CONTENTS

FEATURES

80 GUITAR SCHOOL
Richie Kotzen says he wants to shed the fretburner image that's dogged him since the '80s, but in this practice session with G1's Michael Mueller, he shows that he's still got the goods.

86 BREAKTHROUGH
Soundtrack of Our Lives With a smorgasbord of licks nicked from the Who
and Pink Floyd, and a trace of garage-rock 'tude, Soundtrack of Our Lives show on Origin Vol. 1 that they're much more than just another trendy Swedish band. By Bob Gulla

90 COVER STORY
The New Wave of American Heavy Metal Can you hear it? There's something going on in
metal these days, something ferocious, something awesome. While we're not sure what to call it (NWOAHM?), we "ow it exists, and we know where to find it We caught a whiff of this new wave in Toronto, where we bumped into Slipknot, Shadows Fall, Lamb of God, and Killswitch Engage for a day of guitar talk and a night of debauchery. By Bob Gulla

100 Mick Mars
Far removed from the dirty deeds of Dr. Feelgood–era Crue and slowed by a recent hip replacement, Mick Mars can still fire up the axe, something he'll prove when Motley Crue convenes for their upcoming reunion tour. By Steve Baltin

DEPARTMENTS

18 FIRST NOTE

20 NOISE & FEEDBACK
Your Questions Answered

OPENING AXE
23 Remembering Son Seals

24 FRET BUZZ
G1's Monthly Power Rankings

24 Nic Armstrong
25 Tishamingo Pete Anderson

26 UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Neal Schon

27 SET LIST
Top 10 Make-out Tunes

27 TAB & TUTORIAL

28 CLASS-LICKS NEW
Grant Green

28 TALES FROM THE WOODSHED

29 BLUES NEWS
Kerry Kearney

30 JAZZ JOINT
Marvin Sewell

31 SCREEN TEST

32 SOUNDCHECK

35 RIFF BOX
New Country

43 PROGRESSIONS
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" Bob Dylan

49 ONE HOUR WORKOUT
Sweep Picking

55 RHYTHM METHODS
New Wave of American
Heavy Metal

61 SOLOING STRATEGIES
Bluegrass

GEAR BOX
Equipment News & Reviews
66 Loop Station Roundup '
Akai E2 Headrush E-H 16 Second Delay Boss RC-20XL
68 Malden Mozak
70 Taylor K4 Equalizer
72 Dewey Decibel Flipout
74 Reverend Kingsnake

76 HEAR & NOW

78 BACKLINE BLUEPRINT
Johnny Winter

147 MARKETPLACE

161 ADVERTISER INDEX

COLUMNS

154 ACOUSTIC CAFÉ
Jazz Chord Melody

156 GUITAR ARCHIVES
Rockabilly

158 BASIC TRAINING
Classical Guitar

160 Fast Tracks ((NEW!
Critical Listening

162 NOW & THEN
Pat Travers