It came from the pages of Hit Parader

This month I decided to write about an ad that appeared in Hit Parader all the time in the mid to late 80's. I am actually looking at a copy of the December, 1986 issue and towards the back is in an ad for the Metal Method Guitar tapes with Doug Marks. At the top is a picture of Doug Marks himself complete with big poofy bleached blond hair that looks a lot like cotton candy. As a teen I always wondered who is Doug Marks? If he is so good that he can teach guitar and slap his lessons on piles of videotapes then why isn't he in a band? Well, about two years ago I read an interview with Mr. Marks and he answered these questions and more. Doug Marks was a guitar teacher living in Colorado in the early 80's and some of his students asked him why he didn't move to LA and try to get into the surging hard rock scene. So he picked up his belongings and went to LA. Once there he started a band called Hawk. The band was around from 82-85 before breaking up due to frustration over not getting signed. Doug Marks decided he would go back to teaching rather than keep trying to make it with a band. He came up with the bright idea to stick his guitar lessons on vhs tapes and teach heavy metal guitar. So Metal Method was born and soon Doug Marks was teaching a lot of aspiring young metal fans how to play guitar. In 1986 it was suggested that Doug record an album so people hear his playing ability. Even though his band had broke up months earlier, he hired some musicians and recorded the album under the name Hawk. I have this recording on CD and will review it here some time over the next weeks. Anyway Doug Marks still sells these things and he says he has made a lot of money from them. So now you probably know way more than you ever wanted to know about Doug Marks.