Reference

For 30 years, Guitar World magazine has served as North America's leading publication for rock guitarists - and with more than 325 issues under its belt, the world's bestselling guitar magazine is showing no signs of slowing down. In this extraordinary book, the complete history of Guitar World is chronicled - from July 1980, when the very first issue, which featured Johnny Winter on its cover, took the guitar-playing community by storm, to issues from 2010 featuring the likes of Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Keith Richards, and many other guitar icons. Frank Zappa, Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton are just some of the artists who have sat down with Guitar World over the years: the full transcripts of these legendary, revealing interviews are here. This lavishly illustrated edition takes you behind the scenes of such monumental events as Nirvana's Unplugged performance, Stevie Ray Vaughan's funeral, and the making of Led Zeppelin IV, and includes Guitar World's great dual interviews: Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, Tony Iommi and James Hetfield, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and more. Rock music has gone through many changes since 1980 - bands have come and gone, musical styles have shifted dramatically, heroes have fallen - and through it all, Guitar World has been there, reporting on the events of the day and interviewing the musicians who keep the genre alive. It's all here, in The Complete History of Guitar World.

In a breathtaking, minute-by-minute format, December 8, 1980: The Day John Lennon Died follows the events leading to the horrible moment when Mark David Chapman calmly fired his Charter Arms .38 Special into the rock icon, realizing his perverse fantasy of attaining perennial notoriety. New York Times bestselling author Keith Elliot Greenberg takes us back to New York City and the world John Lennon woke up to. The day begins with a Rolling Stone photo session that takes on an uncomfortable tone when photographer Annie Leibowitz tries to maneuver Yoko Ono out of the shot. Later Lennon gives the last interview of his life, declaring, I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried and I hope that's a long, long time. We follow the other Beatles, Lennon's family, the shooter, fans, and New York City officials through the day, and as the hours progress, the pace becomes more breathless. Once the fatal shots are fired, the clock continues to tick as Dr. Stephan Lynn walks from the emergency room after declaring the former Beatle dead, Howard Cosell announces the singer's passing on Monday Night Football, and Paul McCartney is lambasted for muttering Drag, isn't it? - his bereavement confused with indifference. The epilogue examines the aftermath of the killing: the considerable moment when 100,000 New Yorkers stood in silence in Central Park, the posthumous reunion of the Beatles in the studio - with George, Paul, and Ringo accompanying the recordings of their old friend - the unveiling of a bronze John Lennon statue in Fidel Castro's Cuba, and the durable legacy that persists today.

Backbeat's successful Handbook format applied to the world's most popular instrument. The Electric Guitar Handbook is the latest entry in Backbeat's best-selling handbook series, combining a two-part book and an audio CD in a practical lay-flat binding for ease of reference when playing. Part one of the book examines how different types of electric guitars are made, and why varying construction methods influence the way guitars sound. It also looks at the role of various pieces of guitar hardware, including pick-ups, tremolo set-ups, and bridges. Part two is a comprehensive, user-friendly course in playing the electric guitar, from the basics of posture and hand positioning to music and tab reading and advanced performance. Newly written exercises - presented in the book and also on the accompanying CD - take the learner through each step in the process, covering styles including rock, country, blues, soul/funk, indie/alternative, and metal. Author Rod Fogg also offers practical advice on everything from simple scales to complex chords, alongside short features introducing key performers and styles.

Electric Guitars and Basses tells the story in full color of one of the most influential forces on American culture in the 20th century - the electric guitar. From the earliest lap steels that reshaped the sound of Hawaiian music, through the Spanish-neck models that created a new voice in the jazz world and powered the early rock and rollers, and on to the solidbody models that shattered conventional ideas of guitar design and guitar music, all of the classic and historically important models are displayed and discussed by guitar experts George Gruhn and Walter Carter. This new edition features an additional 16 pages of important instruments and newly discovered information.

In the years following the 1960s, Beatle fans around the world were twice-stunned: in 1970, when their beloved group disbanded, and ten years later when the murder of John Lennon ended a decade of hope that somehow the Fab Four would reunite. Fab Four FAQ 2.0 picks up the story where the acclaimed Fab Four FAQ left off. Loaded with images of rare period ephemera, including periodicals, single sleeves, and movie stills, this is the first comprehensive biography of all four ex-Beatles. This book covers everything from their recording careers in the decade after the band's dissolution to the musicians they played with, the bands they influenced, the manifestations of latter-day Beatlemania, and the constant clamor for reunion expressed by fans and - sometimes - by the four themselves.

Who would have thought the electric bass guitar with its frets removed would transcend the rhythm section to become one of the most instantly recognizable sounds in all of music? From the jazz genius of Jaco Pastorius and the funk/punk abandon of Les Claypool, to the landmark rock of Jack Bruce and Sting, the instrument has a lyrical legacy all its own. This book collects the very best interviews, lessons, and gear and maintenance guides into one smooth-reading compilation. With insight from over 25 masters, including Tony Levin, Marcus Miller, Gary Willis, Jimmy Haslip, and Percy Jones, The Fretless Bass will give you a keen appreciation for the important innovators, as well as plenty of tools to find your own voice on the instrument.

Finally back in print! The must-have book on Gibson's killer acoustic guitars, now updated. From the 1920s to the present, Gibson and its flat-tops have been synonymous with American music. Whether the music you listen to is from the North or the South, the country or the city, it is likely that a Gibson guitar was involved in creating it. Through more than 200 photos and detailed text, this book chronicles the development and evolution of Gibson's fabulous flat-tops, showing why these guitars have been the choice of so many great musicians, professional and amateur alike, over the last 70 years.

Carlos Santana is one of Guitar Player's most frequently covered artists. Revered by guitarists for his tone and brilliant sense of melody, Santana has been extremely giving in his Guitar Player interviews, sharing his gear secrets, technical approaches, musical influences, and the building blocks of his sound. Here, collected in one volume, are all of Santana's interviews, from his first post-Woodstock discussion to detailing the popular juggernaut that was 1999's Supernatural to the masterful seminar he gave on creativity in 2008. Also included are style lessons and licks from Guitar Player's respected staff of music writers and transcribers that reveal all the voodoo that explodes from Santana's fingers.

Culled from the archives of Guitar Player magazine, one of the most credible and longstanding music publications, Guitar Player Presents Clapton, Beck, Page traces the mammoth and influential careers of the three most important guitarists in rock and roll - Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page - with insightful interviews from the '60s and '70s to the present. Learn how these guitar heroes developed their styles and sounds as they were doing it. It's all here - details on legendary collaborations, stories from the studio and the road, breakdowns on gear, early influences, musical philosophies, secrets and tricks. Thrill to their own assessments of their technique, tone, and creativity over the years. Share in the musical triumphs, disappointments, goals, and dreams of three men who forever shaped the sound of rock guitar. Also included are style lessons and licks from Guitar Player's staff of music writers and transcribers that will help you crack the code of how these giants crafted their magic.

Paperback edition of the first in-depth biography of the legendary Sly Stone - now updated! An account as upbeat as those early hits ...it's a great tale. - Mojo Author Jeff Kaliss scored the first face-to-face interview with the reclusive superstar in over 20 years, making this book a must-read for any rock'n'roll fan. From the anthemic early hits (I Want to Take You Higher, Family Affair, Dance to the Music) that powered Woodstock, through the moody meditations of There's a Riot Going On and beyond, Sly and the Family Stone have left an indelible stamp on rock, funk, pop, and hip-hop. The story follows the evolution of Sly and the Family Stone from local favorites to global rock stars whose success was undermined by drugs and self-delusion. In this updated version of the popular biography, Jeff Kaliss brings the story forward with new interviews and new revelations about a star in turmoil.