Articles by Ellie Rogers

Ellie started dabbling with guitars around the age of seven, then started writing about them roughly two decades later. She has a particular fascination with alternate tunings, is forever hunting for the perfect slide for the smaller-handed guitarist, and derives a sadistic pleasure from bothering her drummer mates with a preference for “f**king wonky” time signatures.

As well as freelancing for MusicRadar, Total Guitar and GuitarWorld.com, she’s an events marketing pro and one of the Directors of a community-owned venue in Bath, UK.

Articles by: Ellie Rogers

Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir performing with the Grateful Dead at the Greek Theater in Berkeley on September 13, 1981

"It’s a common misconception among the unconverted that the Grateful Dead’s music was characterised by aimless noodling, rather than by deftly deployed fretboard know-how": 5 songs guitarists need to hear by the Grateful Dead

By Ellie Rogers published 21 March 24

Newcomers can dig in for a long strange trip here

Samantha Fish and Christone "Kingfish" Ingram perform onstage during Day 1 of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival at Crypto.com Arena on September 23, 2023 in Los Angeles, California

The blues guitar highlights of 2023: our favourite artists, performances and albums – featuring Jared James Nichols, Jackie Venson, Eric Clapton, Kingfish, Nat Myers, Eric Gales, Samantha Fish, Buddy Guy and more

By Ellie Rogers published 18 December 23

New and old school: a blues masterclass is in session

Singer/Songwriter Tom Petty of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform at Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta Georgia April 15, 1995

5 songs you need to hear by Tom Petty

By Ellie Rogers published 11 December 23

Petty's discography is a long road that ended too soon – here are some good places to start with a legendary songwriting legacy

Interview: Jared James Nichols on fingerstyle blues tips and perfecting his Les Paul signature pickup: "I would say it’s your favourite P-90 you haven’t tried yet"

By Ellie Rogers published 15 November 23

"It’s a game-changer because anyone who played one of my signatures before was like, ‘Yeah, I like it, but the P-90 is buzzy.’ Now, we’re getting rid of that"

Gavin Rossdale talks us through Bush's platinum hits: "These songs were not written with a view to any degree of success… I had toiled for many years and nothing had worked"

By Ellie Rogers published 9 November 23

From unemployment in London to 20-million album sales and US stardom, the songwriter recalls a remarkable rise – "I was pretty rubbish at first, but I had a knack"

Trevor Rabin interview: "When I went to do this album, I just wanted to do everything I love"

By Ellie Rogers published 30 October 23

The inside guitar perspective of the long-awaited new solo album from the former Yes man

Musician Duff McKagan, founding member of Guns N' Roses, performs onstage during the Gates of the West concert celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Clash's London Calling at The Roxy Theatre on January 11, 2020 in West Hollywood, California

Duff McKagan interview: "I wasn’t initially a bass player – I was a guitar player and a drummer. So, my thing’s a little weird. I write left-handed. I play right-handed. There’s a bunch of weird s**t!"

By Ellie Rogers published 24 October 23

The Guns man talks new solo album Lighthouse, Jerry Cantrell and shares some insider tips: "I do the trick where, about 20 minutes before a show, I eat some potato chips"

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram performs during the 2023 BottleRock Napa Valley festival at Napa Valley Expo on May 28, 2023 in Nap

Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram: "I’m really heavily into Gary Moore when it comes to the hard blues rock sound" – talking tones, tips and a new live album with the Delta guitar hero

By Ellie Rogers published 12 October 23

"For me, the stage is more like a canvas than the studio is"

St. Vincent during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California

"When Annie’s turn came, she refused to do the obvious white-male masturbatory thing on the guitar" – 5 St. Vincent songs guitarists need to hear

By Ellie Rogers published 11 October 23

"It was like the Loch Ness monster giving birth inside a silo"

Heriot's Debbie Gough on the 10 albums that changed her life and that Jackson shred collaboration video: "It was definitely one of the craziest experiences of my life"

By Ellie Rogers published 3 October 23

The whammy-wielding UK metaller talks Jackson American Series Virtuoso and why Haley Williams is a songwriting influence alongside Converge and the Dillinger Escape Plan

5 songs guitarists need to hear by... John Martyn

By Ellie Rogers published 8 August 23

Brilliant, inventive, troubled, there was never a folk guitar player like Martyn, whose appetite for experimentation created a sound that resonated far beyond guitar culture

"Chords are depictions of emotions" – 5 Joni Mitchell songs that showcase her guitar and songwriting genius

By Ellie Rogers published 17 July 23

A case of Joni – and her 55 different tunings

Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac performs on stage at The Hydro on October 3, 2013 in Glasgow, Scotland

Lindsey Buckingham: 5 Fleetwood Mac and solo songs you need to hear featuring the guitar maverick

By Ellie Rogers published 14 June 23

He goes his own way

Fender Steve Lacy People Pleaser Stratocaster

Steve Lacy on his new signature Fender Strat: "I kind of wanted to mix the old with the new – I think I always like that in everything that I do"

By Ellie Rogers published 17 May 23

The artist and producer brings an auteur's touch to his first signature guitar; he tells us about striking a balance

Voyager guitarists Simone Dow and Scott Kay on being the first prog-metal band in the Eurovision Song Contest: "We love a little bit of cheese every now and then, so why not throw that in with a nice little mountaintop solo?"

By Ellie Rogers published 9 May 23

The duo also explain why the key to a good guitar riff is the drums

Feist interview: "I was endeavouring to push myself harder in my guitar playing"

By Ellie Rogers published 4 May 23

In this guitar-focussed interview, Leslie Feist tells us how she used nylon strings, alternate tunings and a Spire digital eight-track to make a compelling musical statement on Multitudes

Ruston Kelly on the 10 albums that changed his life and how they inspired his new record: "If you really dig into the record, you can hear every single one’s influences"

By Ellie Rogers published 5 April 23

"I started a Dave Matthews covers band in my high school" – we pick through the DNA of Ruston's sprawling third album, The Weakness

"If you roll your guitar volume back and have a pedal on, it’ll buffer it and you’ll still have the high end" – Michael Landau talks Strats and shares his top 5 tips for guitarists

By Ellie Rogers published 3 April 23

We discuss tone and the 'Coma' Strat with a session giant

"With this record, I hope that people can feel my soul and my spirit because, in those solos, that’s what I’m really giving you" – Malina Moye on her new album and the 10 that changed her life

By Ellie Rogers published 17 March 23

An inspiring musician talks inspirations

"There is something about the clean sound on a Fender. I just don’t think it can be touched" – Samm Henshaw on embracing the guitar for his next record and being inspired to play by John Mayer (via Michael Jackson)

By Ellie Rogers published 8 March 23

"I have not played around with a proper amp for a very long time! It’s been plugins"

5 Rory Gallagher songs guitarists need to hear

By Ellie Rogers published 15 February 23

Check out these key tracks from the electric blues icon

"Aged 15, 16 and 17, I wanted to be Stevie Ray Vaughan – that’s all I cared about": Jared James Nichols on blues heroes, Zakk Wylde, Patsy Cline and the 10 albums that changed his life

By Ellie Rogers published 9 February 23

"I had a Tube Screamer as well and I still use it"

John Oates on 10 albums that changed his life, and the guitar that now feels like a part of him: "I bought my ‘58 Strat in 1972 for a hundred and twenty-five bucks and I’ve played it ever since"

By Ellie Rogers published 19 January 23

From James Brown to Joni Mitchell and Billy Strings: the key inspirations on one half of the best-selling musical duo ever, and a solo artist in his own right

5 songs you need to hear by Jeff Beck

By Ellie Rogers published 12 January 23

The guitar heroes' guitar hero had a discography and a bag of six-string tricks like no other

5 Prince deep cut songs for guitarists

By Ellie Rogers published 31 December 22

Best of 2022: Guitar gold mining from His Royal Badness’s catalogue

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