Features Index:

The Kennedys - Sessions In Love

When session star Pete Kennedy met Austin muso Maura, a musical romance led to a folk-rock marriage. Rik Flynn follows the path that led to their new album ...

Rule Britannia: The Great British Guitar Show

UK Guitar Shows has flown in the face of the recession to provide a top day out for players and industry folk alike. Michael Heatley gets the lowdown from head honcho Jason Hunt ...

Paul Gilbert: Learning To Fly

The teacher turned pupil and now Paul Gilbert is back with a solo album and a new-found appreciation of the meaning of sound. Interview by Martyn Casserly ...

The Only Way Is Essex - The Ashdown Story

Ashdown Engineering is now a decade and a half old and their bass amps are used from the tiniest clubs to the planet's hugest stadium gigs. Michael Heatley pays the company a visit ...

Cosmic Cowboy

Ray Wylie Hubbard combines authentic grease with a timeless groove and true Southern grit, the best and funniest lyrics, and a laudable addiction to oddball guitars. Interview by Steve Bailey ...

Mr. Loverman

You can take the sweet guitar skills for granted, but Robert Cray's first record in three years also shows a master stylist and true storyteller at work. Blues album of the year? Lay your money down ...

Lightness Of Being

Steve Vai's Story Of Light album shows a new freedom, honesty, and ambition and he hasn't been swayed by an episode of near-disaster. ...

Reluctant Hero

He might demur, but Joe Bonamassa has become a blues-rock figurehead. We pin him down on tour to talk of classic blues sounds, of Clapton and Gatton, of cutting down from a mere 300 guitars and to hea ...

Open Season

Recording the band in one take. Inviting guests to just do their thing. Selling a bunch of stuff he doesn't use. Is the dedicated and particular Eric Johnson starting to loosen up? Interview by Martyn ...

Northern Soul

The release of a whopping eight-CD retrospective gives Bill Nelson the chance to take a look back over an extraordinarily prolific and ceaselessly experimental career. Interview by Pete Langman ...

Sofa So Good

Jack Bruce, bassist extraordinaire, has a new jazz fusion supergroup on the boil plus a fabulous big blues band. Slowing down? No chance. Interview by David Gallant ...

Feel The Force

Take one ex-Sex Pistol, one ex-Pretender, one hot young surf guitar freak, a classic '70s singer and a rock 'n' roll guitar legend, and you've got a sleazy, low-slung new band called King Mob. Intervi ...

Royale Decree

Steve Cropper owes much of his tasteful twangy style to Lowman Pauling, guitarist in a little-known gospel/blues/doowop band, the 5 Royales and now he's made a special tribute album. Julian Piper catc ...

Four Into Three

Bigger, heavier, more riffs; it's all go for the all-star Chickenfoot project and their, erm, second album, III. Martyn Casserly catches up with the band's writer Joe Satriani to chat about guitars, a ...

Grand Union

The one-time Mountain guitarist set about inviting a heap of famous guitarists to play on his album, little knowing by the time it was released his world would have changed forever. Interview by Micha ...

Two's Company

Husband and wife team Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi have joined forces and formed a 22-legged groove machine for their new album, Revelator. Interview by Rik Flynn ...

The King Of Twang

After a 20-year gap, Duane Eddy's back with a vengeance with a new album produced by Richard Hawley. He tells Julian Piper all about it%u2026 and why he loves Sheffield ...

Magic Johnson

He's a whirlwind of snarling attitude with a heavy dose of axe-abuse thrown. He's influenced a generation of guitarists and beyond. We met the man who struts like no other%u2026 ...

Pedal To The Meddle

Of all the tribute bands that have walked the world's stages, the Australian Pink Floyd are surely right up there with the best. Rik Flynn discovers how the band's two guitarists have nailed the elusi ...

Les Is More

Last summer, Jeff Beck and friends took to the stage at a tiny New York jazz club and paid their respects to the man who once had a residency there, pioneering guitar great Les Paul. Interview by St ...

Loaded Gun

Guns N Roses, Velvet Revolver, Janes Addiction and now Loaded, Duff McKagan has repeatedly proved his mettle in the world of rock, and his latest punk rock missive still sounds as vital as ever. Rik F ...

Bootsy Collin's Funk Capital

First he provided the low-end for the Godfather of Soul and then he helped George Clinton build a funk empire with P-Funk. Alex Yeoman finds out how Bootsy Collins has moved in on the new generation ...

Meaning Of The Blues

Joe Bonamassa's latest CD is a rootsy, blues-packed reply to the big rock of last year's Black Country Communion project - a statement of intent when it comes to his solo career. Interview by Dave Wal ...

Sweet Dreams

The unearthly floating sound of fearless musical explorer Bill Frisell is one of the most distinctive voices in music. Interview: Pete Langman ...

100 Per Cent Proof

Buddy Guy's new album is no gentle stroll around the park: though this veteran is 74 years old, it's full of swagger, soul and simply ferocious guitar. Michael Heatley catches up with the Chicago dyna ...