Michael Anthony calls himself "the ultimate rock 'n' roll sideman." But when you've spent over 25 years providing the thunderous bass and high-flying background vocals for Van Halen, does the word 'sideman' really apply? For reasons known only to Eddie Van Halen, Anthony was passed over for the band's recent reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth. Bummer, right? Yes, but Anthony's got a brand new 'supergroup' in Chickenfoot, which includes Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar and Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. A revealing interview with a man who's done it all. For more on Michael Anthony and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

The Las Vegas band The Killers burst onto the world scene in 2004 with Hot Fuss, a dazzle-razzle update of new wave and post-punk that sold in the millions and topped Top 10 lists everywhere. After releasing the Springsteen-esque Sam's Town in 2006, The Killers are back to their danceable, groove-filled ways on Day & Age, their finest album yet. In this extensive interview, guitarist Dave Keuning talks about his distinctive, understated style, and how it feels to be on the brink of superstardom. For more on Dave Keuning and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

Duff McKagan leads a dual life. By day he's a doting father to two girls who makes time to go to parent-teacher meetings. By night he's the hard-charging bassist for Velvet Revolver and the leader of his own band, Loaded. Oh, and he used to be in this little group called Guns N' Roses too. In a no-holds-barred interview, McKagan reminisces about his years in GN'R and how the band shattered around him, offers his thoughts on Axl Rose and Chinese Democracy, and talks about Velvet Revolver and their ongoing search for a new lead singer. For more on Duff McKagan and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

Joe Bonamassa has had the blues his whole life. Literally. By age seven, he was learning his first blues licks. By 12, he was sharing the stage alongside guitar greats such as Buddy Guy and Danny Gatton. A pro since his mid-teens, he's released a string of acclaimed albums including his latest, Live From Nowhere In Particular. In a smart and snappy interview, Bonamassa talks about how the blues has always been part of his soul, and why he feels it's important to teach young children the power of music. For more on Joe Bonamassa and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

As the musical muscle behind The Red Hot Chili Peppers, drummer Chad Smith's seismic funk-grooves have made hips shake the world over. A powerfully versatile player, he's lent his impeccable chops to artists like The Dixie Chicks, John Fogerty and scores of others, appearing on over 100 albums. The Peppers are currently on hiatus, but Smith isn't standing still - in a laugh-filled interview with MusicRadar, he talks about his new 'supergroup' with Sammy Hagar, guitarist Joe Satriani and bassist Michael Anthony. Their code name is Chickenfoot, but Smith promises something much better. For more Chad Smith and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

Ever since he stormed the music world in the mid-'80s with his intense "neo-classical" guitar style that combined the likes of violion virtuoso Paganini and Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen has continually upped the ante for guitar heroics. On his newest release, Perpetual Burn, the Swedish guitar monster teams with singer Ripper Owens for an overwhelming bonanza of operatic-tinged rock 'n' roll. In an exclusive MusicRadar interview, Malmsteen talks about his unorthodox playing style, why he'll never appear on a hip-hop album, and why Stratocasters are the best guitars in the world. For more Yngwie Malmsteen and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

The Nuge. Terrible Ted. The Motor City Madman. Over the years, Ted Nugent has gone by many names, but whatever you call him, this Detroit rock legend lives by the credo that one must work hard and play even harder. With classics such as Wang Dang Sweet Poontang, Wango Tango and Cat Scratch Fever, Nugent could easily rest of his laurels. But as he recently said in an interview with MusicRadar, "I'm dancing better at 60 than I was in my 20s." A wide-ranging and often hilarious talk about music, sex, politics, hunting, and why they all mix. For more Ted Nugent and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

Throughout his career, Sammy Hagar has been in his share of groups (Montrose, HSAS, Van Halen) and he's spent considerable time as a solo artist (his new album, Cosmic Universal Fashion, drops in November), but at the ripe age of 60 he's convinced that new supergroup Chickenfoot (with Chad Smith, Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony) will be his finest hour. Recently Hagar sat down with MusicRadar for a candid and free-wheelin' interview in which he talked about, among other things, Chickenfoot, what really went wrong with Van Halen, and his new album. For more Sammy Hagar and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

Herman Li, one half of DragonForce's guitar hit-squad, never stops trying to better himself. The UK-based "extreme power metal" group have just released their fourth album, Ultra Beatdown, and during recording, Li and Sam Totman (also guitars) routinely clocked in 20 and 30 takes - sometimes more - trying to nail their solos. "We're trying to reach a level of playing that nobody has ever heard before," says Li. "That doesn't come easily." With a year-long DragonForce tour looming, Li sat down with MusicRadar to discuss Guitar Hero, the intricacies of recording, his brand-new Ibanez signature E-Gen 18 guitar, and why Fall Out Boy sits next to Steve Vai in his CD collection. For more DragonForce and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.

Joe Satriani is a busy man. Despite already releasing a full studio album this year - Professor Satchifunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock - followed up by a gigantic tour, the legendary guitarist is already back in the studio with his new supergroup. Provisionally dubbed Chickenfoot, the band also features Sammy Hagar, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. Satriani recently sat down for his second interview with MusicRadar this year. In addition to the band, he was eager to discuss his new 'Black Dog' guitar, Ibanez's faithful recreation of the axe he played in the late '80s and early '90s. "There's so much going on with me right now," he says. "So much to do, so much to talk about." For more Joe Satriani and the best music news, reviews and tuition, head to www.musicradar.com.