With a strong focus on the Australian music scene, Australian Guitar is a rich source of information on playing techniques, styles, the wide range of instruments available and all the technology that guitarists have to consider in the 21st Century.
DAVE NAVARRO HAS CHOSEN THE GUITAR HE'S USING TO RECORD HIS FIRST POST-JANE'S ADDICTION MATERIAL - AND IT'S A HISTORIC BUILD Dave Navarro is currently gearing up to record his first new postJane’s Addiction material, and he’s already picked out which electric guitar he will use for the project – and it’s a celebratory milestone build from PRS. Navarro is poised to start the latest chapter in his musical career, after last year’s highprofile Jane’s Addiction reunion came to an abrupt end when the guitarist was punched on stage mid-solo by vocalist Perry Farrell. A few days after the incident took place, Navarro seemingly pulled the curtain down on Jane’s Addiction when he released a statement that confirmed the band had “made the difficult decision to take some time away”.…
COURTNEY BARNETT HAS had a busy 2025. In March she appeared on the Neil Young tribute album Heart of Gold with a gorgeous dream pop-inspired cover of 'Lotta Love'. For anyone drawn to the stripped back suburban intimacy of her breakthrough LP Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, the Young rendition – with its spectral reverb and woozy textures – may come as a surprise. But perhaps it's not really a surprise: her most recent song-oriented LP, Thing Take Time, Take Time was a stylistically diverse affair – a truth somewhat obscured by the fact that Barnett's voice and lyricism tends to take centre stage. Those elements are foregrounded for good reason, but it was nevertheless illuminating to hear Barnett's 2023 soundtrack album End of the…
THE MELBOURNE GUITAR Show took place on March 1 and 2, bringing the latest and greatest to Australian guitarists. Having attended, performed at and hosted Q&A sessions at previous MGS events, I was curious to see how the switch to a new venue would change the vibes. The biggest and best change was placing everything on one level; no more lining up at the escalators to pop upstairs to see the acoustic room or catch a performance on the main stage. And the flow-on result was a more relaxed, social and fun experience. There are four main aspects to the MGS: the gear, the seminars, the performances and the hangs. There are the latest products, including advance previews of stuff that isn’t in Australian stores yet, like the phenomenal new…
ORIANTHI’S DEBUT SOLO album, 2005’s Violet Journey, immediately put the guitar community on notice that a major new talent had arrived. Her unique blend of blues-fueled virtuosity turned heads from the very start, leading to countless endorsements from majorleague gear manufacturers. The subsequent years have seen her release four more highly acclaimed albums; in fact, we caught up with her as she was completing work on her sixth album, which is due sometime this year. This means we managed to find a spot in Ori’s hectic schedule to discuss the three guitars that have meant the most to her over her career. “I’ve got so many guitars that mean a lot to me for all kinds of reasons, but I guess — when push comes to shove — these are…
THE END IS near, but time is on Mark Tremonti’s side. It’s got to be — he planned it this way. When we reach the legendary Floridian guitar force in late November 2024, he’s just stepped into a Toronto hotel room on a day off from Creed’s extremely successful and rapturously received reunion tour, which packed arenas throughout much of the year. To say he’s caught during a moment of downtime, however, might be a stretch. Once this interview wraps, he’ll be warming up his voice in preparation for another round of “Tremonti Sings Sinatra” shows, black-tie events where he smoothly croons Ol’ Blue Eyes’ standards. He’s also touching up some songs he wrote for an upcoming album with Alter Bridge, his other long-running and beloved hard rock project. He…
SISTER, RELEASED IN 1987, is widely acclaimed as Sonic Youth’s best album. At the time of its release, it was acknowledged as a step up for the New York City altrockers in terms of writing and sonic quality. Evol, released the previous year, had already served notice that the band was moving toward a more mainstream sound. Sister was the record that made good on that promise, delivering commerciality without compromise. Guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo had already adopted a wildly experimental approach to their playing, inventing unique alternative tunings, using prepared guitars — with drumsticks wedged under the strings (among a number of radical approaches) — and playing behind the bridge. The fact that they could weld such radical unconventionality to songs that delivered memorable melodies and solid…
