21 guitarists who look scared out of their mind

Dave Mustaine (Image credit: Getty)

Famous guitarists spend their days lying around in opulent hotels, picking at plates of the finest food and probably have someone carry them over muddy puddles.

But, as these photographs show, there’ll be a brief moment when they’re distracted from the chants of their thousands of adoring fans. Sure, they’re peeling off a legendary solo without thinking about it – but that’s when their fears begin to creep in and ruin the moment.

It got us thinking… what could this lot be possibly scared of?

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Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins: the sound of a broken music box coming from the attic

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Brent Hinds, Mastodon: being mauled by an agitated leviathan

The late, great B.B. King: a documentary about clowns

James Hetfield, Metallica: forgetting the opening riff to Sad But True

Josh Homme, Queens Of The Stone Age: the thought of a naked Nick Oliveri pushing himself against a plate glass window

(Image credit: Didier Messens/Redferns via Getty)

Herman Li, DragonForce: a festival performance on a blustery day

Dave Mustaine, Megadeth: a falling shelf

Scott Ian, Anthrax: being trapped in a shopping mall surrounded by zombies

Paul Gilbert: a world without guitar solos

Yngwie J. Malmsteen: a world without chunky gold bracelets

(Image credit: Christie Goodwin/Redferns via Getty)

Kerry King, Slayer: God’s unconditional love

Steve Vai: the thought that someone, somewhere is shredding on a four-necked guitar

(Image credit: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage)

Simon Neil, Biffy Clyro: the idea that Scotland may never qualify for another major football tournament again

(Image credit: Simone Joyner/Getty Images)

Jack Barakat, All Time Low: things in the distance

Alex Lifeson, Rush: someone shining a torch under their chin and shouting ‘boo’

Daron Malakian: who knows?

Tom Morello, Prophets Of Rage: four years of Donald Trump

Ian D’Sa, Billy Talent: running out of hair products on tour

Lzzy Hale, Halestorm: seven plectrums, all in a row

(Image credit: Chelsea Lauren/WireImage)

Mark Tremonti: the word ‘moist’

(Image credit: Roberto Serra - Iguana Press/Getty)

John Frusciante: having to play another song about California

Born in 1976 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Simon Young has been a music journalist for over twenty years. His fanzine, Hit A Guy With Glasses, enjoyed a one-issue run before he secured a job at Kerrang! in 1999. His writing has also appeared in Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, and Planet Rock. His first book, So Much For The 30 Year Plan: Therapy? — The Authorised Biography is available via Jawbone Press.