klowra Limbo reverb review
This fully loaded reverb proves that affordable pedals can more than hold their own against the big guns
How Nektar resurrected themselves with The Other Side
The UK prog legends took on a surrogate line-up and reclaimed their prog crown with 2020 album The Other Side
Queens Of The Stone Age announce album title via game of five-finger fillet
Queens Of The Stone Age have confirmed their new album title via the medium of five-finger fillet. It is believed to be the first time that the dangerous game – in which participants rapidly stab a knife back and forth between their spread-eagled fingers – has been used in such a manner.
Royal Blood confirm UK tour with tickets out this week
Royal Blood fans can finally see the band perform in the coming months with brand new music.
J.J. Cale keeps it short on the easygoing Okie
“The album’s brevity is its biggest advantage.
Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week: August 17, 2026
Eight songs you need to hear right now, from Green Lung, Castle Rat,
“I was there to heal any wounds.” Ritchie Blackmore reflects on “emotional” onstage reunion with Deep Purple
Ritchie Blackmore says his recent onstage reunion with Deep Purple after three decades of estrangement was a chance to heal old wounds.
“I think they actually thought I was going to die, but they never took steps to kick me out of the band, which I can’t believe”: How Mike McCready overcame his addictions to form a grunge supergroup
Emerging from rehab in 1994 gave McCready a sense of purpose and clarity,
“They’re so scarce. Fender only made 200 and the majority of them have been monkeyed with”: The Stratocaster was in constant flux during its first year of production – and these two 1954 models prove it
We take a closer look at a pair of Strats that might share a birthday but have quite different sounds and specs,
Prog icon Kevin Ayers’ daughter rebelled against music, then returned
Galen Ayers discusses her late dad Kevin, babysitters Robert Fripp and Daevid Allen,
Mick Jagger’s favourite song revealed - and it’s a blues classic
The front man of The Rolling Stones has revealed his favourite hit.
“That‘s what I sang when I opened my mouth that day. It’s like verbal jazz”: How Phil Collins turned a moment of improvisation into the massive hit single that launched his solo career
Phil Collins has been in the news recently due to his revelation that he nearly died in 2024 as a result of alcohol addiction. But amid the drama, it’s easy to overlook the fact that he’s one of the most successful musicians the UK has produced, from his days in prog-era Genesis, through that band’s transformation into one of the biggest bands of the 80s and his own ubiquity as a solo star during that decade and beyond – even if it made him one of the most reviled stars of the era.
“A very versatile wah pedal that has you covered for whatever style of music you play”: Dunlop Cry Baby BB535 Reissue review
First seen in 1994, updated in 1999 and reissued in 2026, Dunlop’s Cry Baby now comes with even more versatility
Top UK business brains rank music ‘best’ for developing essential work skills
Music is being crowned the ultimate builder of skills bosses can't find, but the pipeline behind it is thinning so fast it's hard to ignore.
Elvis death: The final record King played and book he was reading when he died
Elvis Presley's Graceland upstairs is where The King died and it's meticulously preserved to this day. Here's what the last record he played was and the book he was reading on the toilet when he was struck by a fatal heart attack at just 42.
“I was a session guitarist for a bit, which is unbelievable because I can’t read music. I used to pretend to flip the music sheets during sessions!” Dan Hawkins says it’s a miracle The Darkness have survived so long
His most prized Gibson was made for Jimmy Page and contains an Angus Young pickup. He knows the difference between opening for Metallica and Iron Maiden. He knows kids hate AI.
Learn the all-purpose passing chord – the get-out-of-jail-free hack used by everyone from Kurt Cobain to Billie Joe Armstrong
You’ve heard it in Smells Like Teen Spirit and countless other grunge and punk classics.
“Mutt said, ‘Give it a go, and if it doesn’t work get rid of the guy.’ And that’s exactly what we had to do, because Jim was less than useless!”: Why Def Leppard couldn’t make their monster hit Hysteria with Jim Steinman as producer
“The food budget for the Steinman sessions was probably as much money as The Dark Side Of The Moon cost to record”
Taylor Swift superfan Kitty dreams of playing guitar with a bionic arm
11-year-old singer Kitty already fronts a pop band - but now she wants to be able to play guitar too - just like the world's biggest music superstar.
“Lindsey was beating his guitar as hard as he could and screaming his lungs out. The first time I heard it, I thought, ‘What the heck is going on?’”: Inside the making of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours
Fleetwood Mac’s mega-selling Rumours has become so central to the canon of rock history that all keen novice record collectors automatically make a beeline for it. Start with Rumours, and build outwards from there is the received wisdom.
How misfit Jordan Rudess found his space in Dream Theater
He was training to be a classical pianist when prog exploded into his life,
Abbath drummer apologises to fans as frontman abandons festival set after two minutes
An Abbath festival performance was abandoned after just two minutes on Friday when the band's frontman left the stage in anger.
“It changed what we thought was possible for electric guitars”: How a $20 box designed for cheap speakers became the secret weapon behind Metallica’s massive Black Album guitar sounds
How the SRS WOW Thing became an unlikely studio must-have,
“Frank who? They were like, ‘Frank Ocean!’ He listened halfway through, took a picture, and posted it”: How Cashier’s DIY alt-rock sound is winning them fans in high places
“Frank who?” Kylie Gaspard is describing her inbox flooding with DMs from her friends about a guy named Frank sharing Beginner, a song by her alt-rock band, Cashier. “They were like, ‘Frank Ocean!’,” laughs Gaspard, vocalist of the Lafayette, Louisiana-based band. “He listened halfway through, took a picture and posted it. I think it’s in a Rolls Royce. Really crazy, super surreal, and really awesome. He's everything.” “He’s one of the best artists of the past 15 years, for sure,” says Cashier lead guitarist Jo Perillo.
Tarja Turunen‘s decade of development led to diverse new album Frisson Noir
It may sound risky to put Dani Filth, Chad Smith,
“He said, ‘How about Slayer with special guests Slayer?’ We went, ‘Wow, that could be crazy’”: The bizarre story of Slayer vs Slayer, the 80s metal Battle Of The Bands with only one winner
Two bands, one name, one crazy gig – this is what happened when a pre-fame Slayer shared a bill with another band named Slayer
“One of the most impressive designs we’ve encountered in quite a while”: Valiant Mercury Distressed review
A guitar built in Ukraine that nods to the familiar yet brims with ideas to set it apart from the mundane
How rhythm and lead techniques can combine for the ultimate blues solo – especially in a trio
This lesson presents an improvised blues solo as a launchpad for your own improv
“We wanted people to say, ‘Wow, that’s Cypress Hill?’”: Cypress Hill’s beat-master Eric Bobo tells us why the band recorded their new album entirely in Spanish
Percussionist Eric Bobo reveals how Cypress Hill embraced their Latino roots on their first full-length Spanish-language album
What’s the greatest singer/guitarist partnership of all time?
Consider Liam and Noel Gallagher, the wily Mancunians who conquered the world captaining the mega-ship that was Oasis. The former was the ultimate frontman – the lightning rod and mouthpiece with endless swagger and an inimitable voice. The latter (though he certainly wasn’t soft-spoken when a journalist’s microphone was around) was the studio craftsman, shaping the band’s enormous sound, and penning those steamroller riffs and choruses that’ve gone ‘round the world a million times over.
“He couldn’t resist the offer to trade it for the car of his dreams”: The story of Danny Gatton’s strange, magical ’53 Telecaster – and where it is today
With a Willie Nelson autograph carved into the finish and a mount for a “Magic Dingus Box” controller,
Phil Collins on the chances of releasing new music: “There are things which are finished”
When Genesis wrapped up their hugely successful The Last Domino? reunion tour in March 2022, it wasn’t just the end of the road for one of the most successful British bands of the last 50 years, it also marked Phil Collins’ own swansong as a live performer.
“When Kraftwerk became an institution we stopped being contemporary. Instead we became salesmen of nostalgia”: Karl Bartos reflects on the end of Kraftwerk’s golden era
Kraftwerk’s Karl Bartos told us how the German pioneers' embrace of computerisation was the trigger for his departure
Weezer tickets and where to buy them after general onsale ends
Weezer fans can still secure tickets to the UK shows in Weezer’s world tour.
Stackridge’s Monty Python-like experience with The Man In The Bowler Hat
A unique band with a comedy edge,
Nine Steve Earle albums you should listen to and one to avoid
With or without The Dukes, Steve Earle is a true rock’n’roll maverick,
The story behind Kiss’s ultimate party anthem, Rock And Roll All Nite
“Every night we play it,
The gospel according to Peter Frampton
The wisdom of Peter Frampton: Music is the best medicine. Always sit up straight. A good curry makes life worth living.
Slipknot confirm Sid Wilson is no longer in the band, then delete posts
The worst-kept secret in heavy metal is finally out: Sid Wilson is no longer a member of Slipknot. The band made the announcement in typically mysterious fashion, revealing that Slipknot's turntablist and keyboardist was no longer a member of the Iowa outfit, before deleting the social media posts in question. "Effective immediately, Slipknot will no longer be associated with Sid Wilson," read the band's posts. "We wish him the best in his future endeavours."
Metal Hammer's tracks of the week: August 14 2026
Mastodon, Green Lung and Noctule are among the best new metal songs you need to hear this week
“It was the closest thing to anarchy I’ve ever seen. I didn’t like it one bit.” How Green Day’s performance at the second festival of peace and love ended in chaos and violence
Staged in August 1994, Woodstock II was supposed to be all about good vibes.
“It may not be perfect, but it is a bargain”: Valeton GP-5 review
Valeton takes the miniature to the extreme with a fully capable amp modeler and multi-effects – with NAM compatibility to boot
“Makes you realise just how good budget guitars have become”: Harley Benton ST-62LA review
Hand-relic’d with a spec sheet that doesn’t get old,
“One of the secrets that they will deny to this day was that they could not come up with the sound that I wanted”: Why Ritchie Blackmore’s iconic Marshall stacks were actually Vox amps in disguise
Ritchie Blackmore may be forever associated with stacks upon stacks of Marshalls. However, it turns out that, at least at the beginning of his Deep Purple years, his Marshalls were actually Voxes – a fact he says Marshall wanted to keep on the down-low.
Decoding the notes between the notes – a guide to microtonal guitar
Ready for a math and history lesson?
“I asked what the artist’s name was. He said, ‘Meat Loaf.’ I thought he was joking. He said, ‘Just show up at the studio tomorrow…’” Bass journeyman Kasim Sulton on Meat Loaf, Todd Rundgren, Joan Jett, the New Cars, and the hand he never got to shake
Keeping his bass rig simple for the most part, he recalls the fun of overplaying on Bat Out of Hell while thinking it would sink without trace,
“At this price point, there is no room for anything other than excellence, and despite a few niggles, that is what this guitar delivers”: Gibson ES-335 ’50s review
Harking back to the golden age of guitar innovation,
Roxy Music invented sci-fi rock just when it was needed most
The early 70s was a strange period that needed a strange soundtrack.
EMF keyboardist Derran ‘Derry’ Brownson dead at 55
EMF keyboardist Derran 'Derry' Brownson has died, aged 55. The Forest of Dean alt. rock band announced the passing of their friend and bandmate on social media earlier today, August 14. "Late last night we started to hear the news that we have lost our Brother In Arms Derran Brownson," they posted alongside a photo of the keyboardist. "We are devastated, the only solace we can find is that we are eternally grateful Derry was able to join us on stage a couple times just a few short months back.
The day that Metallica trolled the world
How Metallica had the last laugh at Glastonbury 2014, and became the first metal band ever to headline the festival
SampleRadar: 505 free rave synths samples
Today's edition of SampleRadar revisits the gloriously euphoric sounds of the '90s rave scene. Yes, we're aware that it's 2026 and the pills have long since worn off, but the synths, samples and studio techniques that defined this era remain as culturally relevant as ever.
“When I saw he was the one buying it, it made selling it feel a little better”: Country star surprises seller as he personally shows up to buy Facebook Marketplace find
Facebook Marketplace has plenty of deals, but when one user listed his Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar for sale, he didn’t expect a country star to pick it up.
Suno’s Studio 2.0 adds an AI chatbot that can control your project, transform sounds and generate custom plugins
The update also brings a number of more conventional features like MIDI support,
Fender Japan’s new Stratocaster collection is inspired by Kyoto, katanas and matcha: “Designs that symbolize its unique world”
The Made in Japan Limited Japan-Inspired Collection Stratocaster celebrates Japanese culture with five fresh aesthetics
“We were opening for ZZ Top at Madison Square Garden. I told the guys, ‘I’ll go out there and blow for 60 seconds, then we’ll go into the first tune.’ I hit the first chord and my Marshall blew up”: Richie Sambora on Bon Jovi’s nightmare arena debut
The old saying, ‘everyone has to start somewhere,’ has been repeated a billion times in a billion contexts for a reason – it's true for even the most successful in any field.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it. But it’s in the can.” Weezer will release their own movie starring Keanu Reeves next year
Weezer will release their own movie next year, with Keanu Reeves starring alongside the Los Angeles geek rock kings.
Hot new prog from Asia, Maiah Wynne, Jonas Bjerre and more in Prog’s brand new Tracks Of The Week
Top new proggy sounds you must hear from Exist Immortal, Hippotraktor, Dualisis,
Get your grunge on with 25% off Nixon’s eye-popping Nirvana watches - but be quick
Nixon watches have a long history of collaborations with music artists, including past partnerships with Metallica, the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones. Sadly, all those watch designs have long since sold out - but one that’s still going strong is the American brand’s Nirvana watch range.
“When I heard Anna play, I thought, ‘How the hell is that sound coming out of a 22-year-old’s fingers?’” Alice Cooper’s guitar trio on how a wunderkind from England replaced Nita Strauss – and tackled the Godfather of Shock Rock’s most challenging tracks
Not just anyone could temporarily fill Strauss’ shoes in Alice Cooper’s band.
How Pete Townshend’s drunken night with two Sex Pistols inspired The Who’s last classic song with Keith Moon: “I used to go to clubs and get insulted. Just stand there and endure these snotty little kids saying, ‘Boring old fart!’”
Townshend took punk seriously but refused to be cast off as an irrelevant rock dinosaur
Ronnie Wood joins Joe Perry and Johnny Depp for two blues rock classics with the Hollywood Vampires
Rolling Stones veteran Ronnie Wood has added some extra star power to the Hollywood Vampires as they kicked off their European tour in London.
“This is a new sound, you’re going to see some freaky-looking dudes going nuts onstage!’” How Korn launched nu metal – and got in legal hot water – with their incendiary debut single Blind
When Jonathan Davis brought Blind from an old band to Korn, it kick-started a genre,
Check yourself (before you wreck yourself): It’s MusicRadar’s Quiz of the Week #17!
Moving. Shaking. Rocking. Rolling. The world of music never stands still and keeping up with the pace can prove quite the burden… But don't worry. We're here to help.
The unlikeliest collab of the year? Hear Godflesh frontman Justin Broadrick play guitar on new song by pop superstar Phoebe Bridgers
Bridgers’ long-awaited album, Lost Weekend,
Pink Floyd: The inside story of the tour that killed the band
Also in Classic Rock 357: Aerosmith, Faster Pussycat, Blackie Lawless, Airbourne, Bruce Hornsby, Carmine Appice, Billy Morrison, Amy Lee,
The MusicRadar app is live, and free on iOS and Android - grab it today
Everyone has one these days, and now so does MusicRadar. What’s that, we hear you cry? An app, of course, now available for free for iPhone, iPad and Android.
“We always recorded with Michael in the dark - he hated light. The studio was absolutely dark”: Behind the scenes of Michael Jackson’s monster hit
Back in 2009, we spoke with Thriller’s legendary recording engineer Bruce Swedien,
Big Country Redux guitarist Bruce Watson picks the soundtrack of his life
“The Rolling Stones are the quietest band on stage I’ve heard in my life.
Deep Purple are in their seventh decade and they still have things to say
“There was no joy, no happiness on stage.
“There isn’t a bad sound here”: Attic Audio Putty review
Delivering always on tone-sweetening and heavy, saturated fuzz,
Brian May confesses to Freddie Mercury clash over Queen hit
Freddie Mercury shut down Brian May with seven blunt words.
“Robert Plant sat at the back. You could see his brain ticking away, thinking, ‘I should do this.’ That’s what I like”: What drives the prog veteran who’s been compared to God?
With 100 albums to his name, prime mover of folk rock Ashley Hutchings has never run out of creative goals.
“I wasn’t feeling much of anything by the time it was released.” Failure’s brilliant third album Fantastic Planet should have made them superstars. Instead, it broke their hearts and split the band
Released on August 13, 1996, Failure’s Fantastic Planet is beloved by Deftones, Tool, Paramore and a new generation of music fans,
The guitar genius of Ritchie Blackmore in 5 classic tracks: “There is nothing cooler on record than the dimension-altering alliance of Blackmore, Roger Glover’s bass and Lord’s Hammond organ”
With Blackmore returning onstage with Deep Purple for the first time since '93, we unpack his explosive talents over a handful of tracks (none of which are Smoke On The Water)
Louder Than Life has announced set times - get planning on how you’ll be spending your time at America’s largest rock and metal festival and grab tickets while you still can
Louder Than Life, America’s largest rock and metal festival, has officially announced the set times for its colossal 2026 edition, meaning you can get planning on how you'll be spending your weekend. And if you haven't got tickets yet, don't panic; there's still time to secure your place at what will surely be one of this year's most unforgettable, action-packed weekends.
Why Steve Howe’s favourite Yes songs are mainly from the 1970s
Asked to select his five top tracks from his band’s career, he goes back in time to Fragile, Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans,
Johnny Depp rocks with his Hollywood Vampires band in epic new London O2 footage
Last night, I witnessed Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry's band, the Hollywood Vampires, return to London's The O2 for their first show there in three years, featuring a special cameo by a Rolling Stones legend.
“An effects unit aimed squarely at those who want a fast, powerful way to experiment with sound”: Soma Laboratory Warp review
Warp’s 15 algorithms take in things like reverb, delay and compression – but in typical Soma style,
Travis Barker’s new doc is out today - here’s 8 other drummers whose incredible stories deserve to be told on screen
From overcoming severe adversity and industry exploitation to battling stage fright, sexism, and sudden loss,
“I don’t want to say The Beatles cleared it, but somebody at EMI or Apple. So whoever you were that did it, thank you. Thank you, Sir Paul”: Mike D on how the Beastie Boys got away with sampling five Beatles songs on Paul’s Boutique
Ahead of the release of his debut solo album, Mike D looks back at the audacious,
“Our producer worked with Ozzy Osbourne, so I said, ‘What if Ozzy sang on this song?’ But then I said, ‘How about Rob Halford? The Metal God!’ They all went, ‘Nah, that’s a crazy dream’”: When the Judas Priest legend teamed up with Five Finger Death
“Rob is really into heavy metal, like really into it.
“They got kicked out of their band because they wanted to shave their heads and call it Turd”: The story of Mr Bungle – how Mike Patton’s ex-high-school band made one of the strangest debut albums in heavy metal history
On this day in 1991, Mr Bungle’s self-titled debut came out – confusing many but inspiring Korn,
How to watch star-studded new film If These Walls Could Rock
Slash, Dave Grohl, Lzzy Hale, Joe Elliott,
“We didn’t know if people were going to like it. Jethro Tull was a blues band, and they were like, ‘What’s happened to you?’” Martin Barre on the making of the Jethro Tull album that signaled their shift to prog – even if critics called it “lame and dumb”
It was 1970. The British prog institution was in transition, full of inspiration, and ready to do what it takes.
“Music has always been my first language. Justice has always been my inheritance. Contra-ICE is where those two lineages meet”: Ad-Rock, Tom Morello, Kathleen Hanna and others team up for Anti-ICE benefit album
Tom Morello, Ad-Rock and Kathleen Hanna are among the artists that have joined forces for an Anti-ICE benefit album.
“As a bona fide guitar nerd this is the epitome, this is the high-water mark”: Martin unveils a pair of Joe Bonamassa signature acoustics based on a 1937 pre-War vintage unicorn
The 00-18 Joe Bonamassa and its more affordable 00-10E Retro are based on a '37 shade-top of incalculable mojo
Roxy Music share previously unreleased 1971 demo of Grey Lagoons as they announce For Your Pleasure Deluxe Edition
Roxy Music will reissue second album, For Your Pleasure, as a four-disc Super Deluxe Edition, double CD,
“I didn’t mean to break up my bass, but we don’t play music to get full cans of soda thrown at us”: Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament recalls the wild night that brought his custom “NBA” bass to a brutal end
Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament has owned plenty of memorable bass guitars, but few have a story as wild as the “NBA” basses built by renowned Seattle builder Mike Lull. The distinctive custom basses became some of Ament’s most recognizable instruments – and some of his most spectacularly ill-fated.
“I had this gig with Slash. I didn’t have a guitar at my house, but Martin had just sent these two over…” Joe Bonamassa has a new Martin signature– and he's already played it live with a guitar legend
Martin has partnered with Joe Bonamassa for two signature guitars that pay tribute to one of his most prized vintage acoustics.
“I’ve tested my fair share of import guitars – this Hawk flies above the rest”: Washburn Hawk review
There’s plenty to love about this refreshed reissue of Washburn's original Hawk guitar
Why Jeff Beck said no to replacing Eric Clapton in the Bluesbreakers: “He called my mum several times. She said, ‘That John Mayall sounds very nice!’”
Jeff Beck was once asked to follow in Eric Clapton’s post-Yardbirds footsteps when he was scouted by John Mayall for the Bluesbreakers.
“Managed to avoid dying, so that was a good start”: Gofundme launched for beloved Metal Hammer and Prog writer Dom Lawson following heart attack at Bloodstock festival
A Gofundme has been set up in support of beloved heavy metal journalist Dom Lawson, after he suffered a heart attack at Bloodstock Open Air festival over the weekend.
“I was just stroking Hamer, to be honest!” Brad Gillis on the story behind his 1985 custom Hamer S-style
It would take a lot for Brad Gillis to sit his beloved '62 Strat down for five minutes to play something else, but in the late '80s, Hamer had it. Here we take a (quick) trip down memory to learn a little more about the guitar that put Bubba in the corner.
“It’s a sick, twisted song. I thought it was a love song. Just like all those people that get married to it not realising it’s a dark, demented track”: Stewart Copeland on The Police’s double-edged classic
Stewart Copeland spoke to MusicRadar back in 2019 and gave us his honest take on some of The Police’s most celebrated work
Watch Ritchie Blackmore perform onstage with Deep Purple for the first time in more than 30 years: “A couple of days ago I got a message from a local lad, ‘I only live ‘round the corner – do you mind if I come and jam?’
Blackmore joined his former bandmates for a storming rendition of Smoke On The Water
Brian May asked AI to recreate the cover of Queen’s The Game. He wasn’t happy with the results: “So this is the kind of intelligence that will soon be ruling the world??!”
Brian May has said that “we don’t actually need AI” and to prove a point he’s ‘created’ an appallingly-bad version of an old Queen album sleeve using the technology.
It actually happened: watch Ritchie Blackmore reunite with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years
Ritchie Blackmore reunited with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years last night, as he stepped out to rip through Smoke on the Water.
Slipknot’s producer explains why he recorded Iowa with a broken back: “It put a very next-level diligence into those guys”
Ross Robinson took just one day off after getting seriously injured in a motocross accident
Reissue, Repackage, re-evaluate the songs: Morrissey And Marr have collaborated on new Smiths Rough Trade archive release
Morrissey and Johnny Marr haven’t seen eye to eye on a whole range of issues – from politics to the management of The Smiths’ legacy – these past few years. But now the erstwhile creative partners have worked together on a new archive release.
How Rush survived the 1990s and early 2000s
“I believed we would not get back together.
Watch Ritchie Blackmore return to the stage with Deep Purple
The ice has thawed: Ritchie Blackmore has performed with Deep Purple for the first time in more than three decades
Roger Taylor releases I See You Now, a love song dedicated to his wife
Queen drummer Roger Taylor has released a second single from his upcoming solo album Violence Insane In A Beautiful World. The album's first single, Come On Summer (It’s Party Time), featuring The Ndlovu Youth Choir from Limpopo, South Africa, was released in June, and Taylor has followed that with the reflective I See You Now.
Australian Guitar #169 is on sale now, featuring David Bowie, Plini, Angine de Poitrine and more
Australian Guitar #169 is here and, as you've no doubt gathered from the cover above, we've gone around the Bowie bend this issue.
Record drop in 1 type of A-level student means subject could ‘disappear’
The numbers just hit a new low for one A level.
“The idea of the movie is to create the new American hero.” The story behind Roadie, the chaotic 1980 cult movie featuring Meat Loaf, Blondie, Alice Cooper and Roy Orbison
Watch Roadie, the only film ever to star Meat Loaf,
Albert Lee reveals the guitar technique Eddie Van Halen was reluctant to try: “He said, ‘I can’t play on that!’ I said, ‘Yes, you can – you can do all that tapping!’”
As a bona fide veteran of the scene, Albert Lee has played with his fair share of virtuosos. Looking back on his illustrious career in a new interview with Guitar World, Lee gave the inside story of one of rock's best-kept secrets: Biff Baby’s All-Stars.
Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes and Spiritbox’s Courtney LaPlante to team up on new, original song If The Sun Burns Out Tonight
Bring Me The Horizon frontman Oli Sykes and Spiritbox singer Courtney LaPlante are collaborating on a new, original track called If The Sun Burns Out Tonight.
The explosive story of Ritchie Blackmore’s bitter exit from Deep Purple
If Ritchie Blackmore really does rejoin Deep Purple onstage in New York,
Queen’s Roger Taylor launches new love song and music video
Queen drummer Roger Taylor has his latest solo album coming out next month.
Is this the future of the S-style market? LsL Instruments shares first new model since Fender cease-and-desist – and it could be a sign of things to come
The family-owned guitar maker was the first to publicly confirm it had been targeted by Fender’s legal action – and it’s taking steps to offset the impact
Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson quizzed by Yes, Genesis, ELP stars and others
Discover his thoughts on three-fingered guitar playing, a rock icon asking for his autograph, hot chillis, abandoned rabbit suits, never learning to drive, retirement,
“I tried to write the heaviest thing I could think of”: From Enter Sandman to Nothing Else Matters, the stories behind every song on Metallica’s Black Album
35 years ago, Metallica cemented themselves as the biggest metal band on Earth. This is your track-by-track guide to their landmark moment.
AI’s ties to major labels deepen as Suno strikes licensing deal with BMG
AI music generation platform Suno has announced a "global alliance" with BMG, the world's fourth-largest music company, as it prepares to release new models trained on licensed music and developed in partnership with major players in the music industry.
Guitar Center names its best-selling electric guitar strings – and there’s a surprise silver medalist
Guitar Center has revealed its five best-selling electric guitar string sets. The winner might not be overly surprising, but there are certainly a few twists in the rankings.
How to watch new documentary Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear
He survived a plane crash, became a reality star and is one of the world’s most famous drummers.
Chris Shiflett plays Randy Rhoads’ Gibson ‘Quiet Riot’ Les Paul with Foo Fighters
Chris Shiflett is continuing his trend of honoring the late greats of electric guitar on stage with the Foo Fighters. He recently used one of Randy Rhoads’ iconic axes to play a Foo Fighters classic.
Fender refreshes the vintage-inspired US models that offer “a near 1:1 comparison with their original predecessors” – adding classic finishes from the paint room
More finish options for the American Vintage II series and, my oh my,
“My hands just wouldn’t work... There was no way I could play the guitar”: You can’t keep a Stray Cat down – the triumphant return of Brian Setzer
With his autoimmune condition in remission, the Stray Cats frontman tells us he’s at 98%, but he sounds just as good as ever.
Rod Stewart cancels the rest of his US tour following heart surgery
Rod Stewart has had to cancel the remainder of his current US tour after having what has been described as “routine” heart surgery.
Ritchie Blackmore to reunite with Deep Purple for the first time in over 30 years: “I changed my strings on my Strat, which I haven’t done in over 25 years”
Ritchie Blackmore has confirmed he will be joining Deep Purple for the first time since 1993. The historic reunion is set to happen at the band’s headline show this evening (August 12) at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. “There is something we wanted to mention about tomorrow night,” he said on his Instagram Live (transcribed by Blabbermouth). “Well, it is a secret, and I don't want anybody to know, but I'm probably [gonna] get up and do an encore with the band, Deep Purple.
Ritchie Blackmore is planning on playing with Deep Purple tonight, an occurrence more rare than today’s total solar eclipse
Ritchie Blackmore is planning playing with Deep Purple tonight for the first time in more than three decades.
“Artists who use AI should step to the side and let real artists do their thing. There is too much amateur music being released that clogs the arteries of the music business”: Tony Visconti on why human musicians will never be replaced
With the increasing number of streaming platforms now insisting that AI-generated work is clearly marked - and popular culture’s refusal to treat prompt-created tracks as serious art - it’s starting to feel like that fear of AI’s inevitable blanket takeover has been allayed… for now.
inMusic reportedly closes down Native Instruments’ UK office as senior leadership exits company
Reports have surfaced suggesting that inMusic has shut down Native Instruments’ UK office, putting a number of jobs under threat following extensive layoffs across multiple departments at the company already reported in July.
Japanese punk band Otoboke Beaver apologise for hospitalising fan with guitar throw: “I’ve reflected deeply on the overwhelming burden and heartache I have caused this person due to the inadequate response”
Punk rock shows can be raucous. Stage diving, crowd surfing and the like are all par for the course. But being injured by a flying instrument is, thankfully, less common.
“I expected everybody to be like, ‘Who are you to do this?’” Meet the Pink Floyd tribute band celebrating 50 years of Wish You Were Here by writing three new songs for the classic album
Floyd Nation has offered an alternate ending to the record’s “tragic” narrative.
“I sang it to Yoko, Phil Spector and a few people and they always winced. I decided to change it... The words were silly anyway”: How John Lennon created one of his greatest post-Beatles songs – with a little help from Yoko
A raw confessional piano ballad about his own deep personal insecurities
Ritchie Blackmore to play with Deep Purple for the first time since ’93 tonight: “Well, it is a secret, and I don’t want anybody to know, but I’m probably going up to do an encore”
Blackmore sent his “AI pigeon” to ask Ian Gillan and got the thumbs up from the band, and now it is all systems go for tonight’s show in Wantagh,
“You have to get used to being the only one onstage, but there’s beauty in solo bass guitar if you’re not afraid to look”: Solo bass pioneer Michael Manring offers his advice to entrants of the first annual Solo Bass Guitar contest
Finalists will compete for a haul of prizes including Phil Jones Bass amps, basses, effects,
Can David Gilmour be persuaded to stage a live show with The Orb?
Producer Youth discusses his reboot of collaboration Metallic Spheres as Metallic Spheres In Colour,
“Every time I played it, I got phone call after phone call. I thought I’d get howls of protest”: How turning a tear-jerking orchestral classic into an unlikely dancefloor hit launched William Orbit’s solo career
The story of Orbit’s electronic rework of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings,
Andrea Bocelli tickets released for historic one-off show in 2027
Andrea Bocelli fans can buy tickets right now before general onsale begins (contains affiliate links)
“I lost the tips of two fingers in an accident when I was 17. Doctors told me that I had no hope of playing guitar again. I refused to accept that”: The life and times of Tony Iommi, metal’s indestructible dark lord
If it wasn’t for Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, the world would sound very,
Spotify finally get tough on AI slop as platform adds ‘Persona Badge’ to mark out AI-generated ‘artists’
Spotify has finally done what it should have done years ago, launching a new initiative that will give listeners more transparency regarding whether artists are AI-generated.
Thunder frontman Danny Bowes announces Under Pressure spoken word tour
Danny Bowes, frontman with Britrock legends Thunder, has announced a spoken word tour for next year. The dates will be Bowes' second road trip since suffering a stroke in 2022, an event that required three months of hospitalisation followed by two stints in rehab.
Rival Sons’ frontman Jay Buchanan announces solo acoustic tour
Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan has announced his first solo tour of the US. The singer, who played three Weapons of Beauty shows in New York and Nashville in February, will return for a run of Storyteller solo acoustic dates that kick off at The Secret Group in Houston, TX, on September 11, and wrap up on October 18 at the Valley Bar in Phoenix, AZ.
Rod Stewart cancels upcoming tour dates after undergoing heart surgery
Sir Rod Stewart has cancelled his upcoming live shows after undergoing a routine coronary stent procedure. The news arrives just days after Stewart postponed a show at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH, citing an "unforeseen but minor medical procedure."
Neil Peart documentary No One’s Disciple will premiere at Toronto International Film Festival next month
A new documentary about late, legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart is to receive its world premiere next month at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Fans call for Wings guitarist Henry McCullough to be honored with hometown statue: “He deserves to be recognized for the very unique person he was”
McCullough, who died in 2016, had a glittering solo and session career that saw him play with Paul McCartney and Joe Cocker
Dimebag Darrell’s favourite rack unit is reborn as a compact pedal: MXR unveils the Flanger/Doubler pedal – BBD-driven analogue mojo for ’70s and ’80s flavours or fatter metal tones
MXR has unveiled the Flanger/Doubler, a guitar effects pedal that brings you the same sound and functionality of its classic M-126 rack unit in a more compact and user-friendly format.
“Everybody used to say how great Clapton was, but I remember saying to Eric, ‘You try playing that one riff for eight minutes!’”: How rock legends Status Quo stole a riff from The Doors and built an entire career out of it
BEST OF 2025: Join us for our traditional look back at the news and features that topped MusicRadar's charts in 2025.
“There are people in my band who are questioning whether they’ll perform it with me. And those people will be fired”: Boy George says he’ll sack any bandmates who refuse to play his ‘pro-Israel’ song We Will Dance Again
Boy George has clearly decided that his controversial AI-assisted ‘pro-Israel’ song We Will Dance Again is going to be the hill upon which he dies.
“Fuzz pedals live or die on personality, and the Dirty Boy Jr. Fuzz has enough of it to justify a spot in an already crowded market”: Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Fuzz review
Warm Audio teams up with boutique builder Dirty Boy to shrink the coveted Afro Fuzz circuit into a compact,
Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker recalls his suicidal thoughts following the horrific 2008 plane crash in which his security guard and assistant died: “There was no light at the end of the tunnel”
Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has spoken about his darkest days following the 2008 plane crash which claimed the lives of his security guard and personal assistant.
Poor Man’s Moody Blues: The story of a prog rock diss track
After a 32-year run, Barclay James Harvest split into two different bands in 1998. Bassist and vocalist Les Holroyd leads one while John Lees fronts the other. In 2016 Holroyd looked back on their early days, including one moment involving The Moody Blues that he’d rather hadn’t happened.
Why do PRS Guitars have a 25-inch scale length? Paul Reed Smith explains
The iconic guitar builder sought to differentiate himself from the likes of Fender and Gibson… and overhauled the specs of his early designs to do so
“I haven’t really listened to Rush music… I never stumbled into the catalogue”: Anika Nilles on her preparation for Rush’s 50 Something tour
Anika Nilles has been talking about her experience playing with Rush and her preparation for the reunited band’s 50 Something tour.
“I will be restraining you, sir, if you do not stay seated!”: DnB producer Bou samples cabin crew’s altercation with angry passenger then invites flight attendant to his show
Inspiration can strike at any moment when you're a musician or a producer, and in the age of the smartphone, we're always only a few clicks away from recording a sample that could grow into our next track.
“A worthy successor to one of the most recognisable synths of all time – but unlikely to replicate its predecessor’s iconic status”: Korg MicroKorg 2 review
Two years on from launch, does Korg's virtual analogue have what it takes to fill its predecessor's shoes?
“He felt like a metal uncle, and it’s so sad that he got taken away at such a young age”: Orbit Culture pay tribute to late At The Gates singer Tomas Lindberg
Rising Swedish death metal stars Orbit Culture have paid tribute to late At The Gates frontman Tomas Lindberg, four years after taking part in Lindberg’s final tour before his death.
Amazon Stir It Up by spinning up to 30% off one of my favourite House Of Marley turntables
There’s a chunky saving on the House of Marley Stir It Up Lux,
MXR revives Dimebag Darrell’s favorite rack unit in pedal form – and Zakk Wylde’s already used it live with Pantera
MXR has recreated one of Dimebag Darrell’s favorite tone shapers in stompbox form with the launch of the Flanger/Doubler Pedal.
Brian May unleashes his fury at ‘hideous’ desecration of Queen’s legacy
Sir Brian May wrote to Queen fans, "I just had to share this with you guys... I'm now very serious".
Bulgarian media stir up “Satanic black metal” fears as murder suspects wear heavy metal t-shirts in court
Four teenagers accused of murdering a 37-year-old man in Plovdiv sported Powerwolf, Mayhem,
“Scratches the Dumble itch without a rockstar’s budget”: VHT D-20 Tube Amplifier Head review
VHT attempts to emulate the much-vaunted Dumble sound with this moderately priced all-tube amp
“Once I got one of those pedals, it was just like, ‘That’s the sound.’ It feels like your amp is about toexplode”: Meet Friko, the Chicago indie darlings with guitar tones rigged to blow
When Chicago-based indie rockers Friko were writing and recording their first album, 2024’s Where We’ve Been, Where We Go from Here, it wasn’t hard to keep the sound lo-fi. Singer Niko Kapetan was the band’s lone guitarist, so there wasn’t much that could be done to stretch out the sound.
“We got this wrong… We do not support AI-generated music, and our process will reflect that going forward”: D’Addario admits generative AI was used on string demo video after all
D’Addario has admitted that its controversial demo video for its NYXL HD extended-range electric guitar strings did contain music created by generative AI.
IK Multimedia just totally revamped its Tonex Player and made its tone ecosystem a lot easier to use: “It extends the capabilities of Tonex software and hardware alike, creating a single connected workflow from capture to studio, rehearsal and stage”
IK Multimedia has given its Tonex Player a top-to-bottom refresh, offering a completely user experience “photorealistic” gear choices, improved workflow – and there are some fresh sounds too with this public beta release debuting 220 all-new Premium Tone Models.
“Oh, it was a nightmare. I was becoming physically sick just thinking of going to the studio each night. I used to love working with the band. By that point, I dreaded it”: The Beatles’ most trusted engineer on their studio tensions
MusicRadar spoke to the legendary late Geoff Emerick back in 2014, when he told us in frank detail about their late 60s’ studio struggles
Peter Frampton met one of his favorite new guitar players at George Lucas’s birthday party: “It was weird looking out and seeing Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg looking back at us”
Peter Frampton has looked back on the time he first crossed paths with H.E.R. – one of the many A-list guest guitarist on the Humble Pie legend’s latest album.
“I’m still disappointed when people hear the chorus line as ‘got to’ rather than ‘get to’”: How One rescued Achtung Baby and saved U2
Track was written in just 15 minutes
“Imagine what Bucket faces every day, because he don’t talk to people. He talks with his guitar. And that’s pretty much it.”: Bootsy Collins on his friendship with oddball guitar virtuoso Buckethead
Bootsy Collins, be-shaded bass legend who has played with James Brown, George Clinton and a list of people far too long to go into here, has a funk/metal concept album out about mental health called, er, Metal Health.
“I don’t think the underground or extreme metal scene will ever dig us. It’s elitist”: How Trivium defied the gatekeepers and split the critics with The Crusade
Trivium broke big with 2005’s Ascendancy – but a year later,
“It’s much less tension and pressure than directing a movie... It’s kind of our first heavy metal album”: John Carpenter on why he’s happier making music than films these days
It’s been a long while since horror doyen John Carpenter made a movie. But since The Ward in 2010, Carpenter has started up a second career as a musician. He’s released four albums of ‘Lost Themes’ via Sacred Bones, and now he’s about to put out a joint graphic novel/ album project.
Sonja Kristina looks back over half a century of Curved Air
“I was wearing my green corduroy hippie outfit and Polaroid glasses.
Dylan Gossett adds UK tour dates with tickets out this week
Dylan Gossett recently played a major British festival, now he’s planning to return with a headline tour.
“The first three times I performed it in public, I burst into tears – because it brought back the intensity of the experience”: How Joni Mitchell wrote Woodstock – an era-defining song that spoke to a generation
An anthem inspired by the legendary music festival – by an artist who wasn’t actually there
Angine de Poitrine on why they’re one of 2026’s biggest success stories: “It would be presumptuous to think that it’s only about the music”
Guitarist Khn shares his theories in an exclusive interview with Guitar World
Keeping the flame alive: What did the 80s ever do for prog rock?
If prog ruled the world in the 70s, the next decade was a retreat.
All Right Now broke Free in America - then broke up the band
“I’ll never forget Koss’s reaction.
George Thorogood is at peace with not being Bob Seger or Steve Miller
“I wanted to get Jeff Beck in the band. Then I wanted to get Keith Moon.
Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt has written a TV show about three brothers - a rock star, a gangster and a FBI agent - and he wants Johnny Depp to take a starring role
Stevie Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen's faithful brother-in-arms in The E Street Band, says that he has written scripts for no fewer than six TV series, and that his number one ambition right now is to have a TV network or major streaming platform commission at least one of the six.
“A high-quality alternative that may not only suit you better, but could also save you a stack of cash”: Sire Larry Carlton L7dx review
With a reputation for quality on a budget,