• Classics: Norman Harris

    Artists

    Classics: Norman Harris

    Rare Pioneer

    As a teenager who just wanted to play music, Norm Harris lived with the reality that he and his band weren’t going to be millionaires anytime soon. So he did what musicians do – side-hustled. But when most were manning the counter at a music shop or serving tables, Harris was up at the crack

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Pop ’N Hiss: Rage Against the Machine’s Evil Empire

Strife Under Pressure

With a title taken from a Ronald Reagan quip about the Soviet Union, Rage Against The Machine’s second album, Evil Empire, was created under pressure so intense it damn near…

In Memoriam: John Regan

John Regan, a songwriter, producer, and bassist who was a member of Peter Frampton’s band and Frehley’s Comet, died April 7 at his home in New York. He was 71.…

Nuno Bettencourt

Extreme Versatility

When Extreme reunited for its fifth album, 2008’s Saudades de Rock, it seemed a foregone conclusion the band was back in business and returning to a regular record/tour cycle. Well,…

Manouche courtesy of La Pompe Attack

(Gypsy) Jazzin’ a James Taylor Tune La Pompe Attack shows us their take on James Taylor’s “Traffic Jam,” from their new album, “Putt Lake Toodleloo,” with Doug Munro on his…

Seth Lover

Seth Lover

Humbuckers and Other Lover innovations

The history of the musical instrument business is full of stories, from the drab to the miraculous. Some bean counters will busily push their way to the forefront, grabbing for…

Leigh Stephens

Blue Cheer Flashbacks

Blasting out of the San Francisco Bay area with an amped-to-the-heavens heavy blooze/hard rock style, Blue Cheer spewed forth a lo-fi garage sound that found the trio lobbing grenades on…

Brian Tarquin

Shreddin’ for Veterans

For guitarist Brian Tarquin, helping military veterans is part of life. The son of a World War II vet, he grew up hearing stories about the camaraderie and fellowship shared…

Bryan Beller: Aristocratic Riffs

Time-Signature Shifts on “Aristoclub Bryan Beller and his Lull Custom BBMF5 demonstrate what it takes to keep up with Guthrie Govan and Marco Minneman in their scary-good fusion trio, The…

Danny Fender

Danny Fender was one of the great guitarists you may never have heard. He died December 3, 2024, at age 54. Fender was well-known among his people, the American Roma.…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Daniel Escauriza

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Daniel Escauriza Season 01 Episode 06 In Episode 8 of “Buy That Guitar,” presented by Vintage Guitar, host Ram Tuli is joined by…

Pete Anderson

Despite prevailing trends and “industry wisdom” – an oxymoron Pete Anderson has disproved several times over – the 20-year association of this guitarist/producer/label-head and country star Dwight Yoakam has been…

Alex Lifeson

Rush Keeps Rollin

“A lot of critics perceived us as being pretentious,” says Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson of his band’s early years. “We were not representative of where they thought rock was heading.”…

Neal Schon

Driven Journey Man

It’s been 11 years since Journey released a new studio album, and its latest, Freedom, is packed with 15 arena-ready rockers and ballads. Lead guitarist/co-founder Neal Schon, keyboardist/guitarist Jonathan Cain,…

Ted Greene Remembered

You know what happened: discretionary income for the first time and the rise of the indies with things that the majors laughed at. Just like Gibson laughing at Leo at…

Top 50 Guitar Songs of the ’80s

By the Readers and Staff of Vintage Guitar Based on input from Vintage Guitar magazine staff and readers, this feature presents the results of a poll highlighting the 50 coolest…

Brad Gillis

Playin’ On

A member of the cutting-edge vanguard that made the Floyd Rose locking vibrato a huge part of ’80s rock guitar, Brad Gillis famously gashed two classics – a ’62 Strat…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Rick Hogue

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Rick Hogue Season 01 Episode 09 In Episode 9 of VG’s “Buy That Guitar” podcast, host Ram Tuli is joined by Rick Hogue…

Have Guitar Will Travel 102 – Live In The Vineyard #1

In episode 102 of “Have Guitar Will Travel”, presented by Vintage Guitar Magazine, host, James Patrick Regan is at the “Live in the Vineyard” event in Napa, CA and he’s…

Les Paul

Birth of a Guitar Icon

Fifty years ago, Gibson’s new Les Paul Model was quickly becoming one of the company’s most popular guitars, and (though there was no way of knowing it at the time)…

NGM Hosts “Medieval to Metal” Exhibit

String Spectacle

The National Guitar Museum, which has toured the U.S. for more than a decade, recently opened an exhibition titled “Medieval to Metal: The Art & Evolution Of The Guitar.” We…

BB King Vintage Guitar magazine main home

Remembering B.B. King

Ed. Note: Everyone associated with Vintage Guitar magazine is saddened to learn of the passing of B.B. King. In 1995, Mr. King sat for an interview with VG‘s Willie G. Moseley, and…

Eric Bibb plays “Bring Me a Little Water, Sylvie”

Soulful Blues Beyond I-IV-V Sensational fingerstylist Eric Bibb uses the ’47 Levin Model 13 Ambassadör to honor us with a bit of Lead Belly’s “Bring Me a Little Water, Sylvie,”…

Henry Garza

Still Familia

The music created by Los Lonely Boys – brothers Henry, Jojo, and Ringo Garza – is an amalgam resulting from a deeply musical upbringing fostered by boundless influences. Combining elements…

Nili Brosh: Super Busy Super Shredder

Exclusive look at “Lavender Mountains” and her Ibanez LA Custom RG770” Nili Brosh recorded her new single, “Lavender Mountains” using her Ibanez LA Custom RG770 running through a Mesa Boogie…

Outlaws

Rising Tides

By the mid ’70s, Southern rock emerged as one of the most-exciting and successful genres in pop music, thanks to the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Another important early…

Racer X, Bruce Bouillet, Vintage Guitar magazine

Bruce Bouillet

From The Shadow Of Racer X

Former Racer X guitarist Bruce Bouillet overcame carpal tunnel syndrome to return to his first love – shredding. Now, he’s back with a third solo album The Order Of Control,…

Hilton Valentine

1943-2021

“The first song I learned on guitar was ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by the Animals.” The statement could have come from literally thousands of fledgling guitarists in ’64, when…

Ritchie Blackmore

From "Temple of the King" to King Alphonse X

“Renaissance,” “Medieval,” “Baroque,” and other musical terms are applicable to the unique modern-day efforts of the most recent aggregation that counts legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore as a member. Along with…

Greg Koch

Making It Work

The latest release from guitar master Greg Koch is From the Up’Nuh with his son, Dylan, on drums and B3-whiz Toby Marshall on organ. Collectively, they’re the Koch Marshall Trio,…

Brennen Leigh’s Heart-Tugging Honky-Tonk

Shades of Norman Blake and Dolly Parton A student of the “Carter Scratch” guitar technique – melody on the low strings, rhythm on the high – Brennen Leigh plays and…