THE FRETWIRE

THE INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the third edition of The Fretwire.

Your laid-back roundup of what’s new, what’s making waves, and what’s worth turning up. No hype, no fuzz - just the latest gear, tour news, and music talk that actually matters.

Gear, tours and talk - without the noise.

THE GEAR DROP

Standout launches and announcements from the last month

Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Limited‑Edition Stratocaster

Fender’s mid‑July release of the Ariel Posen Stratocaster is a striking re-imagining of the classic Strat, blending Jazzmaster warmth with the familiar bite of a single‑coil. Built in the Custom Shop and limited to just 100 units worldwide, it features a roasted alder body in Faded Lake Placid Blue with a Journeyman Relic finish, a flame‑maple ’69 “U”‑profile neck, and a hardtail bridge for extra sustain - perfect for Posen’s slide‑driven playing style. Its custom AP‑90 pickups, developed with Fender’s Tim Shaw, deliver a tonal palette that shifts from shimmering clarity to throaty midrange growl, easily handling everything from delicate open tunings to fuzz‑heavy leads.

Each guitar ships with premium extras including a signature leather strap, brass slide, and a certificate of authenticity, underlining its collector appeal. Priced at £5,699, it’s a boutique instrument aimed squarely at players who want a Strat that feels familiar yet opens up new tonal ground, capturing Ariel Posen’s fusion of precision, soul, and understated flair.

Visit Fender to find out more

Order yours from Andertons

Tech 21 × Geddy Lee MP40 Signature SansAmp - Special Charity Edition

In early July, Tech 21 and Rush legend Geddy Lee released a limited Charity Edition of his MP40 Signature SansAmp, restricted to just 200 units and sold exclusively through Reverb. Each pedal featured custom Moving Pictures‑inspired artwork, Geddy’s signature, and the same tone‑shaping options as the standard model, including the Shape‑Shifter drive and 12 dB boost.

Proceeds went to the Neil Peart Memorial at Lakeside Park and Cedars‑Sinai glioblastoma research, and the run sold out in less than a week - unsurprising given both its collector appeal and the enduring devotion of Rush fans. Early flips are already appearing at nearly double the original price, underlining its instant cult status.

If you missed out, don’t panic - the YYZ Shape‑Shifter is essentially the same circuit without the limited artwork or Geddy’s autograph, so the core features and tone remain fully accessible.

Read more on the Rush official website

While you’ll have to do some digging to find the MP40. The YYZ Shape-Shifter is readily available from Gear4Music

BOSS RT‑2 Rotary Ensemble Pedal

Released in mid‑July, the RT‑2 Rotary Ensemble delivers authentic Leslie speaker tones in a sleek, pedalboard‑friendly format. It offers three rotary modes - from classic vintage warmth to modern spatial swirl - plus a tube‑style drive circuit, stereo outputs, and an LED rotor display that visualizes treble and bass rotation onstage.

The Drive knob doubles as a rotor balance control, while smooth rise and fall transitions capture the physical feel of a spinning Leslie speaker. Optional external footswitches even allow for brake functions, making it surprisingly versatile for such a compact box. Priced at £229, the RT‑2 brings the swirling magic of Gilmour, Hendrix, and Winwood to any modern rig - without the back‑breaking cab.

Get the full specs from BOSS

Pick one up at guitarguitar

SONOR 150th Anniversary AQ2 Shell Set

Marking Sonor’s 150-year legacy, this ultra-limited edition shell pack (just 500 sets worldwide) builds on the high-performance AQ2 platform with 8-ply shells made from 100% North American and Chinese maple, featuring a striking vertical-grain ebony replica veneer finished in high gloss lacquer. The kit includes a 22″ × 17.5″ bass drum, 10″ & 12″ rack toms, 13″ & 16″ floor toms, a 14″ × 6″ snare, and a DTH-4000 double-tom holder - ideal for pro setups or collectors alike. Premium hardware like die-cast lugs with TuneSafe, SmartMount suspension, triple-flanged hoops, and matching anniversary branding across badges and the bass drum head elevate it from standard AQ2 quality to something truly commemorative and visually striking.

Find out more at SONOR

Available from Thomann

Laney LFR‑110 FRFR CABINET

Launched in late July 2025, the Laney LFR‑110 is a 250 W powered FRFR cabinet with a custom‑voiced 10″ woofer and 1″ LaVoce compression driver, built for modern modelers like the Quad Cortex, Helix, and Kemper. At just 9.4 kg, it features a combo XLR/¼″ input, DI out with switchable cab emulation (FRFR, 1×12, 4×12), HF‑Trim, AUX‑in, and Bluetooth 5.4 with True Wireless Stereo pairing. A rear‑ported design, and stage‑friendly illumination make it a compact, pro‑ready solution endorsed by Devin Townsend and Guthrie Govan.

More details at Laney

Available from Andertons

THE VOCAL TRACK

New music, podcasts, and featured conversations

Tame Impala Marks a New Era with End of Summer

Kevin Parker has re‑emerged as Tame Impala with End of Summer, a sprawling seven‑minute single that pushes his sound into new territory. The track opens with a pulsing four‑on‑the‑floor beat and subtle bassline before gradually layering in shimmering synth arpeggios, hazy guitar textures, and Parker’s signature multi‑tracked falsetto. By the midpoint, it swells into a cinematic climax - somewhere between the dance‑floor hypnosis of Currents and the expansive, trippy soundscapes of Lonerism.

Released 25 July 2025 and premiered via NME, the single signals Parker’s renewed energy after a relatively quiet few years. Critics have noted how “End of Summer” blends Balearic, acid‑house, and dream‑pop influences into a track that could sit just as comfortably at a festival sunset as it could in a late‑night headphone session. It’s a confident step forward for Tame Impala, hinting at a bold new phase without abandoning his roots.

Read the full story at NME (25 July)

Listen on Spotify

Wet Leg Level Up on Confident Sophomore moisturizer

The Isle of Wight duo return with moisturizer, their second studio album released on 11 July 2025 via Domino. Expanding into a full five‑piece (formally welcoming Josh Mobaraki, Ellis Durand, and Henry Holmes into the core lineup), they deliver a record that’s sharper, bolder, and more emotionally nuanced than their debut. Rhian Teasdale steers the album into heartfelt territory - exploring identity and lust through lyrics that feel both playful and introspective.

Produced by Dan Carey and mixed by Alan Moulder, moisturizer fuses garage‑indie riffs, chunky basslines, bubblegum hooks, and alt‑rock punch. Tracks like “CPR”, “Davina McCall”, and “Pond Song” reveal surprising tenderness beneath the band’s energetic exterior. Critics have praised the album as a confident leap forward, labeling it a “near reinvention” that balances satirical wit with genuine emotional power.

Read the full review at NME (11 July)

Get your copy from the Wet Leg online store

Ozzy Osbourne - Prince of Darkness Passes at 76

Ozzy Osbourne passed away on 22 July 2025, just 17 days after his farewell Black Sabbath show in Birmingham. Much like David Bowie releasing Blackstar days before his death, Ozzy’s final show now feels like a deliberate goodbye - he gave everything to that last performance, as if he knew it would be his closing chapter.

Bandmate Tony Iommi called the news “surreal,” saying Ozzy had “held out to give that final show,” while Geezer Butler and Bill Ward mourned the loss of a brother. Birmingham marked his passing with a public procession on 30 July, followed by a private lakeside funeral at his Buckinghamshire estate.

Kelly Osbourne later said that grief “comes in waves,” but found comfort in the global outpouring of love for her father. For a man who embodied chaos, humour, and survival, Ozzy’s final bow was pure poetry - an ending worthy of the legend he became.

Hayley Williams - Surprise Solo Drop

Hayley Williams has surprised fans with the release of seventeen new solo tracks, shared quietly on her official website in late July. The songs were hidden behind a promotional code linked to her Good Dye Young hair brand, turning the drop into a scavenger hunt for those paying attention.

The collection showcases Williams at her most personal and unfiltered, moving between moments of anger, reflection, and vulnerability. Tracks like “True Believer” confront the hypocrisies of American Christian culture, while “Mirtazapine” leans into themes of mental health and late‑night introspection. Produced by Daniel James, who also co‑produced Petals for Armor, the songs feel raw and deliberately unpolished, as if inviting listeners into her private world rather than a chart‑ready release.

This marks Williams’ first independent body of work since Paramore parted ways with Atlantic Records, and its delivery - quietly uploaded, with no label campaign or streaming push - reads as a statement of creative freedom. For fans willing to dig a little deeper, it’s an intimate journey mapped entirely on her own terms.

Read more at Pitchfork

Silica Gel (feat. Japanese Breakfast)

In a feature from NME on 25 July, South Korean indie band Silica Gel discuss their collaborative single “NamgungFEFERE” with Japanese Breakfast. They explore how the cross-cultural exchange reshapes their sound and what to expect from their forthcoming album. The piece offers insight into their evolving artistry and expanding international creative landscape.

Read the full interview at NME

PODCAST PICK

Broken Record - The Black Keys

In this engaging episode of Broken Record, Rick Rubin talks with The Black Keys about their creative journey and the making of their new album No Rain, No Flowers. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney reflect on rediscovering their chemistry after a five‑year hiatus, returning to the raw garage blues that first defined their sound, and the challenges of sustaining a two‑decade partnership.

For musicians and producers, it’s a candid look at creative reinvention and the importance of staying connected to the music that inspires you.

Listen to this episode and more on Spotify

THE LIVE WIRE

The latest tour announcements and upcoming shows

Feature: Bob Dylan - ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’ Tour

Bob Dylan has announced a new run of UK and Ireland tour dates this November, as part of his ongoing Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour. Kicking off at the Brighton Centre on 7 November, the shows will stop in Swansea, Coventry, Leeds, Glasgow, Belfast, Killarney, and finish at Dublin’s 3Arena on 25 November.

All concerts will be phone-free shows, with fans required to store devices in lockable Yondr pouches - rare move that underlines Dylan’s insistence on keeping the focus on the music. At 84, he continues to defy expectations, remaining one of the most vital and uncompromising live performers in the world.

• Brighton Centre, Brighton - 7 Nov

• Swansea Arena, Swansea - 9, 10, 11 Nov

• Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry - 13 Nov

• First Direct Arena, Leeds - 14 Nov

• SEC Armadillo, Glasgow - 16, 17 Nov

• Waterfront Hall, Belfast - 19, 20 Nov

• INEC Arena, Killarney - 23, 24 Nov

• 3Arena, Dublin - 25 Nov

Additional dates and further information at bobdylan.com

Quickfire: New & Upcoming Tours

• Deftones - UK & Ireland arena dates for February 2026, supporting their new album Private Music. The tour launches at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Live on 12 February, with dates also in Cardiff, Glasgow, Dublin, and more.

  • Ticketmaster

• Richard Ashcroft- Following Oasis support shows, he’s lined up arena headline dates in spring 2026, including Cardiff (24 Mar), Liverpool (26 Mar), London O2 (28 Mar), and Leeds (2 Apr), driven by high demand.

  • Ticketmaster

• The Charlatans - Set to headline a UK tour in December 2025 behind their upcoming album We Are Love. Confirmed stops include Leeds, Stoke, Bath, Manchester, and Glasgow.

  • SeeTickets

• The Hives
  Will play intimate UK album launch shows in late August/early September 2025, with venues including Nottingham, Liverpool, Leeds, London, and Brighton. These showcase their new album Forever Forever the Hives.

  • The Hives official website

• Doves - The band will return for a UK winter tour beginning 12 December 2025 at LiveHouse in Dundee, followed by headline shows in London, Manchester, and beyond - marking their first Manchester headline in 15 years and the first dates supporting Constellations for the Lonely.

  • Gigsandtours - Tickets available 13 Aug

• Sananda Maitreya - Formerly known as Terence Trent D’Arby, Sananda Maitreya has announced UK tour dates this October, marking his first major headline tour in the UK in several years. The shows reflect his artistic re-emergence under this moniker and support his continued creative evolution.

  • Gigsandtours

THE DEEP CUTS

Unexpected finds and sonic oddities

Unexpected Find: Jonny Nash - Once Was Ours Forever

Dutch ambient guitarist Jonny Nash steps forward with Once Was Ours Forever, a quiet yet vivid collection of shimmering guitarscape compositions. The album unfolds like an immersive dream, every twang, reverb sweep, and subtle delay chosen with precision. Pitchfork and Clash reviewers highlight Nash’s ability to build emotional resonance through spacious, cinematic minimalism - evoking artists like William Basinski or Grouper, but with a distinct melodic focus. It's intimate, reflective tone‑poetry for looping headphone sessions.

Listen in full on Spotify

Sonic Oddity: Daniel Ash (ex-Bauhaus/Love and Rockets) - On Guitar as Atmosphere

In a recent interview with Visual Music Japan, English musician Daniel Ash discussed his evolving sonic philosophy: “I tried to make the guitar not sound like a guitar,” he said. His exploration with EBows and Fernandes Sustainers in the studio aimed to create otherworldly textures rather than conventional riffs, moving away from flashy solos toward atmospheric minimalism. His words read like a manifesto for experimental guitarists reimagining their instrument’s identity.

Read the full interview at Visual Music Japan (15 July)

Find Daniel Ash’s music on Spotify

THE ENCORE

Deep dives and top-shelf picks personally selected by the editor

Editor’s Pick: R.L Burnside - A Ass Pocket Of Whiskey

A rare gem from the mid‑’90s blues revival, A Ass Pocket of Whiskey is a raw, visceral collaboration between North Mississippi hill‑country blues legend R.L. Burnside and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Recorded in one afternoon at Holly Springs in 1996, the album delivers slashing slide guitar, hypnotic rhythms, and vocal snarls atop stripped‑back recording that feels lived‑in and unfiltered. Memorable tracks like “Goin’ Down South” and “Snake Drive” crackle with immediacy and blues authenticity.

For musicians, this album is a masterclass in synergy and minimalism: it shows how groove, tone, and attitude can eclipse excess. The edge of Hill Country tradition fused with punk‑attitude makes it timeless. An underground classic that continues to inspire.

Listen now on Spotify

THE SIGNOFF

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We’ll be back next month with more gear, tours, and talk.
Until then - stay wired.