Ongoing History Daily: A history of smashing instruments (part 2)

Last time, we went through a list of important artists in the history of smashing instruments onstage. The 80s were a quiet time for guitar destruction, probably because synth-based music was in the spotlight, and you didn’t destroy such expensive equipment—unless you were Trent Reznor in the early days of Nine Inch Nails. There was often plenty of carnage.

In the very late 80s and early 90s, Kurt Cobain was very good at this. He went through a lot of guitars in various fits of punk rock pique. But the all-time champion in this regard is Matt Bellamy of Muse. On the band’s 2004 tour, he set a record that was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. On that tour, he destroyed—are you ready for this?—140 guitars.

That’s not in a career. That’s on one tour.