Guitar World teaches guitar-playing by publishing elaborate note-by-note transcriptions of the guitar parts of many of the greatest songs in rock history.
When GW began printing these transcriptions in 1986, it changed the way readers relate to the mag, as the anniversary issue wryly notes: "Like a dirty magazine, Guitar World became a publication readers would stare at for hours in private, while perfecting their technique."
The anniversary issue details Guitar World's shameless (but highly successful) stunts, including an interview with Jimi Hendrix -- long after his death.
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The genius behind GW's transcriptions is Andy Aledort, who is, Tolinski says, "a sort of mystical figure for musicians."
Now 48, Aledort played rock and jazz guitar in various New York bands in the 1970s. After a hand injury temporarily ended his career as a guitarist, he went into the sheet music business and ended up pretty much inventing the system of rock guitar transcription now used by music publishers, creating symbols for such electric effects as feedback and wah-wah.
Since then, his hand has recovered and he's become a guitar legend. When Hendrix's rhythm section -- drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox -- reunited for a Hendrix tribute in Japan last summer, they hired Aledort to fill in for Jimi. And when Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was preparing for his band's 2004 blues album, "Honkin' on Bobo," he hired Aledort to give him a blues guitar lesson.
Aledort flew from his home in New York to Perry's house in Massachusetts and showed Perry how to play some famous blues solos -- "he wanted to learn every single lick Clapton played on 'Crossroads,' " he says -- and then Perry showed Aledort something.
"He said, 'Hey, wanna see something cool?' and he handed me Elvis Presley's personal handgun," Aledort recalls. "Then he handed me a box of bullets and I thought, 'My god, I'm gonna wind up killing Joe Perry with Elvis Presley's personal handgun.' "
Fortunately, that didn't happen and Aledort wasn't arrested for celebricide. Instead, he continues to transcribe music for Guitar World. The anniversary issue features his transcriptions of "Black Magic Woman," the Carlos Santana classic, plus the timeless riff from "Seek and Destroy," on Metallica's much-beloved album "Kill 'Em All."
Now that the 25th anniversary issue is out, Guitar World's staff is working on the next issue, a tribute to "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, the former guitarist for the heavy-metal band Pantera who was shot and killed by a crazed fan in Ohio last month while playing with his new band, Damageplan.
"I was friends with Dimebag for 12 years," says Tolinski. "Dime was really part of the family."
Dimebag appeared on seven Guitar World covers, the most memorable coming last March when the mag arranged for Dime to meet Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist, Zakk Wylde, a man who shared Dime's love of high-spirited high jinks.
The meeting took place at Dime's house in Texas with two GW reporters observing -- at least for a while.
"They got the reporters totally drunk and threw them in the back of the car," Tolinski says. "Then they went on a joy ride in Dime's neighborhood. And on Dime's lawn was a large evergreen tree and they decided to smash into it until it fell over."
Leaving the car parked atop the fallen fir, Dime escorted his guests inside, where they encountered a half-dozen friendly local striptease artists.
"They provided lap dances for the musicians and members of the journalistic community," says Tolinski.
Obviously Dimebag Darrell Abbott was more than a mere guitar god. He was also the kind of thoughtful and hospitable host who was willing to go the extra mile to make his guests feel at home.
Maybe it's time for another Guitar World seance.
