
Will Simpson
Will Simpson is a freelance music expert whose work has appeared in Classic Rock, Classic Pop, Guitarist and Total Guitar magazine. He is the author of 'Freedom Through Football: Inside Britain's Most Intrepid Sports Club' and his second book 'An American Cricket Odyssey' is due out in 2025
Latest articles by Will Simpson

“Our talent pipeline is at risk of drying up”: UK Music draws up five point plan to “turbocharge” music education
By Will Simpson published
They urge the government to recruit 1,000 new music teachers

“I needed to scratch an itch”: Mike Portnoy talks about his years away from Dream Theater
By Will Simpson published
“I was fried” he says, “but I went off from there to form, like, 87 bands”

The Keybird L1 is the MIDI-friendly acoustic piano that anyone can fit in their living space
By Will Simpson published
Meet the tiny piano that's making a big noises on Kickstarter

“I don’t think they’re New Order. They don’t sound anything like them”: Peter Hook on his estranged bandmates
By Will Simpson published
He says he gets DMs from fans complaining about the current band

Fyre is extinguished: Billy McFarland’s ‘luxury’ festival is postponed indefinitely
By Will Simpson published
‘The Greatest Party That Never Happened’ never happened again

“Tariffs will have a long-term effect on musicians worldwide”: NAMM urges Trump to dump tariffs on components of musical instruments
By Will Simpson published
US instrument manufacturers are heavily dependent on China for components

“Almost inhumane and a form of torture": Psytrance festival is cancelled after just 11 complaints
By Will Simpson published
But organisers hadn’t monitored sound levels properly

“Chinese Democracy was totally a solo record, and that's all it has been since 1991”: GN’R’s ex manager takes aim at Axl Rose
By Will Simpson published
He claims frontman made band “miserable” every day

“For some reason, the post office shipped your guitar to Jim Root of Slipknot”: Sweetwater mailed a metal fan's Jackson guitar to a metal legend
By Will Simpson published
He received a flight case but no guitar

“An incredible experience that went beyond just teaching music”: The UK’s biggest free music making weekend is extended to four days
By Will Simpson published
Learn To Play is confirmed for October 9 – 12 this year

“Such a raging asshole”: Which one time Lollapalooza headliner could Wayne Coyne be talking about?
By Will Simpson published
Beef dates back to Smashing Pumpkins man being "just horrible" during Lollapalooza in '94

“KIKI BOY 2025”: Frank Ocean appears to be teasing something...or other
By Will Simpson published
Billboard with those words has appeared on the road to Coachella

“This is great. I knew I was getting to them!”: Spotify have responded to Kate Nash’s criticisms
By Will Simpson published
They’re pointing the finger at her record label

Has Fyre really gone out?: Billy McFarland’s festival will be limited to just 250 guests and just 12 hours of music
By Will Simpson published
That’s if it even happens at all

“Incredibly good-looking, just like me”: Alice Cooper launches his own reel-to-reel tape recorder
By Will Simpson published
Plus he says Hall Of Fame is spreading its definition of rock n’ roll “pretty thin”

“Tonight is for Clem and it’s for friendship”: Sex Pistols dedicate Sydney show to Clem Burke
By Will Simpson published
“What a drummer, what a friend, what a guy” says Glen Matlock

Why Trent Reznor turned down Richie Kotzen for Nine Inch Nails
By Will Simpson published
But Stanley Clarke “didn’t give a shit” what band he was in

Who Wants To Live Forever? The composer still creating music from beyond the grave
By Will Simpson published
Alvin Lucier’s lab-grown artificial ‘brain’ is creating sound four years after he died

“I don’t want to book a boy band”: Why Perry Farrell didn’t want Green Day on the Lollapalooza bill
By Will Simpson published
He thought they were a record company creation

“Just so if ever that happens again, I’m like ‘here’s the proof that I wrote it’”: Ed Sheeran reveals he now films every recording session
By Will Simpson published
Plus he responds to TikTokker said his music was like “heroin”

“A few Burnage lads created something special”: Tony McCarroll's wistful message to his old Oasis bandmates
By Will Simpson published
“The world is excited to see this” he says

“I had a blast. Thank you”: Beatles original drummer Pete Best retires, aged 83
By Will Simpson published
His daughter says it’s due to “personal circumstances”

“I thought I was going to die”: Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus on surviving cancer and his band’s resurrection
By Will Simpson published
Bassist was diagnosed with B-cell lymphona
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.