History
Stanley Harris, a New York magazine publisher, launched ''Guitar World'' magazine in July 1980. The magazine’s debut issue featured bluesman Johnny Winter on the cover and included pieces on the Allman Brothers Band, George Thorogood and pedal steel guitars. As former Editor-in-Chief Brad Tolinski wrote in the magazine’s 40th-anniversary issue, “It was a decent start, but the design and editorial content was still a bit lackluster. If you compared it to an amp, GW’s first few issues were a sturdy 40-watt tweed combo, when what Harris really wanted was a row of 100-watt Marshalls.” Dennis Page, an advertising rep enlisted to handle the business end of the new magazine, hired a new Editor-in-Chief, Noe Goldwasser ka Noe Gold Gold had his ear to the metal underground, printing the first of many cover stories with Eddie Van Halen. He edited several landmark issues in the magazine’s first decade, including ''GW''’s fifth anniversary issue in 1985, which featured a cover-to-cover celebration of Jimi Hendrix; and a July 1986 tribute toPublishing history and sister magazines
''Guitar World''’s debut issue was only 82 pages, had a very small staff and budget and wasn’t even on a monthly schedule for about the first 12 years of publication. By 1984, ''GW'' began to multiply – spinoffs and offshoots became a large part of its focus as ownership looked to expand its reach into other markets and demographics. That year saw the publication of ''Guitar Heroes'', a one-shot guide to more than 100 of the greatest guitar players of all time. In early 1992, the idea was revived as the semiannual ''Guitar World Legends'', but with one major change: each issue was conceived as a tribute to an artist or genre, and included past ''GW'' interviews, lessons, equipment guides, rare photos and more. GW’s first official sister publication was ''Guitar School'', which debuted in 1989 and foundered in 1997 shortly after its name was changed to ''Maximum Guitar''. In the summer of 1993 GW branched out with ''Country Guitar'', which morphed into ''Guitar World Acoustic'' and lasted until 2007. Mid-2003 saw ''GW'' venturing into the bass market with the premiere of ''Guitar World’s Bass Guitar'', which eventually ceased operation with its Pete Wentz-fronted June 2007 issue. In the summer of 2009, ''GW''’s editorial staff launched ''Guitar Aficionado'', a high-end publication designed for players passionate about the finer things associated with the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle, including vintage and collectible axes, designer watches and fashion, exotic motorcycles, fine foods and spirits and more. By 2017, ''Guitar Aficionado'' had run its course. '' Revolver'', one of the leading hard rock and metal publications still in existence, was conceived as ''GW''’s sister publication in 1999. When it hit newsstands in the spring of 2000, ''Revolver''’s debut issue contained a unique mix of content, including an oral history of the Doors, a behind-the-scenes look at the Japanese pop scene and members of Slipknot wearing fashionable men’s suits. But perhaps the world wasn’t quite ready for such an eclectic combo: after only a few issues, ''Revolver'' was retooled and relaunched into the magazine metal fans know today. While each of these magazines has either been killed off or – in the case of ''Revolver'' – sold to another company, ''GW'' is still part of a large family. As a member of Future plc, it calls ''Guitar Techniques'', '' Total Guitar'', '' Guitarist'', '' Guitar Player'' and '' Bass Player'' its sister publications. ''GW'' was published by Harris Publications from 1980 to 2003 and byKey editorial personnel
* Editor-in-Chief – Damian Fanelli * Senior Music Editor – Jimmy Brown * Tech Editor – Paul Riario * Associate Editors – Andy Aledort, Chris Gill * Art Director – Mixie von BormannGuitarWorld.com
''GuitarWorld.com'' was first launched in 1994 as the online counterpart to ''Guitar World'' magazine. It is run by a separate team to the print publication and posts up-to-the-minute guitar news, features, interviews, lessons, reviews and buyer’s guides, as well as select content from the magazine. The site reaches 3.3m users per month. Since 2020, it has become the online home of other Future guitar brands, including UK titles '' Guitarist'', '' Total Guitar'', ''Guitar Techniques'' and US title '' Bass Player'', all of which were formerly hosted on ''GuitarWorld.com'' sister site '' MusicRadar''. '' Australian Guitar'' is also part of the ''GuitarWorld.com'' portfolio of brands. During ''Guitar World''’s NewBay Media era, the site was edited by Damian Fanelli, who is now the print magazine’s Editor-in-Chief. Since 2019, ''GuitarWorld.com''’s Editor-in-Chief is former ''MusicRadar'' Guitars Editor Michael Astley-Brown.References
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