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NAMM WINTER SESSION, ANAHEIM, CA, January
15, 2004 — When music store owner and drum teacher
Jim Marshall set to work designing “the world’s
first rock ‘n’ roll amp” to realize the
musical vision of a few local guitarists, he probably didn’t
know he was creating a tradition that has laid the very
foundations of rock music. But after hearing a young Pete
Townshend play the sixth prototype of ‘Number 1,’
which would later become the JTM45, Mr. Marshall said, “That’s
it! That’s going to be the Marshall sound from now
on.” And so it was: since the 1960s, Marshall amps
have been the first choice of the greatest guitarists in
rock history.
Now, Mr. Marshall’s story is told in
a new authorized biography, Jim Marshall: The Father of
Loud, by Rich Maloof (published by Backbeat Books), which
features a forward written by guitar hero (and personal
friend of Jim) Slash. The tale is a captivating one, broken
down into two main parts. The first section traces Mr. Marshall’s
incredible success story, from childhood as a young boy
diagnosed with a rare bone disease, to his stage success
as a crooner and big-band drummer, to the development of
the inimitable Marshall stack and Marshall’s rise
to prominence in the amplifier industry. It profiles a man
dedicated to listening to his customers and inventing new
ways of satisfying them, constantly improving and fine-tuning
his designs and, from the beginning, a believer in the value
of teamwork.
The second half of the book delves into the
amplifiers themselves, including a well-illustrated section
on ‘amp anatomy,’ with inside shots of the amps,
plus a ‘Top 11’ list of Mr. Marshall’s
favorite models over the years. There’s a tour of
the factory, a fascinating collection of comments from Marshall
owners, ‘Setups of the Marshall Stars’ —
detailed rig diagrams of six Marshall greats from the 1960s
to the 2000s — and other ‘Marshallabilia’
that will please Marshall owners and guitarists of all ages.
There’s also a view of Marshall in the 21st century,
and an Appendix on dating Marshall amps by serial number.
Now in his eighth decade, Mr. Marshall is
still pursuing his goal of bringing musical visions to life,
on a worldwide scale. This book honors the man and encourages
the reader to do the same — most importantly, by pursuing
their own musical dreams.
Jim Marshall: The Father of Loud, by Rich
Maloof. Cloth, 256 pp, 60 color photos, 7 x 9 in. ISBN:
0-87930-803-6. Backbeat Books, San Francisco. Publication
date: January 19, 2004. Price: $29.95, Distributed by Hal
Leonard Corp. For further book information, visit http://www.backbeatbooks.com/.
About the Writer — Rich Maloof is an
editor, writer, musician, and former editor-in-chief of
Guitar magazine whose work has appeared in numerous publications
and web sites. Co-author (with HP Newquist) of Backbeat
Books’ The Way They Play series, Maloof has also penned
Joe Satriani: Riff by Riff and The Alternate Tuning Reference
Guide. He has been playing guitar for more than 25 years.
He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
...ends 489 words
—For more information contact Leslie Buttonow, Marshall
Amplification, 316 South Service Rd, Melville, NY 11747.
Tel: (516) 333-9100; Fax: (516) 333-9108; Web: www.marshallamps.com
