I started learning to play in May of 1984 on an acoustic and then got my first electric guitar about 6 months later. Just to get an idea of what was going in the world for heavy guitar then, 1984 saw Yngwie’s solo debut with the album entitled Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force. 1984 also saw the release of Van Halen’s “1984”, Queensryche’s first full length album - The Warning, Dio’s second album “The Last In Line”, Judas Priest’s "Defenders Of The Faith, Iron Maiden’s “Piece Of Mind”, Dokken’s “Tooth And Nail” and Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning.”
I started in…1995, maybe? It was after “Unplugged in New York” came out, because I really wanted to learn how to play “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.”
I also thought my dad’s Stones and Jimi albums were pretty cool. 
Jan '88. At that time the magazines were alllll about Surfing with the Alien but also of course all of the Shrapnel ads in the back for stuff like Cacophony etc. Of course Whitesnake 1987 album was still huge
Guns and Roses were blowing up huge
That solo in Still Of The Night blew me away when I first heard it. It’s still an amazing solo and a great song. I saw them on that tour but they didn’t have John Sykes with them… They had Vivian Campbell and Adrian Vandenberg. I’m not sure why Sykes left.
I think there were issues with recording the album. I never quite understood the exact chronology. Somewhere in there Coverdale had a sinus infection and vocal surgery and things were on hold for 6 months.
Davids side of the story is something like he didnt think it was fair to have them on hold (and getting paid) while the band was in limbo. So he fired the whole recording band lol
Word is that Sykes had gotten impatient and suggested replacing Coverdale lol. haha, fat chance.
Im pretty sure that John Kalodner was intimately involved in all of the drama, same as he was involved in firing the previous rendition of the band that had Bernie Marsden etc
there was drama with the producers too because Mike Stone started off the album and he got fired when Sykes did. Eventually Keith Olsen finished the album. Keith has talked some smack on John saying things like John would lay down 35 guitar tracks and all but 2 would be out of tune. 100% rubbish. People evidently feel the need to say things that Coverdale likes to hear
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Prior to that, the desire to play was being incubated watching Headbanger’s Ball and my small collection of metal tapes.
The first player I thought was absolutely brilliant was Vivian Campell on Dio’s last in line. I had VH Fair Warning, which is arguably their best album. I knew Eddie was a monster, and I played that tape so much it wore out, but I didn’t really identify with their music. It wasn’t until I heard NWOBHM and Dio that I wanted to play.
For a brief time in the late 80s, guitar virtuosity hit a peak with YJM and Satriani. Then the desire to become a technical player took hold. The future looked bright…
The last “shredder” act I saw was Extreme on their Pornograffiti tour 91?, and then from recollection the bottom fell out of the genre.
I didn’t really “understand” Nirvana or Pearl Jam. The world had moved on. In retrospect it was really gutting. My musical identity was formed around a style that I arrived at late and was only “cool” for a few years.
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I started guitar at about 13, I think, but it was exactly one month after I quit piano lessons. I started piano at 7 and had always been good at sight reading, so I never had to practice to play the music that was put in front of me. Once the music got harder, I really struggled. At that time, I didn’t get the concept of practicing as I thought I was just supposed to be able to do it right away.
When I started guitar, I just wanted to be able to play and spent every waking hour trying to learn Metallica tunes. Both my dad and older brother already played, so there were guitars in the house to use, however once I showed enough interest, I had to get one of my own. Paid $350 for a Yamaha Pacifica, which I still have and is actually one of the best playing guitars I own; needs new frets though, as someone seems to have worn them all out 
My parents supported my interest in guitar and put me into lessons with a really great local teacher, but despite his great instruction, I would learn even more on my own, finding whatever I could in magazines and online (which was still new at the time.) After a few years, my teacher introduced me to Yngwie and my mind was blown. Still trying to catch up to him 
Cheers!
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