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The Latest Breaking News from Don Was

“There is not another guitarist in the world who plays like him. As raw as John Lee Hooker and sophisticated as Andrés Segovia from one phrase to another”: The life and times of Grateful Dead icon Bob Weir

We salute the Grateful Dead original, who – in the last 30 years of his life – stepped out from Jerry Garcia’s considerable shadow to emerge as a guitar hero in his own right

Guitar World

"The reason that song is the heartbreaker it is, is because of the way that he interprets those chords. That’s not how the demo sounded”: Bonnie Raitt praises Bruce Hornsby’s piano playing contribution to one of her signature songs

According to producer Don Was, though, it wasn’t all plain sailing during recording

MusicRadar

“An insane killer, a lunatic, he’s going to do something bad. Give him a ride, why don’t you? But when the end comes, you realise Jim’s singing a beautiful, romantic song": The story of the Doors' beautifully bleak masterpiece

It was the last track Jim Morrison recorded

MusicRadar

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“Anyone who thinks he's sloppy is out of their minds”: Rolling Stones producer Don Was on why Keith Richards shouldn't be underestimated as both a rhythm and lead guitarist

Was first started working with the Stones in 1994 – and the partnership would continue for decades

Guitar World

“Finally, they both ran out of steam. Silence. Then Keith said, ‘Are you sure you want to be the meat in this sandwich?’” The making of Don Was, the über-producer trusted by the Stones, Bob Dylan and John Mayer (and who’s a pretty good bassist too)

The bassist, producer and label boss on what Iggy Pop and Ringo Starr have in common, why Keith Richards is not sloppy, and that one time he pushed to play on an album he was producing

Guitar World

"There is no final curtain here, not really": Bob Weir, Grateful Dead co-founder, dies aged 78

Influential rhythm guitarist succumbed to lung issues following cancer battle

MusicRadar

“You notice I was loath to say John’s better… that ain’t gonna sit well with people”: Don Was explains why John Mayer “might” be better than George Harrison – and how they definitely have one thing in common

The producer of Sob Rock says Mayer is the best arranger he has ever worked with – and he has the late Beatle’s gift for creating guitar sounds that transform a song

MusicRadar

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“It ain’t gonna sit well with people, but he might be better than George Harrison”: Why John Mayer might be better than a Beatle, according to producer Don Was

The famed producer has worked with Mayer on three studio albums, and has highlighted the overlooked aspects of his musicianship

Guitar World

“Keith said, ‘Are you sure you want to be the meat in this sandwich?’ I walked out convinced I’d never see them again”: How John Mayer and Bob Dylan producer Don Was first ended up working with the Rolling Stones

He’d been in the room mere minutes before finding himself at the center of a passionate Glimmer Twins debate

Guitar World

Somewhere there's a recording of Ozzy Osbourne duetting with Madonna

Ozzy Osbourne and Madonna ended up singing on the same song in 1983 - but Madonna wouldn't release it

Metal Hammer

“He was a huge fan. He could identify, ‘No, that’s not ’78 because Jerry’s playing through this pedal’”: John Mayer was a Grateful Dead fanatic – before he landed the Dead & Company gig

Don Was has revealed how he helped connect the dots between John Mayer and Bob Weir

Guitar World

Tie-dye and dancing bears: Grammy weekend begins with Grateful Dead honored as Persons of the Year

The Grateful Dead kicked off Grammy weekend being honored as MusiCares Persons of the Year

The Independent UK

Anti-establishment the MC5 ironically get into the establishment with Rock & Roll Hall Fame invite

Before there was the Clash, Nirvana or Rage Against the Machine there was the MC5

The Independent UK

‘Let them kick the crap out of the songs’: how we recreated the Beatles to make Backbeat

‘I knew people who said John Lennon was angry, insecure and cruel in the early days. When I met Ian Hart, I saw he could provide that’

The Guardian - UK

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MusicRadar

“It was one of the most moving pieces of music I'd heard. It hit me in a hard way... Instantly, I knew it was the best thing I'd ever been part of": How I Can’t Make You Love Me links Bonnie Raitt, George Michael, Prince, Adele, Bon Iver and Bruce Hornsby

“There was an article in the newspaper about a guy,” says songwriter Mike Reid. “He lost his wife and he lost his family and he got himself in trouble and the phrase was ‘well, you can’t make a woman love you if she don’t’”

The Guardian - UK

Wayne Kramer: a complex and influential musician, dogged by lucklessness

The musician, who has died aged 75, co-founded MC5, a band that for all its undoubted brilliance, lurched from one disaster to the next

Guitar World

Veteran record producer Don Was names his 5 all-time favorite bassists

Producer Don Was on his favorite players, how to get a great bass tone, and the most common mistakes people make in the studio

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