Battle Axes

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!