Django Reinhardt

Main years active: 1928-1953

Sure, the late, unbelievably great Django was jamming away in the sky 20 years before heavy metal was even thought of, but his influence on the scene is incalculable. Why so, you ask? Well, when the teenage Iommi chopped off two fingertips in an industrial accident, he assumed that his playing career was over – until a buddy told him about Django, who shredded like a demon even though two of his fretting hand fingers had been paralysed in a fire. Inspired, Iommi fitted plastic caps on his knacked fingers, down-tuned his guitar for ease of playing – and accidentally invented heavy metal. Respect the Reinhardt!

Hot Club de France ‘J’Attendrai Swing’

Total Guitar issue 210 (originally on sale 24 December - 20 January) featured Tony Iommi on the cover and contained 11-pages of Iommi coverage, including an in-depth interview and a complete tab of 'Planet Caravan'.