“I said to the band, ‘The good news is that we’ve got a hit, but the bad news is that you’re not on it!’”: The surprising story of the Blow Monkeys’ AIDS crisis-inspired Digging Your Scene, with new insight from its writer
“I’ve spent more time with that guitar than with any human – that’s one of my best friends”: Studio gurus Swindle and Ashton Sellars on the making of Kojey Radical’s Don’t Look Down
“I’d never heard anyone or anything like Johnny before. It was unique – he sounded like four guitarists all at once”: The story of The Smiths’ buoyant breakthrough hit
“Everyone thinks it’s a guitar, but actually, they don’t know it’s my modular synth”: How a Roland TR-909 and a modular rig provided the spark of inspiration for Harry Styles’ most euphoric No 1 single
Mark Knopfler on why he switched Strats for Schecters in the 1980s: “I was looking for something with a bit more power”
“If I’d been around at the dawn of electric-guitar development, what would I have made? I find that idea incredibly attractive”: Andy Powers revolutionized high-end acoustic guitars with Taylor – can he do the same for the electric?
“The title came up as a joke at first, but it fitted the song so perfectly – we just had to use it”: How Massive Attack created the groundbreaking ’90s hit that propelled Bristol’s unique music scene into the global spotlight
The best new gear this week, feat. a new type of metal guitar, the return of Jeff Buckley’s beloved Ovation – and a Fender collab we didn’t see coming
“Jaco was unbelievable. He didn’t think like a traditional bass player. He heard melody, harmony and rhythm all at the same time”: Guitar genius Al Di Meola recalls his collaborations with Jaco Pastorius, Phil Collins, Steve Gadd, John McLaughlin and more
“Albums are so important… to come from a place where it’s all about singles and chasing the next thing, I just feel so grateful to be recognised”: Raye wins the 2026 Mercury Prize
“It’s very hard to write three-chord songs on a piano. So I get this synthesizer, which sounds like a guitar, and I can write three-chord songs all of a sudden”: How Elton John reinvented his sound and resurrected his career with I’m Still Standing
“It’s a standard, really – everyone looks like they’re absolutely loving hearing it”: The band behind a 24-carat indie classic tell us how it was made
“It’s often said that limitations breed creativity – is there anything more limited than a one-button synth?”: Cyma Forma RND review
Fender? Styles? Kraftwerk? Bon Jovi? Speculation rises about the identity of next year’s Glastonbury headliners…
“She rang up, she said, ‘I’ve been watching YouTube clips of myself. I can sing, can’t I?’”: Amy Winehouse’s bass player and MD recalls his final conversation with her on the night before she died
“I love Stevie. But when that happened, the angels left the building. It was really over”: Stevie Wonder’s ’70s synth guru Robert Margouleff remembers the moment he knew their partnership was over, and explains the problem with today’s music
“Not exactly cutting edge”: Fender released a $32 Telecaster chopping board – and someone turned it into an actual guitar
“It’s devoid of soul. It’s all about maximizing profits and maximizing Joe’s ego”: British Blues Hall of Famer Robin Davey says Joe Bonamassa has “screwed up” the blues and today’s players all sound the same
