The ultimate '80s tribute, starring White Lion's Vito Bratta, Scorpions, Def Leppard and more – only in the new Guitar World

August 2022
(Image credit: Future)

We decided to have some fun and dedicate an entire issue to that pair of hot-pink 24-sided dice we call the Eighties! So strap on that fanny pack, grab your Rockman X100 and do your hair all nice ’n’ big – we’re taking you on a guided tour of the guitar’s biggest decade! Here’s what you’ll see along the way:

1. A horde of guitar stars – including Steve Stevens, Vernon Reid, Lita Ford, Reb Beach, Eric Johnson, Steve Lukather and Warren DeMartini (not to mention Tool’s Adam Jones, Eric Gales, John Petrucci, Scott Ian, Marty Friedman, Alex Skolnick, Steve Morse and more, more, more!) – choose the Eighties’ best guitar solos, riffs, gear, guitar albums, shredders, movies, hairstyles and more.

2. The Eighties were arguably the most innovative decade in guitar history. Former GW editor-in-chief Brad Tolinski salutes the shredders, the punks, the bluesmen and the six-string gunslingers who made it so special.

Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.