Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits, Volume 6, 1980-84

By Michael Rays

Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian May, David Gilmour, Prince, Neil Giraldo, Trevor Rabin, Steve Lukather: the early 80s boasted some massive guitar firepower on its #1 hits! Join Michael Rays as he rates the guitar work on each of the 82 Billboard #1 hits from 1980-84. One song comes dangerously close to a perfect Guitar Score of 40!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Rays
• Release date: Nov 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463378649

Michael Rays

Michael Rays grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated from Northwestern University and served nine years in the Navy, flying the SH-60B Seahawk helicopter. Michael lives in Billings, Montana with his wife and daughter.

Book preview

Number One with an AXE!

A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits

Volume Six: 1980-84

By Michael Rays

Published by Michael Rays at Smashwords

Copyright 2019 Michael Rays

Also by Michael Rays, published at Smashwords:

Number One with an AXE! The Fifties

Number One with an AXE! Volume 2: 1960-64

Number One with an AXE! Volume 3: 1965-69

Number One with an AXE! Volume 4: 1970-74

Number One with an AXE! Volume 5: 1975-79

Number One with an AXE! Volume 7: 1985-89

Guitar Odyssey: A Journal of Musical Growth

Guitar Odyssey 2: Talkin’ Dirty

Six-String Sleuth: A Guitar Player’s Guide to Figuring Out Song Chords

Headers: Scores & Headlines from Brazil 2014

Number One with an AXE! is a look at the role of the guitar in America’s #1 Billboard hits. Guitar gadfly Michael Rays listens to, comments on and scores each #1 hit in terms of four guitar-centric criteria: riffage, rhythm, fills and solos. The result is an exploratory history of the guitar at the pinnacle of American pop music.

Here come the Eighties... brace yourself!

Table of Contents

Riffs on Guitar Odyssey

Ode to Guitar Players

Methodology Used

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

Facts & Statistics

About the Author

Riffs on Guitar Odyssey

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…you quickly get into the spirit of the project and it becomes great fun to read.

- darkerthanblue.wordpress.com (Deep Purple blog)

Rays creates a chronicle of growth that will immerse and inspire fellow guitar players who have their own 'impossible' playing goals and aspirations…

- D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

…a surprisingly entertaining read.

- Last Best News

…Michael Rays has crafted a literate, interesting, funny and, oddly, moving account of his six-string journey…

- Missoula Independent

You learn, as Rays did in real time, that the journey towards achieving something, even if it seems simple at first blush, can be trying, surprising, and fulfilling with ample happy accidents in between.

- Guitarkadia.com

Ode to Guitar Players by Michael Rays

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What meaneth one who says ‘I play guitar’?

A batch of basic chords strummed ‘round the fire

An introverted teen who’d be a star

woodshedding endless blues licks on a Squier?

A young gal voicing jazz chords warm and pure

An old man finger-picking on the porch

A classicist, with tones that long endure

or metal shredders carrying the torch?

A drunken punker, fast and out of tune

an aging rocker holding onto youth

a bold flamenco player ‘neath the moon

a studious composer seeking truth?

Thus meaneth one who says ‘I play guitar’:

‘I’ve joined the journey infinitely far.’

Methodology Used (aka Are my methods unsound?)

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