Looking into the meaning of the ubiquitous "horn hand," an icon of rock ''n'' roll.
I was avoiding work one day, mindlessly perusing Facebook photos when I found my editor's page, replete with pictures of him hanging backstage with a galaxy of guitar greats. I noticed roughly half these rockers had one or two hands lifted in the horn sign.
I was avoiding work one day, mindlessly perusing Facebook photos when I found my editor's page, replete with pictures of him hanging backstage with a galaxy of guitar greats. I noticed roughly half these rockers had one or two hands lifted in the horn sign.
This hand gesture—let's just call it The Sign of One's Allegiance to Satan and All that is Unholy (or the gesture, for short)—has been around for centuries. In 1897, Bram Stoker referenced it in Dracula. (Keanu Reeves' acting in the 1992 movie remake is a testament to the hellish nature of this work.) It first crept into our musical culture with John Lennon's cartoon figure on the cover of Yellow Submarine—let's just blame Yoko for that one and move on.
The gesture grew in popularity when Ronnie James Dio joined Black Sabbath in 1979. I was unwilling to travel to the depths of hell to interview the recently departed Dio, but I did find a 2001 interview with him on Metal-Rules.com, in which he said, "It's not the devil's sign like we're here with the devil. It's an Italian thing I got from my grandmother called the 'Malocchio.' It's to ward off the Evil Eye or to give the Evil Eye."
I was raised by an Italian mother, and the only hand signal I ever saw was the sign of the cross after the blessing or maybe the swift motion of a hand swinging toward my head if I ate before grace. Judging from the horned devil whipping the drowning priest on the cover of Dio's solo album, there may be a bit more to the gesture then he is letting on.
Gene Simmons first introduced the gesture in 1977 on the cover of Love Gun. The 'Knight in Satan's Service'—whose song "God of Thunder" freaked me out in third grade—insists that he got the gesture from Spider Man. Likely story, coming from a forked-tongue, blood-spewing fire breather.
So how did the gesture become mainstream? Ask former president George W. Bush, or any other Texan, what it means and they'll tell you it stands for "hook 'em horns," a sign of allegiance to the University of Texas. I'll buy that—Texans are pretty obsessed with football. But how does one explain the Obamas, Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Pat Robertson using the gesture? Is the gesture all they have in common with Metallica, Tenacious D, Kid Rock, Beelzebub, and the like? There are no less than millions of online rants claiming that politicians, celebrities, heavy metal bands, rebellious 12-year-olds, animated characters, and super heroes consciously make the gesture as visual shorthand for "Hail, Satan."
My guess is that rockers use the gesture as shorthand for, "I want to rock and roll all night, and party evv-ur-reeee day." It also serves as a convenient, but disguised middle finger to the establishment, as well as a salute to those about to rock. Political figures do it because a PR person told them that making the devil-horns sign would help them appeal to a younger demographic (or Texas fans). In short, they sell their souls to look cool.
In photos since about sixth grade, I've always been more of a peace sign guy (thank you, Ringo), but of late, I've found my pinky and pointer finger extending, almost as if powered by some invisible force. Maybe I'm just trying to appeal to a younger, edgier demo, too.
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Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).
His credits include Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson and Herbie Mann—next to whom he performed in Questlove’s 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul—and his tunes have been covered by Santana and the Messthetics. But it’s as a bandleader and collaborator where Sharrock cut his wildest recordings. As groundbreaking as Sharrock’s music could be, his distorted tone and melodic tunes helped bring rock listeners into the jazz tent. Our callers let us know how much Sharrock meant to them and why he’s one of the “top guys of all time.”
