"A 1995 black and red fin-shaped panel custom electric guitar with mahogany neck marked ""Corvette"" in mother of pearl and three engraved metal plates reading ""1960,"" ""Fuel Injection,"" and ""283."" Includes inlaid Chevrolet logo on the headstock and case. VIN5183."
There’s a peculiar stillness before you play a note—a guitar rests in your hands, mute but full of promise. At this point, it’s only a wooden slab and six lengths of wire stretched over a fretboard. To me, the silence isn’t empty; it’s a blank canvas. You inhale, grip the pick, and then everything happens. The strings yield divine vibrations that bloom outward into the air, and suddenly the room has changed. Now, something exists that didn’t before. Sound, shape, and emotion, all conjured from nothing more than human touch. That’s the closest thing to real magic that I know.
The first notes I heard played on an electric guitar is a memory etched on my brain. It was just a solo instrument playing “Greensleeves” in a school gymnasium, but it exploded my world like a hydrogen bomb. As the echo of the last phrase vanished with my memory as its only trace, I knew I wanted to know more and to be able to create it for myself. How could a sound do that? Of course, physics has its explanations: tension, mass, vibration, frequency—all neat equations and mechanical truths. But none of that accounts for why it felt alive, or how those vibrating wires could make me feel emotion. When you speak through your guitar, we listen with our soul. That sound threads through air and touches memory and longing—tugging at places words alone rarely reach.
Every guitarist knows this mystery without a name. You start with nothing, and then by will, motion, and a leap of faith and courage, you fill the void. And in that instant you’re part of something bigger than just craft. With a simple downstroke, struck just right, it becomes a kind of invocation. The guitar answers, and for a moment, the world rearranges itself around what you’ve made. It’s addictive, and still, after all these years, I find it one of the most satisfying things imaginable.
The funny thing about making music is that you can’t keep it. As soon as you release a note, it begins to evaporate. Like smoke from a candle, it curls, scatters, and is gone. Recording can preserve its outline, but never its heat. That impermanence is part of the spell. To play or to listen is to accept loss in real time, to chase beauty that dissolves even as you hold it.
To me, one of the most amazing things about musical sound is that listeners can be affected from a room away. They don’t have to know the names of the chords, perhaps they haven’t a clue about time signatures or key. And no matter how you meant it to feel, each ear interprets it slightly differently. Silence reasserts itself after every phrase. The last note of a song lingers like warm breath on glass, slowly fading back into the nothing it came from. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the quiet sigh of the instrument settling again, waiting for the next spark. Music teaches you to love that push and pull and to understand that transience doesn’t make it less real. It makes it miraculous.
Music isn’t about permanence or perfection. It’s about summoning something beautiful, letting it live, and then letting it go. The player becomes a temporary bridge between silence and the sublime, transforming space into meaning and returning it to the void. That’s the enchantment of the guitar. You make something from nothing, it touches someone, and then it’s gone—leaving only the echo of what was felt, and the faint shimmer of its magic in the ether.
In a way, making music is a lot like life itself. You begin with the raw ingredients and strike out to make something meaningful to you and others around you. Despite its power in the moment, it is fleeting and impermanent. Enjoy every moment, every note and chord.
Gibson proudly introduces the Jake Kiszka SG Standard, a guitar born from the bond between a modern rock ’n’ roll trailblazer and the iconic SG that helped define his voice. Jake Kiszka—guitar hero and founding member of Greta Van Fleet—built his sonic identity around his cherished 1961 SG, a guitar he describes as inseparable from his artistry: “The ’61, this particular model, has defined me as a player, and I think I’ve defined it in return.” With that legacy in mind, Gibson USA artisans have crafted a new instrument that honors the spirit, shape, and soul of the original, while embracing the demands of today’s musical landscape. Handcrafted in Nashville and produced in a limited run, the Jake Kiszka SG Standard is now available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers, Gibson Garage locations, and on www.gibson.com.
The Jake Kiszka SG Standard captures the essence of the legendary ’61 SG through its elegant contours, deep-edge beveling, and unmistakable double‑cutaway design. Its SlimTaper™ mahogany neck leads players into a rosewood fretboard fitted with 22 medium jumbo frets, each framed by acrylic trapezoid inlays that lend an ethereal glow under the stage lights. A Graph Tech® nut and Gibson Vintage Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons provide exceptional tuning stability, making the guitar as reliable as it is expressive.
Jake Kiszka will be celebrating the launch of this new guitar at the Gibson Garage Nashville today, Thursday, April 23. Music fans are invited to join a special in-store Q&A with Jake, andMat Koehler, Vice President of Product at Gibson, to mark the occasion. This intimate conversation will highlight Jake’s creative journey as the new signature model debuts. Fans should plan to arrive at the Gibson Garage early for guaranteed entry.
Anchoring the guitar is an ABR‑1 Tune‑O‑Matic™ bridge paired with a Stop tailpiece, positioned beneath a classic Sideways Vibrola™ cover. While visually faithful to Jake’s 1961 SG—affectionately known as the Beloved—the Vibrola unit has been intentionally locked, delivering the iconic aesthetic with the enhanced stability and functionality of a fixed tailpiece. This detail reflects Jake’s own balance of timeless character and modern performance.
Electronics have been tailored with equal precision. A pair of T‑Type humbuckers™ brings roaring dynamics, articulate clarity, and high‑end bite, giving players access to the tonal force that drives Jake’s signature sound. Each pickup is paired with independent volume and tone controls featuring Orange Drop® capacitors, ensuring a wide expressive range with exceptional tonal consistency.
Finished in a stunning Faded Vintage Cherry gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, the Jake Kiszka SG Standard is crafted with exemplary attention to detail that defines a Gibson USA masterpiece. Each limited‑edition guitar arrives in a black Modern hardshell case adorned with Jake’s custom doubloon logo. Inside, players will find both a standard installed backplate, as well as a hand‑signed and stamped Jake Kiszka backplate, along with a custom leather strap featuring his metallic coin pendant.
As the GRAMMY® Award-winning Greta Van Fleet continues to dominate global stages and shape the future of rock ’n’ roll, Jake Kiszka’s impact on a new generation of players is unmistakable. His SG has been a steadfast companion throughout his musical journey, and now, that legacy can become part of yours. The Gibson Jake Kiszka SG Standard is available in limited quantities, offering players a rare chance to wield an instrument built from modern artistry, rock history, and uncompromising craftsmanship.
New York City Post-Hardcore Legends Quicksand Announce Bring On The Psychics
New York City Post-Hardcore Legends Quicksand Announce Bring On The Psychics
Legendary independent New York-based rock label Equal Vision Records and Quicksand are excited to announce the Friday, July 17 release of Bring On The Psychics, the brand new album from the New York City post-hardcore veterans. Marking an entirely new era for the storied three-piece — guitarist/vocalist Walter Schreifels, bassist/vocalist Sergio Vega and drummer Alan Cage — Bring On The Psychics serves as the sonic bridge between the band’s heavy and influential Nineties sound and the ambitious, experimental output contained within its more recent era. Produced and mixed by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain) across 10 days, Bring On The Psychics once again finds Quicksand reinventing the sound they helped pioneer.
Watch the music video for “Get To It,” directed and edited by Jesse Korman, on YouTube HERE. Stream “Regenerate” on YouTube HERE. Pre-order, pre-save and pre-add Bring On The Psychics on all platforms HERE. Schreifels had the following to share about the two brand new singles:
"It’s tough to talk about your own music and what it means, not only because I sometimes don’t understand it myself but in a way it robs the listener of their own interpretation. So if you don’t want that, read no further. Otherwise, with 'Get To It' and 'Regenerate', we wanted to do something high-energy and straightforward with a positive feeling. 'Get To It' is about 'getting to it', poking holes in the excuses for standing still. Procrastination is something I’ve struggled with my whole life so I’m always looking for a new mantra to help overcome my tendency to put things off.”
"'Regenerate' is about finding new paths forward. It’s a theme I think we all return to. No matter how well you play it, life will keep taking things away from you. It sucks but this is how we learn and grow as people, so it might be we’re living the most when faced with having to get back up from a hard hit."
It’s impossible to overstate the influence that Quicksand have on the hardcore scene. Formed in New York City in 1990 out of the ashes of Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Burn and Bold, the band took the aggression of hardcore and added a more groove-driven crunch to it, unintentionally inventing the genre known today as a post-hardcore. After releasing two major-label masterpieces in the Nineties — 1993’s Slip and 1995’s Manic Compression — the band split up at the peak of their powers, only to reunite in 2012 and release Interiors and Distant Populations.
Inspired by a quote from scientist Carl Sagan, Bring On The Psychics, Quicksand’s first album in five years and Equal Vision Records debut, sees guitarist/vocalist Walter Schreifels examining his past through his present reality. “For this album, I was going back to a lot of my earlier influences about ‘Break Down The Walls’ or ‘Start Today,’” he explains. “Regardless of whether you're into hardcore or youth crew, they're really cool records because they're speaking to the time and providing possible paths to a better future … with mosh parts. That’s the energy that I wanted to bring to this.”
From the hook-driven heaviness of the opener “Get To It” to the shoegaze splendor of “Crystallize,” the band covers a lot of sonic ground on Bring On The Psychics, but it always sounds like Quicksand. Its technical virtuosity is on full display here as well, from bassist/vocalist Sergio Vega’s locked-in bass grooves on “Cool Guy” to Alan Cage’s dynamic drumming on the album’s title track. The band also stretched out, musically, on the album as evidenced by the breezy ballad “Days You Run To,” a song that might even surprise longtime fans. “To me, that is the kind of thing that Fugazi would do on their more chill kind of tunes,” Schreifels says of the laid-back feel of the aforementioned track. “It's nice to have something that was more expansive to show the Pink Floyd side of Quicksand.”
That aspect of the band has never been a secret; anyone who has seen the band’s psychedelic light show can attest to that consciousness-expanding vibe. Bring On The Psychics just sees the band encapsulating their creative vision in a fully, more integrated manner. “I'm really psyched to play these songs live,” Schreifels summarizes. “I feel really fortunate to still be playing music with these guys and be able to take it to different places.”
Quicksand will be making the following appearances this summer. Dates below with more to be added soon.
APRIL 26 — New York, NY — Rough Trade Below
JUNE 11 — Hradec Králové 7, CZ — Rock for People 2026 at Park 360 12 — Nickelsdorf, AT — Nova Rock 14 — Munchen, DE — Ampere 15 — Leipzig, DE — UT Connewitz 16 — Trier, DE — Mergener Hof e.V. 18 — Hamburg, DE — Knust 18 — 21 - Dessel, BE — Graspop Metal Meeting 20 — Köln, DE — Luxor 22 — Wiesbaden, DE — Schlachthof Wiesbaden 23 — Berlin, DE — Hole44
25 — Ysselsteyn, NL — Jera On Air
Bring On The Psychics track listing: Get To It Regenerate Agency Crystallize Supercollider In Full Color Days You Run To Cool Guy Moving Forward Bring On The Psychics
Legendary Rock Icon and Traffic Co-Founder Dave Mason Passes Away at Age 79
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On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason.
Photo credit: Chris Jensen
On Sunday, April 19, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated songwriter, musician, singer, and author passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, NV. He is survived by his beloved wife and partner, Winifred Wilson, his daughter Danielle, nephew John (Trish) Leonard and niece Michelle Leonard, as well as his brothers in law Sloan (Claudia) Wilson and Walton (Barbara Sims) Wilson. He was preceded in death by his son, True and his sister, Valerie Leonard.
Dave Mason lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved.
John Page Guitars Introduces Baritone AJ and DL Models
John Page Guitars Introduces Baritone AJ and DL Models
John Page Guitars has launched the Baritone AJ and Baritone DL, extending John Page’s signature designs into a thoughtfully engineered 27” scale baritone platform created for modern players.
Designed by legendary guitar builder John Page and hand-built in Delaware, Ohio by Master-Builder Chase Gullett, the Baritone AJ and DL models are based on an ingenious modular design in which the guitar body remains identical between standard and baritone models, with only the neck changing. This approach preserves the balance, ergonomics, and resonance of the original AJ and DL designs while allowing players to move seamlessly between standard and baritone configurations.
The baritone necks feature a 27” scale length and 23 frets, offering increased string tension, improved note definition, and enhanced clarity for lower tunings, all while maintaining the familiar feel and playability that define John Page Guitars.
Standard specifications for the Baritone AJ and DL include:
27” scale length baritone neck with 23 frets
Identical AJ and DL bodies shared with standard-scale models
Ash or alder bodies, selected for balance, resonance, and tonal character
Maple necks with maple or rosewood fretboards
Standard AJ or DL pickup configurations, identical to those found on the standard models
3-way pickup selector with master volume and tone controls on the AJ, 5-way on the DL
Premium hardware and electronics selected by John Page for reliability and consistency
In addition to standard configurations, custom woods, finishes, and appointments are available allowing players to tailor their baritone instruments to personal aesthetic and tonal preferences.
“These guitars were designed to feel instantly familiar,” said John Page. “By keeping the body exactly the same and focusing the engineering on the neck, we were able to create a baritone that feels balanced, comfortable, and musical, not oversized or unwieldy.”
The Baritone AJ and DL are equally at home in modern rock, alternative, cinematic, and experimental settings, offering players a refined baritone experience rooted in traditional craftsmanship rather than genre clichés.
See The Baritone Collection Launch Video, featuring Chris McQueen (Snarky Puppy) and Matt Muehling (Kill Tony): https://youtu.be/OX5E0JaO7OA
The Baritone AJ and DL models carry a suggested retail price of $4,495 USD, consistent with standard AJ and DL models. For more information, visit johnpageguitars.com/baritone
