Eight Steps to Becoming a Legendary Hair Metal Guitarist
Want to become a legendary hair metal guitarist? Just follow these eight simple steps.
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08. During Music Videos, Point at the Camera Before Executing a Trick
A power slide into a ground-level camera and a simple jump off the drum platform were mandatory scenes in every music video.
Back then, superb guitar playing wasn’t good enough; guitarists needed to “wow” their fans by performing a stunt during the solo.
To give a “This is slightly dangerous, but I’m going to do it anyway to blow your mind” heads-up to viewers, guitarists always pointed to the camera before executing a low-risk trick. However, a pre-point is not needed if you prefer a post-stunt wink instead.

Illustrations: Jordan Hart
Jordan Hart is the author and illustrator of Steel Rainbow: The Legendary Underground Guide to becoming an ‘80s Rock Star (Lyons Press). His spare time is spent collecting albums, designing concert posters, playing the drums excessively loud, split kicking off any elevated surface and shredding on one of his way-too-many guitars. You can follow him on Twitter @Jordan_Hart.
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tal4jesus
February 15, 2013 at 2:10pm
Hair Metal returning is like a NIGHTMARE!! Sure, there were some awesome guitar players, but the majority, (not all) of the music SUCKED!
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danhalen67
October 29, 2012 at 5:22pm
In essence, this slightly mocking sensibility to an exciting form of guitar playing can be summed in three words: Wall of Sound. Uh fyi, it's exciting to hear and watch and it's hard to do.. Further, while every popular money-making music form gets copied and then recopied into a sad form, one should give the essence of this great guitar form some respect. First let me point out that the gargantuan growth in the guitar sales, guitar popularity, Guitar World Magazine and magazine sales is due primarily to this style of exciting guitar playing and the fantastic musicians who brought it to the masses. I know this was for 'laughs' but I hope this does not cause you to loose readers and members who voted in the top 100 guitar players of all time (top 10 shows 4 shredders from that era). Maybe Guitar World needs to not be so hypocritical like that and be thankful for these guys. My god do your homework.
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FretboardMagician
February 15, 2013 at 2:44pm
Yea it's unfortunate that the clownish style gets in the way of recognizing some of the best guitar players in history. And really, long hair, an outlandish sense of style in stage clothes - isn't that the hallmark of every rock guitar hero from the 60's - 80's and beyond? Yes some of them took the make up and hairspray to extremes, but EVH always looked cool onstage, as did Randy Rhoads, or what's so different about Yngwie's look from Blackmores? Not much...
And talking down on the trappings of the genre like pinch harmonics, or tapping - give me a break. It's well recognized and established rock guitar vocabulary, still being utilized today. It isn't simply an anachronistic cliche ONLY associated with the 80's. It can be if you suck at it,or are small-minded, but barring that.....
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RonZabrocki
October 26, 2012 at 12:52pm
The funniest thing I remember was being in my studio and 4 out 5 of the guys had hair club for men systems on and we were all dressed like clowns and more hairspray than my mother discussing PAGANNINI solos! Go figure!
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ardiril
July 31, 2012 at 9:21pm
#9. Write a 'how to' column for Guitar World. Rehash the pentatonic scale for the umpteenth time.













