The Smashing Pumpkins have officially recruited their new guitarist, and if you’re into the social media shred guitar scene, it’s someone you might already recognise. Kiki Wong will be joining the band, who has a popular presence online. She is particularly known for her guitar-focused TikTok account. According to a statement provided by frontman Billy Corgan, he “was a fan of Kiki’s before she submitted her name” for consideration. READ MORE: “He ended up throwing up on my shoes”: Billy Corgan remembers his first time meeting The Cure’s Robert Smith The guitar auditions commenced in early ..read more

Alex Lifeson says he’s gone back to a traditional approach with his guitar rig, deciding to ditch wireless gear that he used for years in Rush in favour of good old fashioned cables. Lifeson has been busy crafting gear of his own lately under the name of Lerxst. So far, he’s launched a range of amplifiers, two effects pedals and even a guitar – an S-style model called Limelight. READ MORE: Lerxst launches limited-edition Snow Dog octave fuzz pedal which “revisits the early part of Alex’s tone journey” In an interview with Guitarist for its latest print edition, Lifeson gives an update on hi ..read more

Slipknot fans think they’ve definitely worked out who the band’s new drummer is after The Nine played an intimate club show in their self-titled era masks and distinctive red boiler suits. The drummer stool has been empty since the highly publicised dismissal of Jay Weinberg late last year but last night, the band played their first show with their new drummer at the Pappy + Harriet’s barbecue bar in Pioneertown, California. Tickets for the intimate last-minute gig only cost $9 each, with proceeds split between the Joshua Tree No Kill Shelter and BOYS & GIRLS CLUB of the Hi Desert ..read more

Sammy Hagar has insisted he’s a “really easy guy to work with” and doesn’t “have an ego when it comes to music”. The Van Halen vocalist has also said he believes that he’s a better writer when he’s collaborating with others and as such his ego comes second. READ MORE: David Lee Roth reuploads little-known band’s song without credit to take aim  Sammy Hagar  “Not to beat my chest or anything, but I’m a real easy guy to work with,” he tells Variety. “I really don’t have an ego when it comes to music. I’m always better with other people, I’ll be the first to admit. I personally know ..read more

From Ocean Eyes going viral when she was 14, to becoming the youngest ever Grammy Album Of The Year winner at 18, every year of Billie Eilish’s adolescence has been lived under a microscope. Slowly, the world has watched Eilish evolve from a moody neon-headed teen to a mature, Oscar-winning superstar. But what is it actually like living your adolescence in the public eye? Terrifying, Eilish reveals. READ MORE: “We heard you loud and clear”: John Mayer’s PRS SE Silver Sky is finally getting a left-handed version In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Eilish admits how worldwide fame has left ..read more

Holograms are the future of live music it seems, with ABBA’s Voyage and the anticipated launch of Kiss’s very own digital avatars too, more musicians are thinking forward of how they can continue their legacy with futuristic live shows. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour thinks it could even be a possibility for their music too, though there’d have to be a lot of ground rules to consider first. READ MORE: “He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine”: David Gilmour on working with Alt-J producer on his new album In the new print issue of Uncut, Gilmour begins ..read more

Queen’s Brian May believes Deep Purple’s 1970 single, Black Night, contains “one of the biggest and best” guitar riffs of all time. The track was originally released in June 1970 and was later included on the 25th Anniversary edition of the band’s studio album, Deep Purple In Rock, which was first released that same year. READ MORE: “It’s a bit of a torture if you’re a big fan” Joe Satriani likens playing Eddie Van Halen’s parts to filling in for Ritchie Blackmore Deep Purple are due to put out a brand new album this July, titled =1. It marks their first full-length release since their 2021 ..read more

Jon Bon Jovi is one of the biggest names in rock, and January marked 40 years since the release of his band’s debut album. At 62, he’s on his way to becoming one of rock’s elder statesmen, but back when he was starting out, he was learning what he could from some of the biggest names of the era, as he explains in a new interview with People. READ MORE: “Keith still has what he loves: shepherd’s pie”: The Rolling Stones have reportedly “cut back” on their rider requests Before Bon Jovi got their big break, their frontman was working as a go-fer at the Power Station, a recording studio in New ..read more

Newly appointed Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto has outlined how the company needs to “evolve and execute” better to remain competitive. Speaking in the May issue of Music Inc magazine, Dalporto – who was named GC’s CEO last October – believes the company is one that “really needs to exist in many markets”. READ MORE: Why the CEO of America’s oldest guitar company is embracing radical change “If you want to experience musical instruments and start off or accelerate your journey as a musician, the world needs Guitar Center. Our customers need us and our vendors need us,” he says. “But i ..read more

There’s nothing like the feeling of upstaging Van Halen in their heyday, even more so if you’ve got the US Air Force on your side. In a new interview, Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker looks back on the time the band managed to steal the show from right under the noses of the reigning godfathers of rock. READ MORE: Watch Jason Isbell and Luther Dickinson pay tribute to Dickey Betts with a touching rendition of an Allman Brothers Band classic The moment took place during the Heavy Metal Day at the US Festival of 1983, which featured Van Halen as headliners and Scorpions second on the ..read more