Distortion is sugar. It tastes good. When I was 13 my first amp was, accidentally, a 10-watt Epiphone bass amp. A bass amp. The kale salad of making things louder. Yuck. But the first time I plugged in to a proper guitar amp … wow. My little cousin had a pink Hello Kitty Squier Strat…

In my experience, constructing lines has always been about texture and structure. Developing ideas for soloing and writing melodies takes a keen sense of harmonic and rhythmic context. It’s about seducing the listener and delivering a ride that’s hard to forget—a ride that caters to the listener. Of course, it’s important to write for yourself…

Many people cite the first wave of punk rock as lasting less than two years. An oversimplified timeline would run from the release of the Ramones’ self-titled first album in April of 1976 to the breakup of the Sex Pistols in 1978. In fact, however, these two years represent little more than a snapshot of…

Photo by Andy Ellis Being a rock guitar teacher at Berklee, which is known primarily for jazz, is a bit like being the best dogsled racer in Hawaii. At the same time, it has its advantages. Mostly, I get a unique perspective on things simply because of where I am. There’s been a long-standing debate…

Formed in 1990, Tool is still considered to be one of the premier progressive rock bands of the era. While guitarist Adam Jones’ playing is firmly rooted in the progressive idiom, he doesn’t hesitate to draw on elements of grunge and even stoner rock, and the groove-based style of drummer Danny Carey and rock-solid timing…