As web traffic, YouTube views and Spotify plays will (and do) attest, a new studio album by Metallica is still headline news in guitar land – even 40 years after Kill ’Em All, their game-changing indie debut.
In the new issue of GW, we take you behind the scenes of the band’s 11th album, the mighty 72 Seasons. And it goes a little something like this:
>>> A Band for All Seasons: New music. A world tour. Two nights in every city, each with its own unique setlist. Sure, there’s been a bit of a wait, but right now it’s all systems go in the Metallica camp. Just before everything kicks off, Kirk Hammett fills us in on the new album, which chronicles the metal giants exploring new means of heaviness in the most unexpected ways while retreading former glories
>>> Diary of a Bass Man: Eighty seasons into his career with Metallica, Robert Trujillo talks us through the writing and recording process for 72 Seasons, revealing how certain moments remind him of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Black Sabbath and… Cheech & Chong?
>>> Master of Downstrokes: We bring you a rare archival 2009 interview with James Hetfield (which is making its first appearance in GW) where he focuses on his percussive rhythm-guitar style, complete with two Hetfield-esque riffs with tabs and audio. Here’s hoping James will be unbelievably chatty next time!
This issue (aka the June 2023 issue) is available right here, right now.
June GW playlist: Play along at home (or wherever)!
A few months ago, I had publicly tossed around the idea of creating a Spotify playlist to go with each issue of GW. Well, I did it for this issue; let’s just hope I stick with it! Everyone covered in this issue is represented in the playlist, including all the artists in the Tune-Ups section.
In fact, let me give a special shoutout to one of those bands, a pair of brothers who call themselves Hermanos Gutiérrez. I swear I’ve played their new album, El Bueno Y El Malo, about 197 times; it’s the perfect thing to listen to when you’re editing stories, dealing with PR people and writing headlines (and amazing sentences like this one). Enjoy!
Elsewhere in this yellow issue...
Alan Paul provides a personal tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd great Gary Rossington, who died March 5 at age 71, including an updated and expanded version of a 1993 interview in which the guitarist dissects nine classic Skynyrd tracks.
Andy Aledort honors the late David Lindley, one of the greatest and most distinct slide players and multi-instrumentalists of all time (including a comprehensive essential-listening guide).
Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes looks back on his early years, the height of fame and that infamous scene in The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
Paul Gilbert takes us on a deep dive through his latest album – a 12-track celebration of Ronnie James Dio, who roped in guitar greats Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore and Vivian Campbell across various eras of his storied career.
After teaming up for a fiery EP late last year, celebrated blueser Samantha Fish and Texas troublemaker Jesse Dayton have returned with their first long-player, Death Wish Blues.
GW’s guide to 10 accessories and tools every guitarist should have in his/her gig bag.
We also have interviews with Quicksand’s Walter Schreifels, Malina Moye, Daniele Gottardo, the Shadows’ Hank Marvin, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Steel Panther’s Satchel, Weird Al guitarist Jim “Kimo” West and H.C. McEntire. Meanwhile, George Lynch shows us not one, but two of his pedalboards!
This month’s transcriptions are The Star-Spangled Banner as performed by Chris Stapleton at Super Bowl LVII, plus Everybody Use Your Goddamn Turn Signal by Paul Gilbert and Outshined by Soundgarden.
We have reviews of the Epiphone Power Players Les Paul and SG, the PRS Sonzera 20 combo, the Boss Katana-50 MkII EX combo and TWA’s SH9 Scott Henderson Signature Distortion. In Power Tools, Chris Gill explores the history and lore of the legendary 1958-60 Fender Bassman 5F6A.
OK, I have to get back to work on the next issue now (for real). See you in four-ish weeks!
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