10 Greatest Hard Rock Guitarists Of The '80s

When talking about a guitarists’ chops, it normally comes down to how fast you play. Though most people find the riffs cool, you’re never known as a phenomenal guitarist until you’re able to play a thousand notes per second. Mick Mars may have been right in the middle of the virtuoso scene, but his style was much more rooted in bluesy soul than mindless shredding.

Throughout Motley Crüe’s amazing run in the ‘80s, Mars approached the guitar much like his heroes from the ‘60s such as Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. Once paired with the streetrat songs of Nikki Sixx, the strange combination of influences was something no one had ever heard before. In addition to his playing, Mars was also an effects wizard, with stacks of amplifiers being used as well as a talk box and slide guitar to put a different spin on the typical hair metal sound.

It’s always tough being in a band with only one guitarist, but the way Mick plays almost sounds like it could be three guitarists playing at once. At a time when guitar rock was getting too fast for its own good, Mars reminded us that great guitar playing comes from how much heart you put into it rather than the dexterity you have. Motley Crüe’s songs may seem like nothing but party anthems, but Mick Mars is that X-factor that keeps everything rooted in some of the meanest grooves in rock and roll.