The Best Guitarist in The World: # 3 – Prince
I’ve just started reading a book about the making of Purple Rain (the movie and album) – and I mean just started. I’m only a handful of pages in. The author is gushing about Prince’s guitar playing. I...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 4 – David Kilgour
It was only recently, a couple of years ago, that I stumbled onto the best way to describe David Kilgour: his approach, his playing, his position. I considered him a nonchalant phenomenon. In fact I’d...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 5 – Peter Green
I have been obsessed with Fleetwood Mac – all versions of the band – since I was about 10 years old. People like to focus on the early blues years now, a different band entirely. But I still love the...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World # 6 – Steve Vai
No, no, hear me out – Steve Vai is one of the very few from the “Shred Shed” that transcends that silly notion. For a start, he knows when he’s being a ham. I don’t think Joe Satriani has that...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 7 – Duane Allman
When I was about 14 – and at the peak of my guitar-loving “discovery” years, a devotee of Guitar Player magazine, as open to (and obsessed with) Sonic Youth and The Velvet Underground as Muddy Waters...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 8 – Mark Knopfler
I remember one time at school some guy told me “the best guitarist in the world is Mark Knopfler”. I laughed at him. Not entirely sure why – I’ve always been a fan. But it just didn’t sit with me – and...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 9 – Django Reinhardt
He died right around the time my mother was born – and I read all about him in a guitar magazine when I was 13. He was my hero. I bought tapes and listened to anything I could find – it was Django...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 10 – David Hidalgo
A few years ago I was interviewing Mitchell Froom. In the 1990s Froom was one of those Everywhere Producers. He was married to Suzanne Vega and helped with her records, he produced Crowded House – and...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 11 – Lindsey Buckingham
You never even used to see this guy considered for The Best Guitarist lists…and, actually, maybe you still don’t, come to think of it…but I reckon something changed when the core version of Fleetwood...
View ArticleThe Best Guitarist in The World: # 12 – Stevie Ray Vaughan
We’re less than a month away from it being 25 years since Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed. But I’m talking to you about this now because, well, I wanted to include him in this series… It’s easy – now –...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 20 – Jim Wilson
We have made it to episode 20 of the podcast. An achievement – as far as I’m concerned. And a great chat this round, my conversation with Jim Wilson of Phantom Billstickers. I first met Jim online – as...
View ArticleMovies of My Life # 13 – Blind Fury
Just recently I rewatched the movie Blind Fury – it’s been released/re-released on DVD by Madman, no (real) frills as such; just the movie on DVD, a chance to watch it if you’ve never seen it, a chance...
View ArticleAuthors I Admire: # 13 Neil LaBute
You might normally find an appreciation of Neil LaBute under film or theatre – rather than discussion of him as an author. Actually, you might not find a written appreciation of Neil LaBute...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 25 – Roger Shepherd
Welcome to episode 25 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by our brand new sponsor, Phantom Billstickers. This episode features a chat with Roger Shepherd, the guy that started Flying Nun Records, the...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 26 – Lisa Crawley
Welcome to episode 26 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by Phantom Billstickers. This episode features a chat with Lisa Crawley, a Melbourne-based Kiwi-born singer/songwriter. Lisa’s enthusiasm for...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 28 – Jeff Boyle of Jakob
Welcome to episode 28 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by Phantom Billstickers. This one is a conversation with Jeff Boyle, guitarist and sonic wizard behind Jakob. The Napier-based three-piece has...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 31 – Jonny Potts
Welcome to episode 31 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by Phantom Billstickers. This one is a conversation with Jonny Potts – a Wellington-based comedian. You can follow him on Twitter where he...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 32 – Jan Hellriegel
Welcome to episode 32 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by Phantom Billstickers. This is a conversation with Jan Hellriegel. We’re in a hotel foyer – so there’s some crash-banging going on as the...
View ArticleSweetman Podcast: Episode 33 – Jon McLeary
Welcome to episode 33 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by Phantom Billstickers. This is a conversation with Jon McLeary, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of the band Spines. Regular readers of...
View ArticlePhantom Billstickers Poetry Poster: Unfriendship
I’ve been a big fan of the Phantom Billstickers poetry posters – words on big posters plastered up around the towns, and via Facebook we seem them in cities, on signposts, around the world. So it’s a...
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