There are very few albums that capture the essence of a musician as accurately as Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour '74. It is an album that brilliantly highlights the musical qualities for which Gallagher is renowned; the blistering guitar playing, raw vocals and relentless onstage energy. But more than that, the album...
Texas Flood, by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble was the album that got me hooked on the blues. Like so many others, I first heard it as a teenager, a couple of years after I started playing the guitar. It was the first time I had ever heard a guitarist...
Duane Allman is one of the greatest blues and rock guitarists of all time. During his short life and career, he changed the landscape of the blues. He adapted and built upon the bottleneck style of bluesmen like Elmore James, blending the blues with country rock and roots music. In...
Over the past couple of weeks, I have listened to a greater variety of blues music than ever before. I have discovered new artists and new albums, which has deepened my understanding and love of the blues. Not only has this helped me to develop as a musician, but it...
B.B. King is the undisputed master of the blues. He redefined the electric guitar and totally changed the way that it was played. He introduced techniques and a style of playing that was wildly different to anything that came before. In doing so, he had a profound impact not just...
It is difficult to overstate the impact that Eric Clapton has had on the blues. He was at the forefront of the British blues movement, which, when transported back to America, gave a new lease of life to the blues there too. He is an iconic figure and one of...
I don't think there is a single guitarist in the modern era who has not wanted to sound like Jimi Hendrix at some point in their playing career. He is unquestionably the most iconic guitarist of all time, and one who has influenced every guitarist that is playing today. Most...
I have wanted to sound like Joe Bonamassa since I first became aware of him around 5 years ago. I heard songs like 'Stop!' and 'Sloe Gin', and became enthralled by both his playing, and the quality of his guitar tone. To my mind, Joe Bonamassa is one of the...
Larkin Poe are one of the most interesting bands in the modern blues scene. In their own words, they’ve created a 'brand of Roots Rock ‘n’ Roll: gritty, soulful, and flavoured by their southern heritage’. They are unlike any band in the world of contemporary blues. Fronted by sisters Rebecca...
I have wanted to sound like Peter Green from the moment I first heard 'Black Magic Woman' as a teenager. In my opinion, Green's playing represents everything that is so brilliant about the blues. He plays with pure emotion. His playing is not fast, nor is it flashy. He doesn't use...
In recent years, overdrive pedals have come to play an...
The pickups that you use in your guitar play a fundamental...
It is not easy to build the perfect pedalboard. There are so...
In my opinion, learning how to connect the 5 pentatonic...
Guitar practice is difficult. In fact, I would argue that...
The world of guitar slides is not easy to navigate. As is...
When it comes to choosing guitar strings, players seem to...
If you want to get started playing slide guitar, the first...
If you want to dial in a killer blues tune, I would...
Over the course of his career, B.B. King crafted some of the...
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