"Father of Loud" Details the Life of Jim Marshall

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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 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 www.backbeatbooks.com.

For more information, visit their web site at www.marshallamps.com.