Recently i've seen a documentation about the recording of Hysteria. I was very hooked by this album in my teenage years and i am again now. And as the experienced guy i am today, with all the phases i went through, like grunge, country, folk, metal, electronic music and so on, i have to make a confession: as much as i'd love to say, that my guitar playing is influenced by Allan Holdsworth or Pat Metheny, it was actually Phil Collen, who had a major impact on me.
For me, the magic about about the Hysteria album is in the awesome arrangements. There is a decent verse, a bridge, that other bands would be glad to use as a refrain, a second part of that bridge and then a refrain, that is so full of hooklines, melodies and harmonies.
Oh, and btw.: pictured above is the first Phil Collen Signature Model by Jackson. Sorry, i couldn't find a better picture...