LIKE A FINE WINE...

IS OUR COVER photo of Dave Grohl a

SOUNDING BOARD

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Remembering Leslie West

THE BIG MAN WHOSE BIG GUITAR SOUND HELPED LAUNCH HEAVY METAL

Relentless Reckless Forever

GW PAYS TRIBUTE TO ALEXI LAIHO, THE LONG-TIME CHILDREN OF BODOM GUITARIST WHO REVOLUTION-IZED DEMONIC SHRED IN THE NINETIES AND 2000S AND EMBRACED A HARD-PARTYING LIFESTYLE WORTHY OF HIS “WILDCHILD” NICKNAME

The Dead Daisies

DIO AND WHITESNAKE VETERAN DOUG ALDRICH DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF LUCK IN THIS CRAZY BIZ — AND THE INNER-WORKINGS OF HIS NEW SUPERGROUP

Hedras Ramos

THE L.A. INSTRUMENTAL MASTERMIND ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GREAT TIMING — AND THE SYSTEMATIC CHAOS OF HIS BOLD NEW RECORD, PAGANS

Meet Me @ The Altar

GUITARIST TÉA CAMPBELL MARRIES HER POP-PUNK AND EMO INFLUENCES

The Commander in Chief

THIS SEDULOUS SEVEN-STRINGER PUTS A COMPLETELY NEW SPIN ON CLASSICAL-INSPIRED GUITAR MUSIC

Fleshgod Apocalypse

FRANCESCO PAOLI LIFTS THE LID ON THE SYMPHONIC DEATH METAL MASTERS’ MOST VICIOUS AND VIVACIOUS CYCLE OF SONGS THUS FAR

New Music, Anyone?

THIS MONTH: SOME TRULY GLORIOUS STUFF FROM STEVEN WILSON, NIGHTTIME BOOGIE ASSOCIATION, MALENY MIKELS AND MORE

Re-Shaping the Masterpiece

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN JASON RICHARDSON CUTLASS 6-STRING

New EQ WHAT'S NEW AND COOL

Springtime is all about starting over. Here are some fresh takes on some new gear

Pole Position

BOSE L1 PRO16 PORTABLE LINE ARRAY SYSTEM

Buzz Bin

Stage Right by Monoprice 30W Tube Guitar Amp Head and 1x12 Cab

Direct Effect

IK MULTIMEDIA Z-TONE DI

STRING THEORY

I GOT RHYTHM, PART 15 The dotted-eighths treadmill

IN DEEP

AROUND THE BENDS, PART 3 Expanding minor pentatonic

THE GRISTLE REPORT

COLLINS MIX Soloing over a blues shuffle in

MELODIC MUSE

ON THE LINE Playing up and down one

PERFORMANCE NOTES

• • • HOW TO PLAY THIS MONTH’S SONGS• • •

“HOCUS POCUS”

FOCUS | MOVING WAVES, 1971 | GUITARIST: JAN AKKERMAN | STORY BY CHRIS GILL

Zero to ’80s in Five Pedals

A HANDFUL OF MODERN EFFECT PEDALS THAT RECREATE GRITTY EIGHTIES SOUNDS

TOP OF THE HEAP

STAR JUDGES, A MASSIVE ONLINE  POLL AND A  21ST-CENTURY PAGANINI! MEET THE WINNERS OF GUITAR WORLD’S  PRS GUITARS- SPONSORED 2020  GUITARIST OF THE YEAR CONTEST

VOICES IN THE SKY

PLINI — the guy Steve Vai once called “the future of exceptional guitar playing” — discusses the perils of “guitar fame,” the challenges of a modern prog-rocker and his breathtaking new album, IMPULSE VOICES

MIDNIGHT MADNESS GUITAR WORLD APRIL 2021

Foo Fighters’ guitar triumvirate

NÖTHIN’ BUT A GOOD TIME

THE EIGHTIES HARD-ROCK GUITAR SCENE

LLARKIN POE

Six-string sisters REBECCA and MEGAN LOVELL talk us through the tones that grace their new covers record — Kindred Spirits — and the musical telepathy that comes with growing up together  OVER THE LAST 10 or so years, sibling duo Larkin Poe have become one of the most exciting prospects in guitar music, thanks to their tasteful musicianship and heavenly harmonies. Latest release Kindred Spirits sees them return to the “covers” format that originally got them noticed, giving us their take on classic hits by Elton John, Neil Young and Elvis Presley, as well as more contemporary cuts by Lenny Kravitz and Post Malone

NOTATION GUIDE

“ORB”

Ichika Nito

“BORN TO BE WILD”

Steppenwolf

“PARANOID ANDROID”

Radiohead