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Battle Axes
A Hard Rockin' History of Pointy Guitars
Brief Description
A Deep Dive into the Wildest Electric Guitars of ’70s and ’80s Hard Rock From Flying V to Firebird, Explorer to Warlock—this is the untold story of the most outrageous guitars in rock history. Why did rock’s greatest guitarists choose instruments that looked like weapons, spaceships,...
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Battle Axes
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Description
A Deep Dive into the Wildest Electric Guitars of ’70s and ’80s Hard Rock
From Flying V to Firebird, Explorer to Warlock—this is the untold story of the most outrageous guitars in rock history.
Why did rock’s greatest guitarists choose instruments that looked like weapons, spaceships, and abstract art?
In Battle Axes, guitarist and music historian Sean Kelly explores the cultural and musical evolution of the world’s most iconic “pointy guitars”—and how they helped define the sound and image of ’70s and ’80s hard rock and heavy metal.
From the Flying V, Explorer, Firebird, and Moderne, to the rise of aggressive 1980s designs from Jackson/Charvel, Kramer, B.C. Rich, Dean, Ibanez, Hamer, and Lado, this is the story of how guitar design went from odd curiosity to arena-rock essential.
Through deep research and interviews with legendary players, builders, and insiders, Kelly reveals how these instruments became more than tools—they became symbols of rebellion, speed, volume, and attitude.
Featuring insights from members of: KISS, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper, Twisted Sister, Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row, Autograph, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Savatage, Megadeth, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Stryper, Racer X, MSG, Triumph, and more.
Inside this book:
- The origins of pointy guitars in the 1950s Space Age design era
- How the Flying V, Explorer, and Firebird went from failures to legends
- The explosion of shred culture in the 1980s and the rise of “superstrats”
- How companies like Jackson, Kramer, Dean, B.C. Rich, and Ibanez changed rock forever
- Why visual shock value became as important as sound in arena rock
- The gear, tone, and attitude behind some of rock’s most iconic moments
Sean Kelly—who has performed with artists including Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Nelly Furtado, Lee Aaron, Coney Hatch, Helix, Gilby Clarke, Rough Trade, Glass Tiger’s Alan Frew, Harlequin, Honeymoon Suite, and Crash Kelly—brings an insider’s perspective to the guitars, players, and culture that defined a generation.
Careful with this book… it might just poke your eye out!
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781770417946
Publisher: ECW Press,Canada
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 24 September 2026
Country: Canada
Imprint: ECW Press,Canada
Edition: No Edition
Illustration: 32 Illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 229.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 264
About the Author
Sean Kelly is a Juno-nominated Canadian musician who has performed with Nelly Furtado, Dee Snider, Coney Hatch, Helix, and Crash Kelly. In 2023, he was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame as a member of Lee Aaron’s band. By day, Sean is a music teacher with the Toronto Catholic District School Board. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
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