Tesla

Tesla formed in 1981 in Sacramento, California, originally as City of Fire, before adopting the name Tesla in honor of inventor Nikola Tesla. They forged a blues-infused, guitar-forward hard rock sound that blended soaring harmonies, heavy riffs, and catchy melodies, establishing themselves as a defining act of the late 1980s rock scene. Their breakthrough came with Mechanical Resonance (1986) and, more broadly, their rolling MTV exposure and radio presence helped push them into the mainstream. Their follow-up, The Great Radio Controversy (1990), spawned enduring hits like Love Song, The Way It Is, and Hang Tough, and helped cement their status as one of the era's premier melodic hard rock bands. The band continued to release records into the 1990s, navigating lineup changes and evolving sounds with albums such as Bust a Nut (1994) and Forever More (2011), while maintaining a devoted fan base and a reputation for crowd-pleasing live shows. Today, Tesla remains active with new material and tours, and fans around the world can explore their catalog through 22 dedicated lessons on DadRock Tabs, from riff-led crushers to emotive ballads.