We don’t mean to brag but the Gibson Les Paul is one of the most recognizable guitars of all-time and the artists who brandish them seem to transcend age, era, gender and genre. In fact from heavy metal enthusiasts to indie rock icons to reggae superstars, it seems like nearly every musical legend off has strapped on a Les Paul at some point to take advantage of its signature sound. Sure, the axe is heavy, but that’s part of the secret to its tone—and if it’s good enough for the fifteen legendary players listed below it should be good enough for you, right?

As Bob Dylan’s first serious girlfriend and his companion in the iconic cover shot for the groundbreaking Freewheelin’ Bob album, Suze Rotolo kept a low profile for 45 years. In this book she breaks her silence by offering a nonjudgmental, warts-and-all account of her romance with the mercurial legend. In the process Rotolo brings to life a period during which Dylan’s artistry was fomenting.

Even if you can’t make it to Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show this weekend or Anaheim for the NAMM show next weekend, that doesn’t mean you can’t be there in spirit.

You already know the Internet is an incredible resource for musicians, but with the record industry in a tailspin and the economy falling flat, there’s no better time to seek out the Web sites that help guitarists keep doing what they do best. It’s time to update your bookmarks with these indispensable online destinations.

It takes years of dedication, hard work and sheer fan enthusiasm for a good tribute band to succeed. Which is why it’s nothing short of amazing when a lone, enterprising musician pulls off the feat all by themselves. Meet American indie scene vet Matt Mahaffey and French YouTube subscriber Steackmike, who at first glance don’t seem to have a lot in common – other than a serious jones for the hard rocking sounds of AC/DC, that is.

Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz presented Dark Fire to Tak Matsumoto, Japan’s biggest rock star and one of the world’s foremost guitarists, at Gibson Japan’s event on Dec. 20, 2008 to celebrate the opening of its new Tokyo headquarters in Ginza.

Puddle of Mudd is one of those bands I put in the same category as Black Stone Cherry -- full on rock that makes you want to pick up a guitar and play along.

When Gibson launches a new product ― especially a product as historical and thrilling as Dark Fire ― we strive for nothing less than excellence. And when we say “we,” we mean “we.” A whole team of forward-thinking inventors, engineers, luthiers, craftsmen and tech experts worked for years to conceive of and create Dark Fire. For many members of this team, Dark Fire is truly the culmination of a lifetime’s worth of work.

Glasvegas, the four-piece band from Glasgow, Scotland that thanks to its epic self-titled debut album is hovering near the top of countless year-end critics’ lists in its native United Kingdom.

The Killers’ third studio album, Day & Age, is a celebration of all things ’80s. Produced by Stuart Price, the mastermind behind new wave throwbacks Les Rythmes Digitales and Madonna’s 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor, the Las Vegas band’s latest disc neatly captures all the excess, glitter and plastic emotion of the Reagan era by drawing on many of the usual influences, complete with leopard print trousers to match.