I Heart Guitar

Each time Firewind released an album over the last 20 years, it wasn’t just the brilliancy of exceptional guitarist Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil) that fans were in awe of, but also the skills of every one of the band’s vocalists. Fantastic riffs, hooks and solos by the gifted hands of guitarist Gus aside, it’s the great vocal melody – an integral part of every Firewind song – that’s causing a stir. In that respect nothing has changed in their newest album, simply titled Firewind, quite the contrary: with his charismatic voice new member Herbie Langhans (Avantasia, Radiant, Seventh Avenue, amongst others) refines each and every last one of the ten new songs and infuses them with an expressive force that is remarkable. “With Herbie I feel like we’re doing a relaunch of the original Firewind cast, because his singing style bears a certain resemblance to that of Stephen Fredrick, our firstvocalist,” comments Gus. “I’m proud and happy that we can continue with the tradition of great Firewind vocalists thanks to Herbie.” On 15 May 2020 at the latest, when Firewind will be released via AFM, the public will hear just how competently new band member Langhans has stepped up to this challenge.Gus G and Herbie Langhans got to know each other back in the autumn of 2019, when the Firewind leader was looking for a suitable replacement for Henning Basse after the tour with Queensrÿche. “I remembered Herbie singing for Sinbreed and how amazed I always was by his vocal performance”, he recalls. “So I did some research on YouTube, had my record company reach out to him and got right down to it: ‚Hi Herbie, here are ten new songs, can you help us? Deadline is mid of January.‘ Luckily, Herbie agreed immediately and got familiarised with everything in no time.” Just a few weeks later the recordings for Firewind were a done deal, ready for Swedish sound engineer Tobias Lindell (Europe, Avatar, H.E.A.T.) to mix them in ‚Lindell Audio Studios‘.The result is impressive indeed. Firewind boasts 11 prime examples of Melodic Metal songs. The skill, craftsmanship and power bleeds through every note, a passion you can almost taste, with hymnal melodies as a particularly outstanding feature. Stylewise, the band actually broadened their range compared to earlier releases: With 'Welcome To The Empire' and ‘Rising Fire’ you’ll get your typical Firewind blend. Whereas ‘Overdrive’ dressed in a groovy rhythm and reminiscent of Dio/Black Sabbath (Gus: “That was a new direction for me. The song was supposed to be just a little bonus number but it took on a life on its own and was doing so well that it just had to be on the album”) and ‘Space Cowboy’ in all its retro flair glory will take you by surprise. But there’s still more: ‘Orbitual Sunrise’, ‘Longing To Know You’ and the above-mentioned ‘Space Cowboy’ are connected through their lyrics. ”It’s kind of a Sci-Fi story about the overexploitation of nature seen through the eyes of a lonely astronaut, orbiting earth in his space capsule,” Gus explains.It`s official: The band has once again brought their full potential, making Firewind a more than worthy successor of their 2017 concept work Immortals. “The new album is an exciting and fashionable mix of Hard Rock and Power Metal. These songs are fresh but tough and melodious at the same time. In my opinion the record sounds exactly as a band in our genre is supposed to in the year 2020. But of course, the key feature lies with the qualityof the composition, which has been our main focus again,” comments Gus. There’s nothing more to add to this succinct assessment!

World-renowned guitar hero Al Di Meola welcomes a new decade with an ambitious follow-up to his 2013 studio recording All Your Life: A Tribute to the Beatles with a sophomore homage to the Beatles, entitled Across The Universe, due out on earMUSIC on March 13, 2020. Al Di Meola’s exquisite mastery of the fretboard is equal only to his appreciation of the Beatles’ legacy that has inspired generations of both musicians and music fans with their famed recording catalog. A retrospective of Al Di Meola’s nearly 50-year acclaimed career expressed through his virtuosic arrangements of 14 Beatles songs, Across The Universe journeys alongside one of America’s foremost guitarists as he revisits classic hits and more obscure tunes written by the ingenious Fab Four who have helped define the man he is today. Adding to his lauded recording collection of more than 30 solo albums and numerous acclaimed collaborations with the likes of Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Stanley Clarke, Paco De Lucia and many others, Across The Universe is yet another masterpiece showcasing Al Di Meola’s fascination with complex rhythmic syncopation combined with provocative lyrical melodies and intricate harmonies. Beatles fans, guitar-heads, and music lovers alike can expect the unexpected upon venturing into the world put forth by Across The Universe. To commemorate the singular life of John Lennon, Al Di Meola reenacts the famous Lennon cover for his 1975 solo album Rock ‘n’ Roll for the artwork for Across The Universe. Al Di Meola is a living legend celebrated for pioneering a unique style of impeccable guitar technique combined with a sophisticated global musical language that’s captured the hearts of audiences across the world. A GRAMMY Award-winner, he’s garnered three gold albums while selling more than six million albums in worldwide sales. His collaborations with artists such as Paul Simon, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Page, Santana, Steve Winwood, Herbie Hancock, Frank Zappa, Luciano Pavarotti, and others have elevated Al Di Meola to become a household name. Traversing divinely across multiple genres including flamenco, Latin, fusion, jazz, rock, and world music, Al Di Meola is a vivacious tour de force always redefining the boundaries of what’s possible on a six-stringed instrument. Across The Universe is no different than his most decorated recordings with his arsenal of a large ensemble bringing creative reinterpretations of Beatles songs to astounding heights. “I really credit the Beatles for the reason why I play guitar,” says Al Di Meola. “That was a major catalyst for me to want to learn music, so their impact was pretty strong.” Al Di Meola employs a wide lens on Across The Universe with lightening-speed electric guitar orchestrations balanced with lavish acoustic arrangements. The debut single Strawberry Fields Forever from Across The Universe (released today, January 17) is a fiery electric guitar fueled stunner backed by a red-hot rock band. Epic rock ‘n’ roll covers are sprinkled throughout the album, including the visionary take on the album opener Here Comes The Sun, as well as a riveting Hey Jude and Golden Slumbers Medley. Al Di Meola’s acoustic fingerpicking soars on Dear Prudence and Norwegian Wood, while he ventures to a jazz fusion aesthetic on Till There Was You. Across The Universe simmers to a diverse set of mid-tempo grooves on Mother Nature’s Son, Yesterday, Your Mother Should Know, I’ll Follow The Sun, and Julia. Al Di Meola features a lovely solo performance on Here, There And Everywhere. Across The Universe finishes with a short, but very sweet melodic version of Octopus’s Garden. Across The Universe will be released as a CD Digipak, 2LP and Digital on March 13, 2020 on earMUSIC.

Songwriter Andrew Farriss offers up a funky country groove 'Good Momma Bad' as the second single from his highly anticipated forthcoming self-titled debut album. I caught up with Andrew to talk about the record, guitars, and the challenges of stepping into the spotlight.Photographer credit: David Christopher Banks

John 5 is about to begin his first ever solo tour of Australia. We geeked out a bit because of course we did. Full tour details here! https://silverbacktouring.com.au/john5-2019/

Pinnacle Music Group are absolutely thrilled to announce that the legendary guitar virtuoso MARTY FRIEDMAN will be returning to Australia, for the first time with his full “Super Band” across four VERY intimate venues.With a career of over thirty years with some of the world’s biggest heavy metal acts on top of an absolutely monumental solo career, Marty Friedman is a household name for guitarists across the world, and Australian fans get the chance to see the legendary shredder himself tear it up onstage in four incredibly intimate venues, giving fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Friedman’s guitar wizardry closer than ever beforeULTIMATE VIP PACKAGES AVAILABLE! You all have heard how great the VIP packages were for Marty`s US and Europe tours-this time will top even that! What you get with this great package:– Meet Marty and have ALL your items signed – no limit– Photo with Marty – with your own camera– Chat with Marty – no rush through– Exclusive Marty Friedman guitar pick – the exact same one he uses– And the rarest of the rare—the VIP only CD, “Marty`s Vault 4: Wicked Sh*t From Japan” If you know anything about the previous VIP packages, you will know that participants all received “Marty`s Vault 1, 2 & 3” Those are not available anywhere anymore. The new 75 minute Marty`s Vault “4” cd continues in a series of Marty`s recordings that he has done in Japan that have not been heard outside of Japan and contain some of Marty`s finest and favorite playing of his career. This is a must have for any Marty collector and is not for sale anywhere and ONLY available with the VIP package. VIP packages are limited. To get yours now, please send an empty email to: vip.info@martyfriedman.comTOUR DATESWednesday, December 11: Crowbar, SydneyThursday, December 12: Crowbar, BrisbaneFriday, December 13: Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne SOLD OUTSaturday, December 14: The Basement, CanberraSunday, December 15: The Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne NEW SHOWTickets on sale now via Oztix orwww.pinnaclemusic.eventbrite.com

How does a musician, who happens to be pretty handy on the guitar, but lives in the most isolated capital city in the world, get some of the finest Blues guitarists on the international music scene to take part in his latest project? Simple. He asks them. Australian blues-rock barnstormer, Matty T Wall has been on a rapidly rising career trajectory since his 2016 debut release Blue Skies was nominated as Best Blues Album (International) at the 15th Annual Independent Music Awards. Wall’s 2018 follow-up Sidewinder proved the success was no one-off - the album subsequently reaching the upper echelons of blues airplay charts in Australia, the US and Europe, and opening plenty of doors all around for this firebrand singer-songwriter and fearsomely talented guitarist. While Wall’s latest release may be a tad unexpected, it’s sure to be very welcome for blues lovers. With a roll call of guests including Eric Gales, Walter Trout, Kirk Fletcher, Kid Ramos and fellow West Australian Dave Hole featured, the aptly titled Transpacific Blues Vol. 1 will be a must-have for lovers of classic blues numbers and amazing guitar skills. With his abiding love of blues traditions combined with a thirst for new and different approaches to the genre, not to mention an adventurous and enthusiastic approach to his craft, Wall reached across the oceans to invite some of the greatest blues players to trade licks for him – resulting in an album of classic blues songs with plenty of creative twists. “I’ve wanted to do a collaborative release for quite a while, but my initial idea was to do something with Australian artists,” Wall says of the project’s origins. “However, I’d always been inspired by what Gary Moore did with Still Got The Blues, he had Albert King, Albert Collins and even George Harrison playing on it. The seeds of inspiration sown – Wall’s initial idea became more ambitious. As he explains “I just thought, wouldn’t it be amazing to see if I can interest some of my absolute idols - some of the very best guitarists in the world - to participate in this project – they can only say no right? So, I just thought – well, why not ask them? ” Why not indeed. While Wall was focussed on the album being an internationally angled release, the first cab off the rank enabled Wall to think act local and think global. “Dave Hole is a huge blues name at home as well as in the US and Europe,” he states. “He ticked all the boxes right from the start, plus he’s just a wonderful guy – so generous and wise -.he was actually the inspiration for me taking my version of blues & music to the rest of the world! I wouldn’t have thought that possible to do were it not for Dave’s breakthrough success.” “From there I wanted to see if I could get some gun guitar players from the US. So Kid Ramos was the next guy. He’s an incredible guitarist who is very much like Brian Setzer (Stray Cats), he’s got that sort of vibe going on, and he’s a former Fabulous Thunderbirds guitar-slinger. I was then talking to a friend in the States about Eric Gales, who is absolutely my favourite guitar player at the moment and probably will be one of them forever. He’s like Stevie Ray Vaughan or Jimi Hendrix, the solos just flow out of him. Virtuosic, incredible solos. He listened to some of my stuff and he really liked it and wanted to go ahead, so it was really great to get that approval.” Next up on Wall’s blues hitlist was one Walter Trout. The great blues master and former Bluesbreaker is very much in demand, headlining major festivals and dominating international blues charts. But, Wall’s call was answered, and then some... MATTY T WALL SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.mattytwall.com/https://www.facebook.com/mattytwall/https://twitter.com/mattytwall/

Melbourne Australia's progressive instrumental project I Built The Sky will release their third album, The Zenith Rise, on November 1.I Built The Sky is led by guitar wizard Rohan 'Ro Han’ Stevenson and has been slowly climbing the ranks of the progressive shred guitar community for some time now with high level supports, headlining slots and international praise for their previous releases all going towards building an impressive global fanbase.The new album features a few upgrades from previous releases with some impressive artwork courtesy of artist Pat Fox who has worked with artists such as Tash Sultana, Northlane, The Amity Affliction and many more, and the contribution of ARIA nominated producer and mixer Forrester Savell who has been involved in a Mixing and Mastering capacity. The new additions to the album see's Rohan's music achieve a new level of presentation and sonic perfection to go along with the insanity of the guitar riffs, musicality and well crafted songs.The first single 'Up Into The Ether' launches the first taste of the new album with a spectacular video which depicts the real life situation of Rohan as he moves on from a safe career into the unknown of the music industry. The video starts off with a message to explain that he is pursing I Built The Sky full time and that life is too short to wait in doing what you love. The song has all the characteristics of previous I Built The Sky releases but... Better, from the depth of the songwriting, the dynamic variation and the quality of the production and caliber of the musicianship leaves a lasting impression on even seasoned music lovers.The Up Into The Ether video features live members Sam Tan and Rob Brens who have been working along with Rohan to create a live band with an impressive performance resume to date.Last year the trio toured Europe, UK and headlined two shows in New Zealand which saw raving reviews from fans and media alike."Everything you need in an instrumental song - slippery riffs and big feels!" - Plini (On 'Up Into The Ether')Watch Up Into The Ether here: youtu.be/OTBdO18zmxQ2020 will no doubt see more international shows across UK and Europe as Rohan has now signed with highly reputable booking agency Atonal Agency (Animals As Leaders, Intervals, Plini, Sikth, Monuments)The Zenith Rise is available for Pre order Now!https://listen.ibuiltthesky.com/tzrI Built The Sky Street Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX7vNEE91tI&t=396s

After two solo records and work with several guitar legends, Nili Brosh (Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil, Tony MacAlpine) is no stranger to instrumental guitar albums. However, her latest effort Spectrum steps beyond the expected and into a global exploration of musical genres. A literal spectrum, the album seamlessly blends from one genre to the next, starting in one place and ending up in a completely different one; all the while suggesting that music - much like humans - is all the same. Opening with the Spanish flavor of “Cartagena” and “Andalusian Fantasy”, Brosh effortlessly demonstrates the gentle power of conveying melodies on a nylon string guitar. Fusing into the European folk-inspired “Circus Wedding” and Parisian flavored “Rachel in Paris”, accordionist Hubert Gall makes a guest appearance and takes us further into the stylistic journey. What was Parisian blends into the chill R&B inspired “Solace”, which is where we first hear Brosh’s electric guitar versatility and soaring solos. The transition to a more fusion-esque and progressive sound occurs with ‘Retractable Intent’ and ‘Desert déjà vu', before finally moving toward the screaming dance-inspired heavy leads of “Djentrification” and “Primal Feels”. Listening in one sitting, one may feel the transitions sneak up on them, at the end arriving at the question “how did I get here?”. The official music video for the single “Primal Feels”, released September 3, follows a similar concept of diversity and comprises a multi-ethnic cast of male dancers joining Brosh to visually enhance the song melodies. With dazzling film-like cinematography, the dancers mimic Brosh’s musical vocabulary in a style reminiscent of those classic ‘80s and ‘90s music videos. With their visual interpretation of the strong melodic hooks of “Primal Feels”, the dancers remind us once again that people - like music - are all the same. “Primal Feels” music video is performed by Angel Xplosion Anaya, Amaleke Kidd Bradley, Nili Brosh, Manine Kim, Gabi Torres. Shot and directed by A&G Productions, Choreography by Gabi Torres Spectrum is performed by Alex Argento, Nili Brosh, Mariko Friend, Hubert Gall, Pete Lockett, Eli Marcus, Alon Mei-Tal, Gretchen Menn, Ray Rojo. Track Listing: 1. Cartagena 2. Andalusian Fantasy 3. Circus Wedding 4. Rachel In Paris 5. Solace 6. Retractable Intent 7. Desert Deja Vu 8. Djentrification 9. Primal Feels 10. Resistance Piece Spectrum will be available on CD and digital download via Nili Brosh’s webstore and all major online retailers (Previous releases are also available through the same outlets): https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/nili-broshFor more information, visit Nili Brosh on: · Official Website: http://www.nilibrosh.com· Official Store: https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/nilibrosh · Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/NiliBroshMusic· Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/nilibrosh

Recorded live at the 2019 Melbourne Guitar Show, my guests are James Norbert Ivanyi and Jeremy Barnes as we discuss the state of modern guitar.James Norbert Ivanyi: https://jamesnorbertivanyi.bandcamp.comJeremy Barnes: https://www.facebook.com/jeremybarnesmusicWant more live episodes like this but wish the sound quality was better? Subscribe to Patreon so I can afford to get a nice Rode Rodecaster Pro and start putting on dedicated live podcast interview events! https://www.patreon.com/iheartguitar

GANG OF FOUR Australian and New Zealand November 2019 Tour DatesSaturday November 2nd PERTH RosemountTuesday 5th November ADELAIDE Lion Arts FactoryThursday 7th November BRISBANE The ZooFriday 8th November SYDNEY Manning BarSaturday 9th November MELBOURNE CroxtonTuesday 12th November AUCKLAND Tuning ForkWednesday 13th November WELLINGTON San Fran Tickets: On sale now:From: https://metropolistouring.com/tours/gang-of-four/NZ Tickets: https://metropolistouring.com/tours/gang-of-four-nz-2019/

Bryan Beller's new album, "Scenes From The Flood" (out September 13) was many years in the making. It represents a huge leap in Beller's already considerable compositional confidence, and is packed full of so, so, SO many guitar legends. Hear Bryan talk about the album, the personnel, the gear and more in this long-form interview. And watch the video for “Volunteer State," featuring Joe Satriani, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ptMLlkfYew

Stryper's Michael Sweet calls in for a chat about his November Australian acoustic tour, his Washburn guitars and other matters of guitaristic importance.

Tal Wilkenfeld has a brilliant new album called Love Remains, packed full of great songs and incredible musicianship. You should totally get it. Wanna support I Heart Guitar (and by extension my little family and our dreams of getting another dog soon)? patreon.com/iheartguitar or paypal.me/iheartguitar, my friend.

Help Christian Martucci find his lost BC Rich!Stone Sour/Black Star Riders guitarist Christian Martucci is looking for the BC Rich Mockingbird he lost when he was 16. He’s been searching for this unique and sentimentally important instrument for years with no luck. Do you have a lead on this guitar? Contact Christian via Instagram at instagram.com/christianmartucci and help him get his baby back!Wanna support I Heart Guitar (and by extension my little family and our dreams of getting another dog soon)? patreon.com/iheartguitar or paypal.me/iheartguitar, my friend.

Join my guest Mr. Steve Vai as we discuss the new Generation Axe live album (Vai, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt, Yngwie Malmsteen and Tosin Abasi) plus magical thinking, spiritual questing and Vai's current guitar obsession, Synergy Amps.Wanna support I Heart Guitar (and by extension my little family and our dreams of getting another dog soon)? patreon.com/iheartguitar or paypal.me/iheartguitar, my friend.

Devin Townsend talks about his new record Empath, the load-lightening joys of acoustic tours, his new Prestige signature guitar and the importance of accepting the silly with the epic. Wanna support I Heart Guitar (and by extension my little family and our dreams of getting another dog soon)? patreon.com/iheartguitar or paypal.me/iheartguitar, my friend.An Evening With Devin Townsend Australian Tour DatesThornbury Theatre, Melbourne Sunday September 8New Show AddedGovernor Hindmarsh, AdelaideTuesday September 10Old Museum, BrisbaneWednesday September 11York Theatre, SydneyFriday September 13Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne Saturday September 14Sold OutFreo Social, PerthSunday September 15 Tickets On Sale Now From Troubadour-Music.ComAlso Includes Fan Q&A After The Show

KISS is doing one last lap of the world before hanging up their dragon boots. On this episode my guest is KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, who talks about what the iconic Spaceman character means to him, plus plenty of good old-fashioned guitar geekery. For KISS tour dates, go here: https://www.kissonline.com/tour

Peter chats with Duff McKagan about his new Fender bass and his even newer solo album, Tenderness.And hey, check out The Cure performing Disintegration live in Sydney! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9uSPf9WDbwIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar

Dave Leslie is about to conduct his first ever guitar clinic extravaganza and he wants you to know about it!

Guitarist Frank Sidoris is one of the nicest dudes in rock, and he also happens to share his life with an adorable fox. Hear about the finer points of rocking and fox ownership in this episode.

In 1999, a 20-year-old me interviewed Type O Negative's Peter Steele for a student paper. Here's the admittedly low-quality audio. Happy birthday, Pete.

Named #8 in Ultimate-Guitar’s top 12 guitarists of 2015 and listed amongst "MusicRadar's #1 prog guitar player in the world right now" for 2017, Sydney’s independent instrumental progressive rising star, PLINI released his new EP, Sunhead on July 27. I caught up with him ahead of the Australian tour“SUNHEAD” AUSTRALIAN TOURWITH SPECIAL GUESTSMESTIS (USA)DAVID MAXIM MICIC (SERBIA)FRIDAY 7 SEPTEMBER - THE ZOO, BRISBANESATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER - MANNING BAR, SYDNEYTHURSDAY 13 SEPTEMBER - BADLANDS, PERTHFRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER - JIVE, ADELAIDESATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER - CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNETICKETS ON SALE NOW AT HTTP://WWW.PLINI.CO/AUS

If you're of my generation, Jerry Cantrell is your guitar god. He shaped the way we think about guitar tone, what a riff could be and how it could sound. And he's still doing it, as iconic as ever. The new Alice In Chains album Rainier Fog is released on August 24 and I finally got to meet Jerry after all these years. Hope you enjoy our chat and that I don't come off as too nut-swingy. If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar

Fender has just announced an Australia-exclusive signature Stratocaster for Mark 'Diesel' Lizotte - one of my earliest guitar heroes, dontcha know - and I caught up with Diesel to talk about it. This episode also includes a chat with Justin Norvell, Fender Senior Vice President, where we talk about Jazzmasters, the new Player series, the glory of Fiesta Red and much more. Big thanks to Graeme Walshe at Fender Music Australia for setting up both interviews.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar

Michael Ciravolo is the man who turned Schecter into the guitar powerhouse it is today, but he's also a great musician in his own right. His project Beauty In Chaos is all about ethereal, goth-influenced rock, and you can hear some teasers at www.beautyinchaosmusic.com.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar

Ian Moss is one of those instantly-identifiable guitarists, whether it be in the context of Cold Chisel or his own brilliant solo work. Mossy has just released his long-awaited new, self-titled album. You can grab it now on CD, limited edition coloured vinyl or digitally at http://smarturl.it/IanMoss, and see all his tour dates at https://www.ianmoss.com.au/tourOn this episode we talk about the new record, the magic of the Eric Johnson Fender Stratocaster, and plenty more. Mossy is known as a kind of shy guy but he really opens up once we get into the guitar-If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar

Black Label Society. Ozzy Osbourne. Pride & Glory. Zakk Sabbath. Zakk Wylde is the fricken' man. In this, our tenth interview over the years, we talk about the new Black Label Society album Grimmest Hits (no, it's not a Greatest Hits with a cheeky name), his Wylde Audio line of guitars, the upcoming Ozzy tour and plenty more. If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguita

 My guest for this episode is the legendary Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap. Derek is about to release his new solo album, Smalls Change (Meditations On Aging) on April 13 and it's packed full of great guests like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Steve Lukather, Phil X and many more. I had the rare opportunity to speak with Derek himself about the album, his favourite basses, and what he wishes was different about the documentary This Is Spinal Tap.Also in this episode I share my thoughts about Gibson's current woes. Hit this link to read the short version.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar 

Mark Gemni Thwaite has an enviable career, having played with The Mission, Gary Neuman, Al Jourgensen, Tricky, Peter Murphy and many more while also making his own music. His solo project has morphed into MGT in partnership with vocalist Ashton Nyte of The Awakening. Their new album is Gemini Nyte and it’s out on February 23. It features Paul Ferguson of Killing Joke on drums plus guest appearances by Burton C Bell of Fear Factory, and The Cure founding members Lol Tolhurst and Pearl Thompson. It’s really great and I definitely recommend you check it out. Mark also has a really beautiful Schecter Solo-II signature model guitar which you really should check out. Music: ‘All The Broken Things’ by MGThttp://www.markthwaite.comhttps://www.schecterguitars.com/guitars/mark-thwaite-solo-ii-detailIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to paypal.me/iheartguitar

Roger Mayer is the Father of the Fuzz. Oracle of the Octavia. His early effects for the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page changed the way we listen to and play guitar, and he's still making great gear today. Join us for a chat about why analog is superior to digital, what it was like to work with Jimi Hendrix, and the emotion-heightening impact of a well-placed effect. Be sure to visit Roger's website at roger-mayer.co.uk.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or email me at peter@iheartguitarblog.com if you'd like to kick in a few bucks, and I'll direct you to my PayPal account.

Ace Von Johnson plays guitar for Faster cat and he loves dogs. Proof that cats and dogs can live in harmony. Join us for a good old-fashioned guitar geek-out, and hear the story of how Ace ended up in the rafters at the legendary Rainbow Bar & Grill.https://twitter.com/acevonjohnsonIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar  

Joe Satriani is about to release the new album What Happens Next, with the rhythm section of Glenn Hughes and Chad Smith. It's almost like a spiritual successor to 1992's The Extremist, and another daring landmark in Joe's career. Join us as we geek out about the record and other stuff.Preorder What Happens Next from satriani.comIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

Earl Skakel is a comedian from LA who loves his RATT. Join us as we nerd out about 80s rock, the Comedy Store, the Rainbow Bar & Grill and more. Follow him on Twitter and check out his podcast Inappropriate Earl!soundcloud.com/inappropriate-earltwitter.com/earlskakel If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar  

Korn's James 'Munky' Shaffer is always a great interview, especially once he gets started on pedals! This interview was conducted for an upcoming edition of Australian Guitar magazine. Hope ya dig it!https://twitter.com/JC_SHAFFERhttps://www.facebook.com/munkyofficial/If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar 

The Church were one of the very first bands a young Mr. I Heart Guitar got into. A jillion years later, I finally got the chance to interview frontman Steve Kilbey. If you haven't heard The Church's new album Man Woman Life Death Infinity yet, go go go, buy buy buy. It's incredible. I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did. https://www.facebook.com/pg/thechurchbandIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

Luthier Jon Sullivan of Sully Guitars is one of the nicest and funniest dudes ever to turn a tree into a musical instrument. If you haven't seen his guitars yet, you soon will! A Sully Guitars '71 is about to be featured on the cover of Guitar Player Magazine. Here's an extended chat with Sully where we geek out about all manner of guitar and music-related topics including his guitar designs, working with one of his musical heroes, and songs that absolutely wreck ya. This episode's background music is a little AC/DC-inspired thing I recorded a few weeks ago. Rest in peace, Malcolm. We love you. http://www.sullyguitars.comhttp://instagram.com/sullyguitarshttp://twitter.com/sullyguitars/https://www.facebook.com/sullyguitarsIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

Rita Haney - @dimebagzhag on Instagram - was Dimebag Darrell’s longtime girlfriend, and she’s spent the last few years putting together DimeVision 2: Roll With It Or Get Rolled Over, a new DVD of crazy stuff Dime got up to behind the scenes. It comes out on November 24. I met Rita at the Seymour Duncan NAMM party earlier this year, and we did this interview a few weeks ago, hence the Halloween talk. Tony M from Prince’s New Power Generation. NPG are playing at Bluesfest in Byron Bay, Australia over the Easter weekend. Tony’s story is really interesting - in the interview he talks about how he came to be in Prince’s band, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Last year Frank Iero was in town for a few shows, and we had a great chat for Australian Guitar magazine. We were just hanging around at his hotel nerding out about guitar. Frank’s a really sweet guy and this interview was a lot of fun.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

It’s the ‘Sorry About My Cold!’ Episode!Gilby Clarke is heading to Australia for some intimate shows in November and December, hitting Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra! Here are the dates:Thursday 30th November - Crowbar - BrisbaneFriday 1st Dec - Cherry Bar - MelbourneSaturday 2nd Dec – The Basement - CanberraSunday 3rd Dec – Frankie’s - SydneyTickets are on sale now from hardlinemedia.netDerek Sherinian was one of the very first people interviewed for I Heart Guitar when it started ten years ago. As a keyboard player he’s one of the greatest guitarists you’ll ever hear. He has a real understanding of how a guitarist plays, and that’s part of what has made him such a great fit in bands like Dream Theater, Alice Cooper, Black Country Communion and his own Planet X. And now he’s in the supergroup Sons of Apollo with Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot and Jeff Scott Soto. Their debut record Psychotic Symphony is out now. This is the second time I’ve interviewed Lindi Ortega. The first was for Australian Guitar magazine about two years ago to promote her album Faded Gloryville. Earlier this year Lindi released an EP called Til The Goin’ Gets Gone, and she’s heading down here to Australia for a run of shows including the Queenscliffe Music Festival. Visit LindiOrtega.com/tour for full dates and ticket info.  If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

I spoke to Corey Taylor about the new Stone Sour record Hydrograd a few weeks before it came out, and we had a lot of fun talking about inappropriate swearing, how to pronounce ‘Framus,’ and how to sing after your damn spine has been reconstructed. This interview with Buddy Guy was done just over two years ago as advance publicity for his appearance at Bluesfest in Byron Bay, and just a couple of days before his most recent album Born To Play Guitar came out. We did the interview after he’d appeared on the Tonight ShowYou know Kenny Aronoff. You’ve heard him with John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan, Tony Iommi, Jefferson Airplane, Elton Jhn, Santana, Chickenfoot, The Smashing Pumpkins, and on and on and on. He also has a band called Supersonic Blues Machine whose new album is called Californisound and features guest appearances by Steve Lukather (Toto), Eric Gales, Robben Ford and Walter Trout. You can also see Kenny in the documentary Hired Gun.Oh yeah and the background music for this one is a cover of ‘Mickey’ by Toni Basil which I recorded like 12 years ago for fun. If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

This episode kicks off with a quick demo of my Seymour Duncan Magnetar humbuckers in my Kiesel Vader guitar. Then we've got Dweezil Zappa, Trivium's Matt Heafy and 10 Years' Brian Vodinh.Dweezil talks about his forthcoming Australian/New Zealand tour, that really cool clean sound on Frank Zappa's 'Any Kind Of Pain,' and more. Go to dweezilzappa.com for the latest tour dates. Trivium's new album The Sin And The Sentence is insanely good. Produced by Josh Wilbur and released via Roadrunner Records, it's a new evolution in Trivium's sound. And yes, Matt is screaming again. Visit trivium.org for more info.The new 10 Years album (How to Live) As Ghosts is a rebirth of the band right at a time when it looked like they were going to part ways. But after a line-up change they've stepped up with an awesome new album. Check 'em out at 10yearsmusic.com.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

Welcome to Episode 2 of the I Heart Guitar Podcast! This week I’m chatting with St. Vincent, Richie Kotzen, Dan Auerbach and Walter Trout. St Vincent’s new album Masseduction is out now. This interview was from NAMM in January this year and we were talking about her Ernie Ball guitar, which you can now also get in a Sterling By Music Man model. The Richie Kotzen interview was done before his recent Australian tour (but I edited out the bits where we talked about the tour so as to not be confusing). His new album is called Salting Earth and it’s killer.Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys recently released his second solo album, Waiting On A Song, and it sounds undeniably fun and full of groove. Check it out! Walter Trout’s new album is We're All In This Together. This record is loaded with guests - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Sonny Landreth, Charlie Musselwhite, Robben Ford, Warren Haynes, Eric Gales, Edgar Winter, John Mayall and Joe Bonamassa - but Walter is the real star.If you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar

Welcome to the very first I Heart Guitar podcast with your host, music journalist Peter Hodgson! This episode features new interviews with Fozzy’s Rich Ward, guitar legend Tony MacAlpine and an archival interview with Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi. You’ll also hear the new Fozzy single, ‘Painless.’Order the new Fozzy album, Judas, here.Visit Tony MacAlpine’s site here.Website: iheartguitarblog.comTwitter: @iheartguitarFacebook: I Heart GuitarIf you'd like to help support I Heart Guitar, visit patreon.com/iheartguitar to support the podcast and gain access to subscriber-exclusive episodes, or donate to PayPal.Me/iheartguitar