Even the greats get inspiration from somewhere. For most guitarists, the seeds were planted early in life, when they first heard the six-string hero who would shape how they played and change their life forever. Over the years, Classic Rock has talked to many of the world’s greatest guitarists about the fellow players who inspired them to pick up the instrument in the first place, from Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash and AC/DC’s Angus Young to the likes of Metallica‘s James Hetfield, ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons and fretboard wizard Steve Vai. Here’s what they all had to say.
