HI Y’ALL GOOD FOLKS. HOW ARE YOU DOING OUT THERE? The CRAVEman bids you a warm welcome and hopes all is as well as it can be, wherever you are on our precious shared planet. It is kinda a rhetorical question intended to encourage one to consider, albeit very briefly, the importance of one’s own health and wellbeing. I am not expecting responses. Honest. Well, here we are, heading irretrievably towards winter in the northern hemisphere. Gracious greetings once again, it’s fab to have you along in the abstruse alliterative arena of CRAVE Vintage Guitar Gear. I thank you, sincerely, for your attendance – it is genuinely and humbly appreciated. I’m sure you probably have much better things to do than join me in my repetitively random rants and ramblings.
Just a short up‑front re‑statement in support of my on‑going cultural campaign to promote humanity’s desperate need to bring peace and harmony to our divided, embittered world. Amity is not only about stopping existing conflict but also about preventing future hostilities. True and lasting peace can only be achieved through unceasing efforts to stimulate genuine understanding, co‑operation and tolerance. Reconciliation and peaceful collaboration should be a collective imperative for everyone on our only world. War is ignorance. Peace is wisdom. Simple. Apologies but this is my only platform to disseminate that vital message.
“Authoritarian societies are inherently corrupt, and corrupt societies are inherently unstable” – William Gibson (1948‑)
Prelude
Last month’s article looked at ‘Vintage Guitar Gear Collections Within A Collection: Part I – CRAVE Guitars & CRAVE Basses’. This month, we have the sequel, based on CRAVE Effects, which delves into the weird, wonderful and occasionally wild dark side of vintage gear to explore what vintage effect pedals are, what they do and why they might be of interest. Vintage effects are a bit of a niche interest and can often be overlooked by the mainstream ‘collecterati’, so they are by default of interest to your humble host.
Upfront, I really love old analogue effect pedals. I’ve owned some of my favourite pedals since the late 1970s and they are still going strong. It is probably needless to say that modern digital effects provide pristine, crystal clear tones, low noise levels, consistent and reliable power supply, and feature seemingly limitless combinations of control. Call me old school but the excellent new models lack that grubby, grimy imperfectness that makes the oldies the goodies. Some manufacturers recognise this and, alongside their modern DSP (Digital Sound Processing) based ‘computers’, companies reissue and/or (try to) replicate the vintage classics. However, from my perspective, these modern effects can be considered ‘too good’ in comparison, lacking a bit of warmth, soul and charm. An analogy may be like comparing a clapped out old Citroën 2CV with a brand new Bentley Continental. I’d actually go for the cheaper and decidedly more eccentric Deux Chevaux.
As with last month, this article’s featured quotes bring a few carefully selected thoughts about human ‘perception’ to the proceedings. As usual, no AI was used in the writing of this article, just the tired and worn out brain cells of your mentally atrophied author. Apologies for intellectual standards falling short of real intelligence. I did, however, use AI image creation for The CRAVEman image towards the end of this article.
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see” – Henry David Thoreau (1817‑1862)
Previously… on Collections and Collections within a Collection
There is little point in reiterating the original idea on which this article is based. If you wish to view/review CRAVE Guitars articles on the compulsion of vintage gear collecting and guitar/bass collections within a collection, those blogs can be accessed by following the links below (each link opens a new browser tab).
Last month, guitars and basses were grouped by other criteria for an alternative perspective. Sadly, there aren’t enough CRAVE Amps to justify a similar treatment, so there won’t be a Part III. However, effect pedals just cry out for a different method for appreciating their vintage charm, hence this article.
“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is — infinite” – William Blake (1757‑1827)
Effect Brands
Since the 1990s and particularly since the beginning of the 21st Century, there has been an explosion of interest in, as well as supply of and demand for, effect pedals. The massive proliferation in effect pedals (way too many to mention here) is effectively excluded from this article on vintage pedals, as CRAVE Guitars has an arbitrary cut‑off of 1989. All the effect pedals featured herein all come under the heading of CRAVE Effects.
For the purpose of this article, a good starting point is to define the effect brands featured on the CRAVE Guitars’ web site. The ‘big four’ and ‘the rest’ are:
Electro‑Harmonix (EHX)
MXR
BOSS
Ibanez
Other – Colorsound, Dallas Arbiter, DOD, Dunlop, Jen, Marshall, Pro Co, Sola Sound, VOX
On the CRAVE Guitars’ web site (as CRAVE Effects), effect pedals are organised according to the de facto ‘standard’ way of cataloguing vintage gear brand. Like other vintage guitar gear, effects are usually referred to by brand, model and date. This is how effects are grouped on the web site features and galleries. It is also how I tend to keep track of the pedals in which I’m interested. Therefore, I am assuming that this standard methodology of curatorship is a given and I won’t expand on this further.
As mentioned on the web site, not all these brands are American. CRAVE Effects is the only part of the ‘collection’ where I extend the boundaries to include brands from across the globe. The reason is that these pedals were integral to the cultural zeitgeist of, particularly, American and British music from the 1960s onward, possibly more so than instruments. While I am usually pedantic about such things, I am flexible in this regard. ‘They’ say there is always an exception to a rule. ‘They’ also say that rules are there to be broken. ‘They’ should really make ‘their’ mind(s) up.
There are some notable effect brands missing from the above list, for instance Binson, Digitech, Maestro, Maxon (who made effects for Ibanez), Morley, Musitronics, Roland (who make BOSS), ROSS, Shin‑Ei, Thomas Organ, etc. The simple reason is that this article is focusing on CRAVE Effects and the ‘collection’ doesn’t have any of these effect brands (yet). As with instruments, the scope has to be limited, if only for my sanity. The point will, nevertheless, hopefully be made anyway.
For clarity, there are no rack effects featured here, even though some were common during the period covered (for instance from Roland and MXR). Also, there are no digital multi‑effect units or software effects, as these tended to appear more recently than vintage pedals.
“Everything hinges on how you look at things” – Henry Miller (1891‑1980)
Effect Types
The standard methodology, as you may have gleaned from last month’s article, isn’t the only way to look at things. Even more than instruments, effects fall relatively easily into an alternative, convenient set of groupings. It is this that I’ll be using for the rest of this article. This might prove interesting because it isn’t easy to view this perspective on the web site.
There are plenty of resources on the hinterwebby thingummy that suggest a variety of different effect types. I analysed these and I don’t necessarily agree with any of them. In the end, I went with my own intuition and came up with the following broad categories, noting that some pedals fall across or between these groups (for instance, compression and EQ often feature a clean boost and hybrid effects such as octave/fuzz, wah/fuzz and wah/volume pedals are commonplace). There are also some effects that could be classified entirely within a different category, for instance compression, which doesn’t easily fall within any category.
Gain Effects (e.g. clean/treble boost, overdrive, distortion, fuzz)
Breaking the above groups down, there are around 30 different sub‑types, which provide a seemingly obvious way of looking at effects differently, something that I have not previously done with CRAVE Effects.
You may well argue that pedals grouped under #7 above aren’t effects at all and you’d be right. However, they are more or less, integral to many musician’s pedalboards, so for this article, they are included as an additional category. There are also some effects often used by guitarists/bassists that don’t fall into any of the above categories, for instance drum machines and loopers.
CRAVE Effects currently doesn’t have some effect sub‑types, for instance analogue synth, ring modulator, tremolo, limiter, noise gate, pitch shifter, etc. That means that there are some gaps at the time of writing. My aspiration is for the collection to become more comprehensive over time.
Phew! That’s even before we get started for real. Fewer words from here on in, mainly images – ‘they’ (again) say an image speaks a thousand words, so that’s what I’m banking on. Enjoy the colourful world of diminutive floor‑based stomp boxes with the following 7 headlines and 15 mini‑collections, each with an introductory section explaining what the grouping means for the sounds we hear.
“One person’s craziness is another person’s reality” – Tim Burton (1958‑)
Mini Collections 1 – Gain Effects (16)
Gain effects work by boosting the signal to varying degrees in certain ways. At its simplest, a clean boost will simply amplify a signal, making it stronger (louder). Used carefully, it can be used to overload the input stage of subsequent effects or (valve) amplifiers, causing then to start ‘clipping’ the signal – effectively flattening off a normal sine wave signal. In itself, an average clean boost doesn’t clip a signal. Overdrives take the principle a bit further by intentionally overloading circuits to force them into ‘clipping’, intended to produce a warm saturated valve‑like sound. Distortion effects inherently create a definite ‘clipping’ as an integral part of their circuits and present these already distorted sounds to whatever follows them. A good distortion effect will retain the core signature of the signal it receives. Fuzz pedals take the effect to logical extremes by forcing a sine wave signal into a brutal square wave signal, creating a wall of heavily distorted sound that can, if pushed, even obscure the original signal altogether.
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1980 BOSS OD‑1 Over Drive, 1985 BOSS SD‑1 Super Over Drive, 1981 Ibanez TS‑808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro, 1981 Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
DistortionEffect Pedals (7)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1975 MXR Distortion +, 1981 BOSS DS‑1 Distortion, 1985 BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal, 1983 Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion, 1984 Ibanez SM9 Super Metal, 1989 Marshall The Guv’nor, 1988 Pro Co RAT
FuzzEffect Pedals (5)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1977 Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi, 1978 Electro‑Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, 1975 Colorsound Supa Tone Bender, 1969 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, 1976 Sola Sound Tone‑Bender Fuzz
“What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what sort of person you are” – C.S. Lewis (1898‑1963)
Mini Collections 2 – Modulation Effects (21)
Modulation relies, in theory, on a time‑based effect but they produce a distinctive sound. First of all, they retain the original signal. A phase effect will copy a signal and put it through an analogue delay circuit called a bucket brigade device (BBD). A BBD will store the original signal and delay it very slightly. Then it does the same again to the delayed signal and so on. This creates a delayed signal that is out of phase and mixed with the original signal – hence phasing. Controls usually feature rate and depth (strength). Flange takes the concept and extends it, producing a second audio signal and mixing it with the original, causing a swooshing or ‘airplane engine’ sweep across frequencies. Chorus works by layering multiple copies of the original signal and slightly detuning and delaying them, thereby creating what was intended to sound like multiple instruments. Chorus is often used to thicken and deepen the overall sound.
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are” – Anaïs Nin (1903‑1977)
Mini Collections 3 – Time‑Based Effects (8)
Delay effects fall broadly into two general types. The subtler of the two is reverb. It works by delaying the original signal very slightly so that the resulting sound creates a feeling of space, as if sound waves were reflecting of surfaces and gradually decaying. Reverb recreates sound wave reflections reaching the listener at slightly different times, for example in a large open space, such as a church, cathedral, cave, hall or empty venue. Echo effects basically do what they say on the tin. It copies the original signal and replays it one or more times with a delay that is sufficient for the brain to process it as a separate sound wave from the original. Originally tape loops were used to record, play back and then erase the signal. Solid state analogue BBD circuits superseded tape but are limited in clarity and the time between repeats. However digital delays can create very long delays with crystal clean echoes. The ultimate extreme of delays is used as the basis for modern looping effects.
Reverb & Delay/EchoEffect Pedals (8)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1987 BOSS RV‑2 Digital Reverb, 1977 Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, 1978 MXR Analog Delay, 1986 BOSS DD‑2 Digital Delay, 1982 BOSS DM‑2 Delay, 1984 BOSS DM 3 Delay, 1982 Ibanez AD9 Analog Delay, 1980 DOD Analog Delay 680,
“Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty” – David Hume (1711‑1776)
Mini Collections 4 – Filter Effects (10)
Filter effects effectively add or remove certain frequencies within a signal thereby changing the tone of the signal. They generally do not affect the volume or pitch of a signal, just the amount of bass, middle or treble. The simplest of these is the equivalent of a passive tone pot on a guitar or bass being used to shape the sound. Putting a tone pot in a treadle and operating it with the foot creates a filtered tone sweep (the crying wah‑wah effect) when the signal is changed continuously or, if kept in a fixed position, create a sound with an emphasis either on bass or treble characteristics of the original signal. An envelope filter, derived from analogue synthesiser technology attempts to recreate the wah‑wah type sound electronically without the need for the player to control the signal manually. EQ (short for equalisation) can be a straightforward ‘graphic equalizer’ with different controls for different parts of the signal, meaning that the sound spectrum can be shaped very accurately. EQ can also be parametric, where one control selects a certain frequency and a second control varies the tone around that frequency (often found in recording studio desks). Counter‑intuitively, low cut filters preserve high frequencies and vice versa (also slightly more sensibly called high and low pass filters).
Wah‑WahEffect Pedals (3)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1977 Colorsound Supa Wah‑Swell, 1980s Dunlop Original Cry Baby GCB‑95, 1980 Jen Cry Baby Super
Envelope FollowerEffect Pedals (5)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1976 Electro‑Harmonix Doctor Q Envelope Follower, 1980 Electro‑Harmonix Zipper Envelope Follower, 1978 MXR Envelope Filter, 1985 BOSS TW‑1 T Wah, 1981 Ibanez AF 201 Auto Filter
EQEffect Pedals (2)
Left‑right: 1981 MXR Six Band Graphic Equalizer, 1981 Ibanez GE‑601 Graphic Equalizer
“Though we see the same world, we see it through different eyes” – Virginia Woolf (1882‑1941)
Mini Collections 5 – Amplitude Effects (7)
Put simply, amplitude effects change the volume of a signal. They generally do not affect the tone or pitch of signals. Amplitude and frequency affects are often confused, for instance, tremolo (affects the volume) and vibrato (affects the pitch). They are fundamentally very different things. At its simplest, a swell pedal puts a volume control in a treadle that can be foot operated, giving the same result as a volume control on a guitar or bass. A swell effect is actually very hard to replicate electronically. Tremolo provides a ‘throbbing’ or ‘pulsing’ sound by increasing and reducing volume in a predetermined cycle and was the first on‑board effects in vintage valve amps. Compression generally falls into this bracket and works by boosting low level signals and cutting (or limiting) high level signals thereby ‘compressing’ the dynamics of a signal that can vary from slight to significant. Compression can be used to smooth, warm, thicken and sustain a signal, often very useful for guitar signals that are usually dynamic with sharp attack, rapid decay and short sustain. Noise gates work in the opposite way, by eliminating low level signals including extraneous noise.
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1980 MXR Dyna Comp, 1980 BOSS CS‑1 Compression Sustainer, 1981 Ibanez CP‑835 Compressor II, 1982 Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter
“There is no fixed physical reality, no single perception of the world, just numerous ways of interpreting world views” – Deepak Chopra (1946‑)
Mini Collections 6 – Pitch Effects (3)
Pitch effects do what they say, they affect the pitch of a signal without changing the tone, tempo or volume. Pitch effects can be used on their own, such as a simple octave generator which mixes the original signal with a tone that may be one or more octaves up or down. A harmonizer is more complex in being able to shift the pitch by degrees, e.g. thirds, or fifths up or down, creating a harmony that depends on the key of a piece of music. Some of the simpler pitch effects are often combined with other effects, particularly octave and fuzz being a popular option thanks to one James Marshall Hendrix. The MXR Blue Box below is an example of a combined fuzz/octave effect pedal.
OctaveEffect Pedals (3)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1976 Electro‑Harmonix Octave Multiplexer, 1975 MXR Blue Box, 1985 BOSS OC‑2 Octave
“Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic” – Edward de Bono (1933‑2021)
Mini Collections 7 – Speciality Pedals (2)
As mentioned above, speciality pedals may or may not affect the overall sound effect at all but can be vital for guitarists or bassists as an integral part of a pedalboard.
Channel SwitchPedals (2)
Left‑right: 1970s Electro‑Harmonix Switch Blade Channel Selector, 1986 BOSS PSM‑5 Power Supply & Master Switch
“It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view” – George Eliot (1819‑1880)
Yet Another Alternative Perspective
As always, there are different ways of looking at ‘collections within a collection’. To be exhaustive would be gruelling and extraordinarily dull, so I will use just one example, grouping by model series, rather than effect.
During the early days of Ibanez pedals, they released a series of effect pedals commonly known as the Ibanez ‘0’ series pedals – with the ‘0’ being the middle number of the model designation (puzzlingly except for the CP‑835 Compressor II). The most famous of the Ibanez ‘0’ Series pedals was the iconic TS‑808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro. The ‘0’ series pedals were distinguished by the unique square footswitch.
Ibanez ‘0’ Series Effect Pedals
In reality, the ‘0’ series did not last long and was really a transitional model. It was replaced by the completely restyled Ibanez ‘9’ series pedals, with the ‘9’ being the last number of the model designation. For instance, the TS‑808 became the TS9. The most obvious design change is that the ‘9’ series pedals replaced the square footswitch with a more traditional large (BOSS‑style) treadle‑operated footswitch.
Ibanez ‘9’ Series Effect Pedals
These two ‘mini collections’ clearly show the evolution of effect pedals during a short and very prolific period for stomp boxes. While there are many other permutations, this comparison makes the point quite clearly that other approaches can be taken. Say no more.
“Perception and reality are two different things” – Tom Cruise (1962‑)
The CRAVEman’s Pedalboard
Many people get confused about the general sequence in which effects should be placed in the signal chain. ‘The conventional wisdom’ (NB. Commonplace beliefs that are generally accepted to be true without critical questioning – a term often credited to Canadian/American economist John Kenneth Galbraith in ‘The Affluent Society’ (1958), even though it might originally date back to c.1838) suggests the following sequence:
This sequence is only a guide, not a diktat. Many guitarists change it up to create a different type of soundscape that suits them. No surprise, I prefer a different effect pedal order that I developed over several years playing in a band. Even so, it still doesn’t mean that it’s fixed in perpetuity. What I learned was, ‘do your own thing’ to suit you and create your own signature sound.
“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else” – Fred Rogers (1928‑2003)
The CRAVEman’s favourite effect pedals, regardless of brand, represent a back‑to‑basics approach and may provoke a debate based on opinion. For me, in order of favourites, it was/is #1 echo, #2 fuzz, #3 flangers, #4 envelope followers. The CRAVEman’s least favourite effect pedals #1 phasers (too common), #2 chorus (ditto), #3 overdrive (others do it better), #4 pitch shifters (inconsistent tracking). May I be cast into the abyss of Tartarus in the underworld to suffer eternal torment, such is the extent of my judgemental wickedness! However, I stand by my heresy and shall not repent.
Unlike many contemporary musicians, my preferred pedal line‑up is very simplistic. I do play around with it but I keep coming back to a core that suit my playing style and musical leanings. They are all classics in their own right and are all very analogue. The creative possibilities with this set can be quite ‘out there’. It also has the advantage that pedals from the same manufacturer are also more likely to work together than a mix‑and‑match approach. Are there better examples of each effect from other brands? Undoubtedly, but not for me. Here’s my go‑to line up…
Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Electro Harmonix Bad Stone
Electro‑Harmonix Electric Mistress
Electro‑Harmonix Zipper Envelope Follower
Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
I also use a combined wah/volume pedal but no specific model. You notice I have a soft spot for EHX effect pedals. There is no particular reason, it’s just that they sound and behave the way I like. Admittedly, they were also the first serious pedals I used, alongside Dallas Arbiter/Colorsound/Sola Sound pedals. Others come close, for instance the MXR 100 phaser, as well as the MXR and DOD analogue delays. There are plenty of newer exceptional effect units (e.g. Line6) but this article is about vintage pedals, so that’s where I’m focused. While undoubtedly excellent, most Japanese pedals (e.g. BOSS/Ibanez) just don’t do it for me, which is a bit weird.
“All our knowledge is the offspring of our perceptions” – Leonardo da Vinci (1452‑1519)
Final Thoughts on Effect Collections within a Collection
I hope you enjoyed the colourful selection of CRAVE Effects’ stomp boxes viewed from a slightly different perspective. In one sense, they all look alike, while on closer inspection, they are all very different aesthetically. Although ‘new’ acquisitions are currently in abeyance, I have become besotted with vintage effect pedals, for better or worse. Vintage effect pedals represent quite a convoluted playground, fostering much confusion, misunderstanding, debate and conjecture.
I have finally given up the fight and I now concede that I am a small‑scale, limited ‘collector’ of vintage guitar gear. I think that this and the previous articles tend to cement this unfortunate conclusion. Yup, I have become something I have tried hard to avoid becoming. Darn it! I refuse, as far as I am able, to go full ‘collecterati’ though.
Even though a single effect pedal doesn’t take up much space, collectively, they do. The CRAVEcap (the constraint of space and funds) currently in place means that any ‘new’ acquisitions to CRAVE Effects may be a while off yet. It may come as a surprise that some rare effects can cost more than vintage guitars, basses or amps, including several pedals featured herein and on the web site.
“Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all” – Arthur C. Clarke (1917‑2008)
One thing, though, does ‘bother’ me about the whole world of vintage effect pedals. One of the fundamental principles of vintage guitar tone is to keep the signal chain as short and as direct as possible. Vintage gear enthusiasts will often spend (many) thousands of pounds/dollars on expensive vintage guitars, basses and amps because of their undeniably unique and attractive tonal characteristics.
Then what do we go and do? Those same enthusiasts buy a cheap little box crammed full of transistors, resistors, capacitors, pots, ICs, switches, circuit boards and wiring, and then we put them directly in the signal path. A few older effects may be passive, while most others are battery driven (usually one or two 9V 6LR61/MN1604/PP3 blocks), which has proved to be an unreliable power source dependent on charge levels. The alternative is to use AC power transformed into DC, often with variable voltages and currents as well as polarities. In addition cable attenuation is also a problem – lots of pedals use lots of interconnects. Pedal circuit boards, components and cables usually comprise budget items originally ordered in bulk quantities for mere cents/pennies per unit. Older circuits were often also hand assembled using whatever was lying around and often constructed with variable soldering quality. All things considered, consistency and quality control certainly weren’t manufacturing strong points in the 1960s and 1970s.
Open up some older pedals and one can be amazed at the crude nature of the assembly. Open some of the newer pedals and there are massive amounts of components, often with multiple IC (Integrated Circuit) chips suddenly placed directly into the signal chain, seemingly intent on corrupting it. When analysed, many electronic circuits are inherently ‘noisy’, often with unintended audio effects, which we can hear. There can be profound issues with mixing and matching ‘true bypass’ effects with buffered effects, as well as issues combining analogue with digital effects. A complex pedalboard can also be very sensitive to the order in which effects are used. Many modern amps have an effect send/return loop between pre and power stages, rather than the traditional method of effects feeding directly into the pre‑amp’s input stage.
Bottom line, there has really been nothing fundamentally new in the last 65 years of effect pedal development since the early days of innovation. Many modern pedals are copies of classic pedals or just variations of tried and tested themes. The old ways of specialist analogue pedals have been superseded by an overwhelming multiplicity of layered digital complexity. However, the principal aims and core characteristics have remained largely unchanged.
“Perception is a mirror not a fact. And what I look on is my state of mind, reflected outward” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803‑1882)
Nowadays, inline effects and amps are not always needed and guitarists rely on DI (Direct Input) into studio/stage digital audio processors, weirdly set to mimic vintage analogue gear. Then we also add in wireless signal transmission. All of these factors can affect the tone of the rest of the signal chain, often very significantly. Problems are frequent and often hard to identify and eradicate.
Yet, we continue to adore and admire these miniature miracles of electronic bits and pieces for destroying the very things we so desire from the rest of our vintage equipment. Go figure! This dilemma completely blows my mind when I stop and try to rationalise it objectively. Am I alone in contemplating this peculiar incongruity or is it a widespread understanding? I have absolutely no idea; the whole gamut of convolutions is not straightforward to resolve.
When I rejuvenated my guitar playing in the 1990s, I tried a multi‑effect unit but found I was spending more time working out how to use the seemingly unlimited and not very intuitive controls, rather than to focus on what mattered, playing guitar. The multi‑effect was soon ditched and I reverted back to a mix‑and‑match approach of separate pedals. This soon changed again, by replacing new effect pedals with vintage ones and the rest, as ‘they’ say, is history.
Believe it or not, digital effects started appearing in the early 1980s, supplementing rather than superseding analogue ones. Some of these early vintage digital stomp boxes are included here (I’m not prejudiced!). Digital processing started appearing, mainly in delay/echo pedals and reverb effects (reverb can’t easily be replicated using analogue circuits).
Another question. Are some effect reputations worthwhile? In my opinion, sometimes but not always. Some highly regarded pedals are good but overrated, often hyped by artist association, rather than by their inherent characteristics. Others can really surprise because they ‘fit’ with a particular situation. Some will swear that a script logo MXR Phase 90 sounds better than a block logo one, even when the internals are identical and the change is purely cosmetic. Some models will sound different from pedal to pedal, even if the circuit design is the same. Some circuits behave differently from pedal to pedal, for instance anything with an environmentally sensitive germanium resistor. Some seemingly identical pedals used different components from one to the next due to component availability and/or price at the time. Some commentators will also swear that component ‘a’ sounds great while component ‘b’ sounds like total garbage, while to the average user, the differences are so slight as to make no audible difference, especially in a band setting. Does it really matter or does snobbery fit the bill (again)?
What I’m really trying to say is, go with your ears and instincts, rather than brand name, effect specification and hype. The best way to sound unique is not to go with the flow but to do your own thing. Be creative and experiment not only with the pedals you use but also in the order they are used. It is way more fun creating the unique way you want to sound, rather than trying to sound like someone else. Inspiration can be found in these marvellous and magical miniscule machines (Ed: alliteration still alive and well then).
The effects featured here aren’t the only effects owned by CRAVE Guitars/Effects. I have a number of newer (i.e. non‑vintage) pedals, as well as a number of studio rack effects. Hunting down vintage effects, though, has become my main focus. The non‑vintage effects are excluded from this article.
“People only see what they are prepared to see” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803‑1882)
Some vintage effect pedals are ubiquitous and can be picked up for very little money. Others however can cost astronomically silly amounts. This may be because they are highly regarded and much in demand, for instance, early Dallas/Colorsound/Sola Sound Tone Benders, Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Faces, and Ibanez Tube Screamers. Others are just very hard to come by, especially in good condition (remember these things are used on the floor and tend to get a lot of physical abuse). Some others are pricey because they were niche products only produced either for a short time or in very small numbers (or both), for instance the BOSS Slow Gear featured.
One of the reasons I got into vintage pedals in the first place was during a period of austerity lasting many years. During that time, I couldn’t afford or accommodate guitars, basses and amps but effects were relatively cheap and didn’t take up much space. Thus, they became a serious part of the CRAVE Guitars/Basses/Effects/Amps family. The fascination with these little bits of gear heritage suffer from the same GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) that affects most guitarists. This means that ‘collecting’ vintage effect pedals can be seriously addictive – be warned!
Will traditional single‑effect pedals be replaced by modern digital modelling ones? Probably, but not just yet. Studio DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software has already gone a long way down that path in many home and pro studios and there is plenty of scope for further improvement. In fact, one might wonder where AI will take effect pedals and digital plug ins in the future. For many, the AI‑influenced future will look very bright. Me? I’m defo old skool. Personally, I think the archaic noisy, temperamental, analogue effects have a certain allure and charm that no end of digital meddling will ever be able to replace (a bit like our enduring love for real valve amps and vinyl records).
As of 2025, the effect industry is largely alive and well and still thriving (within the overall operating environment of a declining music industry), especially in the rarefied realms of boutique pedals. It seems that guitarists and bassists can’t get enough of these tone mangling monstrosities. Love ‘em. When it comes to the crunch, these are serious toys with which a creative musician can extract great fun and satisfaction in our own inventive sound pits. Enjoy.
“Our senses enable us to perceive only a minute portion of the outside world” – Nikola Tesla (1856‑1943)
A Seasonal Message From The CRAVEman
This section has nothing to do with vintage guitars. However, it does take a brief look at a different aspect of western society’s cultural heritage. Apologies.
At the end of October each year, we tend to celebrate Halloween on the 31st of the month. The traditional roots of Halloween go back some 2,000 years ago (or more) with Irish and Scottish Celtic harvest festivals signifying the beginning of the dark half of the year and the onset of winter.
Celebrations around this time of the year and the origins of Halloween as a mystical event derive from the festival of Samhain (NB. translated as ‘summer’s end’ from Old Irish), with its roots in pagan custom for honouring dead ancestors. It was believed that the veil between the living and the dead of the Otherworld was at its weakest, allowing spirits to manifest and roam in the world of the living. Believers would set bonfires to ward off evil spirits and wear masks to avoid being recognised by ghosts.
In Christianity, All Hallows’ Eve (from where we get the word, ‘Halloween’) on 31 October is the holy day before All Hallows’ Day (All Saints’ Day) and All Souls’ Day on 1 and 2 November respectively (NB. The noun ‘hallow’ means a saint or holy person and the verb means to honour as holy). The relative timing of such festivities led to a blending of pagan, Roman and Christian traditions over the centuries.
In Mexico, ‘el dia de los muertos’ (literally, the day of the dead) festival coincides with the end of October/beginning of November every year, when families gather to remember and pay respect to those that have died. This suggests that paranormal revelries at this time of year have become widespread across many countries.
Incidentally, the film, ‘Halloween’ (1978) is one of the author’s favourite cinematic masterpieces, directed by the legendary John Carpenter and starring Jamie Lee Curtis. A great horror film for a Halloween party/film night. Great soundtrack too.
It therefore seems appropriate to conclude this seasonal message with a fittingly festive “Happy Halloween” from your favourite Stone Age guitarist and founder of CRAVE Guitars, The CRAVEman. Rock On!
“There are misfortunes in life that no one will accept; people would rather believe in the supernatural and the impossible” – Alexander Dumas (1802‑1870)
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
In keeping with the theme of this month’s article, I thought I’d delve into one of the landmark American bands that went to extreme lengths to introduce inventive soundscapes to their music. The band in question made extensive use of heavily modified guitars, alternative tunings and abused effect pedals to produce oodles of off‑the‑wall clamour. The band I’m talking about is Sonic Youth from New York who went out of their way to sound like no other band around at the time. They formed in 1980 and, sadly, after over 30 years, they disbanded in 2011. During those three decades, the main three audio terrorists of the band were Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo (both on guitar) and Kim Gordon (on bass). They had a string of highly regarded studio albums including ‘Evol’ (1986), ‘Sister’ (1987), ‘Daydream Nation’ (1988), ‘Goo’ (1990), ‘Dirty’ (1992) and ‘Washing Machine’ (1995). However, my choice is not one of these but it is a personal favourite…
Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse (2004): Sonic Nurse was Sonic Youth’s 13th studio album released in June 2004 on Geffen Records, comprising 10 tracks over an hour’s running time. The cover was designed by renowned American conceptual artist Richard Prince (1949‑). Despite being a lot less well known that their peak period albums, Sonic Nurse is close to where the band would eventually end up. This album was the middle one of a later career resurgance including, ‘Murray Street’ (2002) and ‘Rather Ripped’ (2006). Track one (6:33) is clearly influenced, fittingly so, by acclaimed American‑Canadian author, William Gibson’s cyberpunk novel, ‘Pattern Recognition’ (2003).
Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse (2004)
Basically, any of the albums mentioned here can provide a great insight into what the band could do and fans will all have their own favourite. It just so happens that Sonic Nurse is mine. Even their very early albums (not mentioned here) have a great deal going for them. Naturally, there are inconsistencies but, over their career, those lesser albums were also better than most others in the experimental alternative noise rock genre. Turn up the volume and listen to the aural mayhem on show at your peril.
Alas, Sonic Youth fell apart in October 2011 following the separation of Moore and Gordon, after 27 years of marriage. The band’s influence and legacy has been profound in modern rock music and they deserve to be admired and respected for ploughing their own unique furrow throughout their career, rather than capitulating to studio mundanity for the sake of commercial success. Despite the hopes of many loyal fans, the band has, to‑date, not reunited and its status is officially ‘in hiatus’.
BELIEVE IN MUSIC!
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses” – Abraham Lincoln (1809‑1865)
Tailpiece
As usual, I’m at a loss for what to do next month but I’m sure I’ll think of something. It is getting harder to come up with different material, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Once the quality starts dropping off, I’ll have to call it a day but I don’t think the time has come just yet. You may think otherwise, of course! I don’t want to outstay my welcome. That’s it. No more in the way of dreary diatribe for this month. The holidays are a‑comin’. Yay!
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Always have great first thoughts, then you’ll never need to have second thoughts”
WELL, HERE WE ARE ONCE AGAIN VALUED VINTAGE GUITAR AFICIONADOS. If you are here, I am assuming that you have a passing interest in the subject matter. My hope is that I can help to stimulate that interest in a variety of ways. This month, I am investigating the topic of compulsion and collecting in relation to vintage guitars. This introspective investigation involves a soupçon of self‑examination and a chunk of challenge (Ed: enough with the alliteration, already!). Is this my means to justify my irrational need for the pursuit of the unattainable? Is it to feed my insatiable need to own ever more vintage gear? Is it to fuel my humongous but precipitously fragile superego and overcome my innermost feelings of inadequacy and insecurity? Yes, Yes and Yes. Sussed!
As for the recent Victory in Europe (VE) Day (8 May 2025), it struck me that, perhaps, rather than celebrate victory (for some), humanity should be commemorating Peace (for all). Such a change of emphasis does not diminish the evils of war or the sacrifice of so many to secure freedom but it would symbolise a more positive approach towards a more peaceful civilisation. The fact that we have learnt NOTHING over the last 80 years is desperately disappointing and despicably deplorable. A simple message that things HAVE to change to the imperialist kleptocratic oligarchs in Trumpland, Xiland, Kimland, Netanyahuland et al. Stop now!
I tried to think of a single country that forgoes military spending, for something wholly more altruistic and philanthropic, more beneficial to humankind as whole, rather than its own ends. I came up with a big fat zero. There is something wrong about there being no nation advocating for a more humane global society. I don’t mean this as some wishy‑washy liberalistic fancy. I am ‘super serial’ (NB. from the 145th episode of the animated TV series South Park, ‘ManBearPig’ S10:E6 (2006)). Human does not equate to humane. It should. Enough paltry partisan political polemic (Ed: second warning!), that’s not what we are here for.
The American author Dean Koontz sums up my feelings far better than I can about the heinous failings of the human race over the last century or so:
“This world, which has the potential to be Eden, is instead the hell before Hell. In our arrogance, we have made it so” – Dean Koontz (1945‑)
Another snippet of news is that, after over a year in stasis, work has once again begun on book formatting and editing of, ‘The Distortion Diaries’, the author’s first vanity project of pure fiction. More news on that to come in due course. Making time and space for the novel is a priority for me. Something that I have been less than disciplined about. For that reason, this article has just a little bit less research depth and rigour than it probably deserved (and I would have preferred). However, the assumptions made at various points might make it just a bit of a lighter read.
As always, the caveat applies that this is not a comprehensive academic investigation, just a piece of entertaining conjecture. Also, as always, no AI has (knowingly) been used in the research and writing of this article. You may or may not be pleased that scattered relevant quotes are back this month.
Enough idle distractions, time to get to the point…
To Collect or Not to Collect
This article may well have been subtitled, “The mania of owning things”. That’s what concerted collecting is, a mania. Mania is defined as, ‘an excessive enthusiasm or desire; an obsession’ or, ‘a mental illness marked by periods of great excitement or euphoria, delusions, and over‑activity’. A compulsion is ‘an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one’s conscious wishes’.
What constitutes a ‘collection’? Obviously (perhaps), a collection is something that results from the art of collecting (duh!). A collection in this regard is ‘a group of objects or an amount of material assembled or accumulated in one location, especially for some purpose or as a result of some process’.
OK. Clear? So, that’s settled then. Time to put one’s feet up and indulge in a refreshing cup of tea.
Well, hang on just a mo’. That can’t be it. I started this month’s article specifically to investigate why vintage guitar collecting is a thing, why it may or may not be healthy and why it is so commonplace. Definitions are one thing, obsessional addiction is another. That indisputable impulse, the overwhelming force to own every possible guitar that one can get one’s hands on, irrespective of anything else in the universe is irresistible. These things seem to exert an overpowering gravitational pull on the afflicted. Enough of the hyperbole, you get the idea. Time to explore a bit further.
What the trite definitions miss, in my view, is the element of a compelling impulse to ACT, to DO something. Enthusiasm and excitement are one thing (well, actually two things) but they aren’t tangible. Creating a collection of vintage guitar gear is tangible. Very tangible.
“Whether we live alone or with other people, few acknowledge the presence of another roommate. This roommate is named ‘Things’ and the space that ‘Things’ occupies is typically a lot larger than the space people have for themselves” – Fumio Sasaki (1978‑)
It looks like that trilogy might just have become a quadrilogy (but not a tetralogy).
Rhetorical question. Does anyone need all these guitars? Of course not. We want all these guitars. That’s the point. It is fundamental to economics and marketing. The demarcation between need and want is blurred by those wishing to exploit the latter at the cost of the former. Thing is, I can’t be bothered to justify the point. Probably because I can’t defend the fixation. Hopefully you get the idea.
“Nobody can give you advice after you’ve been collecting for a while. If you don’t enjoy making your own decisions, you’re never going to be much of a collector anyway” – Charles Saatchi (1943‑)
The Compulsion to Collect Things:
Why do collectors exhibit irrational, passionate cravings (sic!)? What is the psychology behind collecting? The criteria for compulsive collecting are not definitively set out, although there are many common themes, depending on the source.
Corroboratively, some or all of the following ‘compulsive collecting ground rules’, a.k.a. ‘reasons for collecting’, may apply, regardless of the material being collected.
For sentimental attachment
To connect to childhood
To connect with history
For the thrill of the hunt
For the status of owning rare or valuable items
For the pride of ownership over spectatorship
For achievement of intellectual knowledge and learning
For personal pleasure, relaxation appreciation and enjoyment
For social motivation within a community of fellow collectors
For competitive challenge
For social recognition by other collectors and observers
To invest for future profit
For a sense of control
Unlucky thirteen. On reflection, I probably relate most closely with 1, 3, 7, 8 and 13 and I probably mostly reject 2, 5, 9, 11 and 12 (the latter very strongly). Anyone who knows me understands that I don’t play well with others and social/community affiliations are unimportant to me. The same goes for profiteering. The rest are neither here nor there. I suspect that everyone probably has a different combination of motivations for collecting. Therefore, this simple model can be quite revealing while also being limited.
In my January 2025 article, ‘10 Things I Love and Hate about Vintage Guitars’, I covered my personal motivation for the enjoyment of vintage guitars. These are independent of, though largely consistent with, the ‘compulsive collecting ground rules’ mentioned above. These, however, are specific to CRAVE Guitars gear. As a reminder, the headlines were:
The Heritage and the History
The Ownership
The Uniqueness
The Authenticity
The Variety
The Look
The Feel
The Tone
The Mythology and the Truth
The Privilege of Stewardship
“People assume that happiness stems from collecting things outside of yourself, whereas true happiness stems from removing things from inside of yourself” – Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso, 1935‑)
Collecting is a perfectly ordinary human activity. People have been collecting this or that for millennia in one form or another. There is nothing extraordinary or unhealthy about collecting as a diversion, occupation, pastime or passion. It is only when collecting morphs into something else, such as an obsessive addiction for hoarding that the activity can become psychologically problematic.
Personally, I see vintage guitar collection as a habitual hobby, not as a ‘be‑all and end‑all’ (NB. An idiom coined by William Shakespeare in ‘Macbeth’ (1606). It means that something is the final, most important or ultimate aspect of a situation or thing).
Collecting is not an OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and it does not have symptoms attributable to another psychological disorder. However, the more extreme form of hoarding may be considered a subtype of OCD depending on the severity. Hoarding Disorder (the inability to manage and dispense with things) is also a distinct mental health condition with its own symptoms. Be aware of the difference, folks.
As collecting may be considered normal human behaviour, this suggests that there is something positive about it to make it defensible. It also suggests that there is a threshold that marks the boundary between normal and deviant behaviour. It also suggests that the boundary may be different for each individual, making objective evaluation somewhat challenging.
“Collecting is not just about acquiring objects, it’s about preserving history and passion” – John Doe (1953‑)
Many collectors never seem satisfied with what they already have and continually strive for ‘more’. This results in collections that continue to grow until something external intervenes to curtail progress. The ‘thrill of the hunt’ mentioned above is a very real aspect of collecting. It seems that, as soon as one owns something that has been fiercely hunted, the satisfaction wanes rapidly. At the same time, the obsession to find the next thing re‑establishes itself and the feedback loop results in a new hunt. There is therefore a cycle whereby newly acquired items soon become relegated to a sub‑class of ordinary ‘ownership’ and the quest thus continues unabated.
Neurologically, searching for ‘the next big thing’ has been demonstrated through the use of MRI brain scans to help to explain the collection compulsion called the ‘oddball effect’ (NB. yes, it is really a thing). The ‘oddball effect’ is a measurable psychological phenomenon, whereby brain activity and hormonal responses are stimulated by the introduction of a novel item into a range of normal items. As the activity of collecting becomes refined, we actively search out things missing from the collection in order to stimulate the pleasure/reward centres of the brain. At the same time, the items already collected recede into normality. Thus the process of collecting becomes exacerbated. The ‘oddball effect’ has been suggested as a reason why we feel the continual need to feed our obsessions and to expand our collections. It bears some similarities to substance addiction – finding that next fix.
“The journey of a collector is never-ending; there is always something new to discover” – Brian Selznick (1966‑)
For guitarists, this desirous activity is commonly referred to as GAS, a.k.a. Gear Acquisition Syndrome. GAS was originally thought up by American guitarist Walter Becker of Steely Dan in 1996. He used the term to expose the sometimes ridiculous ends musicians will go to, to obtain gear.
GAS is the overpowering yearning to acquire musical equipment. This symptom is common among musicians who often believe that getting hold of more gear will somehow improve their musicianship. The result of GAS is that the acquisition of physical artefacts may eventually take priority over the creative music making process. In such a a volte‑face, ultimately, the means become the end.
“Resistance is futile” – Originally from the British TV series, ‘Doctor Who, Tomb of the Cybermen’ (1967), though widely attributed to the Borg from ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Best Of Both Worlds’ (1992).
It has been suggested that GAS derives from a feeling that one’s gear is inadequate leading to dissatisfaction and the development of an intense craving (sic!) for new/more gear, followed by impulsive buying beyond one’s identified need. Sellers try to exploit this cycle of unfulfilled satisfaction. Suggested remedies for GAS include an evaluation of what one already owns, establishing a budget cap and sticking to it, and to prioritise actual need as opposed to unjustifiable wants. Yeah, like that’s gonna work!
“It’s a trap!” – The character Admiral Ackbar, from the film, ‘Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi’ (1983)
Guitar Collecting and CRAVE Guitars
I, as you are probably well aware by now, ‘collect’ Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric Guitars, Basses, Effects and Amps. Yes, folks at a virtual GAS Anonymous™ meeting, “My name is CRAVE and I have a problem”. I’m beginning to accept that I have become one of those people for whom vintage guitar collecting is a reason for living (my ikigai – see my article of February 2025, ‘Ikigai and Vintage Guitars’). It seems that collecting vintage guitars has come to define me as a person, including my character, my personality and my lifestyle preferences.
Now, despite CRAVE Guitars being around as an entity since 2007 and online from 2014, it is not a large, special ‘collection’ by any stretch of the imagination. Neither is it a valuable, elite ‘collection’. It is a very modest assemblage of affordable old gear. Plenty of people have a great deal more gear than I do. The difference about CRAVE Guitars, I think, is that it is carefully curated for everyone to, hopefully, appreciate and enjoy. I wish I could also make audio files so others can experience the tone of these babies. Truth be told, I’m not a good enough musician and I genuinely don’t have the time/patience to go down that road. I would also like to provide videos and augmented reality but that is also beyond me at this stage.
“Objects are what matter. Only they carry the evidence that throughout the centuries something really happened among human beings” – Claude Levi‑Strauss (1908‑2009)
Guitar Collecting and Playing
Despite much searching and despite the fact that there are names for many obscure types of collectors, there doesn’t seem to be a name for someone who collects guitars, let alone vintage guitars. You know, like philatelists collect stamps. Heck, there isn’t even a collective noun for guitars themselves and neither is there one for guitarists. To be honest, I can’t think of a suitable noun that adequately describes the affliction. Perhaps it is time for someone to create a name for vintage guitar collectors. How about a CRAVE‑o‑holic, CRAVE‑o‑phile or CRAVEatalist? No, perhaps not. Alternative suggestions on a postcard, please.
One question that seems to come up repeatedly is whether someone is a guitar player or a guitar collector. Now, my response is along the lines of, ‘it doesn’t matter’, as the two are not mutually exclusive. As long as one is a guitar enthusiast, it matters not where one is along the continuum between the two, with most of us probably somewhere nearer the middle than one or other extreme (collectors who don’t play and players who don’t collect) – i.e. a normal distribution curve. The wonder of guitars is that players can collect and collectors can play. Many other forms of collectors don’t get that dual opportunity. For instance, going back to stamps, you can collect them but you can’t actually do much with them other than to look at, display or trade them.
Personally, I think that I play guitars first and collect guitars second. At least that is the chronological order through which I reached this point in later life. The fact that I can’t play very well is immaterial. I enjoy playing but have long realised that mastery of the instrument is beyond me, in the same way that mastery of vintage guitar collecting is also beyond me. Two trades, master of neither. Sigh.
As mentioned many times, I do not necessarily regard (or admit to) myself as a vintage guitar collector. However, a close friend confronted me on the subject and I reluctantly had to conclude that, in fact, I have fallen victim to having a collection of vintage guitars, which makes me a vintage guitar collector. Sussed again! Sigh.
“Collecting is like a treasure hunt, you never know what you might discover” – John Doe (1953‑)
Guitar Collecting and Ownership
Owning something is different from the things we own. Since time immemorial, humans have sought respect, identity and value in possessing things. Possessing something for oneself excludes the possibility that others can own the same thing. Ownership has long been associated with self‑esteem and materialism. Things, however, are not that simple. The relationship established between an individual and an object they possess can be very strong, even to the extent that sometimes the two become inseparable.
Material possessions encompass more than just owning an object. Objects can convey messages about status, power, wealth and superiority, and they are actively used to set one apart from one’s peers. Therefore, ownership becomes an integral part of personal lifestyle, community, society and, ultimately, civilisation. Ownership positions us in a pecking order within a social hierarchy. Yet the objects themselves don’t have any of the attributes we associate with owning them. In a world of infinite abundance, an object’s value is worthless, while in a world of scarcity, the same object’s value may be disproportionately high. Ownership value is therefore relative to its availability. This is another of the basics of economics.
Ownership helps us integrate into humanity, although paradoxically, ownership also separates us from others. An obsession with ownership leads to approval, envy, jealousy, resistance, control, competition conflict and outward demonstrations of self‑indulgence that subvert the humanity we so much yearn to belong to.
The psychological traits of ownership begin in childhood, continue through adolescence and becomes entrenched in adulthood, ready to be passed down succeeding generations. We are born with nothing. We take nothing with us when we die. Yet we spend a great deal of our lives in the pursuit of possessing material things.
Psychological ownership can be different from legal ownership, for instance, “that is MY parking space”. Many of us still want to own physical record or film collections despite plentiful streaming services. The cost and availability of access to streamed services, never mind the space savings, far outweigh the perceived benefits of ownership, yet many of us still want to own our own things rather than lease or borrow them from institutions.
The notion of ownership as an extension of the individual results in financial as well as emotional investment requiring decisions to be made on the basis of personal priorities. If those priorities include, for instance, the accumulation of vintage guitars, a collection becomes the ultimate manifestation of the ownership process (and it is a process, separate from the objects possessed). One person’s priorities may be of little or great interest to others, therefore possession becomes part of a like‑minded community’s self‑selection process.
There is no room here to delve into the ever more complex and fascinating issues of ownership. Suffice to say that human beings place considerable importance on possession and ownership.
Proof, if it was needed… would I relinquish the guitar collection I own? Not bloody likely! Even during the crisis years when I lost my home, my career and my self‑belief, I found a way to save and protect my vintage guitars with the help of a good friend. ‘Nuff said.
“It’s not as though you feel satisfied after collecting a certain amount of stuff. Instead, you keep thinking about what you’re missing” – Fumio Sasaki (1978‑)
Guitar Collecting and Value
Guitar collecting happens irrespective of the value of the instruments being collected. Once again, the two are not mutually exclusive. At least to me. For some, though, accruing monetary wealth it is the primary motivator and vintage guitars simply represent the currency exchange. I don’t have the means to play in the high end sand pit, so I dig in the muddy puddles of modestly priced/available vintage guitars. That’s OK by me. Affordable is good and far more grounded.
In the media, the instruments and collections that we tend to hear about are the large collections of genuinely rare (and therefore valuable) guitars. Number and value being the inversely proportional main factors. Some collections are worth a fortune with values that beggar belief. The major collectors are content to push up values with the consequence that the enthusiast becomes increasingly marginalised and/or excluded.
Then there are also the celebrity owned guitars that go for, frankly, ridiculous sums of money that we hear about from time to time. Often the two are complementary and we take notice of the largest collections worth the most amount of money. These collections tend to fall into two categories – public collections such as museums and private collections held by wealthy individuals.
I have often raised this aspect of vintage guitar collecting here. I recognise the need for public collections to document and preserve (not necessarily conserve) the historical importance of the guitar. I have anathema towards private collectors who hide the artefacts away and dare not touch them, let alone play them, in case it erodes their valuable return on investment. The latter, regular readers will know, I term the ‘collectorati’™, a pejorative term.
Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480‑400BCE)
Now, a Zen approach covered in my March 2025 article, ‘Eastern Concepts and Vintage Guitars’ mentioned ‘shikata ga nai’ (control what you can control) and Gaman (rising above adversity). These two philosophical tenets suggest that the way is to accept what exists (in this case, the ‘collectorati’) and focus on one’s own agenda with dignity and self‑respect. In addition, the quote from the Buddha above makes some sense and I submit to his greater wisdom. Therefore, to the Zen version of me, the ‘collectorati’ are abhorrent; however, it is not my place to abhor them. Instead, I will gain contentment from what I am able to collect and to do it with enthusiasm and humility. As a result of this rather profound and ‘spiritual’ insight, to me, value becomes irrelevant and inconsequential. I will gladly leave the detestable twin traits of greed and avarice to others. Enjoy wallowing in the filth of your dirty dollars, you can’t take then with you into the afterlife and you probably don’t genuinely enjoy them in this life.
While value is not a primary motivating factor for me, it does factor large at those points where value decisions need to be made about buying and selling part of a prized collection. So… if value is not important, would I give away my cherished vintage guitars? Not bloody likely, the sequel! Fundamentally, value has a part to play in the decision‑making process of managing and curating a collection.
“A collection is only as valuable as the knowledge and passion behind it” – John Doe (1953‑)
Guitar Collecting and Dealing
Dealers are kinda the odd one out here. They are a go‑between and a facilitator. They are a necessary evil as well, holding us all to ransom for an extra buck or two here and there. These are the bods largely responsible for feeding our collecting obsession. I kinda liken them to drug dealers hanging around school gates dangling ‘free’ baggies of tempting addictive substances just to get us hooked and then to keep us all hooked for their financial benefit. OK, perhaps that’s pushing the metaphor a bit far but you get the general idea.
“Collecting is an adventure that brings joy and excitement to everyday life” – Amelia Earhart (1897‑1937)
For many of us, guitar retailers were the starting off point for satiating GAS and encouraging us to spend beyond our means to acquire the latest shiny ‘must have’, at least until the next visit. For me, that first retailer was a long‑lost guitar shop in Worthing, West Sussex, England – infuriatingly, I cannot recall its name. While I unfairly maligned dealers in the previous paragraph, they perform an essential, if intimidating, role in the broader music industry. The world will be a worse place without them and, God forbid, that they should disappear from the high street, leaving the Internet as the only source for our particular ‘drug’.
Now, if one goes along with the widely held principle (assumption) that every guitar looks unique, every guitar plays uniquely and every guitar sounds unique, then online purchasing undermines the principle of choice and the products are confined to the status of a commodity. Extrapolating the point; if a commodity carries with it a lower emotional investment value, it becomes less satisfying in ownership and therefore more easily disposed of. A bit like buying an average car or an average house unseen and untried, if you will. This throwaway consumer society approach is the antithesis of passionate collecting,
“Collecting is a way of owning a piece of history and preserving it for future generations” – Albert Einstein (1879‑1955)
Plenty of the meccas for guitar gear such as 48th Street (Music Row) and West Village in Manhattan, NYC are a pale shadow of their previous glory, as is Denmark Street (the UK’s Tin Pan Alley) in London (following in the footsteps of Charring Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue). While there remain plenty of independent stores dispersed ever more thinly, the declining trend is undeniable and of great concern to neophytes and veteran collectors alike.
This tragic decline in supply is worrying, as it may possibly result in a concomitant decline in demand. If both supply and demand are suppressed, there is a resulting steep deterioration in significance.
We have eBay and Reverb to fall back on as major sources of second hand gear online. However, in the author’s experience, these are not compensating for the scarcity of brick & mortar dealers. For many of us, they have become a limited avenue for addiction.
“I love collecting guitars, even though I can’t play well” – Kiefer Sutherland (1966‑)
Examples of Vintage Guitar Collections
What follows is just a small example of the many types of vintage guitar and music history gathered into a single space. It is not intended as comprehensive, rather a modest starting point for guitar enthusiasts from which to explore the multitude of physical collections held both privately and publically.
Some Private Collections:
Jim Irsay was the owner and CEO of NFL American football team the Indianapolis Colts. He passed away on 21 May 2025, aged just 65. He had spent over 25 years creating one of the world’s leading collections of rock & roll, American history and pop culture artefacts, including some of the most iconic instruments in rock history. David Gilmour’s Black Fender Strat? A cool $3.9m. Jerry Garcia’s Tiger? $957,500. Bob Dylan’s Newport Folk Festival Fender Stratocaster? $965,000. George Harrison’s Gibson SG used on Revolver? $567,000. He also owned Kurt Cobain’s Fender Mustang and Eric Clapton’s ‘The Fool’ Gibson SG. The total value of Irsay’s collection is estimated to be well over $1bn.
Scott Chinery was an avid guitar collector who passed away in 2000. His extensive collection of over 1,000 guitars covering 150 years of guitar history remained with his family until 2021. The collection was acquired by the Archtop Foundation, a not‑for‑profit organisation based in Burlington, Vermont. The foundation’s mission is to share the collection with everyone. Chinery is perhaps best known for his portfolio of blue archtop guitars, including a web site dedicated to ‘The Blue Guitars’. The Blue Guitars
Ralph Jay Triumfo is a musician and guitar collector from the Philippines. He is regarded as owning the largest guitar collection in the world and, in fact, he holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of guitars, with a staggering 1,026 guitars in his possession, as of 2021.
Joe Bonamassa is a world famous blues/rock guitarist and self‑confessed vintage guitar nerd. He is also well known as one of the world’s foremost private collectors of electric guitars and amps. His collection totals well over 500 guitars, as well as around the same number of amps. What’s more, JB doesn’t hide these treasures away for himself. He takes his enviable classic guitars on the road and uses them on stage, so that everyone can appreciate the combination of his undoubted guitar playing skills and the iconic instruments that he owns. He also shares his passion online, particularly on social media.
Rick Nielsen is the guitarist of the American rock band Cheap Trick. He is believed to own upwards of 250 guitars, including many custom guitars built for him by Jol Dantzig at Hamer Guitars, such as the multi‑neck guitars that have become his trademark. Highlights include priceless 1950s Gibsons including Les Pauls, Explorers and Flying Vs.
David Gilmour was the guitarist with Pink Floyd and has a lengthy solo career. He has accumulated a massive collection of guitars over the years. Famously, in 2019, he auctioned 120 of his guitars, raising $21m for an environmental charity.
Slash – The Guns N’ Roses guitarist reportedly has a collection of over 400 guitars, including vintage Les Pauls and rare prototypes.
“Collecting is my passion” – Ursula Andress (1936‑)
Some Public Exhibitions:
What follows are just some of the public exhibitions that may be of interest to readers. The links worked at the time of publication but overtime they may become redundant. Just sayin’.
Songbirds Guitar and Pop Culture Museum, Chattanooga, Tennessee – the Songbirds museum opened in 2017 in downtown Chattanooga, TN and has more than 1,700 fretted instruments in its collection, touted as the world’s largest collection of rare and vintage guitars. The collection’s value is estimated to be in excess of $200m. Songbirds Guitar and Pop Culture Museum
The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Seattle, Washington State – originally called The Experience Music Project (EMP) was established by the late Microsoft co‑founder, Paul Allen. MoPoP, as it is now known, also houses The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. One of the features of the MoPoP is the giant guitar sculpture, ‘IF VI WAS IX’, as well as other guitar sculptures and music artefacts. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the museum features exhibits celebrating the music and history of Seattle including ‘local’ artists like Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. The Museum of Pop Culture
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), Cleveland, Ohio – The RRHOF, located on the bank of Lake Erie attempts to document rock history through artists, producers, engineers and others, rather than instruments. The Rock Hall (for short) was founded in 1983 by the chair of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun and the Museum was dedicated in 1995. While the focus is not on guitars, there is a diverse range of artefacts covering the evolution of modern music. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
C.F. Martin & Company Museum, Nazareth, Pennsylvania – More than 100 guitars are on display, including the first Martin guitar, the earliest Dreadnoughts and Kurt Cobain’s prized D-18 dreadnought acoustic. Unsurprisingly, it is a venue for fans of Martin guitars, as well as those seeking insights of historical importance. If you aren’t into Martins, you may want to seek an alternative. C.F. Martin & Company Museum
Delta Blues Museum, Clarksdale, Mississippi – The Delta Blues Museum was originally established in 1979 and became a standalone museum in 1999, homed in the historic Clarksdale rail freight depot. The museum is dedicated to preserving interest in the story of the blues, following the blues masters and their historical journey from the deep south of the USA to become a worldwide phenomenon. Delta Blues Museum
National GUITAR Museum, Bradenton, Florida – The NGM was the first American museum dedicated to the history, evolution, and cultural impact of the guitar. The museum has touring exhibitions that focus on a unique aspect of the guitar’s historical role in popular culture. Each touring exhibition is curated by the museum and includes artefacts from its permanent collection. National GUITAR Museum
The Gallery of Iconic Guitars (GIG), Belmont, Nashville, Tennessee – The museum at Belmont University was founded following the death of collector Steven Kern Shaw in 2015 and is supported by vintage guitar expert, George Gruhn. GIG aims to celebrate some of the rarest and most iconic guitars as well as other stringed instruments. The collection comprises over 500 rare guitars and mandolins valued at over $10.5m. The Gallery of Iconic Guitars
Museum of Musical Instruments (MIM), Phoenix, Arizona – Hank Risan is a collector and founder of the museum’s collection that focuses on the instruments played every day by people worldwide. The museum, which opened in 2010, comprises over 7,500 instruments from across the globe. Museum of Musical Instruments
Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Manhattan, New York City – Coming to The Met in the spring of 2027 will be a rotating exhibition of historically important guitars focusing on American guitar making from 1920‑1970, donated to the museum by Dirk Ziff, an American billionaire publishing heir and financier, working with vintage guitar connoisseur Perry Margouleff. Nearly 600 guitars have been donated and around 150‑170 will be on display at any one time. Be prepared to have your mind blown in 2 years’ time. Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History – The Smithsonian is based in Washington, DC. It is home to the museum’s collection of over 500 guitars. Sadly, the dedicated hall of musical instruments exhibition closed in October 2012. However, the museum collection includes many stringed instruments of historical significance. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Hard Rock Café – Hard Rock is an international chain of hotels, theme bar/restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos, sports venues and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London, England. In addition to many artist‑owned instruments and rock ephemera displayed in numerous settings across the world, Hard Rock opened two dedicated Hard Rock Vaults in London and Orlando, Florida in 1979, featuring rare and valuable guitars and other rock memorabilia. Hard Rock Café
Seven Decades, London, England – A British innovation co‑created by vintage guitar collectors and musicians, Phillip Hylander and Michael John Ross. The premium collection of vintage guitars is played by the Seven Decades Band in live stage shows mainly in London but also travelling around the country. The shows give audiences the opportunity to see and hear vintage instruments being used for their intended purpose. The concerts take place at events such as guitar shows as well as at national venues such as the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum in London. ‘The Story of Three Guitars That Changed The World’ focused on the Fender Telecaster, Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul. The shows cover music from 1950s’ rock & roll to the present day, including genres such as rockabilly, country, heavy metal, punk and disco. Seven Decades
The Royal College of Music Museum, London, England – The RCM was originally founded in 1882 and the museum was re‑opened in 2021 as a world leading music conservatoire. The museum collection currently comprises over 14,000 musical artefacts covering instruments, art and music related objects, including the earliest known guitar. The Royal College of Music Museum
Guitars the Museum, Umeå, Sweden – Guitars the Museum was opened in 2014 and hosts the world’s largest collection of rare 1950s and 1960s guitars. The collection comprises more than 500 vintage guitars on public display, with estimates putting the collection’s value at over $10million. The museum remains a not very well kept secret among vintage guitar aficionados. Guitars the Museum
Tamworth National Guitar Museum, Tamworth, Australia – ‘The Big Golden Guitar’ is a 12m high fibreglass statue located at Tamworth Visitor Information Centre, which also houses the Australian National Guitar Museum. Tamworth National Guitar Museum
“Communism doesn’t work because people like to own stuff” – Frank Zappa (1940‑1993)
A Few Clichéd & Corny Puns about Guitar Collecting
Sadly, my research only turned up a few bad relevant jokes. I am afraid that most guitar players will already know these.
Why did the guitarist bring home yet another guitar? Because his guitar collection has been missing “just one more” for the last ten years.
How do you know a guitar collector is lying? He says, “I have enough guitars for now”
I asked my dad if he could leave his guitar collection to my children when he dies. He said, “That’s music to my heirs”
A woman on trial accused of beating her husband to death with his guitar collection.
The judge asked, “First offender?” The woman replies, “No, first a Gibson, then a Fender”
You know you’re a guitarist when you’ve got more guitars than clean socks
If you know how many guitars you have, you don’t have enough
If anyone says you have too many guitars… block that person immediately. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life
My greatest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my guitars for what I told her I paid for them
“I’ve got too many guitars” said no guitarist ever!
I don’t suffer from Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, I enjoy every minute of it
The formula you have to determine how many guitars you need; the number of guitars you currently have, plus 1
Guitar collectors don’t have problems – they have limited storage space and an expanding wish list!
How do you make a guitar collector cry? Tell them their dream guitar was listed for sale… yesterday.
How do you know a guitarist is also a collector? Their collection is worth more than their car!
What does a guitar collector bring to a desert island? Six guitars and no survival skills whatsoever
Guitar collectors don’t retire… they just spend more time ‘investing’ in their collection!
Why do guitar collectors always seem broke? Because ‘affordable’ is a relative term
My wife said I have too many guitars. I said, “No, I have a diverse collection of tonal possibilities”. She said, “Well, I have a diverse collection of divorce lawyers”
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I apologise profusely.
Final Thoughts on the Compulsion to Collect Vintage Guitars
Basically, there are no hard and fast rules to compulsion, collecting and vintage guitars. Most of it is subjective and far from definitive (a recurring issue with these articles). Everyone will have their own motivations for collecting, methods of collecting and justification for the ownership of their personal collection. What does come through is the sheer diversity of vintage guitar collections across the world, of which this article is just the tiny tip of a very large iceberg.
Why did I opt to collect vintage guitars and turn them into an online entity? Well, I didn’t plan it that way, I kinda fell into it and over time it germinated organically (metaphorically speaking) and it grew into what it is now. I’ve covered the appeal of vintage guitars in the last three articles, so I won’t re‑iterate that here. The reason CRAVE Guitars exists and is an online resource is mainly to share these artefacts with the wider world. I could do the objectionable ‘collecterati’ thing and keep them to myself but what’s the point in that? Heritage needs sharing.
It is immaterial how small or large a collection might be – there is an infinite variety along that continuum. Contrary to popular female beliefs, size really doesn’t matter where vintage guitar collections are concerned. What matters is that there are people (like me) conserving the heritage and acting as stewards for future generations. The financial value of a collection is irrelevant to all but the heinous investors and, once again, there is an infinite variety along this continuum.
“Collecting is a never-ending journey of discovery and learning” – Sir David Attenborough (1926‑)
So, is it better to own a single high value vintage guitar or a shed load of low value ones? There is no right or wrong answer to that specific question. Would I trade in my entire so‑so ‘collection’ for one great guitar? Nope. If anyone approached me to sell the enterprise as a going concern, would I consider a reasonable offer? Nope. I wouldn’t know how much CRAVE Guitars is worth as an entity. If I had to start over again, would I choose guitars differently? Possibly not. If I could go back in time to being that naïve teenager again, would I ever have predicted that I would be in this position in 2025? Nope. Would I have done things differently? Indubitably.
Each to their own. Discuss…
CRAVE Guitars is limited by three things – space, funds and availability. I can’t see any of those three things changing any time soon. The current ‘most wanted’ list exceeds 50 vintage guitars but that hasn’t been updated in a long time because there is no point in pursuing any more acquisitions at the moment. That list just covers guitars, never mind basses, effects and amps. Compared to the professional collections, CRAVE Guitars is miniscule. However, it is my pride and joy and I am content of what I have been able to achieve given circumstances.
Can the desire to accumulate guitar gear ever be satiated? Possibly, but I am afraid that I will probably never know or find out. Like the junky being cured of addiction – life just doesn’t work that way. We may be able to live with it but we cannot overcome it. My view is that once one has been smitten, the course of ownership is irreversible.
One thing seems irrefutable, the compulsion to collect vintage guitars is a very real thing and it ain’t gonna stop anytime soon, at least for me. Good and long may it continue. Otherwise, I would have very little to write about each month. Enjoy your own personal journey.
“A collector’s passion can turn ordinary objects into extraordinary treasures” – Pablo Picasso (1881‑1973)
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
It seems appropriate for there to be a link between the article and the ‘album of the month’. Given the considerable relationship of one individual, his dedication to playing music and his not‑insignificant collection of vintage instruments, this month, we go for…
Joe Bonamassa – Dust Bowl (2011): ‘Dust Bowl’ is the 9th studio album by blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa. The album, comprising 12 tracks over 63 minutes, was released in March 2011 on Mascot Records. I don’t really have a favourite JB album, so ‘Dust Bowl’ is the one that tends to draw me in. Great cover art too, based on an image by American Depression‑era photographer Arthur Rothstein (1915‑1985), entitled, ‘Dust Storm, Cimarron County Oklahoma’ (1936). Very fitting for the music, which is exemplary, as is the norm for a guitar star.
Joe Bonamassa – Dust Bowl (2011)
There are many albums by the prolific guitarist and vintage gear collector. Any are well worth tracking down and giving a listen, if only to be gobsmacked by the dude’s awesome guitar playing. Critics may put his music down to straightforward blues/rock but in the 2020s, lord knows we need guitar heroes who know their chops and Bonamassa is one of those, probably the best since the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.
BELIEVE IN MUSIC!
“Collecting is a way of expressing your personality and interests” – Audrey Hepburn (1929‑1993)
Tailpiece
Another month, another article. It is becoming increasingly challenging to come up with a variety of topics and to keep things fresh interesting. I do hope that this one doesn’t disappoint. Who knows how long I can keep this streak going. Next month, another article, different subject. Let’s see what happens, eh?
I am still failing dismally in curtailing monthly blog articles in order to concentrate on ‘The Distortion Diaries’. Give me strength to prioritise and try harder. I hope to have some news on that front in due course.
In the meantime, I hope we all survive this perilous Earthly existence. We should be able to live, not just survive. We need to be able to live and have the opportunity to live better. Even more importantly, we should be able to thrive and flourish as individuals, communities and civilisation, not just survive. Time to live, then. Life is genuinely too short not to. Have FUN when you can.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “There is light at the end of the tunnel… unless it is at night or you have your eyes closed”
ALL PRESENT AND CORRECT, SIR, YES SIR! Here we are once again dear friends, acquaintances and anyone else who wishes to explore the Any‑Zany world of vintage gear. Spring is here folks and time to enjoy the freshness of rejuvenated nature accompanied by a suitable musical backdrop. It is a wonderful time of the year, in the northern hemisphere at least. I’ll get my monthly plea for a civilised society in our far too uncivilised world out of the way now. Even the notion of armed (or economic or social) conflict of any kind is futile and archaic in the 21st Century. Harmony, not discord, is the key to a flourishing future and it is achievable should we care enough and value it enough. What’s wrong with a bit of peace & love? Goodness knows we need it.
After the last three articles referencing Far Eastern influences, you may be relieved to know that that is not the focus of this month’s masterpiece (Ed: conceited or what?). I started out on this article thinking that it would be fairly straightforward. By the end, I was in the ‘what on Earth was I thinking?’ frame of mind. If I want to make space and time for writing ‘The Distortion Diaries’, this really is NOT the way to go about it. When will I learn? Well, it’s done now and time to move onto the next ‘big’ thang.
A CRAVE Guitars A‑Z of Vintage Guitar Gear
Looking back over the 90‑odd monthly articles so far, I was quite surprised I haven’t tried this particular exercise or something like it before now. This month is definitely one for the list‑o‑philes out there. For all you list‑o‑phobes, you might want to sit this one out.
The following narrative is an A‑Z that covers guitar gear including guitars, basses, amps, effects, accessories, etc. In order to give enough credence to many notable names, the A‑Z comprises subjects now associated with the vintage market and the main focus is on names with a clear historical component. There could have been many more but a line had to be drawn somewhere and it ended up a conveniently rounded 150.
For the author’s fragile sanity, the exercise is specifically about guitar‑related stuff. If I had gone for a looser definition or a wider scope for musical industry, instruments, equipment and accessories, it would have proved to be unmanageably massive.
Some of these names will be familiar household names while others are going to be somewhat esoteric. Some are companies, while others are products – it’s a bit mix and match but the rationale will hopefully become clear. It is not intended to be exhaustively comprehensive and I will undoubtedly have missed some important names that readers will pick up on and no doubt berate me for not including them. However, it is MY list and I’m sticking to it, although I apologise to anyone I may have omitted or misrepresented (easy to do with such a large number of précis).
There are plenty of notable industry names not included below, such as Ashdown, Blackstar, Eastman, Eastwood, Faith, Fractal, Kemper, Line 6, Luna, Manson Guitarworks, Matamp and Suhr among many, many, many more. The focus here is primarily on producers and products. Distributors and retailers are generally not listed, including names like Chandler Music, Gruhn Guitars, Macari, Rose Morris, Sam Ash, Guitar Center, PMT, Sweetwater, Thomann, Gear4Music, etc. Some key people are included as contributors to guitar gear, rather than in their own right, such as Robert Moog and Larry Fishman. Also pro studio gear tends not make the cut here. Not everything can make the list!
The volume of available information means that the descriptions here have to be very (and sometimes overly) brief, resulting in a lot of detail being left out skewing balance. However, the A‑Z may provide an interesting launching pad for further exploration and/or investigation should you so desire. Hey, I’m not going to do everything for you!
One thing I discovered (or rather became increasingly aware of, having understood it intuitively beforehand) during the research for this article is that the global music industry has been markedly incestuous and inbred over the last 150 years or so. The industry’s relationship status could probably best be described as, ‘it’s complicated’. There has been a great deal of to‑ing and fro‑ing, buyouts, mergers, sell‑offs, liquidations, shake outs, bankruptcies, relaunches, revivals and complex interdependencies between the various players. Trying to make sense of the numerous combinations and permutations in a consistent and coherent way made my head hurt. A lot.
Due to the nature of the subject matter and the work involved, there aren’t any words‑of‑wisdom quotes/idioms or many illustrative images this month. Horses for courses and all that. I apologise that this isn’t a very ‘pretty’ blog article.
Wherever possible, I have relied on my own resources built up over many years. While I have not plagiarised content from online sources, I have relied on generalised sources such as Wikipedia, specific sources such as company/brand web sites, as well as details from various books and other publications to inform the A‑Z. I would not have been able to achieve the significant amount of information herein without seeking corroborative cross‑references as part of the research. My thanks go out to those sources, which have been of significant assistance. It probably goes without saying that there is no end of ‘information’ on all of this should you wish to delve into the endless rabbit warren that is the hinternet thingummyjig.
There was, however, a great deal of unreliable, conflicting and/or inaccurate information making collation challenging. There is, therefore, despite best endeavours, a risk that the lack of definitive facts, especially relating to dates and individuals, may have made its way into the narrative. If that is the case, I apologise pre‑emptively. For that reason alone, I do not recommend using this as a source of irrefutable factual information. It is, as always, only for entertainment and broad information. The following is pretty heavy going and may stray into nerdy nirvana. Are you sitting comfortably?
Without further ado, it’s time to get analytically and amazingly alphabetic. Following convention, we start with…
A – A Stands for…
AER
AER (Audio Electric Research) was founded in 1992 by Udo Rösner, Michael Eisenmann and Susanne Janz in the the Ruhr area of Germany. As a relative newcomer, AER has specialised in developing and manufacturing amplifiers for acoustic instruments, an under‑represented field at the time. Their slogan is, ‘the acoustic people’.
Airline
Airline Guitars was a brand used by American mail order company Montgomery Ward on a range of electric and acoustic guitars between 1958 and 1968. Like their competitor, Sears, Montgomery Ward sourced instruments from the likes of Valco, Kay and Harmony. The Airline name was also used on a range of amplifiers manufactured by Valco and Danelectro during the same period. Eastwood Guitars purchased rights to the Airline brand in the early 2000s and is still used for retro designed guitars as of 2025.
Akai
Akai Electric Company Ltd. was founded by Masukichi and Saburo Akai in Tokyo in 1946. Akai was a Japanese electronics manufacturer for many years. In the 1980s, Akai Professional focused on studio production and recording equipment and stage audio gear. The original Akai business ceased production in 2000, although Akai Professional continued manufacturing a wide range of equipment, including synthesisers.
Alembic
Alembic was founded in 1969 by Owsley Stanley (1935‑2011) in Novato, California. Alembic was, and still is, an American manufacturer of high‑end basses and guitars, Alembic was an innovator in premium bass instruments including 5‑string and graphite necks. Alembic basses have been favoured by artists such as Jack Casady, Stanley Clarke and Mark King.
Alvarez
The American Alvarez guitar brand was created in 1965 by retailer Gene Kornblum and luthier Kazuo Yairi, based in St. Louis, Missouri. The firm focused on steel‑string acoustic guitars manufactured in Japan and imported into the US. Alvarez is a private company under the ownership of St. Louis Music as of 2025.
Ampeg
The American company that became Ampeg was founded in 1946 by Everett Hull and Stanley Michaels in Linden, New Jersey. Ampeg is an abbreviation of ‘AMlified PEG’, a transducer pickup for upright acoustic basses. Ampeg’s main focus over decades has been to specialise in bass amplifiers, although it has diversified into guitar amps as well. Like many other American manufacturers, it was sold in the mid‑1960s in order to survive. Ampeg is now a brand owned by Japanese giant, Yamaha.
Aria
Aria Guitars Co. was founded in 1956 by Shiro Arai (1930‑2019) in Nagoya, Japan. Initially, Aria was a musical instrument retailer. In 1964, Aria started manufacturing acoustic guitars and, from 1966, electric guitars and basses. Aria made its name during the 1970s and changed its name to Aria Pro II in 1975. Aria currently also owns Pignose amps (see below).
Audiovox
The original Audiovox Manufacturing Co. was founded by musician and inventor, Paul Tutmarc (1896‑1972). Tutmarc was famous for the introduction of the Audiovox Model 736 Bass Fiddle – the precursor to the fretted bass guitar – in 1936. Not to be confused with another consumer electronics company bearing the same name, founded in 1960, based in Orlando, Florida.
B – B Stands for…
B.C. Rich
B.C. Rich was founded by Bernardo Chavez Rico (1941‑1999) in 1974 in LA, California. The American company is famous for manufacturing acoustic and electric guitars, and basses. B.C. Rich guitars became known for radical guitar designs that became popular with heavy metal bands, particularly during the 1980s. Budget B.C. Rich guitars are made in Asia, while high‑end boutique instruments are made in small numbers in the US. After the founder’s death in 1999, the brand changed ownership several times before returning to private ownership in 2019.
Bigsby
Bigsby was the brainchild of innovator Paul Bigsby (1899‑1968) who started building bespoke guitars for professional artists like Merle Travis and Chet Atkins in Scottsdale, Arizona from 1946. Bigsby is best known for its worldwide industry standard vibrato tailpieces used by many other brands often under licensing agreements. Bigsby sold the company to Gibson president, Ted McCarty in 1966 and it was sold again to Fender in 2019.
Binson
The Binson Amplifier HiFi Company was founded by engineer, Bonfiglio Bini in Milan in the mid‑1940s. The company is best known for its legendary portable echo and reverberation effect, the Binson Echorec introduced in 1953/1954. Uniquely, the Echorec used a magnetic disc, rather than tape loop, to record and replay the original signal. The company ceased production in 1986. The Binson Echorec name has since been revived by guitar effect company T‑Rex.
Bogner
Bogner Amplification was founded in 1989 by Reinhold Bogner in LA, California. Bogner is an American manufacturer of guitar amps, speaker cabinets and effect pedals. The company started out making boutique amps based on modified Fender and Marshall amps before moving into mainstream production with three discrete amp lines.
BOSS
BOSS is a division of the Roland Corporation that was formed in 1972 in Osaka, Japan. BOSS focuses mainly on the manufacture of compact guitar and bass effect pedals, as well as modern multi‑effect units and amplifiers. The company started making its familiar compact BOSS effect pedals in 1977, first in Japan until c.1990 and then in Taiwan and latterly Malaysia. BOSS has become one of the biggest names in guitar and bass effects.
Burns
Burns Guitars London is a manufacturer of electric guitars and basses, founded in 1959 by Alice Farrell and Jim Burns (1925‑1998) in London, England. After a period of success during the 1960s, the Baldwin Piano Company acquired the business and the original Burns guitar line ceased production in 1970, although Jim Burns continued to make guitars independently. A range of Burns‑branded guitars re‑appeared in 1992 with guitars made in the Far East.
Buzz Feiten
Howard ‘Buzz’ Feiten II (1948‑) is a musician and luthier notable for patenting a unique tuning system for guitars in 1992. The Buzz Feiten Tuning System (BFTS) for fretted instruments is intended to correct inherent intonation issues by replacing a guitar’s standard fingerboard nut with a specialised compensated version. In 2012, Buzz Feiten Guitars was formed, renamed Buzz Feiten Guitar Research in 2018.
C – C Stands for…
Carlsboro
Carlsbro is a guitar amplifier company, founded in 1959 by Stuart and Sheila Mercer in Nottingham, England. It is one of the oldest British guitar amp makers. In 2002, production was shifted overseas and in 2010 the company was acquired by the Chinese Soundking Group.
Carvin (Kiesel)
The American Carvin Corporation was founded in 1946 by Lowell Kiesel (1915‑2009) based in San Diego, California. Carvin guitars and basses were popular with rock and metal guitarists during the 1970s and 1980s. After Kiesel’s death, the company was split into Kiesel Guitars and Carvin Corporation, the latter mainly covering audio equipment.
Charvel
Charvel is an American guitar company founded in 1974 by Wayne Charvel in Azusa, California. Charvel sold the company to Grover Jackson (of Jackson Guitars) in 1978. Charvel guitars were popular with rock and metal guitarists during the 1980s. After several changes, both Charvel and Jackson brands were acquired by Fender in 2002.
Collings
The American Collings Guitars company was founded in 1973 by Bill Collings (1948‑2017) in Austin, Texas. Collings manufacture a wide range of high quality acoustic, arch top and electric guitars, as well as other fretted instruments including production of quality mandolins and ukuleles.
Colorsound
Guitar effect brand Colorsound was formed in 1967 by brothers Larry and Joe Macari in London, England. Colorsound pedals were manufactured by another Macari‑owned company, Sola Sound. Colorsound is probably best known for the iconic Tone Bender fuzz pedal, made famous by rock guitarists in the 1960s and 1970s.
Columbus
Columbus was a brand name used by the American importer Elger Guitars on entry level copies of Gibson, Fender and Rickenbacker guitars. The flagrant copies were made in the Far East by the Japanese manufacturer, Hoshino Gakki Gen. Elger used the Ibanez name in the US and Columbus in the UK.
Coral
In 1967, the giant MCA company acquired guitar manufacturer Danelectro (see below) and introduced the short‑lived Coral brand with instruments produced in Danelectro’s Neptune City, New Jersey facility between 1967 and 1969. The brand is best remembered for its distinctive instruments like the Coral Bellzouki and the Coral Sitar.
CSL
The CSL brand name was used by Charles Summerfield Limited, based in Gateshead, England. During the 1970s, CSL distributed guitars in the UK that were manufactured by FujiGen Gakki in Matsumoto, Japan. At the time, FujiGen was known for supplying guitars for other brands including Ibanez, Fender, Yamaha and Greco. CSL guitars were mainly blatant ‘lawsuit era’ copies of Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker models. CSL ceased trading in 1993.
D – D Stands for…
D’Angelico
D’Angelico was founded by master luthier John D’Angelico (1905‑1964) in 1932, in Manhattan, New York. D’Angelico built a strong reputation for hand built archtop guitars created in small numbers during the 1930s. Original instruments are now highly sought after. After D’Angelico’s death, the business (but not the name) was bought by former apprentice Jimmy D’Aquisto (see below). The D’Angelico brand was re‑launched in 1999 and continues as of 2025 with a range of American and Far Eastern models.
D’Aquisto
James L. D’Aquisto (1935‑1995) was an American luthier who served as an apprentice to John D’Angelico from 1952 until the latter’s death in 1964. D’Aquisto concentrated on building and repairing archtop guitars under his own name. As he predicted, he died at the same age as his mentor (59). Fender currently manufactures a range of guitars using the D’Aquisto name.
Dallas Arbiter
John E. Dallas & Sons was formed in 1875 in London, England making and selling musical instruments. Dallas imported musical instruments from Europe and the USA, including brands such as Kay, Harmony and Vega. Separately, Sound City was formed in London by Ivor Arbiter, another industry bigwig, which specialised in guitars and amplifiers. Around 1965, Dallas Music acquired the Arbiter‑Western company thereby creating Dallas Arbiter, which produced drums, guitars and basses under the Hayman brand. Dallas Arbiter is, though, best known for the iconic Fuzz Face effect pedal, manufactured from c.1966 to 1975 (and which has been reissued many times since). Dallas Arbiter went out of business in 1975.
Dan Armstrong
Dan Kent Armstrong (1934‑2004) was an American guitarist and luthier born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After opening his own business in 1965, Armstrong designed an innovative range of guitars for Ampeg in 1968 using bodies made from clear Plexiglas (a.k.a. Lucite), a synthetic polymer. The instruments also used interchangeable pickups designed by colleague Bill Lawrence. In the 1970s, Armstrong moved to England and designed a new range of traditional guitars, basses, effects and amps. In 1998, a Plexiglas Dan Armstrong guitar was reissued, made in Japan.
Danelectro
American company Danelectro was founded in 1947 by Nathan Daniel (1912‑1994) in Neptune City, New Jersey. ‘Dano’ made distinctive semi‑hollow guitar and bass bodies made from poplar or plywood frames faced with Masonite front and back and with vinyl tape binding. The instruments also used characteristic ‘lipstick’ single coil pickups and ‘coke bottle’ headstocks. MCA bought Danelectro in 1966 and ceased guitar production in 1969. The brand was revived in the 1990s focusing intermittently on guitars/basses, effect pedals and amps. Danelectro is currently owned by Evets Corporation.
DeArmond
Harold DeArmond (1906‑1999) was an American electrical designer who founded DeArmond Research in Toledo, Ohio to develop a magnetic guitar pickup in 1935, working with Bud Rowe, owner of Fox Electrical and Manufacturing. The first acoustic guitar pickups were manufactured in 1939. In 1940, production was consolidated as Rowe Industries. Although best known for guitar pickups, Rowe introduced a tremolo effect pedal in 1941, the first of its kind. By the time Harry DeArmond retired in 1976, his company had made over 170 different types of pickup, as well as many amplifiers and effect pedals. In c.1998, Fender acquired the rights to use the DeArmond name.
Dean
Dean Guitars was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois. Dean originally made a variety of guitars for many famous artists. Zelinsky sold Dean in 1986, which continued in business but with little connection to the original company. Professional musician Elliott Rubinson of Armadillo Enterprises bought the business in 1997 and successfully rejuvenated the Dean Guitars brand with a range of products from Far Eastern budget models to US‑built custom shop instruments. The late guitarist Dimebag Darrell was a key endorsee.
DiMarzio
Larry DiMarzio started making guitar pickups in Staten Island, New York in the 1960s. DiMarzio became famous for manufacturing after‑market guitar pickups and stock pickups for a number of brands. DiMarzio also produces a range of accessories and merchandise. DiMarzio Inc. continues to make a wide range of products including around 200 types of guitar and bass pickups.
Dobro
Dobro Manufacturing Company was originally founded in 1928 by four Dopyera Brothers (Dobro is a conflation of DOpyera and BROthers). Dobro produced single cone acoustic resonator guitars to compete with National’s tricone resonator guitars. In 1932 Dobro merged with National to form the National‑Dobro Company. In the 1940s the business was sold to Valco (see below). In 1964, the Dopyera Brothers re‑introduced the Dobro name, which was eventually acquired by Gibson 1993 with guitars manufactured by Gibson subsidiary, Epiphone from 2012.
DOD (DigiTech)
DOD Electronics, deriving from the initials of founder David Oreste DiFrancesco, was formed in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1973. DOD, and its brand DigiTech, manufactures a wide range of popular guitar effect pedals. DOD/DigiTech was sold to Harman International around 1991 and then sold again to South Korean giant Cortek (owner of Cort Guitars) in 2018.
Dumble
Dumble Amplifiers was a one‑man‑band enterprise founded by reclusive Alexander Dumble (1944‑2022) to build no‑compromise hand‑made guitar amplifiers in very small numbers, often for wealthy celebrity artists. Dumble amplifiers have acquired legendary status amongst guitarists, particularly for his Dumble Overdrive Special. Commercially, the brand died along with its founder in 2022.
Dunlop
Dunlop Manufacturing was founded in 1965 by Scottish immigrant to the USA, entrepreneur Jim Dunlop (1936‑2019) in Benicia, California. Dunlop built the business from a humble start in his living room and garage to become one of the largest manufacturers of musical accessories and guitar effect pedals. Dunlop remains a private company as of 2025.
E – E Stands for…
EBow
The EBow is an innovative guitar accessory manufactured by Heet Sound Products in LA, California. The battery‑powered EBow (short for ‘electronic bow’) uses battery‑powered electromagnetism to vibrate a guitar string producing a sustained sound like a bowed violin or cello string. The sound contrasts with the rapid attack and decay of a plucked guitar string. Greg Heet invented the EBow in 1969, launched it commercially in 1976 and patented it in 1978. The EBow remains in production as of 2025.
Echoplex
Engineer Mike Battle designed the Echoplex tape delay effect unit in 1959, based on an earlier design by Ray Butts from the 1950s. The Echoplex was sold through Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) and then Maestro, a distributor owned by Norlin (which also owned Gibson). The effect rapidly became an industry standard. In 1970, a solid‑state Echoplex superseded the valve‑driven unit, developed by Maestro. The Echoplex brand was purchased by Gibson in the 1990s and the Echoplex name was used on a line of digital looping delays. In 2019, Echoplex became a trademark of Dunlop Manufacturing.
EKO
EKO Guitars was founded in 1959 by Oliviero Pigini in Recanati, Italy. EKO manufactures classical guitars, 12‑string guitars, archtop guitars, electric guitars and acoustic bass guitars. During the 1960s, EKO became the largest guitar exporter in Europe and made guitars and effect pedals for other brands such as VOX. EKO remains a private company that continues to manufacture guitars as of 2025.
Electro-Harmonix
Electro-Harmonix (a.k.a. EHX) was founded in 1968 by musician Mike Matthews in New York City. EHX makes effect pedals and sells rebranded amplifier valves. During the 1970s, EHX manufactured a wide range of innovative affordable state-of-the art guitar effect pedals for guitarists and bass players. In the 1980s EHX stopped making effect pedals and focused on valves in the 1990s. At that time, EHX started producing a few effect pedals in Russia before returning to its roots from 2002 and continues to excel in the manufacture of guitar effect pedals.
Epiphone
What would become Epiphone in 1928 was founded by the family of Greek/Turkish immigrant luthier Anastasios Stathopoulo (1863‑1915) in 1873 in the Ottoman Empire. Initially a fiddle and lute maker, Epiphone became a major competitor to Gibson during the 1930s, especially in the manufacture of high quality archtop guitars. A struggling Epiphone was finally acquired by Gibson in 1957. Epiphone is best known for the Casino hollow body electric guitar because of an association with The Beatles. From the 1970s, Epiphone became a low cost offshore manufacturer of Epiphone‑branded copies of Gibson models.
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball Inc. was founded in 1962 by American musician and entrepreneur Roland Sherwood Ball (1930‑2004) in San Luis Obispo, California. Ernie Ball is an instrument and accessory company, particularly known for its guitar strings. In 1972, Ernie Ball also started producing guitars. Guitars and basses are also manufactured by Music Man, which Ernie Ball bought in 1984 and now called Ernie Ball Music Man (EBMM). Ernie Ball’s son, Sterling Ball (1955‑) is the current CEO of the company, keeping it a private family business.
ESP/LTD
ESP Company Ltd was founded in 1975 by Hisatake Shibuya (1937‑2024) in Tokyo, Japan. ESP’s main business is manufacturing electric guitars and basses, as well as an OEM supplier of parts for other companies. ESP is also parent to subsidiary brand LTD amongst others. ESP and LTD guitars have been favoured by heavy metal guitarists in particular. ESP also has had an American headquarters based in LA, California since 1993. ESP’s primary competitor is rival Japanese brand, Ibanez.
Eventide
The American Eventide Inc. was founded in 1971 by recording engineer Stephen Katz, inventor Richard Factor, and businessman Orville Greene in New York City. Eventide is best known for its extensive range of premium quality studio and guitar effect pedals using digital effect processors and Digital Signal Processor (DSP) software. Eventide is now based in Little Ferry, New Jersey.
F – F Stands for…
Fender
Fender, one of the world’s most famous and important names in guitars, basses and amplifiers was founded in 1946 by Clarence Leonidas ‘Leo’ Fender (1909‑1991) in Fullerton, California. Leo Fender sold his business to CBS in 1965. Following a management buyout in 1985, Fender Musical Instrument Company (FMIC) once again became a private company. Fender is home to iconic instruments like the Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision, Jazz Bass, Jaguar, Jazzmaster and amplifiers like the Twin, Deluxe, Bassman and Princeton. Fender also produces accessories and merchandise.
Fernandes
Fernandes Guitars was formed in 1972 from its predecessor, Saito Musical Instruments, founded in 1969 in Niizo, Japan. Fernandes is a Japanese company that produces electric and bass guitars, amplifiers and accessories. Fernandes has become one of the biggest guitar producers in Japan. Fernandes, though, is possibly best known for its Sustainer pickups that use electromagnetism to vibrate the guitar’s strings in a similar way to the eBow (see above). Fernandes also owns the Burny brand, known for making copies of Gibson guitars.
Floyd Rose
The Floyd Rose locking vibrato system (erroneously called a tremolo) was designed by Floyd D. Rose in 1976 and patented in 1979. The vibrato was intended to return the strings to accurate tuning despite extreme ‘dive bombing’ of a guitar bridge to change the pitch of strings. The system relies on firmly clamping the strings at both the nut and bridge. Floyd Rose vibratos became phenomenally popular, particularly with rock and heavy metal guitarists and the approach has been widely imitated and officially licensed.
Framus
Framus was founded in 1946 by Fred Wilfer in Luby, Czechoslovakia to make stringed instruments and to resettle German Bohemians expelled from Bohemia after WWII. Framus is a conflation of FRAnconian MUSical instruments. Framus became the largest guitar producer in Europe during the 1950s. Despite success, Framus went bankrupt in 1975. The brand was re‑introduced in 1995 by founder Fred Wilfer’s son as part of the German bass guitar manufacturer Warwick (see below).
G – G Stands for…
G&L
G&L Musical Instruments was founded in 1980 by George Fullerton (1923‑2009)(G), Leo Fender (L) and Dale Hyatt in Fullerton, California. G&L was the venture Leo Fender pursued after he left Music Man in 1979 and before Music Man was sold to Ernie Ball in 1984. G&L focused on continuing to innovate and evolve Leo Fender’s guitar and bass designs in a way that Fender (the company) couldn’t. After Leo Fender died in 1991, BBE Sound, Inc. took over the business.
Gibson
Gibson, one of the oldest, most famous and most important names in guitars was founded in 1894 by Orville Gibson (1856‑1918), in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Orville started off making labour‑intensive carved top guitars and mandolins. Lloyd Loar (1886‑1943) designed key jazz archtops like the L5 for Gibson in the 1920s. The ES‑150 was the first production ‘electric’ guitar in 1936. Collaborating with professional musician Les Paul (1915‑2009), Gibson introduced the Les Paul Model guitar in 1952. Company president Ted McCarty (1909‑2001), followed the Les Paul with the Explorer, Flying V, ES‑335, SG and many others. Gibson was sold by parent company CMI to Norlin in 1974 and was subsequently subject to a management buy‑out in 1986. Despite financial difficulties, Gibson remains a private company as of 2025.
Godin
Godin Guitars was founded by Robert Godin in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1972. Godin currently manufactures electric and acoustic guitars and basses under its own name, built in Canada, as well as other subsidiary brands like Seagull. Godin is Canada’s largest guitar business.
Gordon Smith
Gordon Smith Guitars was founded in 1974, named after its founders, Gordon Whitham and John Smith in Greater Manchester, England. Gordon Smith is a manufacturer of hand‑crafted electric guitars. The company is also Britain’s longest‑running electric guitar manufacturer. In April 2015 Gordon Smith Guitars was acquired by British firm, Auden Guitars, based in Northamptonshire, England.
Goya
Goya guitars (named after the Spanish artist) were manufactured by Levin, a company founded in 1900 by Herman Carlson Levin in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 1952, Goya introduced nylon‑strung acoustic guitars followed by steel‑string acoustic guitars in the 1960s. In 1976, the Goya brand was sold to CF Martin (see below). Production of Goya guitars suffered and Martin stopped selling Goya‑branded guitars during the 1990s.
Greco
Greco is a brand name used by the wholesaler Kanda Shokai Corporation, formed in 1948 in Japan. The company started selling Greco guitars in the mid‑1960s. In the 1970s, although not specifically targeted by Gibson, Greco became embroiled in the ‘lawsuit-era’ copy scandal. In 1982, Kanda Shokai was part of a joint venture with Fender Japan, making acoustic and electric guitars for the Japanese market. Various guitar models have used the Greco name on and off since the 1990s.
Gretsch
Gretsch was originally founded by German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch (c.1856‑1895) in 1883, located in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Gretsch focused primarily on guitars as a core business in the 1930s and the company hit their peak era from the mid‑1950s to mid‑1960s during the rock & roll boom. Gretsch was sold to Baldwin Pianos in 1967 and the family business has worked in partnership with Fender since 2002. Gretsch is probably best known for the iconic 6120 Chet Atkins hollow body guitar.
Guild
The Guild Guitar Company was founded in 1952 by professional guitarist and music retailer Avram ‘Al’ Dronge (1911‑1972) in Manhattan, New York. Guild intended to compete primarily with rivals Epiphone and Gretsch. Following expansion, Guild was sold to the Avnet Corporation in 1966, which moved production to Westerly, Rhode Island. Guild was sold again to Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC) in 1995. In 2014, Guild was acquired by Cordoba Music Group and moved yet again to Oxnard, California.
Guyatone
Guyatone was founded in 1933 by Mitsuo Matsuki in Yamanashi, Japan. Matsuki Manufacturing produced guitars under the Guya brand until 1940. In 1951 the Guyatone name was established for electric guitars and, in 1955, the first Guyatone solid-body electric guitar was introduced. In Japan, Guyatone guitars were sold using the Ibanez name. In the UK, Matsuki used the Antoria name and in the US, they used the Kent name. The Guyatone name is now owned by DeMont Guitars LLC.
H – H Stands for…
Hagström
Hagström was founded in 1925 by Albin Hagström in Älvdalen, Dalecarlia, Sweden. Hagström’s main business was accordions before they started making electric guitars in 1958 and subsequently amps. Hagström pioneered with the innovative H8 8‑string bass and also began to experiment with guitar synths. Hagström ceased production in 1983 in the face of stiff competition. The brand was revived in 2004 and now produces guitars in both Europe and the Far East.
Hamer
Hamer Guitars was founded in 1973 by Paul Hamer and Jol Dantzig in Wilmette, Illinois. Hamer became well‑known for building guitars and basses based on Gibson’s designs. In 1988, Hamer was acquired by Kaman Music Corporation (KMC), which owned Ovation guitars. In 2008, Fender bought KMC including the Ovation and Hamer brands. Fender closed down Hamer production in 2012. In 2015, Fender sold KMC again. In 2017, KMC revived the Hamer name with products imported into the US.
Harmony
The Harmony Company was founded in 1892 by Wilhelm Schultz. Sears, Roebuck & Co. purchased Harmony in 1916 for the latter’s ukulele business. By the 1950s, Harmony produced a wide range of instruments, peaking in the mid‑1960s. In 1975, the production of Harmony guitars ceased and the brand name was sold. In 2018, BandLab Technologies of Singapore revived the Harmony brand, producing guitars and amps made by Heritage (see below).
Heritage
Heritage Guitar Inc. was founded in 1985 by three former Gibson employees in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Heritage set up business in the old Gibson factory after Gibson had moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1974. As of 2025, Heritage is a small‑scale manufacturer of guitars heavily based on Gibson’s traditional designs.
HH Electronics
HH Electronics was founded in 1968 by Mike Harrison, Malcolm Green and Graham Lowes in Harston near Cambridge, England. It was a manufacturer of distinctive solid state guitar, bass and PA amps, as well as speaker cabinets. In the 1990s, HH was acquired by Laney Amplification (see below).
Hiwatt
Hylight Electronics, better known as Hiwatt, was founded in 1966 by Dave Reeves in Surrey, England. Hiwatt are best known for their guitar and bass amps. As part of the 1960s and 1970s boom in high powered amps, Hiwatt (including Sound City, see below) along with its main competitors Marshall, Orange and VOX helped to cement the ‘British sound’ of rock music, contrasting with the ‘American sound’ of Fender (and its derivatives) amps.
Höfner
Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1887 by German luthier Karl Höfner (1864‑1955) in Schönbach, Austria-Hungary (now Luby in the Czech Republic). One part of the company manufactured classical string instruments while another produced guitars and basses. After WWII, Höfner moved to West Germany, where the company thrived. Höfner became closely associated with The Beatles who were seen to use Höfner guitars and basses. In 1994, Höfner was sold to British music publisher, Boosey & Hawkes. After financial difficulties, the Höfner brand was sold to a former Höfner employee in 2004.
Hohner
Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1857 by clock maker Matthias Hohner (1833‑1902) in Trossingen, Baden‑Württemberg, Germany. While Hohner is best known for its harmonicas, the company manufactured a wide range of musical instruments, including guitars from the 1950s until c.2015. Hohner has since returned to its roots and currently produces harmonicas, melodicas, accordions and recorder flutes.
Hondo
The Hondo guitar company was founded in 1969 by Jerry Freed and Tommy Moore. Hondo was a joint venture with the Samick Company of South Korea to manufacture entry‑level acoustic and electric guitars and basses, importing them into the USA using the Hondo name. Many of Hondo’s guitars were based on, or copies of, classic American guitar designs. The Hondo name had largely disappeared by 1989 but was revived by what is now Musicorp in 1995.
Hughes & Kettner
Hughes & Kettner was founded in 1984 by brothers Hans and Lothar Stamer in in Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany. The company focuses on manufacturing premium level amps and innovative effect pedals. H&K as built a strong reputation with a particular focus on high‑gain amplifier technology for heavy metal and hard rock.
I – I Stands for…
Ibanez
Ibanez is a guitar brand created in 1957 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. Ibanez is owned by Hoshino Gakki a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1908. Ibanez began production of guitars in 1957 and were known for copies of American guitars during the 1960s. Ibanez in particular was the target for litigation by Gibson because of trademark infringements during the 1970s. Ibanez (and other) brand guitars of the period became known as ‘lawsuit‑era’ instruments. Also in the 1970s, Hoshino Gakki licensed Maxon effect pedals for sale under the Ibanez brand.
J – J Stands for…
Jackson
Jackson Guitars was founded in 1980 by American luthier Grover Jackson in Glendora, California to manufacture electric guitars and basses. Grover Jackson had worked closely with Wayne Charvel until the latter sold the Charvel name to Jackson in 1978. During the 1980s, Jackson manufactured high-quality, US‑made, custom instruments, primarily for heavy metal guitarists including Randy Rhoads. Fender acquired both Jackson Guitars and Charvel in 2002. Low budget Jackson guitars are manufactured in the Far East. Grover Jackson is now co‑owner of independent GJ2 Guitars, based in Orange County, California.
Jen
JEN Elettronica was founded in c.1969 in Pescara, Italy. Jen’s focus was to become Europe’s biggest music OEM manufacturer including guitar effect pedals. Jen was notable for manufacturing products for VOX and Gretsch among others, as well as a line of guitar effect pedals under the JEN name. Jen is best known for making the iconic wah‑wah pedal, the ‘Cry Baby’ in the 1960s. Jen failed to trademark the Cry Baby name, so any manufacturer could use it at the time.
John Hornby Skewes (JHS)
John Hornby Skewes (JHS for short) was founded in 1965 by John & Madge Hornby Skewes in Garforth near Leeds, England. Over the years, JHS has become an international company offering thousands of products including a number of JHS proprietary brands including Fret‑King, Vintage, Encore and JHS‑branded guitar effect pedals.
K – K Stands for…
Kahler
Kahler Systems International was formed in the late 1970s by Gary Kahler. The company started out making parts for other companies such as Fender and DiMarzio. The cam‑operated Kahler vibrato (not tremolo!) was introduced in 1981, just in time for the rock and metal boom of the 1980s with its associated ‘shredding’ and ‘dive‑bombing’ guitar playing styles. Kahler’s main competitor was Floyd Rose (see above). Like Floyd Rose, the focus was on maintaining tuning stability. Unusually, Kahler also produces a bass vibrato version. When demand for vibrato systems declined in the 1990s, Kahler switched to making golf clubs but returned to manufacturing guitar hardware including the classic Kahler vibrato in 2005.
Kalamazoo
Gibson was based in Kalamazoo, Michigan until 1974. Kalamazoo was also a brand name used by Gibson for archtop and flattop acoustic guitars, lap steels, banjos, and mandolins. Kalamazoo was a low cost option that many musicians needed during the Great Depression (1929‑1939). The original short‑lived Kalamazoo brand was used between 1933 and 1942. During the 1960s, Gibson temporarily resurrected the Kalamazoo name for low-cost, beginner guitars until Gibson positioned Epiphone into that market to compete with Far Eastern competition.
Kawai
Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co Ltd was founded in 1927 by Koichi Kawai (1886‑1955) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. The company is best known for its pianos, electronic keyboards and synthesisers. Kawai worked for Nippon Gakki (Yamaha) before setting up his own business. Koichi’s son, Shigeru took over control of Kawai until his death in 2006. Shigeru’s son, Hirotaka Kawai now runs the family business. Kawaii also bought the Teisco brand, which manufactured a range of distinctive guitars and basses.
Kay
Kay Musical Instrument Company was founded in 1931 by Henry ‘Kay’ Kuhrmeyer in Chicago, Illinois, although previous incarnations date back to 1890. Kay produced budget and pro‑level guitars, mandolins, banjos and ukuleles from 1936. Kay migrated to electric guitars and basses from c.1955. Kay was sold in 1965 and again in 1967, this time to Valco (see below) who went bust in 1968, and then sold again in 1969. The Kay name has been used intermittently over the years, often attached to instruments imported from China.
Korg
Korg Inc. (previously Keio Electronic Laboratories) was founded in 1962 by Tsutomu Kato (1926‑2011) and Tadashi Osanai in Tokyo, Japan. Korg was and is best known for their keyboards and synthesisers from the late 1960s to the 1980s. In 1987, Yamaha took temporary control of Korg until 1992. In 1992, Korg acquired British amp maker VOX (see below).
Kramer
Kramer Guitars was founded in 1976 by Gary Kramer in Neptune, New Jersey. Gary Kramer and Travis Bean had formed the Travis Bean guitar company in 1974 shortly before Kramer formed his own company. Initially, Kramer continued to use aluminium necks on guitars and basses, improving on Travis Bean’s designs. Kramer reverted to traditional wood necks from 1981. Kramer guitars and basses became associated with the rock and metal boom of the 1980s. Kramer filed for bankruptcy in 1989. Eventually, Gibson acquired the rights to Kramer in 1997 and guitars are now manufactured by Epiphone using the Kramer name. In 2005, Gary Kramer founded the independent Gary Kramer Guitars (GKG).
Kustom
Kustom Amplification was founded in 1964 by Charles ‘Bud’ Ross in Chanute, Kansas. Kustom is a manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers, PA systems and accessories. Uniquely, speaker cabinets were wrapped in a sparkling car upholstery material called Naugahyde, giving them a particularly standout image. Baldwin Pianos bought Kustom in 1972 and is now owned by Hanser Music Group who keep the style and spirit of the original Kustom designs going. Founder Charles Ross went on to form effect pedal company Ross Musical (see below) in c.1972.
L – L Stands for…
Laney
Laney Amplification was founded in 1967 by musician Lyndon Laney in Birmingham, England. The British Laney brand manufactured guitar and bass amplifiers, speaker cabinets and PA systems. Laney developed from its humble beginnings in Laney’s father’s garage into a major player in the global amp market. Laney remains in business as a private company, as of 2025.
Larrivée
Jean Larrivée Guitars Inc. was founded in 1967 by Jean Larrivée in Toronto, Canada. The company moved to Vancouver in 1982 then to California in 2001. Since 1977, Larrivée has manufactured a range of premium acoustic guitars, often featuring ornate inlays. Larrivée Guitars is still in production as a family business as of 2025.
Leslie
The Leslie speaker was the invention of electronic engineer Donald Leslie. Development began in the 1930s as a means for a Hammond organ to emulate the sound of a pipe organ. Production began in 1941. The speaker comprises a variable speed rotating baffle in front of the loudspeaker(s) which modulates the sound exploiting the Doppler Effect. Leslie speakers have been used by guitarists keen to obtain the signature Leslie sound. In contemporary times, many attempts have been made to imitate the sound effect, first through analogue circuits and then by Digital Signal Processing (DSP). In 1965, Leslie sold his business to CBS who, in turn sold it to Hammond in 1980. In 1992, the Japanese Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation bought both the Hammond and Leslie brands.
Lowden
George Lowden (1952‑) is an Irish luthier based in Bangor, County Down. He founded the eponymous company, George Lowden Guitars in 1974. Lowden’s main output comprises premium nylon and steel‑string acoustic guitars although he has also dabbled in making electric solid body guitars. In an unusual move, Lowden licenses other luthiers to build guitars using the Lowden name, especially in Japan. In 2002, Lowden introduced a more affordable range of guitars, called Avalon.
M – M Stands for…
Maccaferri
Henri Selmer Paris was a company founded in 1885 in Mantes‑la‑Ville near Paris. In 1932, Selmer worked with Italian luthier Mario Maccaferri (1900‑1995) to design what are known as ‘gypsy jazz’ acoustic guitars, famously used by virtuoso Belgian/French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Maccaferri guitars have a large body with thin ladder‑braced top and squared off bouts. Early sound holes were D‑shaped while later ones were oval, with a rounded cutaway on the upper treble bout. Selmer made less than 1,000 of these guitars until production ceased in 1952.
Maestro
Gibson’s parent company, Chicago Musical Exchange (CMI) had used the Maestro name on products like the legendary Echoplex tape loop echo effect (see above). From 1962, CMI was one of the first companies to move into effect pedals using the Maestro name. They launched a number of effect pedals starting with the FZ‑1 Fuzz Tone. In 1974, Norlin acquired Gibson from CMI and the company put synthesiser pioneer, Robert Moog in charge of Maestro effects. By 1979, Norlin was struggling and ceased production of all Maestro products. In 2022, Gibson revived the Maestro name and re‑launched a new range of effect pedals.
Magnatone
The origins of Magnatone date back to the late 1930s and a company called Dickerson Musical Instrument Company in California. The business was bought by Art Duhamell in c.1946, when the name was changed to Magna Electronics Company, using the brand name Magnatone. Magna manufactured a range of electric guitars and vibrato (actually tremolo!) amplifiers produced between 1937 and the mid‑1970s. In 2013, Ted Kornblum reintroduced the Magnatone brand on a range of reissued amps.
Marshall
Marshall Amplification was founded in 1962 by drummer and retailer Jim Marshall (1923‑2012) in London, England. The British company built its formidable reputation manufacturing Marshall guitar and bass amps, and speaker cabinets, starting with the classic JTM45 amp head in 1963. The Marhsall ‘stack’ became a familiar icon of rock music from the 1970s onward. Other guitarists preferred combo amps like the Bluesbreaker. In 1965, Marshall launched a sister brand, Park which made amps until 1982. Facing stiff competition from American companies like Mesa and Soldano, Marshall explored the use of solid state, rather than valve‑based amp circuits, including hybrid versions. In 2007, some former employees of Marshall left and founded Blackstar Amplification. In 2023, Marshall was sold to Swedish company Zound Industries, majority owned by the Chinese HongShan Capital Group. Marshall was nicknamed, ‘The Father of Loud’.
Martin
C.F. Martin & Company was founded in 1833 by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin in New York City before relocating to Nazareth, Pennsylvania in 1838. C.F. Martin was an apprentice for Johann Georg Stauffer, a famous luthier from Vienna, Austria. Following consumer demand, Martin refocused its manufacturing toward steel‑strung acoustic guitars around 1921 using many key innovations to improve the company’s already strong reputation. In 1931, Martin launched its dreadnought acoustic guitar with X‑bracing, which became a best seller and industry standard, particularly the D‑18 and D‑28 models. Pre‑WWII Martin guitars are highly sought after today. Martin has also dipped its toes into solid body electric guitars and basses, as well as strings. Martin continued to innovate including the use of composite materials from the 1990s onward. The company has been family‑owned and run throughout its entire history with the great‑great‑great‑grandson of the founder, C.F. ‘Chris’ Martin IV as current president as of 2025.
Maxon
The Japanese company, Nisshin Onpa was formed in 1965 in Tokyo Japan. Maxon was a brand name used by the company for its range of guitar effect pedals from 1969. Maxon became an OEM provider for Ibanez, producing stomp boxes using the Ibanez name, including the iconic TS‑808 Tube Screamer Pro. Nisshin Onpa also marketed pedals under its own Maxon name. Maxon stopped working with Ibanez in 2002 and Maxon continues to manufacture and market its own effect pedals.
Mesa/Boogie
Mesa Engineering was founded in 1969 by Randall Smith (1946‑) in Petaluma, California. Randall started out by hot‑rodding Fender amps in his home workshop. The Mesa/Boogie nickname derived from a comment made by Carlos Santana when demoing a Mesa‑modified Fender Princeton. The Boogie amps went through a number of generations (Marks) and in the 1990s the Boogie was supplemented by high‑gain Rectifier models. Gibson acquired Mesa Engineering from Smith in 2021.
Morley
Morley Pedals was founded in 1969 by American brothers Raymond and Marvin Lubow in LA, California superseding their previous enterprise, Tel‑Ray Electronics. The distinctively rugged Morley guitar effect pedals, particularly their wah‑wah and volume pedals using electro-optical circuitry, grew in popularity during the 1970s. Chicago‑based firm, Sound Enhancements, Inc. acquired Morley in 1989.
Mosrite
Mosrite guitars was founded in 1956 as Mosrite of California by Semie and Andy Moseley in LA, California. Semie Moseley (1935‑1992) had been an apprentice at Rickenbacker and Bigsby where he learnt his craft. Mosrite guitars were known for their radical designs and innovative features, as well as the brand’s association with surf pop/rock band The Ventures. The original Mosrite company went bankrupt in 1968. Several attempts were made to resurrect the brand over intervening decades, although without much success. Semie’s daughter, Dana Moseley is keeping the name alive.
Mu‑Tron
Musitronics Corporation (a.k.a. Mu‑Tron) was founded in 1972 by former Guild employees, Mike Beigel and Aaron Newman in Rosemont, New Jersey. Musitronics was known for manufacturing a number of high-quality guitar effect pedals including their most famous effect unit, the Mu‑Tron III envelope filter in 1972, which produced an electronic wah‑wah type sound beloved by funk guitarists. Musitronics ran into financial trouble in the late 1970s and production wasn’t resumed until 2014 when Mike Beigel founded Mu‑FX.
MXR
MXR Innovations was founded in 1972 by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood in Rochester, New York. MXR is famous for its range of guitar effect pedals, starting with the iconic Phase 90, followed by the Distortion +, Dyna Comp and Blue Box. MXR was acquired by Dunlop Manufacturing in 1987 and continues to manufacture effect pedals using the MXR name as of 2025.
Music Man
Music Man (a.k.a. MM) was the company formed in 1974 by Leo Fender and partners 10 years after Leo sold the firm that bore his name to CBS in 1965. MM made its name with the Stingray Bass introduced in 1976. Leo Fender left Music Man in 1979 and went on to found G&L in 1980 (see above). Music Man was sold to Ernie Ball Inc. in 1984.
N – N Stands for…
National
The National String Instrument Corporation was an American guitar company founded in 1927 by entertainer George Beauchamp and luthier John Dopyera in LA, California. The company started by manufacturing banjos and then acoustic resonator guitars, an innovative instrument intended to be loud enough to be heard in a big band environment. In 1932, National merged with Dobro (see above) to form the National Dobro Company. It later came under the control of Valco (see below) until the latter went bankrupt in 1968. The spirit of National resonator guitars was rejuvenated by independent company, National Reso‑Phonic Guitars founded in 1989 in San Luis Obispo, California.
O – O Stands for…
Orange
Orange Amps was founded in 1968 by musician, electronics designer and retailer Clifford Cooper in London, England. The bright orange covering on their amp heads and speaker cabinets was a distinctive aesthetic, making them instantly recognisable. It helped that the sounds were also what many guitarists and bass players were listening out for at the time. Orange partnered with Radiocraft owned by Mat Mathias, which led to the Orange Matamp amps. After a 4‑year period in which Gibson reissued amps using the Orange name, Cooper regained the brand in 1997 and production was resumed in 1998. Orange is still flourishing as of 2025.
Orville
Orville by Gibson guitars and basses were part of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, destined for the Japanese market from 1988. Japanese distributor Yamano Gakki and Gibson decided not to use the Epiphone brand name and chose Orville – after Gibson founder Orville Gibson – despite the fact that Gibson was selling both Gibson and Epiphone in Japan. Production of Orville by Gibson guitars ceased in 1998 with Gibson’s focus on promoting Epiphone Japan models.
Ovation
Ovation was founded in 1965 by aeronautical engineer Charles Kaman (1919‑2011), in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Kaman Music Corporation (KMC) used the founder’s technical background to manufacture guitars employing composite materials, predominantly bowl‑back acoustic guitars using a synthetic material called Lyracord. Fender briefly owned Ovation from 2008 to 2014 and the business is now owned by German company GEWA Music as of 2025.
P – P Stands for…
Parker
Parker Guitars was founded in 1993 by American luthier Ken Parker with input from pickup pioneer Larry Fishman in Chicago, Illinois. Parker guitars, particularly the Fly model, used innovative composite construction including a wood core covered with a carbon fibre/resin exoskeleton to reduce weight and increase rigidity. Pickups were traditional magnetic coil split humbuckers supplemented by piezo pickups to provide acoustic‑like tones. Fingerboards comprised composite materials with stainless steel frets. The US Music Corporation acquired Parker in 2003, moving production overseas before selling the brand again to Jam Industries. Parker Guitars has been defunct since 2016, despite several efforts to revive the brand.
Patrick James Eggle
Patrick Eggle Guitars was founded in the 1990s by British luthier Patrick James Eggle in Coventry, England. He left his own company in 1994 and, after several side projects in the US and UK, he formed Patrick James Eggle Guitars producing high‑end acoustic guitars. Eggle also helped to design Faith Guitars. In 2016, Eggle switched production from acoustic to electric guitars and in 2017. Eggle has also designed guitars for the revived Shergold Guitars brand (see below).
Paul Reed Smith (PRS)
PRS, a relatively new kid on the block, was founded in 1985 by American luthier Paul Reed Smith (1956‑) in Annapolis, Maryland. PRS guitars were cleverly positioned strategically between Fender and Gibson often using flamboyant designs and highly figured tone woods, often selling for premium prices. In 2003, PRS created the highly successful SE (Student Edition) range manufactured in the Far East. PRS remains a private company as of 2025.
Peavey
American innovator, Hartley Peavey (1941‑) founded Peavey Electronics in 1965, based in Meridian, Mississippi. Peavey has grown to become one of the largest music audio equipment manufacturers in the world. Peavey is mainly known for its amps and speaker cabinets, Peavey has also manufactured acoustic and electric guitars as well as basses. As of 2025, Peavey remains a privately owned company.
Pignose
Pignose was founded in 1969 by Richard Edlund and Wayne Kimbell in Chicago, Illinois. The company focuses on the manufacture of battery‑powered guitar amps, mains‑powered practice amps and innovative travel guitars incorporating an integrated amp and speaker. The iconic Pignose 7‑100 was considered to be the first portable electric guitar amp. Since 2023, Pignose has been under the ownership of Japanese company Aria (see above).
Pro Co
Pro Co Sound is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan and is best known for a single product, the Pro Co Rat distortion effect pedal (and multiple variations thereof). The Rat – allegedly named after the rodent‑infested basement in which the pedal was designed – was the brainchild of Pro Co engineer Scott Burnham in 1974, entering full production in 1979. The Rat has become one of best‑selling distortion stomp boxes of all time.
Q – Q Stands for…
I got nothin’
R – R Stands for…
Ramírez
Ramírez Guitars was founded in 1882 by José Ramírez in Madrid, Spain. The company has been manufacturing hand‑built professional, concert‑grade classical and flamenco acoustic guitars. Ramírez has been in business for over 140 years and has remained a private family business for five generations (to‑date).
Randall
Randall Amplifier Company was founded in 1970 by Don Randall in Irvine, California. Before setting up his own business focusing on guitar amps, Randall was vice president and general manager of Fender and then the Fender Sales divisions of CBS. After Randall sold his business in 1987, it was acquired by US Music Corporation, a subsidiary of Canadian corporate group Exertis.
Regal
What would become the Regal Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company from 1901 was founded in 1896 by Emil Wulschner in Indianapolis, Indiana. Regal started out making ukuleles and tenor guitars. Regal later made resonator guitar components for National and Dobro as well as making instruments under their own brand. Regal ceased production of guitars in 1941 and closed business in 1954, Fender owned the brand for a while before it was sold again to Saga Musical Instruments in 1987, who reintroduced a range of resonator instruments using the Regal name.
Rickenbacker
Swiss immigrant Adolph Rickenbacher (1886‑1976) founded Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company in 1925 to make metal bodies for National Guitars before setting up the Ro‑Pat‑In Corporation in 1931 along with performer and inventor George Beauchamp in LA, California. In 1932, Rickenbacker became the first company to make a production solid bodied electric guitar and by 1934, the company was using the Rickenbacker name. Rickenbacker really hit its stride in the 1950s after Rickenbacker sold his company to businessman F.C. Hall. Rickenbacker International Corporation (RIC) is famous for its 300 series guitars and 4000 series basses. Rickenbacker remains a private company, with its headquarters in Santa Ana, California.
Roger Mayer
Electrical engineer Roger Mayer is a name closely associated with Jimi Hendrix among others in the 1960s. In particular, Mayer’s fame resulted from the Octavia guitar effect pedal that integrated an octave (up) generator with a fuzz distortion effect. The classic Octavia remains in production still using the Mayer name. Mayer was also involved with modifying Maestro Fuzz Tone pedals and influencing the Sola Sound/Coloursound Tone Bender fuzz pedals.
Roland
The Roland Corporation was founded in 1972 by Ikutaro Kakehashi (1930‑2017) in Osaka, Japan. Roland is a multinational company manufacturing electronic organs, synthesisers, drum machines, amps and effect pedals with many iconic models, too many to mention here. Roland was also a key player in the development, introduction and promotion of the MIDI communication protocol for electronic music equipment. Roland also owns famous subsidiaries, including BOSS, Drum Workshop, Edirol and Rhodes.
Ross
Kustom Amps was founded in 1964 by Charles ‘Bud’ Ross in Chanute Kansas. After Kustom achieved considerable success, Ross sold his company to Baldwin Pianos in 1972. At that point, Ross launched Ross Musical and released the first Ross guitar effect pedals in c.1974. While Ross manufactured a wide range of effects, three Ross pedals are noteworthy, the tan‑hued Distortion, the orange Phaser and the now legendary grey Compressor. Ross pedals were revived in c.2020 by JHS Pedals (see above under John Hornby Skewes) with reissues of the classic Ross stomp boxes from the 1970s.
S – S Stands for…
Sadowsky
Sadowsky Guitars Limited was founded in 1979 by American luthier Roger Sadowsky in Long Island, New York. Roger Sadowsky has a strong reputation for building high‑end boutique guitars and basses. From 2019, Sadowsky has remained a private company while instruments are produced by German bass manufacturer Warwick (see below).
Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz Guitar Company was founded in 1976 by American luthier Richard Hoover in Santa Cruz, California. Santa Cruz manufactures a limited number of high‑end steel‑string acoustic and acoustic bass guitars along with baritone guitars and ukuleles. Santa Cruz remains a private company as of 2025.
Schaller
Schaller GmBH was founded in in 1945 by Helmut Schaller (1923‑1999) near Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. Schaller manufactures a wide range of guitar parts and accessories. Initially, Schaller focused on the development of amps and speakers before moving into manufacturing metal guitar aftermarket and OEM components used by a wide variety of companies. Schaller tuners and bridges have achieved recognition for build quality. After the deaths of founding family members by 2006, Schaller was restructured as a limited liability company (GmbH).
Schecter
Schecter Guitar Research was founded in 1976 by David Schecter in Van Nuys, California. Initially, Schecter manufactured a wide range of replacement guitar parts and accessories. In 1979, Schecter started producing its own custom made guitars based on Fender designs. By 1983, Schecter was bought out by investors and, after legal action from Fender, the company was bought again by Japanese businessman Shibuya Hisatake, owner of ESP Guitars (see above), to make high‑end custom guitars. In addition to American manufacturing, Schecter imported South Korean‑built guitars from the late 1990s. In 2012, Schecter resumed American custom shop production.
Selmer
Henri Selmer Paris was founded in 1885 by Henri Selmer in Mantes la Ville near Paris, France. Selmer started off by manufacturing professional woodwind and brass instruments. In 1928, a UK branch of Selmer was formed under the leadership of brothers, Ben and Lew Davis. In the 1930s, Selmer partnered with luthier Mario Maccaferri to produce gypsy jazz guitars (see above). They also moved into PA systems during the 1930s. In the 1950s, Selmer also went into manufacturing organs as well as importing guitars from Europe. Selmer began producing a range of guitar and bass amps prompted by the rise of rock & roll. In the 1970s, Gibson owner CMI acquired Selmer UK. From 1976, CMI’s successor Norlin started running down Selmer UK until it was shut down in the early 1980s. In 2018, the family‑owned Henri Selmer Paris was sold to European equity group, Argos Wityu.
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan was founded in 1976 by Seymour Duncan (1951‑) and his wife Cathy Carter in Santa Barbara, California. Seymour Duncan is best known for manufacturing a wide range of aftermarket guitar and bass pickups, as well as effect pedals. Most pickups are American‑made although the low‑cost OEM ‘Duncan‑designed’ pickups are manufactured in South Korea. Seymour Duncan’s main competitor is DiMarzio (see above).
Shergold
Shergold Guitars was founded in 1967 by former Burns London employees Jack Golder and Norman Houlder in London, England. After producing products for other companies, Shergold started making and selling guitars under the Shergold name in 1975. Shergold ceased manufacturing guitars in 1982 and there were several subsequent failed attempts to revive the brand. Barnes & Mullins acquired Shergold in 2015 and, in 2016, British luthier Patrick James Eggle (see above) became a shareholder and helped to design a range of new Shergold models.
Shin-ei
Little known outside of Japan, Shin‑ei was a major manufacturer of guitar effect pedals from the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. In 1968, Shin‑ei created the legendary Uni‑Vibe modulation effect made famous by Jimi Hendrix. The Uni‑Vibe’s unique tones have been much imitated since. Shin‑ei manufactured products for different companies as well as under its own name. The rejuvenated company is Honey Shin-ei LLC, based in Austin, Texas.
Silvertone
Silvertone was a brand name used by the American Sears, Roebuck & Company mail order and department store for its line of consumer electronics and musical instruments from 1916. Silvertone instruments and amplifiers were manufactured by a wide variety of companies including Danelectro, Harmony, Kay, National, Supro, Teisco and Valco. Sears stopped using the Silvertone brand in 1972. In 2001, South Korean company, Samick Music acquired the rights to Silvertone and reissued a number of instruments under the revived Silvertone brand. Samick sold Silvertone to current owners, RBI Music in 2021.
Sola Sound
Sola Sound was a British guitar effect pedal brand best known for making the iconic Tone Bender fuzz pedals. The Tone Bender first appeared in 1965, designed and built in London by electronic technician Gary Hurst. The Tone Bender derived from Maestro’s Fuzz Tone and inspired Dallas Arbiter’s Fuzz face. From 1970, Sola Sound produced Colorsound‑branded pedals. Sola Sound also made pedals for other companies, such as VOX, Marshall, Carlsboro, Rotosound, CSL and many others. Both Sola Sound and Colorsound were owned by brothers Larry and Joe Macari of London, England, known for their eponymous London retail store.
Soldano
Soldano Custom Amplification was founded in 1986 by American Michael Soldano in LA, Calirfornia. Soldano designed and manufactured high‑gain guitar amps after modifying Fender and Mesa/Boogie amps. Michael Soldano, latterly based in Seattle, Washington, sold his company to Boutique Amps Distribution in 2019.
Sound City
British amp manufacturer Hiwatt (see above) was formed in 1966. Hiwatt’s founder Dave Reeves contacted Ivor Arbiter to produce guitar amplifiers re‑badged using Arbiter’s Sound City music store name. Sound City amps became associated particularly with The Who and Jimi Hendrix.
Steinberger
Steinberger was founded in 1979 by Ned Steinberger (1948‑) in Brooklyn, New York. The company manufactured a range of electric guitars and basses designed by the founder. Steinberger was eventually sold to Gibson in 1987, which stopped selling Steinberger guitars in the mid‑1990s. The most distinctive Steinberger instruments have downsized synthetic construction bodies and necks devoid of a traditional headstock, giving the instruments a minimalistic look. Steinberger (under Gibson) licensed the design to other companies including Hohner and Cort, accounting for new models.
Stick
Stick Enterprises is the company behind the innovative Chapman Stick, an unorthodox electric musical instrument devised by jazz musician Emmett Chapman (1936‑2021), which started production in 1974. The Chapman Stick commonly comprises 8, 10 or 12 strings on an enlarged fretboard and is usually played by a ‘two handed tapping’ technique, rather than by plucking the strings. While based on a guitar, it is classified as a composite chordophone.
Stromberg
Stromberg Guitars was founded in 1906 by Swedish immigrant Charles Stromberg in Boston, Massachusetts. Stromberg started out by making banjos and mandolins until 1927 when they produced their first archtop jazz guitar. Stromberg only made around 640 guitars during the big band era, during which their guitars’ large size gave them sufficient volume to compete with loud horn sections. Production stopped in in 1955 with the death of the founder.
Supro
Supro guitars date back to 1935, made as a low‑cost brand by the National Dobro Corporation (see above). From the 1950s, Supro produced electric guitars, basses, amps and effects. National Dobro was acquired by Valco, which went out of business in 1968, at which time the Supro name was discontinued. The Supro name was revived in 2013 making guitars, amps and effects. In 2020, Supro was bought by Bond Audio.
T – T Stands for…
Takamine
Takamine Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was founded in 1959 by Ozhone in Sakashita, Gifu, Japan. In 1962, the company was named after Mount Takamine in Japan. Takamine focuses on manufacturing steel‑string acoustic guitars and it has become one of the leading companies of its kind. In 1978, Takamine was one of the first firms to make acoustic/electric guitars using innovative transducers, particularly suited to live performance, as they reduced feedback. For a short period, Takamine also produced solid body electric guitars and basses. Takamine remains a private company as of 2025.
Taylor
Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug in El Cajon, California. Taylor manufactures premium acoustic, classical and semi‑hollow electric guitars in the USA and Mexico. Taylor has become famous for its innovative manufacturing technologies, use of exotic tone woods and sustainable production processes. In 2021, Taylor Guitars became owned by its employees and in 2022, Luthier and guitarist Andy Powers became Taylor’s Chief Executive, President, and Chief Guitar Designer.
TC Electronic
TC Electronic was founded in 1976 by brothers Kim and John Rishøj in Denmark. The company specialises in a wide range of innovative music audio products and is most famous for its guitar effect products. TC Electronic is only one of several companies under the ownership of TC Group holding company. In 2015, TC Electronic was purchased by Music Group (now Music Tribe).
Teisco
Teisco was founded in 1946 by guitarist Atswo Kaneko and electrical engineer Doryo Matsuda in Tokyo, Japan. The company produced a range of esoterically designed guitars, basses and baritone guitars as well as other musical equipment including amps, synthesisers and drums. In the US, guitars were re‑badged Teisco Del Rey. In 1967, the Teisco name was acquired by Japanese company Kawai Gakki Seisakusho which ceased using the Teisco name outside Japan in 1969. In 2018, the Teisco name, along with Harmony Guitars (see above), was relaunched by BandLab Technologies of Singapore.
Thomas Organ
The Thomas Organ Company was founded in 1875 by Edward Thomas in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. The company’s early focus was on pipe and pump organs. In the 1950s, the company invented the Thomas electronic organ. Thomas became US importer of VOX products, exemplified by the Thomas Organ Cry Baby (the Cry Baby name wasn’t trademarked). Thomas also acquired rights to make Moog synthesisers. In 1979, Thomas Organ ceased business, although the name was revived 1996 to manufacture electronic organs once again.
Tobias
Tobias Bass Guitars was founded in 1977 by Michael Tobias in Orlando, Florida. The majority of Tobias basses were cost‑effective neck‑through models. Tobias was acquired by Gibson in 1990 and production was moved to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1992, Michael Tobias left Gibson to found Michael Tobias Design making boutique bass guitars. Tobias bass guitars are manufactured by Gibson’s Epiphone division and the brand has been rejuvenated in 2025.
Tokai
Tōkai Gakki was founded in 1947 by Tadayouki Adachi in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. Initially, Tokai focused on harmonicas and pianos as well as other instruments. In 1968, Tokai started manufacturing electric guitars alongside acoustics and, later, basses and amps. In 1972, Tokai worked with C.F. Martin to build Martin’s Sigma electric guitars. In the early 1980s, Tokai got caught up in the ‘lawsuit era’, a period during which American brands threatened Japanese businesses over design copyright infringements. Tokai was a family business until it was sold in 2021 to Grace Company Ltd.
Tom Anderson
Tom Anderson Guitarworks was founded in 1984 by American luthier Tom Anderson in Newbury Park, California. Anderson started out working for Schecter before branching out on his own making limited numbers of highly‑regarded premium boutique and custom guitars. By 1990, Anderson moved from manufacturing parts to building whole guitars. Tom Anderson remains in business as of 2025.
Trace Elliot
Trace Elliot was founded in 1979 by retailer Fred Friedlein in Romford, Essex, England. The company specialised in bass amps and speaker cabinets, and from 1989, acoustic guitar amps. In 1992, KMC (who owned Ovation) acquired Trace Elliott to focus on the US market. In 1998, the company was sold again to Gibson. Then, in 2005, Peavey acquired Trace Elliott.
Travis Bean
Travis Bean Guitars was founded in 1974 by American luthier Travis Bean (1947‑2011) and business partner Gary Kramer in California to manufacture high‑end guitars using necks made from machined aluminium. Kramer left the company in 1975 to found Kramer Guitars (see above). Bean once again toyed with guitar manufacture in the late 1990s but the potential from his innovative construction techniques was largely unrealised.
Traynor
Traynor Amplifiers was a brand founded in 1963 by electronics designer Peter Traynor in Toronto, Canada under parent company Yorkville Sound. Traynor focused on manufacturing bass and guitar amps. In 1976, Peter Traynor left due to poor health and the brand diminished over a period of years until it was revived by Yorkville in 2000, still manufacturing bass, guitar, acoustic and keyboard amps.
U – U Stands for…
Univox
Univox was a musical instrument brand founded in 1960 by Thomas Walter Jennings in Westbury New York. The company marketed Univox guitar amplifiers, guitars, keyboards and drum machines. Univox’s main claims to fame were the legendary Uni‑Vibe and Uni‑Fuzz pedals. They also distributed Matsumoku guitars, Shin‑Ei effect pedals and Korg synthesisers. In 1985, the parent company Unicord was sold to Japanese company Korg, after which the Univox brand was phased out.
V – V Stands for…
Valco
Valco was formed in 1940 by a stakeholder restructuring of the National Dobro Company. Valco manufactured a range of guitars, basses and amplifiers using a variety of brand names including National, Airline and Supro, as well as making guitars for other companies such as Sears and Montgomery Ward. However, they didn’t retail any products using the Valco name. Valco merged with Kay in 1967 before going bankrupt in 1968.
Vega
The American Vega Company was formed in 1881 by Julius and Carl Nelson in Boston, Massachusetts. At the start of the 20th Century, the firm concentrated on banjos, mandolins and brass instruments. Vega started building guitars in the 1930s and was later acquired by C.F. Martin in 1970, primarily for its banjo expertise. In 1989 the Vega name was sold to the Deering Banjo Company who continue to make banjos using the Vega brand.
Vigier
Vigier Guitars was founded in 1980 by luthier Patrice Vigier in Grigny, Essonne, France. Vigier manufactures premium grade electric guitars, basses and strings. Vigier guitars has introduced many innovations and became particularly noteworthy for its Surfreter fretless variation on the Excalibur 6‑string guitar model.
VOX
VOX was founded in 1957 by Thomas Walter Jennings in Dartford, Kent, England. The company is mostly associated with guitar amplifiers such as the iconic AC30. From 1962, VOX also manufactured a range of electric guitars and effect pedals, often using Italian production facilities. VOX was sold to Rose Morris in 1978 and then again to the giant Japanese corporation Korg in 1992. Korg still own the VOX name as of 2025.
W – W Stands for…
Wal
Wal is a British brand of bass guitars founded in 1974 by electronic innovator Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens in London, England. Starting out making custom‑made bass guitars for professional players, the first production Pro Series basses started appearing in 1978 and the Custom Series in 1983. After Ian Waller died in 1988, Pete Stevens kept the business going at a low level. The company was revived under the leadership of luthier and former Wal employee Paul Herman in 2008.
Wandre
Wandre Guitars was founded in c.1957 by Antonio Vandrè Pioli in in Cavriago, Italy. Wandre manufactured a very small number of electric guitars and basses using some esoteric radical design elements until production ceased in 1968. To‑date, the Wandre brand has not been revived. Examples of Wandre instruments are highly sought after on the vintage guitar market.
Warwick
Warwick was founded in 1982 by Hans‑Peter Wilfer in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany. Hans‑Peter was the son of Fred Wilfer, who had founded Framus (see above) back in 1946. Warwick is famous for manufacturing premium bass guitars, as well as more affordable bass models, amps and bass strings.
Washburn
Washburn Guitars was originally founded in 1883 by American businessman George W. Lyon and Patrick J. Healy in Chicago, Illinois. Washburn initially focused on guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles and zithers. Washburn’s early years were particularly volatile and hard to document accurately. After bankruptcy, Regal (see above) tried to rejuvenate the brand without success. After many further changes, Washburn International was formed in 1987. Washburn bought the US Music Corporation in 2002 and was then sold on to Jam Industries in 2009. Washburn‑branded instruments are currently sourced from Indonesia and China.
Watkins (WEM)
Watkins Electric Music (WEM) was founded in 1949 by Charlie and Reg Watkins in London, England. WEM was one of the first British makers of guitar and PA amplifiers from 1954. In 1958, WEM introduced one of the first portable tape loop echo effects, the iconic Copicat. WEM amps and speaker cabinets were adopted by a wide range of British rock bands in the 1960s and early 1970s. Watkins sill manufactures small numbers of Copicat tape echo units.
Westone
The official Westone brand was formed in 1975 when Japanese company Matsumoku purchased the rights to the Westone name. Westone began by producing affordable acoustic and electric guitars, and basses. St. Louis Music registered the Westone brand in the US to import Japanese Westone guitars. The Westone name was superseded by Alvarez (see above) in 1991. Since then, a number of firms have used (or tried to use) the Westone name.
X
I got nothin’
Y – Y Stands for…
Yamaha
The massive Japanese Yamaha Corporation is the world’s largest manufacturer of music and audio equipment. Yamaha was founded as the Nippon Gakki Co. in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha (1851‑1916) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. The company began as a reed organ manufacturer. In 1987, Nippon Gakki was renamed Yamaha Corporation in honour of its founder, still based in Hamamatsu. Yamaha also owns some other famous brands such as Ampeg and Line 6.
Z – Z Stands for…
Zemaitis
Zemaitis was founded in 1955 by luthier Tony Zemaitis (1935‑2002) in London, England. He hand built guitars, renowned for their engraved metal tops (created by Danny O’Brien) and later pearl inlaid tops. Zemaitis gained an enviable reputation among many famous artists. After his death, the tradition was continued by Zemaitis Guitars of Tokyo, Japan, led by the founder’s son, Tony Zemaitis Jr. and still using the metal engraving skills of O’Brien. Original Zemaitis guitars are now highly sought after.
Links to CRAVE Guitars’ Brand Features
The CRAVE Guitars’ web site currently has feature pages on 14 guitar brands. These provide a bit more detail than the above, should you wish to explore further (each link opens in a new browser tab):
Final Thoughts on ‘An Alternative A‑Z of Vintage Guitar Gear’
Well, that was a bit of a slog (at least for me). For once, there is not a great deal to add, so this will be very brief. That’s it. There you go. No point in wasting words on waffle. So, let’s move on with aplomb.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album(s) of the Month’
It seems appropriate this month to applaud the accomplishments of not one but two bands and their classic studio albums, both with an alphabetic emphasis from A(BC) to Z(Z Top). See what I did there? These two albums should prove beyond doubt that there was some great music – and MTV‑friendly pop music videos to boot – to be had in the 1980s. Without further ado, let’s dig in for some upbeat joyful musical exuberance…
ABC – The Lexicon of Love (1982): ‘The Lexicon of Love’ was the chart‑topping debut studio album by English new wave/new romantic/pop band ABC. It was released in June 1982 on Neutron Records. The astounding popularity and commercial success of the album led it to be ranked as ‘one of the greatest albums of the 1980s’. It sounds both of its time and also timeless, if you get my drift. ABC were not able to capitalise on their success and the slick 10 tracks (38 minutes) of ‘The Lexicon of Love’ remains the pinnacle of their career (to‑date).
ZZ Top – Eliminator (1983): ‘Eliminator’ was the 8th studio album by American blues/rock band ZZ Top. It was released in March 1983 on Warner Brothers Records. Despite only reaching #3 in the UK album chart and #9 in the US Billboard 200, it proved phenomenally popular and commercially successful. Whether you remember the iconic pop music videos, the customised 1933 Ford Coupe hot rod or the spinning sheepskin‑covered guitars, the striking images and fresh sounds of the 11 tracks (45 mins) on ‘Eliminator’ couldn’t be ignored. It may not be their best but it is certainly their biggest. There is no doubt that ‘Eliminator’ launched the power trio into superstardom.
There you have it – from ABC-ZZ Top. Love or loathe these albums epitomising the excesses of the 1980s, they have both become landmarks in music history and represent the cultural zeitgeist at the time. Perhaps it is now time for a re‑appraisal of their merit within the broader historical context. Are they ‘essential listening’? I think so but, when it comes down to it, it’s up to everyone to make up their own minds. All I can do is put it out there for consideration.
BELIEVE IN MUSIC!
Tailpiece
Well, that was a lot, and I mean A LOT, of work and, for what I ask? Was it worth it? Well, for the author’s own sanity and personal development, yes. For everyone out there, that’s for you to judge. I hope it has been both informative and entertaining. Given the huge amount of work involved in compiling this A‑Z article, I intend to use a lot of it in modified form as a permanent part of the ‘Resources’ section of the CRAVE Guitars web site.
Next month, the author will face a conundrum, a dilemma, a challenge, a quandary, a predicament, a pickle and, most of all, an enigma, a paradox and a bit of a mystery (at least for now). Typically trailing trendy tantalising tantra. Intrigued? Be sure to check in, same time, same place, next month. Bye for now, y’all.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “A picture can tell a thousand lies”
HOLA Y BUENOS DIAS SEÑORES Y SEÑORAS. Bonjour et bonne journée mesdames et messieurs. Hallo und guten tag, meine damen und herren, hello and good day ladies and gentlemen. Once again, we enter the twilight zone of CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars and explore another subject of the author’s weird whim and fancy. Well, most of us are still alive as of July 2024, so that’s something for which we can all be grateful. Life really is too short and should be treasured, not devastated, especially by senseless conflict. This isn’t just old‑hat hippie rhetoric. This stuff matters… to everyone. While I know I say something along these lines every month, it is worth reiterating until those responsible take notice.
This month, the subject is relevant to the year we are in (2024) and how one particular American solid body electric guitar changed the way we play the instrument and make music across the globe over the last seven decades. Yes, my hearties, it is time to take an alternative peak at the Fender Stratocaster®, or the ‘Strat®’ as many like to call it, as it celebrates its Platinum 70th Anniversary. That’s an awful lot of candles on the guitar‑shaped birthday cake, I think you’ll agree. Time to indulge oneself, I reckon.
1979 Fender Stratocaster Silver Anniversary Logo
There are SO many takes on the subject that, especially this year, I felt I would try to take an altogether different perspective from everyone else. It would be very easy to lapse into following what other authors have written and indulge all the back‑slapping hyperbole surrounding one of the few genuinely legendary icons of the 20th Century guitar industry. So… we aren’t going to ‘grandstand’ or go through the trite, meticulous examination of the object in question. Instead, I thought I’d aim straight for light‑hearted entertainment value, rather than geeky, nerdy, dry, forensically‑focused examination of the Fender Stratocaster in minutiae. Even though I’ve always fancied being a learned professor, this is not an academic history lesson. For those wanting the geeky, nerdy lowdown, I apologise, you’ll have to look elsewhere – and, let’s face it, there is no shortage of resources, as you might expect. Just search the hinterwebby thingummy and you’ll find everything you could ever want and/or need to know. For those seeking the truth, though, good luck. That takes a bit more effort.
I can’t completely ignore some of the basic facts and figures that someone knowledgeable about vintage guitars will already know, so apologies for (re‑)stating the blooming obvious to those who know far more about Stratocasters than I ever will. For everyone else, it is an oblique look at the cultural phenomenon that is the Stratocaster within the perspective of the times.
We are back to normal authorship activity again this month; no AI was used in the research and writing of this article. Thankfully.
The cultural context of 1954
Before we get too far, I thought we’d start off with a brief recap at what the world was like in 1954, revealed through a few key trends and events that occurred during that year. This will give a bit of crucial cultural context for when we delve a bit deeper in due course. Just for clarity, I wasn’t born before or during 1954, I emerged into existence a few years later, so I didn’t live through these momentous occasions myself.
In 1954, the 34th President of the U.S.A. was Dwight D. Eisenhower (a.k.a. ‘Ike’, 1953‑1961). The UK Prime Minister in 1954 was Sir Winston Churchill, who served his second term as PM (1951‑1955). Queen Elizabeth II was the British Monarch, newly crowned in June 1953. Other notable political leaders included Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union (1953‑1964) and Mao Zedong, who served as the Chairman of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China (1949‑1976) with Chiang Kai‑shek alongside of him, governing the Republic of China, a.k.a. Taiwan (1950‑1975).
Moving from politics to sport. The 1954 NFL Championship Game (now known as the Super Bowl) took place between the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions. The Browns won 56‑10. Meanwhile, in baseball, the San Francisco Giants swept the Cleveland Indians 4‑0 in the 1954 World Series. The NBA Championship series resulted in the Minneapolis Lakers beating the Syracuse Nationals 4‑3. To complete the set, the Detroit Red Wings triumphed over the Montreal Canadiens, winning the NHL Stanley Cup series, also 4‑3. In motor racing, Racing driver, Bill Vukovich won the Indy 500, while José Froilán González and Maurice Trintignant won the 1954 Le Mans 24‑hour race, and Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1954 Formula 1 World Championship. In the UK, West Bromwich Albion beat Preston North End to win the 1954 FA Cup final 3‑2. In tennis, Jaroslav Drobný and Maureen Connolly won the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at Wimbledon. Inn golf, Sam Snead won the US Masters and Peter Thomson won the British Open Championship.
Space exploration was in its infancy and NASA didn’t exist until 1958, so it was the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) that led the early US space programme.
Men’s fashion in 1954 included corduroy sports jackets, Dacron gabardine suits, wool houndstooth suits, slub weave shirts, faded denim colour sweat shirts, wrinkle shed cotton shirts and plastic raincoats. Women’s fashion in 1954 included blazer jackets, box jacket suits, tweed dresses, plaid pleated skirts, taffeta dresses, swing flared corduroy skirts, white flecked wool skirts, woven plaid dresses and woven stripe coats. Ladies’ accessories were popular, including hats, gloves, bags and scarves. More generally, women’s fashion in 1954 was characterised by prominent, pointed busts, with nipped in waists to accentuate the female hourglass silhouette. In the post‑war boom, timeless elegance, glamour and femininity were the order of the day. At the same time, general day‑to‑day fashion adopted a more casual style, with easy‑to‑wash‑and‑dry nylon materials, emphasising the practicality and functionality that began to influence fashion trends for the rest of the 1950s. Fashion icons included Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly. Fashion designers like Chanel, Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy were prominent figures.
Well‑known cinema releases in 1954 included, ‘Godzilla’ (Japanese), ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’, ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’, ‘On the Waterfront’, ‘Rear Window’, ‘White Christmas’, ‘Seven Samurai’, ‘Dial M for Murder’, ‘A Star Is Born’, ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’, ‘The Caine Mutiny’ and ‘Them!’.
Famous actors of the time (not already mentioned) included Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, James Stewart, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Ray Milland, Karl Malden, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, James Mason, Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster and Howard Keel.
Famous novels published in 1954 included, ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, ‘I Am Legend’ by Richard Matheson, ‘Horton Hears a Who!’ by Dr. Seuss and ‘Live and Let Die’ (James Bond) by Ian Fleming.
Popular American automobiles in 1954 included, the Chevrolet Bel Air and Beauville Station Wagon, Oldsmobile Ninety‑Eight Holiday Coupe, Ford Crestline Skyliner and Country Squire, Packard Panther Daytona Roadster, Mercury Monterey, Plymouth Belvedere, Chevrolet 3100 truck, Buick Roadmaster and Skylark, Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood Imperial, Studebaker Starlight Coupe, Ford F‑100 Panel Truck, Hudson Hornet, Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette C1 and Chevy Corvair Fastback. Nice!
Outside the US, 1954 saw family cars like the Hillman Minx, Morris Minor, Ford Anglia, Ford Popular, Rover P4, Austin A40, Riley RME, Wolseley 6/90, Citroën 2CV, Triumph TR2, MG TF, Vauxhall Wyvern and the Volkswagen Beetle. More upmarket, there was the Jaguar XK140, Porsche 356, Austin‑Healey 100, Alfa‑Romeo Giulietta, Ferrari 375 MM Coupé Scaglietti and Mercedes Benz 300 SL, all taking to the roads and making the headlines. Also nice!
Favourite girls’ (and, yes, I am being binary here) toys of the time included the Betsy McCall Doll, Super Market Check‑Out and Little Girls Perfume Kit. Boys’ top toys included, Dick Tracy Siren Squad Car, Buck Rogers Sonic Ray Light Gun, Matchbox cars (Corgi models didn’t appear until 1956), Airfix kits and Take Apart Cars Garage. LEGO, Meccano and train sets from the likes of Hornby and Tri‑ang were enduringly popular. The board game Scrabble had been introduced in 1952 and was a hit at the time, as was the perennial Monopoly. Some familiar names there.
In music, American rock & roll pioneer Bill Haley & His Comets recorded the milestone ‘Rock Around the Clock’ at Pythian Temple studios in New York City. It was originally released as a single in 1954 but didn’t chart until it was re‑released in 1955 when the track was used as the title music for the film, ‘Blackboard Jungle’ (1955).
Also in music, in 1954, a 19‑year old American singer, Elvis Presley left his job as a truck driver for Crown Electric and signed his first recording contract with producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Sun Records recorded and released Presley’s debut single, ‘That’s All Right’ the same year.
Other popular music artists in 1954 included The Chordettes, Doris Day, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Perry Como, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby.
Notable musicians that were born in 1954 include, Neal Schon, Nancy Wilson, Pat Travers, Al Di Meola, Steve Morse, Pat Metheny, Eric Johnson, Elvis Costello, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Viv Albertine and Uli Jon Roth. Other entertainers born in 1954 included, Jerry Seinfeld, John Travolta, Ray Liotta, Michael Moore, Ron Howard, Matt Groening and Oprah Winfrey.
… and the one list that no‑one wants to appear in… Deaths in 1954 included; Alan Turing, Frida Kahlo, Henri Matisse, George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly, Sydney Greenstreet and Lionel Barrymore.
Other notable events of 1954 included:
The US Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional
The end of McCarthyism (the Second Red Scare), the systematic campaign of political repression of alleged Communists in the US, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy
The UK finally ended food rationing, which had been introduced during WWII
The first nuclear‑powered submarine, the USS Nautilus was launched
American company RCA released the first colour television set
The first successful kidney transplant was performed in Boston, Massachusetts
American actress, Marilyn Monroe married baseball player Joe DiMaggio
The main US immigration port of entry, Ellis Island in New York Harbour was closed
Swanson introduced TV Dinners
A hydrogen bomb test was conducted by the US on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean
British athlete Roger Bannister became the first person to break the four‑minute mile
The first practical solar cell was demonstrated by American company Bell Telephone Laboratories
IBM established the 650, its first mass‑produced computer and FORTRAN became the most widely used computer programming language
The Vietnam war (1954‑1975) started
The Breathalyzer was invented for measuring breath alcohol content
The first Church of Scientology was established in Los Angeles, California
Texas Instruments announced the development of the first transistor radio
The first issue of Sports Illustrated magazine was published in the US
The first branch of the Burger King restaurant chain opened in Miami, Florida
1954 was quite a year, then. I think we can all agree it was a very different world to today’s chaotic zeitgeist. Right, by now, you should have a pretty good idea of what the wider world was like when the Fender Stratocaster was first born, as a baby brother to the resolutely workhorse Fender Telecaster, which had been released in 1950.
The Fender Stratocaster – An introduction to a guitar that really needs no introduction
I doubt if there are many people who are interested in modern music that haven’t at some point in their lives, set their eyes on a Fender Stratocaster. People may well be familiar with the design, even if they don’t know the name or the model’s long and lauded history. It is an instrument that has become synonymous with modern guitar music across many, many musical genres over many generations.
Let’s start with the basics that most people are likely to know. The Fender Stratocaster was launched on an unsuspecting world in 1954, supplementing two other Fender instruments that have become legendary icons, the Fender Telecaster and the Fender Precision Bass.
With due deference to the online encyclopaedia that is Wikipedia, I thought I would paraphrase its definition of what the Fender Stratocaster is, rather than labour my lame brain to come up with pretty much the same thing. Consider me lazy at this point.
“The archetypal Stratocaster is a solid‑body electric guitar with a contoured asymmetric double‑cutaway body with an extended upper horn; the body is usually made from alder or ash. The neck is usually made from maple and attached to the body with screws (often referred to as ‘bolts’) and has a distinctive headstock with six tuning pegs mounted inline along a single side; the fingerboard may be maple or another wood, e.g. rosewood, and has at least twenty‑one frets. The Stratocaster’s body is front‑routed for electronics, which are mounted in a plastic pickguard. Most Stratocasters have three single‑coil pickups, a pickup selector switch, one volume control and two tone controls. Bridges generally come in two designs: the more common pivoting ‘tremolo’ bridges, and the less common ‘hardtail’ fixed bridge. Both types of bridge have six individually adjustable saddles whose height and intonation can be set independently. The innovative tremolo system is balanced by springs mounted in a rear cavity. The output jack is mounted in a recess in the front of the guitar body. Many different colours have been available. The Stratocaster’s scale length is 25.5 inches (648 mm).”
So there you go. When broken down like that, it doesn’t sound very exciting does it? Now we know what a Stratocaster actually is, you can now stop reading and go and do something altogether more exciting. Well done for making it this far. For all the avid aficionados out there, there is a lot more to enjoy… I promise. Read on my merry musical masochists.
Fender Stratocaster Infographic
“I’ve been playing a Fender since 1963, and before that it was my dream guitar. I can’t endorse it more than that” – Rory Gallagher (1948‑1995)
A few bits and pieces about Fender the man and his company
Clarence Leonidas ‘Leo’ Fender was born on 10 August 1909 in Anaheim, California to Clarence Monte Fender and Harriet Elvira Wood, owners of an orange grove business. Leo married his first wife Esther Klosky in 1934. After her death in 1979, Leo re‑married in 1980 to his second wife, Phyllis. Phyllis passed away in 2020.
Leo founded Fender Manufacturing in 1946, renaming it Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Co. in 1947. The historic Fender factory site (1953‑1985) owned by Leo Fender where the first Stratocasters were manufactured is at 500 South Raymond Ave. and Valencia Dr., Fullerton, Orange County, California 92381. The site is now home to Jimmi’s Nascar Bar & Grill sports bar.
It has been widely promulgated that, while he played piano and saxophone when he was young, Leo Fender couldn’t play guitar and relied on those around him, co‑workers, dealers, customers and artists, to advise him on guitar‑related matters. Leo Fender was widely regarded as an inventor, electrical and mechanical engineer and business entrepreneur, rather than a musician.
You may think that the iconic Fender logo design has been static since c.1950. However, like many long‑standing corporate brand logos, it has been redesigned many times while retaining the distinctive typeface. I don’t think anyone knows who actually designed the original logo, although some suggest it was based on Leo Fender’s signature. The design evolution goes through roughly four time periods:
The original ‘spaghetti’ logo (1950s – not an official name)
The ‘transition’ logo (1960‑1967 – designed by Robert Perine)
‘CBS’ logo (1968‑1980)
The ‘modern’ version still in use today
Nowadays, Fender uses many different (but familiar) logo styles. There is a typeface very similar to that used by Fender called, appropriately, ‘Strato’, designed by Bastien Sozoo. I resisted the temptation to publish the whole article in the font! So here is an example…
‘Strato’ Font ( by Bastien Sozoo)
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) acquired Fender from its founder in January 1965 for $13m, which was more than the $11.2m that CBS paid for an 80% stake in the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team in November 1964.
Leo Fender didn’t give up participating in the music industry after selling his company to CBS. After a period of ten years during which he was prevented from competition, he was instrumental (sic!) in the creation of Music Man (now owned by Ernie Ball) from 1974 and G&L (standing for George [Fullerton] and Leo) from 1979.
Leo Fender died from complications of Parkinson’s disease in Fullerton, California on 21 March 1991, at the age of 81. He was buried at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, Orange County, California next to his first wife, Esther.
In 2004, Fender moved its production facility from Fullerton to Corona, also in California. The current Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) HQ is based in Los Angeles, California, at 1575 N Gower St #170. The Fender company’s legal status is listed as a private company. Hawaii’s largest private company and motor vehicle dealer, Servco Pacific Co., became the new majority owner of FMIC in January 2020. Outside the USA, Fender’s main European location is in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England, UK.
The 21st Century Fender is a modern multinational company with production facilities in various countries, including the United States (Corona, California), Japan (from the early 1980s), Mexico (from 1990), Korea, China and Indonesia. Stratocaster models range from the (relatively) inexpensive Fender‑owned Squier® brand through the mainstream Mexican and American production lines up to the high end ‘Made in USA’ Custom Shop models. Even more upmarket are the spectacular and unique Masterbuilt and NAMM Show one‑offs.
Fender also owns a number of subsidiary brands including, Squier, Bigsby, Charvel, EVH Gear, Gretsch, Jackson, PreSonus and Sunn. Since 2002, Fender has had the rights to market, produce and distribute Gretsch products. Fender also owned the Ovation and Guild brands until both were sold off in 2014.
Myths, legends, facts and fallacies
I strongly suspect that there are probably more myths and fallacies than there are legends and facts herein. I DO NOT claim any of the following to be true. In fact, I am certain that there are more than few apocryphal tales to be told. Remember, this is just for entertainment and not a doctorate thesis. Much of what follows is probably common knowledge to diehard Stratocaster fans but they aren’t really the prime audience for this article.
While I prefer to deal in well‑researched and corroborated evidence, there is very little verifiable truth to many aspects of the Stratocaster’s history. There are many peddlers of ‘truth’ out there who seem to accept anything at face value and proceed to regurgitate falsities as reality. When it comes down to it, there is actually very little genuine documentation and a lot relies on the anecdotes and knowledge of people, many of whom are sadly no longer with us. Much of the rest is fabrication and artifice.
“The Les Paul was more challenging because of the weight of it, but the tone was there that the Fender will never have and vice versa. So you have to make a decision as to what you’re going to have as your main instrument. After seeing Hendrix, I thought, ‘I’ll stick with the ‘Strat” – Jeff Beck (1944‑1923)
The Fender Stratocaster at age 0
The original design of the Fender Stratocaster was a collaborative effort by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares. Work started on prototypes as early as 1951.
It is highly unusual in the business of industrial design that a first attempt represents the pinnacle of achievement and even more unusual in that the initial design endures for 70 years almost completely unchanged. The Stratocaster is one of those perennial designs (as was the Telecaster), creating an archetype. Strangely, though, in guitar manufacturing many designs have stayed true to their origins. After all, we aren’t driving around in cars that look and work like they did in 1954 and we aren’t using telephones or TVs that haven’t changed at all in their aesthetics or functionality over the last seven decades. Fender and Gibson among others got things right at the first time of trying back in the 1950s. Weird or what?
The Stratocaster was given its name not by Leo Fender but by Fender’s sales and marketing manager, Don Randall, who also came up with the Esquire, Telecaster and Champ names. The Stratocaster name was a nod to aircraft technology (Randall was also a pilot), evoking a futuristic image to go with its forward‑looking design. Unlike the Telecaster, the Stratocaster retained its name from the outset. The single pickup Telecaster was originally called the Esquire until the two pickup model became the Broadcaster, followed by a short period without a name (the so‑called ‘Nocaster’ following a trademark objection from Gretsch) before it gained its proper nomenclature that we are familiar with today.
In 1948, Paul Bigsby (1899‑1968), famous for Bigsby vibrato systems, built a guitar for country & western star Merle Travis. The headstock bore more than a passing resemblance to what would become the original headstock shape of the Fender Stratocaster. Bigsby’s design pre‑dated Fender’s by several years. Was Fender influenced by Bigsby’s guitar or did Leo Fender blatantly copy it? The jury remains out on that one.
The Stratocaster was the first production electric guitar to have three pickups. It was also the first to have a spring‑loaded floating vibrato system. Not only that, it also had the belly and forearm contours that made the guitar so slinky, comfortable, light and futuristic looking. Leo Fender always intended his guitars to be highly functional. Like the Telecaster and other Fender instruments, the Stratocaster was based around a modular design, so that parts could be replaced or upgraded easily. One example of this is Fender’s bolt‑on neck, unlike up‑market competitor Gibson’s traditional glued‑in set‑neck design.
Leo Fender designed the Stratocaster’s innovative synchronized tremolo (NB. The word tremolo is a misnomer in this context. It is technically a vibrato) system. Compared to the popular Bigsby version, Fender opted for a simple design that offered players a greater range of pitch variation as well as more reliable tuning stability. It was revolutionary because of the way that the bridge saddles move together with the bridge unit as single unit.
The Stratocaster was (apparently) intended to replace the ‘plain Jane’ Telecaster and was designed as a response to the upmarket Gibson Les Paul. However, after customer feedback, Leo retained the Telecaster and the Stratocaster was positioned to complement to the Tele as an evolution of design. The Stratocaster wasn’t a resounding success initially, with only 720 sold in 1954/1955. Initially, the revolutionary Precision Bass launched in October 1951 proved more popular than the Stratocaster or Telecaster. The Stratocaster model in one form or another has been in continuous production since 1954 – quite an accomplishment.
Images from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are generally considered to be in the public domain and typically not subject to copyright restrictions, so I believe that I have the rights to publish the following 1954 patent, courtesy of the USPTO. The patent was filed on 30 August 1954 and granted on 10 April 1956 to C.L. Fender for the ‘tremolo device for stringed instruments’, i.e. the Stratocaster’s vibrato system.
The Stratocaster was officially released on Thursday, 1 April 1954 (accompanied by a pre‑production run of c.100 guitars with serial numbers 0100‑0199). The first production Stratocaster with serial number #0100 is now owned by George Gruhn, famous for Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Tennessee. Originally, the first one was sold to an ordinary customer, not to anyone famous. Note: David Gilmour’s Stratocaster bearing serial number #0001 may have the lowest serial number but it wasn’t the first to be manufactured.
According to Leo Fender’s long‑time business partner, George Fullerton, the earliest production Stratocasters never reached market due to a major issue with the vibrato system, which hastily had to be junked and redesigned. If true, the re‑tooling of the vibrato might help to explain the delay between the launch in the spring of 1954 and the full production run reaching stores and customers later that year.
As far as anyone can tell, the first commercial sale of a Fender Stratocaster took place on Wednesday, 13 October 1954, from the first full production run. The starting price in 1954 was $249.50 (vibrato) or $229.50 (hardtail), compared to a Telecaster at $139.65 or a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop at $225, it was an expensive instrument. A case added another $39 to the price. To give that some context, the average American monthly income back in the day was less than $300. For comparison, $249.50 in 1954 is approximately the same value as $2,896.91 today.
Now for the good news (?). We know that 268 Fender Stratocasters were made in 1954 and 452 were made in 1955. The bad news is that that, I’m afraid, is about as much as we know for sure.
Early demo production Stratocasters made during the spring and summer of 1954 had serial numbers on the tremolo (vibrato!) cover. The finish on the first Stratocaster bodies was two‑colour sunburst (brown to yellow) with maple necks and fingerboard.
“I met Leo Fender, who is the guru of all amplifiers, and he gave me a Stratocaster. He became a second father to me” – Dick Dale (1937‑2019)
The Fender Stratocaster through the years
There have been innumerable Stratocaster models over the decades and many of these overlap specific years. However, in order to make some simple sense of the development of the Stratocaster, there have been some six generalised periods associated with the Fender Stratocaster’s past. Please remember that these are how I think about ‘Strat eras’ and the simplification is NOT definitive:
1954‑1959 – The first pre‑CBS generation. Maple neck and fretted fingerboard, sunburst finish, eight‑screw single‑ply pickguard and the ‘spaghetti’ logo
1959‑1965 – The second pre‑CBS generation. Maple neck with initially with ‘slab’ rosewood fingerboard, solid colours or sunburst finish, eleven‑screw 3‑ply pickguard, changed dot marker material, patent numbers on headstock decal and logo style changed
1965‑1981 – The first CBS generation. Standard rosewood fingerboard on a maple neck with optional maple fingerboard, larger headstock, three‑screw neck plate from 1971, new logo, serialisation system from 1976 and five‑way pickup selector switch from 1977
1980‑1984 – A transitional restructuring period for Fender under CBS control, also often known as the ‘Dan Smith era’. The STRAT, Elite and (Japanese) JV Stratocasters added to the basic model
1986‑2016 – Post‑CBS Fender. The American Standard Stratocaster, maple or rosewood 22‑fret fingerboard on a maple neck, smaller headstock reinstated, four‑screw neck plate. Mexican production started. The Fender Custom Shop was formed in 1987
2017‑today – The American Professional, Performer, Player and Vintera series among others. The replacement for the long‑standing American Standard
Early Stratocaster bodies were primarily made of ash for the first 2‑3 years until Fender migrated to alder mid‑1956, mainly for practical reasons. Ash was still used for the its grain pattern in translucent finishes.
There have been approximately 25,580 days (a.k.a. 613,920 hours or 36,835,200 minutes, if you prefer) in 70 years from 1954 to today. It is broadly estimated that somewhere in the region 180‑200 million Stratocasters have been manufactured in all markets over the last 70 years. That equates to a whopping 7,037‑7,819 per day on average, so it may be an over‑estimate. Accurate production figures either don’t exist or are informed guesswork. Some estimates go by serial numbers but these are wildly unreliable and don’t give an accurate indication of actual production capacity. Nobody actually knows the real figures with any sort of certainty. Even Fender FMIC doesn’t know. Does anyone out there have any realistic idea, give or take a few thousand? I doubt it and, anyway, it would be hard to prove with any degree of certainty.
One might wonder what comes next for the septuagenarian Fender Stratocaster. Given that the fundamental design hasn’t changed since its launch. It would be unwise for Fender to mess with the basic concept too much. Fender has meddled with minor specification variations many times over the years but nothing substantial that has stuck the test of time. Now, Fender relies heavily on the ‘vintage’ features and various degrees of ‘relic’ finishes to evoke the past and appeal to customers. However, nothing beats a genuine vintage ‘real thing’ (but you’d expect me to say that!).
Of them all, many pundits reckon that the 1962 Fender Stratocaster (three‑colour sunburst with rosewood fingerboard and vibrato) is the absolute zenith of the model. As a result, the so‑called ‘Pre‑CBS’ Stratocasters are the most sought after by collectors (and therefore attract the highest prices on the vintage market). Those same pundits (wrongly, in my opinion) disparage any guitars made by Fender after it was sold to CBS in 1965 with 1970s being criticised as a nadir (also wrong as a generalisation in my view).
The Stratocaster was the first Fender to have a sunburst finish, initially two colours (dark Salem brown to canary yellow) and, later three colours (dark brown, through red to yellow) in 1958. The Stratocaster’s sunburst finish helped to disguise the joins in timber of the bodies made of two or more pieces glued together. Solid colours hid any joins completely.
The Stratocaster was also the first Fender to be offered in custom colours in 1957 (for a 5% upcharge). Custom colours were sourced from DuPont’s line of automotive colours for General Motors. DuPont Duco nitrocellulose custom colours included, Black, Shell Pink, Daphne Blue, Sonic Blue, Fiesta Red, Dakota Red, Sherwood Green Metallic, Foam Green and Surf Green. There were also five DuPont Lucite acrylic custom colours including, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue Metallic, Shoreline Gold Metallic, Burgundy Mist Metallic and Inca Silver Metallic. Originally, despite assumptions to the contrary, there was no (Sea) Foam Green or Candy Apple Red to begin with.
Probably Fender’s most famous advertising campaign ran 1964‑1967 all bearing the slogan, ‘You won’t part with yours either’. The marketing featured people carrying their Fenders while undertaking ‘risky’ or unusual activities including parachuting, skateboarding, water skiing, flying, climbing telegraph poles, lying on railroad tracks, catching a bus, boarding a boat, driving, at the barber/hairdresser, at the prom, swimming, riding a motorcycle, at the dentist, at a football game, in class, etc. NB. Do not do this at home, folks! That memorable ad campaign was the work of Robert Perine, the very same man that designed Fender’s ‘transition’ logo.
Fender also ran a successful series of ‘fantasy and fairy tale’ adverts which ran 1975‑1976, known for their cleverly conceived themes, elaborate, surreal, colourful and downright trippy imagery featuring familiar fairy tale characters using Fender gear. Sadly, copyright prevents me publishing examples.
In 1976, Fender stopped stamping serial numbers on the neck plate and started using decal serial numbers added to the front of the headstock. The change prompted a new serial number system starting with a letter for the decade, followed by a digit for the year, e.g. ‘S8’ for 1978, ‘E3’ for 1983, etc. The rest of the serial number was unique.
Fender stopped shipping the cosmetic chrome bridge cover (often discarded by players, as it is entirely non‑functional) with standard Stratocaster models from the late 1970s onwards, although several ‘historically accurate’ reissues have them.
The 1979 Fender Stratocaster Silver Anniversary was the first model produced by Fender to commemorate a specific period since the Stratocaster’s launch in 1954. The 25th Anniversary’ model was produced in limited (if you can call 10,000 limited) numbers, complete with a commemorative certificate of authenticity and a ‘25’ stamped neck plate with dedicated serial number. Very early Anniversary models were made in Pearl White but finish problems saw it recalled and re‑released in Porsche Silver, perhaps more appropriate for commemorating its Silver Anniversary, although one might wonder why Fender didn’t use their own Inca Silver. It seems strange today, in the days of commemorative models appearing regularly, that no‑one had thought of issuing an anniversary model before this one.
Fender trademarked the name ‘Stratocaster’ in the US on 14 November 1972. While the abbreviation of Stratocaster, Strat, had been in common usage for years, Fender released a specific model formally called the STRAT in 1980 with a number of features that differed from the mainstream Stratocaster. Fender finally got around to trademarking the word ‘Strat’ in the US on 23 January 1996.
Fender didn’t introduce 5‑way pickup selector switches on production Stratocasters until 1977. It is strange to think that, for 23 years, the standard 3‑way selector switch was the only one available. After‑market 5‑way switches were popular to achieve the distinctive ‘in between’ tones for which the Stratocaster is so well known. Even then, the 5 positions don’t give the full range of pickup selection options, leading to many other variations and modifications over the years, including 3 on/off buttons, one for each pickup, used on the Stratocaster Elite in the 1980s that gave the most intuitive, although intensely disliked, method of getting all available permutations.
Fender’s answer to pickup selection was to introduce the S‑1 system in 2003 to provide additional options through a push button on the volume control. This provides the ‘all three’ and ‘neck and bridge’ permutations on the Stratocaster that were previously absent, along with other phase variations. As the S‑1 system does different things on different models, it has caused confusion, rather than an intuitive solution.
In 1985, twenty years after CBS acquired Fender from its founder, CBS sold Fender to an investor group led by William Schultz, CEO of FMIC for $12.5m and changed its name to the Fender Musical Instrument Company. This management buy‑out marked a new period, often referred to as the ‘FMIC era’, right up to today.
In 1987, to coincide with the launch of the American Standard Stratocaster, Fender replaced the old 6‑point vibrato with an all‑new 2‑Point Synchronized Tremolo system, which is still used today. However, this wasn’t the only vibrato system used on factory Stratocasters; during the ‘Dan Smith era’, Fender used the unique, short‑lived (1983‑1984) top‑loading Freeflyte® vibrato system on some standard Stratocasters and the Elite. The Freeflyte vibrato, made by German company Schaller, had a pop‑in vibrato arm, had no cover plate on the rear of the body and no through‑body stringing.
Fender was the first major guitar company to set up a Custom Shop in 1987, led by CEO Bill Schultz along with master builders, John Page and Michael Stevens. The Custom Shop division was based in Fender’s main American factory in Corona, Riverside County, California. Premier luthiers were dedicated to creating the finest high‑end Fender guitars built to customers’ demanding specifications. The Fender Custom Shop was the first major brand to introduce ‘relic’ finishes on their guitars, initially appearing at the 1995 NAMM trade show in Anaheim, California, where they proudly showed off their first laudable attempts at fake aging techniques.
To paraphrase the original Star Trek TV series, “it’s wood Jim but not as you know it”. In 2015, the Fender Custom Shop made a Stratocaster constructed from cardboard for its body and neck. The project to create it was apparently called ‘Cardboard Chaos’. Apparently, it sounded good and played well, just as you’d expect for a pricey Fender Custom Shop guitar.
For many people, the iconic brand name and the genuine Fender logo are the only things to have on the headstock of their guitars. The headstock has changed shape several times and the logo has been refreshed many times but a Fender Stratocaster is still a Fender Stratocaster. For others, the location of manufacture matters. Some insist that their instruments come from California, while others prefer Mexican or Japanese models. There are plenty who are happy with the budget Squier brand on the headstock and don’t care whether their guitar is made in the US or Indonesia. Some will insist on pro‑level specification working guitars while others want the bling and status of a Custom Shop one‑off to show off, while plenty just want a solid, well‑made workhorse model that sounds great and plays well. Some like ‘em shiny, others like ‘em trashed to hell, some like ‘em new, some like ‘em reliced (NB. not a verb!), some insist on authentic vintage. Some even seek out the copies, so they get the look and feel, without the Fender price tag and smug, snobbish attitude. The ‘lawsuit era’ imitations from the 1970s and 1980s are also now becoming sought after by collectors, e.g. ‘Stratocasters’ from Ibanez, Aria, Hondo, Cortez and Maya. Some like to build ‘bitscasters’ or buy DIY assembly kits, while others commission skilled independent luthiers to give them exactly what they want. There are plenty of Strat‑a‑likes (the so‑called ‘S‑type’ guitars) on the market from the likes of Kramer, Yamaha, Sadowsky, Harley‑Benton and even the ‘Silver Sky’ made by Paul Reed Smith (PRS). All this diversity goes to show that there is plenty of room for everyone and that is part of the contemporary appeal.
1979 Fender Stratocaster Silver Anniversary
Fender experimented with building and marketing its own Strat copies including the ‘Starcaster by Fender’ produced in East Asia between c.2001 and 2014, as a low‑price student model. It was sold through budget outlets in the US and often as a ‘Starcaster Strat Pack’, which included a Squier solid state practice amplifier. NB. This model has absolutely nothing to do with the genuine 1970s Starcaster semi‑hollow body (or its reissues).
Fender also made other models based to a greater or lesser extent on the fabled Stratocaster, including the Fender Lead and Fender Bullet ranges. There is more on these particular Strat‑like instruments later in the article.
The sky‑high vintage market prices of pre‑CBS Stratocasters means that many historically significant examples are confined to museums or elite collections, ruling out ownership by genuine enthusiasts (like me). The downside is that the number of scarily accurate fake instruments, especially from China, are entering the market. Where’s there is money to be made, there will be unscrupulous criminals trying to screw honest people to make a buck.
Sadly for Fender, the Covid‑related boom ended and the post‑Covid market has stalled amid global volatile economic operating environments. The result is market saturation and stock piles. The Covid‑related collapse of live entertainment didn’t help either. The commercial viability issues have led to closures, cut backs and staff reductions. The global downturn has hit many manufacturers in many industries, including Fender. Fender’s response is to double down on providing ‘build‑your‑own’ and ‘mash‑up’ guitars in an attempt to attract new customers and to compete by using agile and efficient production methods. We wait to see how successful Fender is at weathering the storm.
There will undoubtedly be many more significant anniversaries for Fender and the Stratocaster. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll still be around to celebrate the Stratocaster’s centenary in 2054.
Some notable artists associated with the Stratocaster
Buddy Holly (1936‑1959) was one of the first pop stars to use a Fender Stratocaster. He acquired a 1954 sunburst Stratocaster in 1955. He is pictured with one on the front cover of his first album, ‘The ‘Chirping’ Crickets’ in 1957. He also played a Stratocaster when he appeared on TV on The Ed Sullivan Show on 1 December 1957. Both exposures helped to promote both the company brand and the model.
After seeing Buddy Holly with a Stratocaster, Hank Marvin (1941‑) of The Shadows was the first guitarist to receive a Stratocaster in the UK, imported directly from Fender (there was no UK distributor at the time) in 1959. Availability of American guitars in the UK was highly restricted by a post‑World War II import trade ban on US goods entering Britain. Hank’s Stratocaster was in a Fiesta Red finish with gold‑plated hardware and birds‑eye figuring on the neck. In fact, Hank’s guitar was one of the last maple fingerboard Stratocasters before Fender changed to Rosewood.
“It came in a tweed Fender case with the red plush lining and this magnificent‑looking thing was just lying inside. It was like something from space, really, it was so futuristic in its design” – Hank Marvin (1941‑)
When Bob Dylan (1941‑) appeared at the Newport Folk Festival on 25 July 1965, he was booed by the diehard traditional folk audience for the ultimate sin of using an electric, rather than acoustic, guitar… and playing with a backing band. The guitar that Dylan used at Newport was his 1964 three‑colour Sunburst Stratocaster.
The guitar that Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970) famously burnt and smashed on stage at the Monterey Pop Festival on 18 June 1967 was allegedly a cheap substitute guitar and not his Stratocaster. The switch was made without anybody realising it at the time. Jimi Hendrix also played a white 1968 Stratocaster at Woodstock when he appeared on the morning of August 18, 1969 and, famously, used it for the sonic mayhem of his rendition of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’, a defining moment for the festival, Hendrix, rock music and the Stratocaster.
Eric Clapton’s (1945‑) famous ‘Blackie’ Stratocaster was a hybrid of three guitars he bought in 1970, a 1956 body and 1957 neck with pickups from a third. Clapton auctioned ‘Blackie’ for almost £1m in 2004 in aid of his Crossroads Foundation. The Fender Custom Shop has made a faithful replica of the famous axe.
Rory Gallagher bought his 1961 sunburst Stratocaster second hand for £100 on credit from Crowley’s Music Store in Cork, Ireland in 1963. The Strat, along with a borrowed Telecaster, was stolen in 1966 after an appearance in Dublin. Following a TV programme called Garda Patrol on RTÉ, the guitars were returned to Rory a few days later, a bit worse for wear after being recovered from a ditch. The combination of play wear, exposure, numerous modifications and Rory’s well‑documented caustic sweat probably being the main culprits for the major degradation in his guitar’s finish over years of use. Apparently, early 1960s Fender finishes were more prone to wear than ones from the late 1950s.
Some other Stratocaster stories
Fiesta Red was actually based on the 1956 Ford Thunderbird car colour. As a Fender custom colour, Fiesta Red is, well, red (duh!), not pink. Over the years, Fiesta Red has become synonymous with the Fender Stratocaster. It has, however, been the subject of much debate, possibly more than any other Fender colour. Over time, Fiesta Red has been known to have had a number of shades varying from bright red to dark pink. It is, though, definitely more orange than the darker Dakota Red. There has been some confusion caused by the variations in shade of Fiesta Red, made worse over the years as the colour faded, lacquers yellowed and older guitars were refinished. Hank Marvin’s Fiesta Red Stratocaster was erroneously described by him as ‘flamingo pink’, which was not an official Fender colour. Other similar colours such as Salmon Pink and Coral Pink also added to the confusion.
1956 Ford Thunderbird Fiesta Red
Only an Englishman would actually go as far as to marry a Fender Stratocaster. Seriously! A British man called Chris ‘Fenderman’ Black did just that, in 1995. His ‘bride’ was a c.1960 model, apparently called ‘Brenda the Fenda’. He followed through with wedlock after his actual wife joked that he spent so much time with his Stratocaster that he should marry it. Black allegedly said, “We’ve had such a long engagement that I decided it was time we did the decent thing”. He also might have said, “it doesn’t answer back!” Fair point. A friend performed the ceremony after a local vicar refused to do it. Mr Black reportedly said that he wants to be buried with his wife (the Fender Strat). Mrs Black (the human female) was apparently unimpressed by her husband’s antics. I know not what happened to the three of them, post nuptials.
Many guitarists use a piece of hardwood to prevent the Stratocaster’s spring‑loaded vibrato block from moving and effectively disable the vibrato altogether. The often‑used ‘mod’ was done in an attempt to stabilise tuning, improve tone and increase sustain. Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher and Mark Knopfler were all known to ‘block’ their Stratocasters’ vibratos. Hardtail Stratocasters with through‑body stringing were available right from the outset in 1954.So, why customers didn’t just buy a hardtail Strat in the first place, who knows?
While on the subject of Stratocaster vibrato issues… One problem is that the springs can cause an irritating ringing sound. The solution? A piece of foam rubber coaxed under the springs. Another problem encountered by some is a loose or swinging ‘trem’ arm. The solution? Don’t lose the little spring in the arm socket or get one and restore the stiffness.
It has been said over many years by many people (whether true or not – how do they actually know?), that the Stratocaster is the most copied guitar design ever. Fender got seriously fed up with its iconic design being copied, resulting in lost sales that it felt something had to be done to stop Intellectual Property Theft, as they saw it. In 2003, Fender instigated legal proceedings to trademark its designs in the US, including the Telecaster, Stratocaster and Precision Bass body shapes. The trademark action was targeted at ESP Guitars, Sadowsky Guitars, Lakland Musical Instruments, Peavey Electronics, Warmoth Guitar Products and Schecter Guitar Research amongst others.
After five long, expensive years, Fender’s Trademark Application was rejected on 31 March 2009. Unfortunately for Fender, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office ruled that, “The applicant has not established acquired distinctiveness such that these two‑dimensional outlines of guitar bodies, standing alone, serve to indicate source… The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that these configurations are so common in the industry that they cannot identify source… In fact, in the case of the [Stratocaster] body outline, this configuration is so common that it is depicted as a generic electric guitar in a dictionary.”
Similar legal trademark applications had previously been rejected, both in the UK and the rest of Europe, so it always looked like Fender was onto a loser in the US, if only through international precedent. NB. Gibson also lost a similar action against PRS for its single cut Les Paul body shape in 2005.
The names, ‘Stratocaster’ and ‘Strat’ are, however, the sole property of FMIC, as is the exact iconic headstock design is a registered trademark in the US, Canada and Europe.
A few famous guitarists have been honoured with artist signature Stratocaster models, including Jimi Hendrix, Dick Dale, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Billy Corgan, Dave Murray, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jim Root, amongst many others.
“I mainly use Stratocasters. I like a lot of different kinds of guitars, but for what I do, it seems that a Stratocaster is the most versatile. I can pretty much get any sound out of it, and I use stock pickups” – Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954‑1990)
The American Rolling Stone magazine awarded the Stratocaster ‘American Icon’ status in 2003. The magazine’s senior editor, David Fricke, said that the Stratocaster is rock & roll’s “ultimate guitar … a knockout package of the sex and futurism in the music itself.”
In 2003, the author was able, for a few short minutes, to get his hands on a black Strat owned by Stevie Ray Vaughan. The guitar was in the vault of the Hard Rock Café in London (a former bank). NB. I also ‘played’ a left‑handed Gibson Flying V owned by Jimi Hendrix. Modesty, however, prevents me from posting photos.
If you like your guitars diminutive, there are plenty of miniature models of the Stratocaster (note: other guitar makes and models are available!). Also, if you feel so inclined, you can get your hands on an official LEGO® Ideas Fender Stratocaster Guitar Set 21329 (priced at around £120‑140GBP), which includes a 1970s Stratocaster with red or black interchangeable bodies, a model ‘65 Fender Princeton Reverb valve combo amp with footswitch, guitar stand, strap and lead. The kit comprises 1,074 pieces and the completed model is 14” (36cm) tall. What’s not to like? It might even make my Christmas list if Santa thinks I’ve been a good boy (hint, hint Mr Claus).
Lego Ideas Fender Stratocaster (courtesy of Lego)
In contrast, if you like your guitars massive, the world’s largest playable Stratocaster apparently stands an impressive 13 feet (3.96m) high. Fender even allowed their name to be used on the sizeable headstock. It was listed on eBay in the US in 2012 for $79,999. A matching playable Telecaster was also constructed.
The familiar image of the Stratocaster can be found all over the world and in many different ways, over the years. There have been numerous sculptures made as an homage to the Stratocaster in a variety of materials including metal, glass, plastic, wood, clay, etc. Massive Stratocaster sculptures feature outside many Hard Rock Café Hotels as well as outside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The instrument is immortalised at Jimi Hendrix’s grave and a statue in his home city of Seattle, Washington State, USA. In addition, the Stratocaster is integral to Rory Gallagher’s statue in his home town of Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland. In fine art, graphic design and film, the Stratocaster is a familiar theme. There have been many impressive Stratocaster cake designs to whet your palate. The Strat has also been used on ornaments, clothing and to inspire jewellery such as pins, earrings, key rings, necklaces, rings, etc. For gamers, the Stratocaster was used as a controller for the Sony PlayStation Guitar Hero video game.
Strat Birthday Cake
Some Fender Stratocaster lists
Some list‑o‑phobes prefer narrative prose while others revel in the realm of lists and lists of lists, etc. So, for the avid list‑o‑philes out there, here are three lists of Stratocaster stuff.
Ten famous artists forever associated with their famous Fender Stratocasters (in alphabetical order):
Eric Clapton – ‘Blackie’ (1956/1957) and ‘Brownie’ (1956)
Rory Gallagher (1961)
David Gilmour – ‘Black Strat’ serial number #0001 (1969)
George Harrison – ‘Rocky’ (1962)
Mark Knopfler serial number #68354 (1961)
Yngwie Malmsteen – ‘Duck’ (1971)
Robbie Robertson – ‘The Last Waltz’ (1954)
Nile Rodgers – ‘The Hitmaker’ (1960s)
Eddie Van Halen – ‘Frankenstrat’ (1970s?)
Stevie Ray Vaughan – ‘Number One’ (1962/1963) and ‘Lenny’ (1963/1964)
Forty famous Stratocaster players (in alphabetical order):
Randy Bachman (Bachman‑Turner Overdrive)
Jeff Beck
Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow)
Joe Bonamassa
Robert Cray
Dick Dale
Tom Delonge (Green Day)
The Edge (U2)
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Rory Gallagher
Lowell George (Little Feat)
Janick Gers (Iron Maiden)
Buddy Guy
George Harrison (The Beatles)
Jimi Hendrix
Steve Hillage
Buddy Holly
Ernie Isley (The Isley Brothers)
Eric Johnson
Carol Kaye
Ed King (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
Mike McReady (Pearl Jam)
Yngwie Malmsteen
Hank Marvin (The Shadows)
John Mayer
Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)
Ed O’Brien (Radiohead)
Bonnie Raitt
Chris Rea
Jim Root (Slipknot)
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi)
Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
Ty Tabor (King’s X)
Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention)
Peter Townshend (The Who)
Robin Trower
Eddie Van Halen
Cory Wong (Vulfpeck)
Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones)
Finally, nine very, VERY expensive Fender Stratocasters owned or once‑owned by famous guitarists (in value order – low‑high):
George Gruhn’s Fender Stratocaster #0100. Price: c.$250,000
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Fender Stratocaster, ‘Lenny’. Price: $623,500 in 2004
Eric Clapton’s ‘Blackie’ Fender Stratocaster. Price: $959,500 in 2004
Bob Dylan’s 1964 ‘Newport’ Fender Stratocaster. Price: $965,000 in 2013
Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 ‘Izabella’ Fender Stratocaster. Price: $1,650,000 in 2000
David Gilmour’s 1954 Fender Stratocaster #0001. Price: $1.815 million in 2019
Jimi Hendrix’s 1964 Fender Stratocaster. Price: $2.1 million in 2015
The ‘Reach Out To Asia’ Fender Stratocaster. Price: $2.7 million in 2005
David Gilmour’s 1969 ‘Black Strat’. Price: $3.975 million in 2019
Very shortly, there will be a tenth entry to add to the list. Rory Gallagher’s famous 1961 Stratocaster will be auctioned at Bonhams in London on 17 October 2024, after Dónal Gallagher, Rory’s brother and manager, made the difficult decision to sell the cherished guitar thirty years after the guitarist’s death. Rory’s iconic Strat is being auctioned along with other instruments and gear from ‘The Rory Gallagher Collection’ and is estimated to reach between £700,000 and £1 million (and may well reach more).
CRAVE Guitars’ Fender Stratocasters
I won’t reiterate all the details of CRAVE Guitars’ Fender Stratocasters here. If you want more information, follow the links to the feature pages on each specific instrument. None of CRAVE Guitars’ Stratocasters are ‘standard’ models per se – there is something non‑standard about all of them. These four instruments show some of the diversity of the CBS‑era Stratocasters and show off some of the idiosyncrasies that make the diversity fascinating to me.
1977 Fender Stratocaster – My first ‘real’ Fender guitar. I traded in my lovely 1978 Fender Mustang for this baby and it has been with me ever since. I bought it second hand over 45 years ago and still counting. It certainly evokes the 1970s with its natural polyester finish. I prefer rosewood fingerboards and hardtail bridges, so this suited me perfectly at the time. Overly fixated detractors will moan about the large headstock, the ‘bullet’ truss rod adjuster, the 3‑bolt neck plate and the underpowered pickups. Personally, I don’t give a hoot what they think and I have never experienced any problems with neck stability or tuning. It remains one of my favourite guitars.
1979 Fender Stratocaster Silver Anniversary – Fender’s first commemorative (25th) anniversary guitar, finished in lustrous Porsche silver. This comes complete with its certificate of authenticity and anniversary (4‑bolt) neck plate. Like most Anniversary models, it is too heavy for a Strat but I like it nevertheless. Ignore the rather crass ‘ANNIVERSARY’ logo on the upper horn. Remember, this is the where the whole anniversary model trend began. It is amazing to think that this guitar is already 45 years old and, here we are now at the 70th anniversary. This means that this very clean example is closer in years to the 1954 Strat than it is to the 2024 anniversary model by a clear 20 years. Crazy!
1983 Fender Stratocaster ‘Dan Smith’ – Fender was restructuring at the time under the guidance of finance director Dan Smith, charged by CBS with rejuvenating Fender’s fortunes. Keeping manufacturing costs under control while producing better quality instruments was key to success. Now, I am going to be heretical. I have never liked the original Stratocaster’s 1 volume, 2 tone control layout. This model dispenses with the second tone control leaving one master tone. The consequential empty hole in the scratchplate was used for the jack socket, meaning all the electrics were in one place – good idea. The ‘iconic’ jack socket plate of the past was discarded (at least for a while). Similarly, the Freeflyte® vibrato system dispensed with the cavity on the rear of the body, simplifying the construction process further. The resulting ‘two knobber’ Strat, as it was humorously nicknamed, is certainly an oddity in the Fender canon. Everybody seems to hate them but I love the simplicity and uniqueness. Lovely colour too.
1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite – Another CBS‑era Stratocaster and another oddity. If you are looking for a traditional approach, look elsewhere. Delving under the familiar façade is a guitar that bears hardly any relationship to the first ones off the production line in 1954. The electrics feature ‘noiseless’ pickups (with a dummy coil), active electronics, unique 3‑button pickup selection, unique knobs and that is just for starters. The bridge assembly is a Freeflyte hardtail and the jack socket is now on the edge of the body. It was a short‑lived experiment but with many influential features that would reappear over time. The weight associated with the 25th Anniversary models was also being addressed.
Over the years, I have owned modern FMIC‑era Stratocasters and they have all moved on to better homes. After becoming captivated by vintage guitars, the more modern guitars just felt mass‑produced, generic, lacking character and personality. That can’t be said of the ones listed here.
Not all Stratocasters are Stratocasters. Confused? You will be…
1982 Fender Bullet H2 – After Fender withdrew the lovely offset ‘student’ models including the Musicmaster, Duo‑Sonic, Mustang and Bronco, they were replaced with the Bullet range. When I first started collecting, I hated what they’d done but I’ve come to find them intriguing. This Bullet H2 is actually a very good instrument. OK, so the Telecaster neck on a Stratocaster body does look odd but dig behind the aesthetics and the quad single coil pickups combined into two hum‑cancelling pairs, along with the unique pickup selection proves to be quite interesting. Fender were, again, experimenting with the Stratocaster fundamentals to see what would work and what wouldn’t before using features on the Strat. The now quite rare ‘Made in USA’ Bullet H2 was an inevitable but fascinating dead end but one I’m glad they tried out. Remember that this was long before the Mexican built guitars fulfilled the role of the now‑defunct Bullet.
1981 Fender Lead I – Alongside the budget Bullet, Fender wanted to fill the gap between the budget line and the long‑established, much more expensive pro‑level models. The mid‑range ‘Made in USA’ Fender Lead came in three different types (I, II and II depending on pickup configuration). The neck is all‑Strat, while the body is definitely derived from the Stratocaster but the proportions aren’t quite ‘right’ and it can look ungainly from the wrong angle. The Van Halen‑like single humbucking bridge pickup and dual selector switches provide a different range of sound compared to a conventional Stratocaster. It is a very nicely put together instrument and plays very well. However, the Fender Lead is one model that certainly justifies the description of one of the ‘lost Fenders’ of the CBS‑era. Over in Japan at the same time, Fender was experimenting with the format in other ways, without affecting Fender’s valuable American‑made Stratocaster reputation. Ultimately, though, the Lead was another, albeit fascinating, dead end. Sorry, no floorboard photo of this one. For the curious, the neck is a stanard Stratocaster neck and fingerboard but with the ‘Lead’ decal on the headstock.
These six guitars go to show what can be done to differentiate models using a stable platform on which to try out new and different things (although that is tautology because, by definition, new is different).
The Official 2024 Fender 70th Anniversary Stratocaster®
To celebrate the last seven decades, Fender has an enviable array of 70th anniversary Stratocasters. The following images courtesy of the fine people at FMIC, show two contrasting 70th anniversary Stratocaster models, revealing the immaculate manufacturing and echoing the specification difference between 1954 and 2024 models. Expect these to be classified as ‘vintage’ around the time of the Stratocaster’s centennial in 2054. The UK retail prices for these two beauties as at July 2024 are:
Top – Limited Edition 70th Anniversary 1954 Stratocaster® Heavy Relic®. Price: £4,899GBP Bottom – 70th Anniversary American Professional® II Fender Stratocaster®. Price: £2,169GBP
At the time of writing, the cheapest 70th anniversary commemorative Stratocaster made by Fender appears to be the Mexican made, Fender 70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster PF, 2‑Colour Sunburst, priced at a mere £699GBP. Bargain.
For further information on 70th anniversary Stratocaster models, take a look at Fender’s website and any retailers stocking Fender products.
If you want a piece of commemorative Fender history that is sort of affordable, go for one of the 2024 70th anniversary models. The Stratocaster won’t have another 70th anniversary after all. Let’s face it, you probably couldn’t afford a genuine original 1954 Strat which, for info, is probably somewhere in the region of $60,000‑$200,000 in 2024. That’s an awful lot of pocket money in anyone’s book. Expect another anniversary model at 75 (in 2029).
CRAVE Guitars’ hobbyhorse moment – 1970s Fenders
Excuse me for a moment, while I have a personal, opinionated rant, outburst, tirade, bombast, invective, broadside, diatribe, polemic and a few other nouns to similar effect. Hold on to your hats, folks, here we go…
I wholeheartedly reject the cynics’ simplistic argument that states that all pre‑CBS Strats are great and everything else since, particularly from the 1970s, was rubbish. That sweeping generalisation is widely promulgated as ‘fact’ and it isn’t helpful when looking at individual instruments. I would go as far as to say that such assertions are ignorant and biased and I steadfastly refuse to jump on that bandwagon (NB. Another American idiom that comes from mid‑19th Century, when political candidates would use an actual open wagon during campaigns and parades to appeal to voters. People would literally jump onto the vehicle to show support). The ‘golden era’ of the 1950s had their own major gaffs. Just look at the very early Fender Esquires without a neck truss rod or the early Gibson Les Pauls with the wrong neck angle!
However, I recognise that I am in the minority and what I say will potentially undermine my credibility in some people’s views. Just wait until collector prices spiral beyond all reasonable sensibility then that perspective will change. The elitists will talk up the 1970s’ Strats (the next‑in‑line to increase in value now that the 1960s are largely unobtainable – even post‑1965 CBS‑era ones!). The greedy prospectors will want to attract top dollar and get the credit for being ahead of the game. All I am saying is that there are good and bad examples throughout the last seven decades and that one shouldn’t assume that something is the truth just because enough self‑opinionated people with an axe to grind say it is true. Just sayin’.
The guitar that I have owned longer than any other is my 1977 Fender Stratocaster hardtail. I think it looks lovely, plays very well and sounds great. I don’t have any issues with the polyester finish, the stability of the 3‑bolt neck joint, the ‘bullet’ truss rod adjuster, the pickups, the 3‑way pickup selector switch or the ‘F’ on the neck plate. If it was a ‘bad’ guitar, I wouldn’t have kept it for 46 years. I am still happy with it and grateful for the opportunity to own and play it whenever I feel like it. Suck on that, sycophants!
Some people bang on endlessly about the dire quality of CBS‑era Strats. Well, that didn’t deter possibly the world’s G.O.A.T. guitarist, one James Marshall Hendrix from using them. If he could do what he did armed with a CBS‑era Strat, perhaps the naysayers should moderate and reconsider their often over‑stated prejudices and criticisms. Get over it people. If ya don’t like ‘em, don’t buy ‘em and shut up with the whinging and whining already. I am sure that too many people simply accept and reiterate this apocryphal and questionable ‘fact’ without doing their own due diligence. Meanwhile, I seem isolated in my regard for 1970s’ Fenders but I stand by it. It’s called integrity.
Guitarists tend to hate change. CBS introduced a raft of new features. For instance, the ‘large headstock’ appeared in December 1965. Allegedly, Leo Fender designed the larger headstock to accommodate a larger, more visible logo before he sold the company that bears his name, so don’t blame CBS for that one. Even the stylised ‘F’ that appeared on the neck plate caused apoplexy. Why? Many associate Fender’s innovative Micro Tilt neck adjustment (sometimes referred to as Tilt Neck adjustment) and its 3‑bolt neck plate with CBS‑era Stratocasters but the feature wasn’t actually introduced until mid‑1971. There were some issues with over‑sized neck pockets, which is what actually caused the ‘neck instability’ problem. After a decade, Fender reverted to 4‑bolt neck joints (and smaller headstocks) by mid‑1981. Traditionalists also reacted negatively to other ‘new’ features including the ‘bullet’ truss rod adjuster at the headstock end of the neck, cast bridges, cast bridge saddles, and more stable and durable polyester finishes. It didn’t matter whether changes were better or worse, some stuck to quasi‑religious dogma and collective prejudice. I challenge such ill‑perceived hallowed ground. All this malarkey just goes to show that you can’t please anyone any of the time. Nuff said. Deep sigh. Count to 70…
The Fender Stratocaster: Judgement Day
After all this, you might be curious as to what I think about the venerable Fender Stratocaster. I guess it is time for me to give my personal opinion. To do this, I have to recognise its past, present and future and to acknowledge its highly respected place in music. I respect the genius of Leo Fender, although he had nothing to do with the ‘real’ Stratocaster since 1965. I also have to set aside all the diverse views of others and concentrate on my own assessment for a few paragraphs. Here, I am going to be controversial and provocative, so brace yourselves.
Let’s begin with the attraction of the exalted icon that is the Fender Stratocaster. If I didn’t have one, I would want one. No question there. There is also a reason why my longest‑owned guitar is a Stratocaster. It carries with it a strong sense of a comfortable long‑term relationship. However, a strong obsession to own one doesn’t carry an enormous amount of weight when considering what the Stratocaster actually is and does. Stratocaster ownership at its most basic for many people could be construed as a tick‑in‑the‑box exercise and, perhaps, the ‘genuine article’ represents an aspirational status symbol.
Going back to basics though, the Stratocaster is fundamentally (now) just a mass‑produced musical instrument, constructed out of the same materials using the same manufacturing processes as numerous others. There is little to differentiate one factory product from the next. Think back to Wikipedia’s description at the start of this article. Bland and straightforward. The Stratocaster may have been space age and futuristic back in the 1950s and now it is possibly the most ubiquitous of electric guitars on the planet alongside the Telecaster, Les Paul, SG and ES‑335, so we tend to take its presence in our lives for granted nowadays. It even looks a bit traditionalist, like a septuagenarian wearing a pair of pressed corduroy trousers and comfy slippers. Some of its appeal is the aesthetic as much as its functionality. As a professional musician’s tool, the Stratocaster’s excellence set a high standard early on and it continues to fulfil its pro‑level role today. Again, I’m not arguing against all that. If the Stratocaster didn’t exist, there is still plenty of choice amongst the alternatives. In the absence of the Strat, professional working musicians like Hendrix, Beck, Gilmour, Clapton, Rodgers and Gallagher would simply have been driven to use something else.
If I reluctantly have to admit that I am a low‑level guitar collector – both in number and in value – the Stratocaster compares favourably with many other electric solid body guitars. However, it is not the be‑all‑and‑end‑all of electric guitars. It just cannot be. There are things that other instruments do better than the Strat and against which the Stratocaster simply cannot compete. It plays well, sounds great, it is (generally) light and a very flexible instrument, well‑suited to many musical genres, especially when adapted to a specific guitarist’s need. Beyond that, though, I don’t regale the Stratocaster with the exaggerated plaudits that many Fender die‑hards do. It is one of innumerable instruments available on the market today and it has to earn its keep against stiff opposition. It isn’t unassailable and it doesn’t constitute an absolute monopoly. Admittedly, the world would be far worse off if there were no Stratocasters but great music would still be made. The Stratocaster just happens to have been around a very long time and has been hugely influential in the development of modern music. BUT, it is the guitarist that makes the magic, not just the instrument. It is the synergy between the two – the guitarist and their guitar – that makes some great music unique. Give any cheap Strat knock‑off to a guitar legend and they’ll make it sound great. Give a great Strat to a novice and it won’t.
If Gibson made a mid‑range electric, with a body built out of multiple cuts of wood, with a bolt‑on maple neck, it would be criticised from launch until it was withdrawn. Gibson has actually tried to do just that several times but you won’t find one in the shops today. So, the Strat’s construction really isn’t anything special today, and neither are the electronics. The basic specification just doesn’t stand out in today’s crowded marketplace. The Strat has traded on its heritage and its legacy for decades. Its future is also constrained by the very same thing. Others have taken the concept further, for instance the super‑Strats of the 1980s.
Vintage prices for all‑original pre‑CBS Strats are unashamedly unobtainable for the average player and, in most cases that status is only warranted by scarcity, hyperbole and the economics of supply and demand. The ‘law of lucre’, as I call it, strikes again. Regular readers will know that I have an anathema for wealthy elitists solely seeking profit from precious artefacts locked away in their personal vaults, thereby barring access to the hoi polloi (NB. from ancient Greek meaning ‘the many’ or ‘the common people’). Many of us will never get their hands on the rarest early models and we cannot judge for ourselves whether they are really special musical instruments or not. The result is that the 1954‑1965 Strats are put on such a high pedestal that most of us can only look up at and aspire to ownership, and regretfully a wish that will probably never be achieved. That, though, has nothing to do with today’s genuine pragmatic merit. There is simply too much vintage mojo lore out there to make any real‑world sense of it all.
Extrapolating that previous point further. If you’ve got this far, you’ll have seen the outrageous prices that famous vintage Stratocasters, owned by famous guitarists and carrying the vital photographic and paperwork records, go for on the vintage guitar market. While I can understand the appeal of owning an important part of music heritage, do the actual guitars themselves really deserve 7‑figure prices that elitists can afford to spend on them for dubious reasons? When the uber‑expensive guitars were originally made, they were just another Stratocaster off the Fender production line. The only difference between the ‘celebrity’ guitars and ordinary Stratocasters is purely down to their provenance. The sad thing is that they are now way too valuable to be played regularly on stage where people can see and hear them being used for their intended purpose. The same holds true for guitars behind museum glass cases and horded away in elitist collectors’ personal treasuries. It is a lofty, rarefied atmosphere well out of my, and I’m sure most people’s, reach. You can probably tell that I’m not a fan of this hoarding practice. However, it is what it is and there is no point bleating about such an anti‑pluralist system. Doh! I just did.
The Stratocaster’s presence today can be viewed a little like MacDonald’s or Starbucks. They are instantly recognisable products and, most of the time, you know exactly what you are going to get. That consistency, reliability and longevity is very important for the conservative brigades out there. There is nothing wrong in that but sometimes a connoisseur meal or an instant coffee will do just as well. Quality, ultimately, is subjective – it actually doesn’t mean that something is good or bad, it means that something is ideally fit‑for‑purpose. People tend to use the words ‘quality’ and ‘characteristic’ interchangeably, confused by what they actually mean. After all, you wouldn’t wear a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes to wade knee deep in a sewer drain and you wouldn’t wear a pair of threadbare dirty trainers to a swanky nightclub. Or would you? Quality is not a measurable absolute, it is relative and subjective.
The worthiness or desirability imbued by a company like Fender and a product like the Stratocaster is ultimately determined by the customer – not by the likes of me… or Fender for that matter. It is the customer that makes an economic decision about whether a product meets the end consumer’s perceived need (or want).
CRAVE Guitars’ whole raison d’être is Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric Guitars, so a new Stratocaster – even a ‘heavy relic’, ‘vintage inspired’, signature model or Custom Shop one‑off – does absolutely nothing for me. Sorry FMIC. For many others, an old, used and imperfect guitar, especially one with a disputed reputation like a CBS‑era Strat, isn’t for them. The beauty of the market is that there is plenty of choice and all options have validity.
Purely from a practical point of view, I personally find the Strat’s 25½” (647mm) scale length just a bit too much of a stretch for my short, stubby fingers. The shorter Gibson scale length of 24¾” (629mm) is sometimes more comfortable and I have a fondness for Fender’s 24” (609mm) short scale guitars, for instance the Jaguar and Mustang et al. I prefer hardtails too, so the vibrato is not a ‘must have’ for me. As mentioned earlier in the article, I simply do not like the Strat’s standard 1 volume, 2 control layout. In addition I sometimes like more oomph from pickups. It’s not just that the Stratocaster generally sports single coil pickups, I am thinking here of the sheer grunt of a good P90 for instance or even the punchy refinement of Fender’s own Seth Lover‑designed CuNiFe (copper, nickel and iron alloy) ‘wide range’ humbucking pickup (1971‑1979), as used on the Thinline, Deluxe and Custom Telecasters as well as the original Starcaster (not the re‑issues!). Incidentally, that last point also goes to prove that the CBS‑era Fender came up with some amazing stuff.
Fundamentally, the Stratocaster, when viewed objectively for what it really is today, is just another guitar, made out of wood, metal and plastic, the same as millions of others. What makes the Stratocaster special is its history and that it is, after everything that has been said, a very good guitar. I am a Stratocaster fan but I am not a Stratocaster fanatic. You may consider my conclusions glib and pedestrian or even blasphemous. Let us be clear, I am not screaming from the rooftop, “Emperor’s new clothes” (NB. A literary folk tale by Danish author Hans Christian Anderson, 1837), but I think I am being genuinely pragmatic and realistic. When push comes to shove (NB. Another American idiom that seems to come from the novel, ‘Black Thunder’ by Arna Wendell, 1936), I like playing a lot of different guitars, the Stratocaster included. They all have their foibles and respective pros & cons. There is no single ‘perfect’ guitar in my view. There simply can’t be. One good thing is for certain, the legendary Fender Stratocaster isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. There, I have put my candid and forthright opinion on the public record for good or bad. Long live the Fender Stratocaster. Respect!
Final thoughts about the Fender Stratocaster
Seventy years down and who knows how many more to go in the Stratocaster’s illustrious and storied past, present and future. Let us hope that the current economic troubles pass and future generations of guitarists can continue to revel in the guitar’s magic. Whether you are a Strat fan or not, it cannot possibly be overstated just how influential the Stratocaster has been on the music industry from manufacturing, retail, song writing, recording, live performance, collecting and so on.
Whether it’s just me or not, I don’t recall such a fuss being made about the Telecaster at 70. Actually, I shall go against prevailing opinion and say that I actually prefer the Telecaster to the Stratocaster. Why? It seems more versatile despite having at least one fewer pickup, one fewer tone controls and (generally) no vibrato. There is also something so ruggedly utilitarian about the Tele, while the Strat is more svelte and comely. Also, the Tele has had a wider range of variant including the Esquire, the Custom, Deluxe and Thinline. The latter three all introduced during the CBS era and the latter two, I particularly like with their ‘wide range’ humbuckers. Then again, I also like the Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Mustang (and its siblings) and Starcaster, so go figure. Never mind all the other brands out there.
Fender currently has over 100 Stratocaster models on the market across all its lines and price points, barring all the custom options. The downside of being spoilt for choice is deciding which is right for the individual consumer. A massive wall of Stratocasters in a showroom can be intimidating. When I bought my first Stratocaster, I had a choice of fingerboard material (maple or rosewood), colour (fairly limited standard off‑the‑shelf finishes) and bridge type (vibrato or hardtail). That was it. I went for rosewood (always my inclination), natural (it was the 1970s!) and hardtail (more solid and reliable). The pickups at the time, while widely criticised, although I find they have a lovely ‘hollow’ tone to them, which I find unique and tasteful. Heck, what do I know, eh?
At the time of writing, Fender released a very low cost Squier Stratocaster in an attempt to compete with Far Eastern Stratocaster copies that are flooding American and European markets. Not for the first time: it is like the 1970s happening all over again. This time around, though, the knock‑off importers are far more aggressive, ruthless and harder to control through established legal and regulatory frameworks, therefore posing a significant risk to the western guitar‑making economy. The Chinese in particular are not going to be deterred by the likes of Fender taking legal action without Federal support. The deluge of well‑made, cheap copies of US classics like the Stratocaster could mean the end of American guitar supremacy. Once sincerely hopes not.
Time for a quick word about hybrid Stratocasters. The original Fender Stratacoustic was made by Fender 2000‑2005, comprising an acoustic guitar‑type construction with a vaguely Stratocaster body outline. The innovative successor to the Statacoustic, currently known as the Fender Acoustasonic® Stratocaster, was launched at NAMM in 2019 with its ground breaking construction and on‑board modelling electronics. People remain divided as to whether it is a ‘real’ Strat or not. While the Acoustasonic Stratocaster (along with its Acoustasonic Telecaster and Jazzmaster stablemates) has certainly received positive press since its launch, it/they won’t be to everyone’s taste. The Acoustasonics certainly bear little resemblance to the classic vintage guitars that inspired them, either visually or sonically. You pays yer money and makes your choice.
It is difficult to predict where the strategic future lies for the Stratocaster. Fender may have a true icon in their hands but its formidable legacy also limits what they can do with it that hasn’t already been done, either by Fender or someone else. As mentioned above, it is basically the same guitar now as it was in 1954. Better? Worse? Well, the answer to that question depends on the individual consumer and what they crave (sic!). The safe route would be to stick to the formula and make more of the same but will that be enough to sustain a successful business model? One thing is for sure, Fender isn’t going to pension off the venerable Stratocaster off any time soon.
I can’t help wondering that, if the guesstimate of 180‑200 million Stratocasters mentioned earlier in the article is in the right ballpark, where are they all now? Some will have been destroyed (thanks Pete Townshend et al). Personally, I can vouch for four of them but that leaves an enormous number still out there somewhere.
Do I have a dream Stratocaster that I would give almost anything to own? Actually… nope. I know that may sound strange but it’s true. Owning a pre‑CBS Strat would be nice but I don’t feel compelled to sell my soul for one – because that is what it would take – they are SO expensive now and, frankly, not worth it. I have no interest in acquiring an artist‑owned Strat with provenance. It is just an ordinary guitar owned by someone famous. Any more Stratocasters beyond the ones I have already got (and grateful to have) would be around the margins and diminishing returns. I certainly wouldn’t turn down a 1950s or 1960s Strat if I was offered one though. Dear Santa (again)…
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Fender Stratocaster! I am willing to speculate that, back in Fullerton, CA in 1954, when Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares were formulating a new guitar model to supplement the austere workhorse that was the Telecaster, they had no idea that their new creation would still be highly celebrated 70 years later, almost completely unchanged. While we may take the Strat very much for granted these days, it is clear is that the Stratocaster has a strong future for years and decades to come, as long as Fender strategically looks after their prize cash cow.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
Given the subject matter of this month’s article, it makes sense to feature a diehard Stratocaster player. Of all the guitarists to brandish a Fender Stratocaster from start to finish, this month’s selection may seem to be a bit off the beaten track. Not only is Irish blues rock guitarist Rory Gallagher a massively underrated musician and song writer but also the album I’ve chosen isn’t necessarily the one that most Gallagher commentators would choose. Rory’s reputation as a live performer was phenomenal and many believe that the energy and dynamism never transferred from the stage to the studio. Well that may be true but any recording by the ‘G‑Man’ is better than none. For many guitarists, Rory was hugely influential with a unique flair that subtly blended Celtic folk styles with the fiery blues and conventional hard rock.
Rory Gallagher – Against The Grain (1975) – The late, great Irish guitarist and Stratocaster wielder, Rory Gallagher released his 5th studio album and 7th overall, ‘Against The Grain’ in October 1975. The album was his first for the fledgling Chrysalis record label. It may not be his best or most well‑known blues rock album but it struck a chord (sic!) with me when it came out. That perspective shouldn’t downplay the quality of Rory’s abilities that shine through on this release. ‘Against The Grain’ demonstrates that he was so very much more than just another wannabe bluesman with long hair, denim jeans, a check shirt and a worn out guitar. Note the album cover photographs, which feature his iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster.
Rory Gallagher – Against The Grain (1975)
The author was lucky enough to see Rory Gallagher with his trusty 1961 Fender Stratocaster (amongst others) a couple of times in the 1970s. He was certainly a livewire powerhouse dominating the stage with his regular band comprising, Rod de’Ath (drums), Gerry McAvoy (bass) and Lou Martin (Keyboards). Sadly, Rory died of MRSA complications following a liver transplant in 1995 at the age of just 45, leaving a lot of people’s lives enhanced by his presence and his music, me included. A fitting tribute to a great Stratocaster player.
There were many other contenders for this month’s plaudits, including ‘Made in Japan’ (1972) by Deep Purple, ‘Performing This Week… Live At Ronnie Scott’s’ (2008) by Jeff Beck, ‘Are You Experienced’ (1967) by Jimi Hendrix, ‘L’ (1976) by Steve Hillage and ‘Live’ (1976) by Robin Trower. It is interesting that there is not much there beyond the 1970s. We desperately need more guitar heroes from modern times to keep things relevant and up‑to‑date.
Tailpiece
Wow! I bet you are all well and truly Strat‑ed out now. Unlike some multi‑part series that I’ve published in the past, this is a one‑off. That means it can stand alone and (hopefully) enjoyed in one sitting. I hope that, in amongst all the somewhat necessary prosaic knowledge about a worthy industry icon, there was something interesting that was new. Believe it or not, I had to do an awful lot of digging to come up with some of the off‑the‑beaten‑track info and I hope it was worth it. Note to self: I must limit writing about guitars and get back to playing them.
Next month will, I think, go back to a reasonably well‑established theme. After that, I am totally clueless about what I’m going to ramble on endlessly about. It seems that we’ll all have to wait and see, won’t we (rhetorical)?
For now, though, it is time to enjoy the balmy late summer season 2024 (up here in the Northern Hemisphere) and hope that unhinged megalomaniacs don’t blast us all out of existence out of malice. There is a very good reason why the Cold War concept of Mutually Assured Destruction was abbreviated to MAD. Just what is their deranged dealio? For the life of me, I cannot comprehend why deranged despots feel compelled to behave the way they do. In the meantime, I will reiterate my naïve but important demand for global peace and the right of every citizen to live in freedom without fear. Apologies again, but this is my only mouthpiece.
Finally, from the lovable lore of Looney Tunes, “That’s all folks!”
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “The main difference between solitude and isolation is the positivity of hope and the avoidance of fear”
BIENVENUE, WILLKOMMEN, BIENVENIDO, Velkommen, yokoso, huānyíng, welcome and a warm summer howdy one and all, as long as you come in the spirit of truth, peace, love and music. With escalating military tensions, political turmoil, economic volatility and social unrest rampant pretty much everywhere you look, this is one safe place where you can come as a sanctuary from the world’s ills and an oasis of positive karma.
It’s been a while since CRAVE Guitars has delved deeply into a specific modern musical genre, so I thought I’d have another go at one that interests me. This time, the focus is on Heavy Metal, or just Metal, as it is now known to cover all its various facets. Love or loathe the deep dark dungeons and ominous oubliettes of moody Metal mania, you can’t ignore it or its massive global appeal.
“Still heavy man!” Yup. Who would have thought that a casual throwaway remark from the beatnik and hippie counter‑cultures of the 1950s and 1960s would end up defining something so powerfully aggressive in the 1970s, eh? Although it may not seem like it, Heavy Metal is still a relatively new genre with only 50 or so years of history. Compare that with Classical, Blues, Jazz or Country and Metal really does seem like a new kid on the block.
Metal has generated many convoluted factions and divisions of opinion over time, which leads to some fascinating dynamics in this fledgling genre. Metal has also faced its fair share of controversy, criticism, and censorship over the years and has survived all the turbulence. While most of us thankfully live in the ‘free world’, spare a thought for those less fortunate. Metal music is either illegal or driven underground by state oppression in several countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, North Korea and China. Probably not surprisingly, these countries tend to be autocracies that reject any sort of assumed deviant subversion. Metal is seen as sacrilegious blasphemy to conservative religions and as insurrectionary, seditious propaganda to paranoid dictators. No real revelations there. To quote the Rolling Stones, “It’s only rock & roll but I like it” (1974).
Many readers will think that I’ve drawn the boundaries too broad (NB. it is to provide relevant context) while others will think the boundaries are too confining (NB. there is already way, way too much material to fit into a full‑blown encyclopaedia). Writing articles like this just proves you can’t please any of the people any of the time. The scope of the subject matter established c.1970 is extensive, so apologies upfront for another long but ultimately superficial article. Bear with me, though, it’s worth the effort.
“Heavy metal is a universal energy; it’s the sound of a volcano. It’s rock, it’s earth‑shattering. Somewhere in our primal being, we understand” – Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins, 1967‑)
At least Metal in its widest sense is mainly a guitar‑centric genre. CRAVE Guitars’ last two genre articles (Dub Reggae [August 2023] and Ambient Electronica [September 2023]) were less associated with guitar music. Guitars are great. Guitar music is more greaterer.
Although one may not consciously think too much about it, electric guitar (including bass) is really the only contemporary musical instrument that sounds spectacular when heavily distorted. Metal would certainly not be the same without it. Thankfully.
Judging by Kirk Hammett of Metallica’s purchase of Peter Green’s/Gary Moore’s vintage 1959 sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard, ‘Greeny’ in 2014, Metal also involves some serious vintage guitar tone. Let’s not forget why we’re here, after all.
After the three previous articles exploring Artificial Intelligence, I can state quite categorically that no AI was used in the research and writing of this piece of amateur, entirely biological indulgence. Enjoy.
“I associate heavy metal with fantasy because of the tremendous power that the music delivers” – Christopher Lee (actor, 1922‑2016)
It is Metal time
Yup, it is time to get down and dirty folks. Pile on the distortion and then pile on some more and, just for good measure, a sprinkling of yet more filthy fuzz on top. Actually, good recording engineers will tell guitarists to dial down the dirt and they will assert that it is surprising how little distortion you need to sound heavy. Studio producers stress that too much distortion makes the sound all mushy, loses definition and increases compression, resulting in the guitar’s sound getting lost in the mix. That’s all very well but just look at the sheer number of high gain guitar pickups, effect pedals and muscle amps out there. People love oodles of distorted guitar. Distortion isn’t just amorphous noise. Distortion adds texture, enhances sustain, and provides harmonic overtones that seem to resonate with primal human senses. Guitarists use distortion that cuts through the mix to express their power, passion and raw emotion.
Sadly, long gone are the days of multiple cooking 100W valve amps and stacks of 4×12” cabinets as a stage backline but perhaps that’s just me being old school. It’s now mostly digital processing and direct input (DI) into mixing desks, front‑of‑house PAs and in‑ear monitors. One might wonder what a modern ‘silent stage’ at a metal gig feels like. Mind you, there are many different types of distortion and many different ways to achieve the desired sound, anywhere from mild clean boost, through overdrive, to distortion and, finally, fuzz. I love fuzz! When you start to ‘stack’ (i.e. daisy chain) these demonic devices, things can get very interesting.
As a listener, Metal music really needs to be played LOUD to get the most out of the visceral impact – both aural and physical. Time to turn the volume up to 11. Some people might think all Metal music sounds the same; an auditory onslaught of cacophonous clatter and tumultuous pandemonium. However, Metal subverts expectation and is actually a highly nuanced and multi‑faceted genre, and far from any semblance of sameness.
“It’s a very empowering kind of music, heavy metal is” – Rob Halford (Judas Priest, 1951)
Metal is vast, and I mean VAST. It seems to me that Metal is unique in its proliferation of sub/micro‑genres and artists that makes it both confusing and intriguing. By its nature, Metal is inclusive, however, the complexity of its family tree and the social subculture, may make it seem to neophytes as intimidating and hard to access. So perhaps we need to try and understand what Metal is and where it came from.
“When life gets tough, I just turn up the volume and let the music take me away. I don’t believe in luck, I believe in hard work and determination. If it’s too loud, you’re too old” – Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead, 1945‑2015)
Some people take Metal far too seriously. There is a lighter side as well. While metalheads are protective, they generally don’t mind mocking their own lifestyle. Apart from the rock mockumentary antics of the film, ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ (1984), there is the phenomenon of Air Guitar. Air guitar is defined as, “a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play an imaginary rock or heavy metal‑style electric guitar, including riffs and solos” (courtesy of Wikipedia). Performing air guitar is a fun diversion for many non‑guitarists, even fostering fiercely contested competition events. The technical pyrotechnics of real Metal music feeds quite well into excessive air guitar parody. Perhaps the less said about that the better.
CRAVE Guitars Vintage Air Guitar
Hee, hee!
Metal roots
First things first. Question. What exactly is Heavy Metal? Well, excluding scientific metallurgy, one definition among many that I came across was, “Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that is intense, virtuosic, and powerful, characterised by the aggressive sounds of the distorted electric guitar”.
Well that is not very helpful is it? Neither are more lengthy descriptions about what Metal is (or isn’t). Perhaps this inability to nail it down concisely is what creates the illusion of Metal mystery. Maybe you have to live Metal in order to understand Metal fully.
“It is just that heavy metal musicians write in minor keys, and when you do that, you frighten people” – Ronnie James Dio (1942‑2010)
There are many theories as to where the title Heavy Metal came from. Chemists have referred to the heavy metal elements of the periodic table for centuries. For information, the heavy metals include chromium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and bismuth. American author, William S. Burroughs used the term ‘heavy metal’ in his novels, ‘The Soft Machine’ (1961) and ‘Nova Express’ (1964). A rather obscure album, ‘Featuring the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids’ (1968) by an equally obscure British underground band, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat introduced the term to music. ‘Heavy metal’ was also used in the lyrics of Steppenwolf’s hit single, ‘Born To Be Wild’ (1968). Band names also referenced heavy metals including, Iron (Butterfly, Maiden), Le(a)d (Zeppelin), Steel (Panther) and, tangentially, Metallica. Over the years, the term ‘heavy metal’ has become so deeply embedded in the English language that we rarely stop to think about ‘why?’
For many metalheads, Metal is much more than mere music; it represents a prominent counter‑culture movement or at least a subcultural lifestyle choice. Symbols of the Metal subculture include identifiable fashion including jewellery, hairstyles and makeup, tattoos, gestures (the characteristic symbol hand sign of the ‘devil horns’), language, alcohol/drugs, behaviour, fiction, journalism (e.g. Kerrang! and Metal Hammer) and a somewhat high‑handed disregard for other musical genres. Metal wouldn’t be Metal without headbanging (typically, shaking one’s head up and down in rhythm with music – normally around the 145BPM mark. Origin 1969/1970) and mosh pits (areas close to the stage where participants ‘dance’, push or ‘slam’ into each other. Origin: late 1970s). For the uninitiated, both can prove harmful. Take care. You could end up like Beavis and Butt‑Head.
Metal Hand Gesture [courtesy inksyndromeartwork]
Personally, I like metal in many (but not all) of its various incarnations, especially having been a keen music‑mad pre‑teen when the revelatory and awesome ‘Black Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath was released in 1970 to an unprepared public. It may seem tame now but there was simply nothing else like it at the time. I firmly believe that the release of this classic studio album was the moment that the Heavy Metal maelstrom was born in all its gory, gothic splendour. There may be a lot of debate about who was ‘first’, although that really doesn’t actually matter here, as Black Sabbath provided the seminal moment for Metal’s ‘Big Bang’, from which today’s entire Metal landscape has been propagated. A bold but justifiable claim.
Scratching the Metal surface
No angle grinders here folks. The core of Heavy Metal music comprises guitar, bass, drums and vocals, often accompanied with keyboards and even orchestral backing. Guitar has been an essential element, in the front and centre of most Metal for over five decades. So, that makes it worth taking an in‑depth look, at least as far as I’m concerned.
“The same sensations that you get in heavy metal are in horror movies. Heavy metal sounds evil and horror movies are evil, ha ha!” – Kirk Hammett (Metallica, 1962‑)
While many perceive Metal as the music of choice for rebellious, alienated working‑class males, it is actually most popular in the advanced, tolerant, and technologically equipped countries in the world, often endowed with a significant degree of wealth, as well as personal and political freedoms. This suggests a degree of gentrification and intellectualisation of the genre over time. Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden, are often cited as the happiest places to live (and also have relatively low suicide rates – Sweden had 14.7 suicides per 100,000 population in 2019). These countries also have the highest proportion of heavy metal bands per capita population. Some analysts have been led to suggest that there is a correlation between a country’s prevalence of Metal music and the happiness of its citizens. The cultural and social implications of Metal have therefore become of interest to sociologists and psychologists worldwide. On a wider scale, there are more metal bands per capita in Europe and North America than in other regions. Nowadays, Metal is a global phenomenon and unequivocally part of the mainstream music industry (even if bands and metalheads reject that suggestion on principle).
“Strange as it may seem, heavy metal springs not from the poisoned slag of alienation and despair but the loamy soil of post‑industrial prosperity” – Florida & Mellander 2014
Some may think that Metal music is violent, aggressive, nihilistic and confrontational. While some is undoubtedly challenging, intentionally so, many metalheads think otherwise (perhaps predictably). Psychologists, however, suggest that people who listen to Heavy Metal are actually pretty well balanced in the mental health stakes. Dr Nicole Andreoli PhD, a New York‑based clinical psychologist and therapist states that, “Heavy metal has been found to lessen negative emotions by reducing cortisol levels, which helps to lessen stress. Research has found that people who listen to heavy metal tend to think more logically and in more complex terms than those who don’t listen to heavy metal. Heavy metal has been found to help the most with focus.” And, “Now, lyrics in heavy metal do tend to focus on rage. But there is no research linking listening to heavy metal with a desensitisation to violence… Listening to heavy metal has been found to be a positive way to process anger safely.” So, there you have it, science says that the music behind head banging and mosh pits may be good for you.
“Why would heavy metal ever go away?” – Scott Ian (Anthrax, 1963‑)
Not only is Metal in its widest sense insanely popular, it is also commercially very successful. Studies have gone so far as to demonstrate that the number of heavy metal bands per capita is also an indicator of a country’s economic success. Metal certainly contributes to the global economy. Music distribution group TuneCore stated that Metal was the fastest growing music genre globally in 2019. According to Pollstar Boxoffice, Thrash Metal pioneers Metallica sold almost 22.1 million concert tickets and grossed around $1.4bn between 1982 and 2019. Not only that, Metallica’s 5th studio album, ‘Metallica’ (a.k.a. ‘The Black Album’, 1991) currently ranks as the highest selling Metal album of all time with over 31 million copies sold (not including streaming). It entered the Billboard 200 at number one, selling 598,000 copies in the first week and was certified platinum in two weeks. Not bad going.
“If heavy metal bands ruled the world, we’d be a lot better off” – Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden, 1958‑)
Digging deeper into Metal
Probably more than any other genre, Metal is an intricately complex web of influences, legacies, interactions, interdependencies, fusions and sub‑genre proliferation. However, in 2024, the multiplicity of Metal styles, sub‑genres and micro‑genres can be massively perplexing. So… I thought… perhaps foolishly, that I would try to make some sense of the Metal scene from its origins to the present day. This ‘rationalisation’ of the genre is intended to be informative, entertaining and accessible, such that newbies are able to learn about the subject while not totally alienating those already deeply inculcated in the genre. As usual, this is not an academic paper, it is intended purely as an enjoyable excursion. Experts on the subject are far more knowledgeable than I can ever be. Trying to achieve a fine balance is probably impossible but I’ve never been one to shy away from such a challenge. After all, impossible is only the possible that hasn’t been done yet. I recognise that by trying to simplify and reveal Metal’s charisma is potentially laying my proverbial sacrificial head on the chopping block (very metal, don’t you think?) and open to ridicule, criticism and rebuttal. So be it. Also, I admit that I did have another agenda in attempting to decipher Metal and that was to learn something more about it myself.
“The guitar influence that affected my songwriting came from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal” – Dave Mustaine (Megadeth, 1961‑)
The first step was to position the various Metal components into hypothetical chronological Metal Eras. These are largely of my own invention and are arbitrary, although fairly logical in my view. The next step was to position the various high‑level Metal genres into each of the Metal Eras under widely accepted genre/sub‑genre (and micro‑genre) titles. Finally, there was the monumental task of allocating artists into each genre/sub‑genre to complete the picture. None of this is easy, accurate or definitive and there are SO many exceptions to the Metal ‘rule book’ that various compromises have had to be made for the sake of ‘clarity’ and ‘simplicity’. At first this seemed undo‑able, like trying to film an un‑filmable novel. Forgive me, for I have sinned (also very metal) in doing so.
“Without metal, I don’t think I would be alive… Metal gave me a reason to live” – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 1948‑)
There are also many credible writings on the subject of Metal already out there that it would be easy simply to piggy back on those and to plagiarise the ‘facts’ with little additional effort. However, hopefully readers will know that I don’t take the easy route and simply copy what others have already done. In doing the research for this article, there seemed to be a huge number of sources but when I realised that many of them were simply clumsy regurgitations of someone else’s work (inexcusable in my view), I decided that I HAD to bring something new to the table, rather than just restate existing information. In doing so, I trust that readers will cut me some slack in attempting to provide a different slant on the subject matter that is both enlightening and engaging as well semi‑original (recognising that nothing in this world is entirely new).
“All that stuff about heavy metal and hard rock, I don’t subscribe to any of that. It’s all just music. I mean, the heavy metal from the Seventies sounds nothing like the stuff from the Eighties, and that sounds nothing like the stuff from the Nineties. Who’s to say what is and isn’t a certain type of music?” – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 1948‑)
Some care has to be taken with genre classification, which can be misleading. There are some inevitable generalisations. For instance, Extreme Metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a cluster of harder, more abrasive, less commercial sub‑genres including Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Speed Metal and Thrash Metal, rather than a discrete genre in itself. Therefore, at least for this article, the terms Metal and Extreme Metal are generally descriptive, rather than genres per se.
Another problem with Metal multiplicity is that any analysis can fall into the trap of meaningless long lists in a vain attempt to be comprehensive. Another impossibility therefore presents itself. Ultimately, this means that a great deal has had to be left out of this article. Even so, there is an annoying element of repetitiveness that cannot be avoided (sorry, it annoys me as much as I expect it will annoy you). Apologies to artists and readers for any unintentional but inevitable major omissions. I did my best. Honest.
“Heavy metal is immortal, but we’re not” – Rob Halford (Judas Priest, 1951)
Author’s note: Throughout this article, I have capitalised genres for consistency and to make it clear when I’m referring to a genre, sub‑genre or micro‑genre as opposed to more general musical terms.
Metal Eras
The result of my thought processes is a ‘Metal Framework’ (or Heavy Metal Periodic Table, as I like to think of it), resulting in five broad ‘Metal Eras’ along with the genres/sub‑genres that kinda fit into them as a sort of hierarchy. This, I think, provides a common sense structure for the rest of this article.
Pre History of Metal: 1960‑1969 a. Pre‑Metal Rock b. Psychedelic Rock c. Hard Rock d. Shock Rock
The Golden Era of Metal: 1970‑1979 a. Heavy Metal b. Progressive Rock c. Glam Metal d. Punk Rock e. Hardcore Punk f. Power Metal g. Pop Metal h. Gothic Rock
The Diversification of Metal: 1980‑1989 a. New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) b. Speed Metal c. Neo‑Classical Metal d. Stoner Metal e. Noise Rock f. Progressive Metal g. Alternative Rock h. Alternative Metal i. Thrash Metal j. Black Metal k. Death Metal l. Emo m. Funk Metal n. Grindcore o. Grunge p. Industrial Metal q. Sludge Metal r. Doom Metal
The Nu Nineties: 1990‑1999 a. Metalcore b. Gothic Metal c. Post Grunge d. Rap Metal e. Nu Metal f. Groove Metal g. Dark Ambient h. Folk Metal i. Symphonic Metal
Millennium Metal: 2000‑ a. New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM) b. Blackgaze c. Djent
There, that amounts to 42 (NB. ‘The answer to life, the universe and everything’, from the novel, ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ [1979] by author Douglas Adams) ‘top level’ Metal sub‑genres, more than enough to be getting on with. Then there are is the constantly changing elaborate rabbit warren of manifold micro‑genres (hundreds if not thousands of them).
Part of the difficulty with any formal categorised structure is that it is inherently a flawed and imperfect model. Genres don’t just have a clearly defined beginning and end or precise boundaries. One of the problems is genre fluidity. Once a (sub‑)genre has been established, sometimes it will fade away quickly, sometimes it will grow and endure, sometimes it will come and go repeatedly over time, and sometimes it will morph into something else altogether.
Another problem is slotting artists into either a period of time or a particular (sub‑)genre. Many artists are difficult to pin down to a discrete genre, as they may change style, crossover or fuse genres over time such that they may appear in multiple genres dependent on their stage of evolution. Genres are also not all the same; some (sub‑)genres are narrow (e.g. Kawaii Metal, a.k.a. Cute Metal or J‑Pop Metal), while others are very broad, (e.g. Alternative Rock/Alternative Metal); some are clearly delineated while others are more amorphous. I will do my level best to make some sense of it all as we go through it.
Right. Ready to dive in? Let’s rock…
Metal Era #1 – Pre‑History of Metal: 1960‑1970
Pre‑Metal Rock (‑1966)
In CRAVE Guitars’ 14‑part series of articles, ‘The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts’ (March 2019 to May 2020), I postulated in a very general sense that, after classical music, the vast majority of modern music originated from just the three founding pillars of Blues, Jazz and Country. A blending of these styles over several decades led to the emergence of Rock & Roll in the mid‑1950s and pretty much everything thereafter sprouted from that specific paradigm shift in popular music. From the 1950s onwards, modern popular music evolved and diversified at a tremendous rate. Moving forward a decade or so from rock & roll, the origins of Metal’s direct ancestors rose from vibrant sub‑genres such as Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Surf Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Jam Band and Pop.
Many commentators point to the Dave Davies’ distorted guitar riff on The Kinks, ‘You Really Got Me’ (1964) as the catalyst for guitar‑driven distorted rock music. Britain’s former colony, the United States of America (sorry dudes) might point to the king of Surf Rock, Dick Dale’s, ‘Misirlou’ (1963) as another fertile seed germinating in the growth of rock. Other notable claims might include Link Wray, ‘Rumble’ (1958), The Animals, ‘The House of the Rising Sun’ (1964), The Troggs, ‘Wild Thing’ (1966) and Steppenwolf, ‘Born to be Wild’ (1969).
Related Genres: Rock & Roll, Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Surf Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Jam Band, Pop, Pop‑Rock
Examples: Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Link Wray, The Animals, The Troggs, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Who, Cream, Groundhogs, MC5, The Stooges, Man, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Dick Dale, Rolling Stones, and many, many more.
Psychedelic Rock (1966‑1978)
Psychedelic Rock – or just Psych – is a style of Rock music that emerged in the mid‑1960s that often attempts to emulate or enhance the way music sounds to people while under the influence of psychedelic drugs such as LSD (a.k.a. acid) and ‘shrooms’ (a.k.a. psilocybin ‘magic’ mushrooms). Songs typically include heavily distorted, phased and reverb‑drenched electric guitars, extended guitar solos, effected vocals, and drug‑influenced lyrics. Other common characteristics include the use of keyboards and elaborate studio effects like backwards recording, echo, flanging and phasing. It is also not uncommon for Psychedelic Rock groups to incorporate prominent elements of other genres including Folk, Blues, Jazz, and South Asian/Far Eastern music.
The beginning of Psychedelic Rock is generally considered to be c.1966, with the release of The Byrds’ ‘Fifth Dimension’, notably their hit single, ‘Eight Miles High’, and ‘The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators’ (1966) by, erm, 13th Floor Elevators. NB. The 13th Floor Elevators were the first band to use the word, ‘psychedelic’ in relation to music.
Psychedelic Rock emerged alongside Psychedelic Pop and Pop Rock, especially in the UK. Many albums from the mid‑1960s incorporated elements of psychedelia, notably The Beatles’ 7th studio album, ‘Revolver’ (1966).
From 1967, the popularity of Psychedelic Rock expanded significantly and it became clearly differentiated from Psychedelic Pop by moving away from Pop‑oriented song structures. Psychedelic Rock incorporated elements of Garage Rock and Blues Rock, as well as the drug‑infused Acid Rock sub‑genre. The genre hit a peak in 1969 with the Woodstock Festival. However, it experienced a substantial decline in popularity by the start of the 1970s with the demise of the hippie counter‑culture. Psychedelic Rock played a big part in influencing many other genres, including Progressive Rock.
Related Genres: Acid Rock, Psychedelic Pop, Space Rock, Progressive Rock, Hard Rock, Jam Band, Pop, Pop Rock, Krautrock, Garage Rock, Blues, Blues Rock, Jazz, Folk, South Asian Music, Progressive Rock, Fractal Rock
Examples: The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Captain Beefheart, The Byrds, The 13th Floor Elevators, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Pink Fairies, Can, Love, Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Eternal Tapestry, Loop
Hard Rock (1966‑)
Hard Rock is a sub‑genre of Rock music rooted in 1960s Blues Rock, Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock (especially Acid Rock). Hard Rock features distorted guitars and power chords, and frequently includes Blues Rock‑inspired song structures and chord progressions. Flashy guitar solos were common and vocals are typically sung in a forward, forceful manner.
Hard Rock was pioneered in the late 1960s by British artists, who were connected to the British Blues scene. The fanatical popularity of The Beatles and the so‑called ‘British Invasion’ of the US opened up opportunities for experimentation and cross‑fertilisation. Early Blues‑influenced British Hard Rock bands cranked their amplifiers, using distorted guitar to provide the signature sounds of Hard Rock from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Cream. Many might suggest that these bands belong to Heavy Metal, although history will probably (properly) regard them as Hard Rock that influenced the development of Heavy Metal.
Hard Rock saw considerable commercial success during the 1970s, when American artists infused their songs with a more melodic style and radio‑friendly sound. The late 1970s saw the appearance of AOR (Adult‑Oriented Rock), a softer derivative of Hard Rock that proved both popular and commercial. AOR was characterised by slick studio production, prolific use of ballads, and a keen awareness of Pop as a vehicle for success.
Hard Rock focused on familiar Blues Rock composition. While Hard Rock’s original creative peak was in the 1970s, it continued to be popular, experiencing commercial success in the 1980s. Hard Rock has been reinvented and rejuvenated many times over the intervening decades, proving to be enduringly popular with consumers. The early 1990s saw many fans desert traditional Hard Rock music in favour of the edgier sounds of Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Grunge and their associated sub‑genres, only for it to experience another Renaissance in the 21st Century. Hard Rock remains in vogue today and doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.
Related Genres: British Blues, Classic Rock, Heavy Rock, AOR, Heavy Metal, Grunge, Alternative Rock, Post‑Grunge, Glam Metal, Southern Metal
Examples: The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Steppenwolf, Pink Fairies, Blue Cheer, Grand Funk Railroad, Budgie, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Cream, UFO, Blue Oyster Cult, Mountain, Iron Butterfly, Free, Bad Company, Wishbone Ash, Thin Lizzy, KISS, AC/DC, Joe Satriani, Van Halen, Ted Nugent, The Darkness, Queens of the Stone Age, Audioslave, Shinedown, Alter Bridge, Aerosmith, Nazareth, Boston, Foreigner, Styx, Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, Michael Schenker Group, Thunder, Wolfmother, Eagles of Death Metal
Shock Rock (1968‑1983)
Unlike any other genre, Shock Rock is defined by its extravagant visuals, gaudy showmanship and controversial public image, rather than by its musicianship and sound. The key thing is that it was intended to… well… shock and to stimulate a reaction. Shock Rock has its roots firmly in the edgier side of the 1960s expressive freedom, youthful rebellion, sexual liberation and a rejection of the west coast ‘love & peace’ hippie counter‑culture movement. Shock Rock was fuelled by pushing the boundaries of the genre through the use of disturbing, horrifying and sexual themes. Shock Rock was largely rejected by the conservative majority of Americans, which unwittingly fed its popularity, especially with alienated youths who didn’t buy into the previous generation’s conventional societal norms and values. Shock Rock influenced Glam Rock in the 1970s, Black Metal in the 1980s and to Industrial Rock and Industrial Metal in the 1990s. The ability of music to shock has significantly diminished in contemporary times. Desensitisation strikes again.
Shock rock is a combination of Hard Rock and/or Heavy Metal, often featuring highly stylised theatrical live performances emphasising over‑the‑top symbolism for effect. Shock Rock live performances included staged violence and provocative behaviour, the use of attention‑grabbing techniques such as costumes, masks, face paint and live animals, or special effects such as pyrotechnics and fake blood. Shock Rock also included lyrical references to literature, cinematic horror and pornography.
Related Genres: Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Black Metal, Industrial Rock, Industrial Metal
Examples: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Arthur Brown, Alice Cooper, New York Dolls, Kiss, Ozzy Osbourne, Venom, W.A.S.P., Gwar
Metal Era #2 – The Golden Era of Metal: 1970‑1980
Heavy Metal (1970‑1979)
Here we are at last. THE milestone moment in Metal. Also now known as ‘Classic’ Heavy Metal or Traditional Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal was a pivotal point in modern music that emerged first in the UK and then America. Today, the term Heavy Metal has become a generic retrospective term referring to a specific musical genre style from a specific time period.
Heavy metal is a direct descendant of Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock and Acid Rock of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Black Sabbath is widely considered to be the first and foremost band to establish Heavy Metal as a ‘thing’. However, Black Sabbath’s sound didn’t appear fully formed; the band was influenced by British Blues Rock and Garage Rock in its early days. Black Sabbath were responsible for the foundations of what would become an entire music genre. At first, many Heavy Metal bands didn’t identify themselves with the title, preferring to play it safe unless Heavy Metal failed. The prominent use of lead guitar and vocals over a solid bass and drum foundation was used to create an imposing, epic sound. The darker and more sinister aesthetic of Heavy Metal was influenced by Shock Rock artists including the use of satanic and occult imagery.
Heavy Metal is constructed around key components of Hard Rock such as power chords (NB. a dyad comprising the root note and the fifth note of a major or minor scale) and riffs (NB. a repeated chord progression). Heavy Metal tends to be played with greater intensity than Hard Rock and commonly uses heavy distortion (NB. intentional clipping and production of higher order harmonics created by overdriving the valves in an amplifier’s pre and/or power amp stages). Heavy Metal also tends to reject the Blues elements of its predecessors, giving it a distinct harder edged sound. Heavy Metal lyrics are generally darker than those of Hard Rock, featuring themes of war, death, loss, the supernatural, the occult and Gothic fantasy.
Another key feature of Heavy Metal is the widespread use of what is known as the dangerous ‘devil’s interval’, also called a tritone because it is a music interval of three whole tones. The Latin term ‘diabolus in musica’ (literally, the Devil in music) originated in the Middle Ages where the sinister dissonant use of the tritone was considered an offence against God and therefore must have come from hell. Just listen to the eponymous track, ‘Black Sabbath’ (1970) or Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ (1991) amongst many others and you’ll recognise it instantly. Unsettling, dark, powerful and scary? Absolutely.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Heavy Metal would take a back seat to rise of other forms of Metal. However, it remained influential, particularly with its influence on Doom Metal and Melodic Death Metal. Heavy Metal would also see a resurgence in popularity during the mid‑2000s with the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) harking back to its original sound.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Acid Rock, Heavy Psych, NWOBHM, Doom Metal, Speed Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Glam Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal, Groove Metal, NWOTHM, Christian Metal, Latin Metal, Southern Metal
Examples: Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Budgie, Coven, Nazareth, Thin Lizzy, early Queen, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, Vanilla Fudge, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, MC5, The Stooges, Alice Cooper, KISS, ZZ Top, Blue Öyster Cult, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Van Halen, Black Label Society, King Diamond, Rob Zombie, Venom, Mercyful Fate
Progressive Rock (1970‑1976)
Traditional Progressive Rock – or simply just ‘Prog’ to its many admirers – is a genre associated with complex harmonies and technical virtuosity inspired by Classical Music and contemporary Jazz. Generally, song structures consist of multiple sections and typically feature shifts in intensity, mood, tempo, key and time signature. Prog also embraced broader instrumentation compared to other Rock genres, including keyboards, wind instruments, percussion and strings. Progressive Rock also tended to lessen the prominence of the guitar as the principal lead instrument. Progressive Rock bands are often known for releasing concept albums (often double albums), relating a story through cohesive connected song themes, and with longer track times than other genres. Songs often reflected subjects like history, science fiction, and fantasy, with lyrics drawing inspiration from poetry, literature, and cinema.
The roots of Progressive Rock date back to the innovations introduced by Psychedelic Rock and Baroque Pop sounds of the mid‑1960s, with groups using new recording techniques, lush orchestral arrangements, integrating broader more esoteric musical influences, and focusing on complex compositions. The earliest Progressive Rock bands emerged in the UK during the late 1960s, seeking to innovate and to push existing musical boundaries. Progressive Rock saw a massive rise in popularity during the early 1970s gaining considerable commercial success and critical acclaim.
Progressive Rock went on to achieve global interest and became particularly influential on other technical music genres. Many modern Metal bands continue to reference original Progressive Rock tropes. Some Jazz‑Rock fusion‑style musical developments such as the so‑called Canterbury Scene in the UK and the Paisley Underground in the US exhibited similarities to Progressive Rock from the 1970s onwards. Even in the late 1990s, Alternative Rock and Post‑Hardcore bands also adopted progressive characteristics, ultimately leading to Progressive Metal.
On reflection, many commentators use pejorative hyperbole like pretentious, pompous, self‑important, haughty, arrogant and conceited to describe the ‘highbrow attitude’ of Progressive Rock artists. Progressive Rock saw a rapid decline in the mid‑late 1970s when Punk Rock revolutionised popular music. Punk, in particular, was the antithesis of Progressive Rock, rejecting the corporate nature of the mainstream and, explicitly, the bloated, grandiose ostentatiousness of Prog.
Related Genres: Classical Music, Jazz, Jazz‑Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Canterbury Scene, Paisley Underground, Baroque Pop, Progressive Pop, Progressive Metal, Alternative Rock, Post‑Hardcore, Krautrock, Math Rock
Examples: The Nice, Soft Machine, Caravan, Procol Harum, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Van Der Graaf Generator, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Journey, Styx, Kansas, Rush, Gong, Goblin, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, The Mars Volta, The Aristocrats
Glam Metal (1973‑1990)
Glam Metal is a form of Hard Rock that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s, originating mainly from the fashionable club scene of the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Glam Metal was characterised by arena anthems and flamboyant stage antics, along with the androgynous aesthetics of 1970s Glam Rock, Glam Pop and Hard Rock bands. The music placed an emphasis on catchy hooks and memorable guitar riffs, sing‑along choruses, and lyrics often glamorising the excesses of the ‘sex, drugs and rock & roll’ lifestyle. Power ballads also became very common to the genre. Glam Metal shares a lot of similarities with its direct predecessor Shock Rock.
Glam Metal hit the mainstream when the studio album, ‘Metal Health’ (1983) by Quiet Riot rose to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Glam Metal coincided with the massive popularity of MTV (Music TeleVision) and rock radio at the time. The glossy visuals and showmanship of high‑budget music videos gave bands heavy rotation on MTV and the sound gradually became more polished and less Heavy Metal. The genre’s global popularity grew even further with established Rock artists adopting elements of the style. Exploiting the reputation of Shock Rock and Glam Metal, a basic raw, grubby sub‑genre known as Sleaze Rock also developed.
Rightly or wrongly, Glam Metal may well be remembered for artists’ rampant and unapologetic excesses more than the music. Many journalists criticised Glam Metal for reducing Metal to a caricature because of its combination of tired pop cliché, overtly immature misogyny and blatant sexual overtones.
By the early 1990s, the bubble had burst and the popularity of Glam Metal rapidly declined as the more ‘authentic’ genres of Grunge and Alternative Rock came to the fore. ‘Hair metal’ and ‘Cock Rock’ became common, often derogatory, terms to describe 1980s showmanship of Glam Metal bands. Nevertheless these genres have proved hard to kill off and fond reminiscence has led to continued popularity and rejuvenation of the music over time.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Glam Rock, Shock Rock, Glam Pop, Sleaze Rock, Grunge, Alternative Rock
Punk Rock is a very important, although short‑lived genre originating from America and the UK in the mid‑1970s. Punk was a fierce rejection of progressive, commercial and sentimental mainstream rock music. In addition, the anger of Punk was fuelled by severe economic disadvantage and social change of the time. While Punk had its roots in America during the 1960s with Proto‑Punk and Garage Rock, it didn’t fully take off as Punk Rock until the mid‑1970s. Punk Rock’s initial success attracted a huge global underground and cult following before it erupted on the mainstream.
Punk rock is characterised by fast tempos, loud and distorted power chord guitar riffs, simple focused song structure, angry lyrics, and shouted vocals. Punk Rock is typically very antagonistic and confrontational, often dealing with topics considered forbidden in mainstream music. Anti‑establishment rants, anarchic behaviour and heated political protests feature strongly as an integral part of the Punk Rock scene.
Punk wasn’t just about the music, it generated a subculture that felt alienated, powerless and let down by ‘the system’. Punk attitude was also reflected in distinctive fashion, hairstyle, makeup, journalism, art and controversial attitudes. While Punk Rock didn’t outlive the 1970s and, while isn’t really Metal, it has been massively influential across many musical genres over the years particularly in Hardcore Punk and Post‑Hardcore.
“I always said punk was an attitude. It was never about having a Mohican haircut or wearing a ripped T‑shirt. It was all about destruction, and the creative potential within that” – Malcolm Mclaren (1946‑2010)
Related Genres: Proto‑Punk, Garage Rock, Hardcore Punk, Post‑Hardcore, Pop Punk, Post‑Punk, Anarcho‑Punk, Goth Rock, Goth Metal, New Wave
Examples: Ramones, The Stooges, Patti Smith, Blondie, New York Dolls, MC5, Monks, Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, The Ruts, The Vibrators, UK Subs, Sham 69, The Stranglers, Generation X, Buzzcocks, The Jam, X‑Ray Spex, The Adverts, Television, The Slits, Rancid, T.S.O.L., NOFX
Hardcore Punk (1976‑1979)
Often just called ‘Hardcore’, Hardcore Punk initially borrowed much from Punk Rock’s original approach and has been associated with the releases of independently‑run record labels. As Punk Rock became moderated by the mainstream, Hardcore Punk took on the mantle and heaped on the frenetic energy, made it faster, heavier and more aggressive, while retaining Punk’s anti‑establishment attitude and lifestyle. Other common characteristics include an extensive use of shouted vocals, paired‑down production and the tendency towards short, gutsy, gritty songs. Hardcore Punk eventually dissipated into other sub‑genres and derivative forms in a similar way that Punk Rock fragmented and evolved into Post‑Punk and New Wave. Although not as influential as Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk contributed to the development of many other sub‑genres.
Related Genres: Punk Rock, Garage Rock, Melodic Hardcore, Grunge, Pop Punk, Sludge Metal, Riot Grrrl, Alternative Metal, Thrash Metal, Beatdown Hardcore
Examples: D.O.A., Dead Kennedys, Discharge, Black Flag, Napalm Death, Circle Jerks, The Exploited, Minor Threat, GBH, Misfits, Bad Brains, Cancer Bats, Agnostic Front, Fugazi, early Teddybears, Gallows, Girls In Synthesis
Power Metal (1976‑)
Power Metal is a sub‑genre of Heavy Metal, originated in the early 1980s in both Europe and America, as a response to NWOBHM. Basically, it adds more ‘power’ (duh!) to conventional Heavy Metal, aided by slick studio production. As it evolved, Power Metal combined elements of traditional Heavy Metal with Speed Metal, Glam Metal and Thrash Metal. Power Metal played down its Blues Rock roots and made distorted guitar riffs more aggressive and complex and the vocals were more forceful. Power Metal is distinguished by ‘more’ – more speed, more commercial appeal, more epic, more ‘powerful’ and a more uplifting sound, compared to its slower heavier counterparts. Over time, Power Metal adopted some of the distinctive dissonance of more extreme forms of Metal to give the music an edge, as well as Pop appeal to sell product in greater quantity. US Power Metal (USPM) uses the American prefix to differentiate it from its European Power Metal counterpart.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Blues Rock, US Power Metal (USPM), European Power Metal, Pirate Metal, Kawaii Metal, Pop
Pop Metal is a very close relation to Glam Metal and Power Metal and tends to be used as an umbrella term for the commercial combination of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock that feature prominent Pop music elements such as catchy hooks and arena‑friendly anthemic choruses, which became hugely popular in the 1980s. The genre is also applied to some mainstream bands and artists that have formed since the 1990s that blend the lighter, radio‑friendly aspects of Pop with the grittiness of Heavy Metal into their sound. Some of the Pop Metal artists are regarded by Metal purists and music critics alike as ‘sell outs’, putting fame, fortune and financial reward before Metal musical integrity.
Related Genres: Glam Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Power Metal, Pop, Pop Punk
Examples: Quiet Riot, Van Halen, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Europe, Lita Ford, Guns N’ Roses, The Darkness, Bon Jovi, Architects, Bring Me the Horizon, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Halestorm, Ghost, In Flames, In This Moment, Lacuna Coil, Shinedown, The Pretty Reckless, We Are The Fallen, Weezer
Gothic Rock (1979‑1990)
Emerging from the smouldering ashes of Punk Rock, the British Post‑Punk movement took on the role of genre innovation, taking it in many different directions. While Gothic Rock was an offshoot of the broader Post‑Punk scene, it quickly became defined as a separate genre in the early 1980s. Gothic Rock is differentiated from other genres by dark and atmospheric songs, a heavily stylised Goth aesthetic and inspirations from Gothic art, literature and cinema. Gothic‑style lyrics reflected sadness, nihilism, dark romantic idealism, loss, tragedy, melancholy, mortality and the supernatural.
Gothic Rock heavily influenced the distinctive and popular Goth subculture and lifestyle that included Goth clubs, stylised fashion and publications. While it may not be considered as true Metal, it is a key stepping stone along the yew‑lined cemetery path to Gothic Metal.
Metal Trivia: Historically, the Goths were a Germanic tribe of barbarians that led the sack of Rome in 410CE. The roots of the modern Gothic aesthetic go to back to the European Middle Ages of the 12th‑16th Centuries with its distinctive ‘barbaric’ Gothic architecture, which was revived again in the 18th‑20th Centuries. The Medieval architectural style became the backdrop to popular atmospheric Gothic romantic, horror and fantasy literature of the 18th‑19th Centuries. The first Gothic novel was ‘The Castle of Otranto’ (1764) by Horace Walpole (1717‑1797).
Related Genres: Post‑Punk, Gothic Metal, Gothic Pop, Emo, Dark Wave, Ethereal Wave, Death Rock
Examples: Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Damned, The Cult, The Mission, Killing Joke, Sisters Of Mercy, Adam and the Ants, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, The Fall, Evanescence, All About Eve, The Twilight Sad, Alien Sex Fiend, Rome Burns, Southern Death Cult, This Mortal Coil, Pixies, Fields of the Nephilim
Metal Era #3 – The Diversification of Metal: 1980‑1989
New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) (1979‑1983)
NWOBHM is a clumsy acronym for ‘New Wave Of British Heavy Metal’. NWOBHM started off as an injection of fresh new ideas to slow and then reverse the decline of early British Traditional Heavy Metal as well as to adapt to the emergence of high‑energy Punk Rock. NWOBHM bands took some of the elements of Punk and merged it with Heavy Metal. Like Punk Rock, many NWOBHM bands funded and released their own records in the early days. While many Metal fans rejected Punk, it continued to influence Metal in a significant underground Metal scene that began to grow and gain momentum. Eventually, the media, record labels and consumers could no longer dismiss NWOBHM as a passing underground fad and it rapidly became a major force in modern Metal music. The primary band associated with the emergence of NWOBHM was Iron Maiden.
NWOBHM is very diverse and it didn’t tend have a signature ‘sound’ of its own. Instead, the genre is more focused on location and period (the UK in the 1980s). At its peak, it didn’t last long but it has had a lasting impact over the decades. By the early‑mid 1980s, NWOBHM came to define the global mainstream success of Heavy Metal. While predominantly British in origin, NWOBHM had a major global influence on later forms of Metal, including the inevitable American version (NWOAHM).
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, New Wave Of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM)
Examples: Motörhead, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Quartz, Saxon, Iron Maiden, Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Girlschool, Raven, Holocaust, Tank, Elixir, Praying Mantis, Blitzkrieg, Samson, Grim Reaper, Witchfinder General, Dragonslayer
Speed Metal (1981‑1993)
Speed metal is a bit of a minor but important transitional sub‑genre of Metal originating from NWOBHM and influenced by Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bands, as well as influencing early Thrash Metal.
Speed Metal is usually considered less abrasive and more melodic than Hardcore Punk before it or Thrash Metal after it. However, Speed Metal is usually faster (duh!) and more aggressive than traditional Heavy Metal. It also tends to feature incendiary virtuoso guitar solos and short instrumental passages between conventional verse and chorus song writing structure. While sounding relatively straightforward now, the studio album, ‘Welcome to Hell’ (1981) by British band Venom has been suggested as the first Extreme Metal release.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Hardcore Punk, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal
Examples: Venom, Slayer, Motörhead, Exciter, DragonForce, Annihilator, Anvil, Heathen, Helloween, Piledriver, Racer X, Whiplash, Bewitched, Midnight, Annihilator, Children of Bodom
Neo‑Classical Metal (1983‑)
Neo‑Classical Metal is a niche, largely Instrumental Rock sub‑genre with its roots firmly in Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Speed Metal, while taking considerable inspiration from traditional acoustic instrumental Classical Music. The main characteristic of Neo‑Classical Metal is its highly technical virtuoso guitar playing and particularly the fast and complex ‘shredding’ techniques that became widely popular during the 1980s. Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was probably the pioneer of this particular style of guitar playing before that role was passed on to Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. The genre took its cues mainly from the Romantic and Baroque periods of 17th and 18th Century Classical Music. In turn, Neo‑Classical Metal influenced many genres including Progressive Metal.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Classical Music, Instrumental Rock, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal
Examples: Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, Jason Becker, Uli Jon Roth, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert
Stoner Metal (1982‑)
Stoner Metal is a sub‑genre of Metal that combines key components of Doom Metal with elements of Psychedelic Rock and Blues Rock to create a melodic yet heavy sound. Like Stoner Metal’s close genre relative Stoner Rock, heavily distorted guitar riffs feature strong grooves and psychedelic effect‑driven atmospheric sounds, while the tempo is generally slower than many other Metal genres. Guitars and basses are frequently down‑tuned with a particular emphasis on a solid, bass‑heavy sound.
Several Stoner Metal bands and fans shared a common use of marijuana, hence the genre name. The focus on weed can be found within the lyrics of many Stoner Metal tracks, combined with the heavy and psychedelic sound of the music. Due to the similarities in styles, some Stoner Metal bands also adopted and incorporated certain aspects of Sludge Metal and Heavy Psych.
Related Genres: Stoner Rock, Sludge Metal, Heavy Psych, Instrumental Rock, Doom Metal
Examples: Sleep, Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Cathedral, Down, Electric Wizard, Black Mountain, Corrosion of Conformity, Clutch, Karma to Burn, Saint Vitus, Orange Goblin, Pulled Apart by Horses, Royal Blood, Om, Madmess, My Sleeping Karma, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Melvins, High on Fire, Eternal Tapestry
Noise Rock (1983‑2010)
Noise Rock is a broad genre that arose from Punk Rock and Post‑Punk. Noise Rock artists incorporate a high degree of experimental sound manipulation, heavy distortion, guitar feedback, prominent use of effects, dissonant musical intervals and lo‑fi production. The most commonly used instruments are guitars, bass and drums, as well as extensive use of drum machines, guitar effects, studio electronics, tape‑manipulated soundscapes, and random industrial noises added to supplement the already‑abrasive core sound. Song structures defied convention and often rely on dirge, drone or discordant tonal textures. German Krautrock (a.k.a. Kosmiche Musik or Cosmic Music) also heavily influenced Noise Rock.
The first Noise Rock artists predated the genre, emerging in New York in the 1960s and the first Noise Rock studio album was arguably, ‘White Light/White Heat’ (1968) by The Velvet Underground. The tracks made extensive use of guitar feedback, distortion effects, simple recording, and unstructured Jam Band sessions. Noise Rock reached its peak in the 1990s with bands like Sonic Youth leading the evolution of the genre before they disbanded in 2011. Despite it seeming to be a musical dead end, Noise Rock influenced many future Metal sub‑genres, such as Industrial Metal.
Related Genres: Punk Rock, Post‑Punk, Jam Band, Sludge Rock, Drone Metal, Industrial Rock, Industrial Metal, Krautrock, Experimental Rock
Examples: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, The Stooges, Sonic Youth, Big Black, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Membranes, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Black Midi, Deerhoof, Tropical Fuck Storm, Boris, SUNN O))), Melt‑Banana, Merzbow
Progressive Metal (1984‑)
Heavy Metal was influenced by Progressive Rock and, in turn contributed towards Progressive Metal. Today’s Progressive Metal continues to use the layered, textured sounds and intricate arrangements of Prog and combines it with heavier, more distorted sounds of Metal. The 1990s saw a rejuvenation of Progressive Rock and the emergence of Progressive Metal through a new generation of artists using innovative sounds and recording techniques.
Progressive metal is a genre that features Metal’s electric guitar‑driven sound and fuses it with technical proficiency and Progressive Rock‑inspired virtuosity. It uses unorthodox song writing featuring complex harmonies, long track times, multiple passages, shifts in mood, texture, tempo, key changes and uncommon time signatures. Like Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal frequently uses additional instrumentation such as keyboards, percussion, wind instruments and strings. Lyrics are often poetic, elegiac, melancholic, and introspective, and it tackles themes such as philosophy, science fiction, fantasy and politics. Progressive Metal is known for its high‑gain guitars and heavy guitar riffs. It is fair to say that Progressive Metal has heavily influenced many other forms of late 20th Century and early 21st Century Metal.
Related Genres: Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, US Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Technical Death Metal, Black Metal, Metalcore, Djent, Avant‑Garde Metal, Experimental Metal, Post‑Metal
Examples: Rush, Savatage, Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, Voivod, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Porcupine Tree, Tool, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Opeth, Gojira, Mastodon, Coheed and Cambria, Steve Vai, King’s X, Devin Townsend, Between the Buried and Me,
Alternative Rock (1985‑2010)
Alternative Rock (a.k.a. Alt‑Rock) is a massively diverse range of styles and has become regarded as a bit of an all‑encompassing umbrella term for a wide range of music that doesn’t easily fit elsewhere, almost to the point of not being a cohesive genre. Alternative Rock developed in the independent record label music scenes of the 1980s, being heavily influenced by Punk Rock, Post‑Punk and Hardcore. Common characteristics typically include a blend of melodic, traditional song writing with more eccentric sounds drawing from Punk, using idiosyncratic lyrics, as well as plentiful amounts of distortion.
In America, Alternative Rock bands combined Punk Rock and Post‑Hardcore with Folk Rock and Power Pop. Later groups took on a more raucous, jarring approach, influenced by Noise Rock and Experimental Rock.
Alternative Rock wasn’t met with a great deal of commercial success compared to some other forms of Metal and Rock because of its diversity. The term ‘College Rock’ was coined to describe many of the early Alternative Rock bands because they were popular on American college radio channels and, perhaps predictably, MTV.
By the start of the 1990s, several previously independent artists signed to major labels and the success of Grunge bands launched Alternative Rock along with Alternative Metal into mainstream popularity. Multiple other commercial offshoots and derivatives of Alternative Rock began to appear as either revivals of past genres or breakthroughs in new areas. A number of artists during this period exploited the creativity and experimentation of Alternative Rock to push the genre’s already nebulous boundaries. While Alternative Rock isn’t very Metal, Alternative Metal would not have evolved in the way it did without its direct forebear.
In the 2010s, Alternative Rock largely faded from the mainstream and returned to the underground. Indie Rock tended to take over from Alternative Rock and continued to enjoy moderate success until Indie also experienced a major decline by the 2020s.
Related Genres: Hard Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Garage Rock Punk Rock, Proto‑Punk, Post‑Punk, Pop Punk, Psychedelic Rock, Post‑Rock, Alternative Dance, Neo‑Psychedelia, Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Slacker Rock, Post‑Hardcore, Folk Rock, Power Pop, Experimental Rock, Britpop, Art Rock, Slacker Rock, Emo, Emo Rap, Electronica, Funk Rock, Ska Revival, Hip Hop, Pop Rap
Examples: R.E.M., Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, Violent Femmes, Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, Pixies, The Smashing Pumpkins, Faith No More, Jane’s Addiction, Living Colour, Sonic Youth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Flaming Lips, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Wooden Shjips, Guided by Voices, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, TV on the Radio, Car Seat Headrest, Mitski, Courtney Barnett, Kid Cudi, Six By Seven, Stabbing Westward
Alternative Metal (1985‑)
Alternative Metal is another catch‑all sub‑genre of Metal music and a close relative of Alternative Rock that also emerged in the late‑1980s. Alternative Metal pushed the borders of Alt‑Rock, with a medium‑tempo similar to Groove Metal. Unlike other, more traditional Metal genres, Alternative Metal adopted a straight‑forward sound. Vocal styles vary hugely, depending on the band. Alternative Metal lyrics also focus on more prosaic, down‑to‑earth themes than many other Metal genres. Like its Rock counterpart, Alternative Metal is noted for its variety and a willingness to experiment with unconventional musical styles beyond the confines of straightforward Metal music.
Alternative Metal actually increased in popularity when Grunge took alternative music into the mainstream in the first half of the 1990s. The genre took another step forward with the emergence of Rap Metal, Nu Metal and Post‑Grunge in the mid‑1990s.
Alternative Metal’s popularity continued undiminished into the 21st Century and continued to evolve into the New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAMH), which harked back to preceding Metal genres and built on them. The influence of Alternative Metal can clearly be heard in other Metal genres, such as Metalcore.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Alternative Rock, Groove Metal, Funk Metal, Grunge, Nu Metal, Post‑Grunge, NWOAMH, Metalcore
Examples: Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Prong, Living Colour, The Smashing Pumpkins, Primus, Rage Against the Machine, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Five Finger Death Punch, Architects, Bring Me the Horizon, Enter Shikari, John 5, Hundred Reasons
Thrash Metal (1983‑1995)
Thrash metal was, arguably, one of the first Extreme Metal genres characterised by fast tempos and an aggressive tonel. A new generation of American Metal bands emerged, headed up by ‘the big four’ Thrash Metal bands, Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth. These four bands combined influences from classic Heavy Metal, NWOBHM and Speed Metal, developing them further to great success. Thrash Metal’s popularity peaked in the early 1990s before beginning to decline.
Thrash Metal frequently features tight rhythms, down‑tuned and palm‑muted heavily distorted guitar riffs. Talented Thrash Metal lead guitarists ably demonstrated highly technical ‘shred’ solos using two‑hand ‘tapping’, sweep picking and fast legato licks, along with unusual scales. Thrash drumming frequently uses rapid double‑bass drum patterns. Vocals range widely from melodic singing to angry shouting. Themes tackled by Thrash Metal include politics, war, socio‑political commentary, Satanism, science fiction, introspection and hedonistic lifestyles.
In America, two main Thrash Metal scenes developed; Bay Area Thrash and East Coast Thrash, eventually evolving into what is known as Crossover Thrash. In Germany, Teutonic Thrash Metal emerged in parallel. Thrash Metal heavily influenced Alternative Metal and Grunge, as well as Groove Metal. In the 2000s and 2010s, Thrash Metal saw a resurgence, with 1980s bands reuniting or returning to their original sound, alongside emerging new bands.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Bay Area Thrash, East Coast Thrash, Crossover Thrash, Teutonic Thrash Metal, Alternative Metal, Grunge, Groove Metal
Examples: Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Pantera, Anvil, Exodus, Overkill, Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, Sepultura, Testament, Death Angel, Municipal Waste, Marty Friedman, Legion of the Damned
Black Metal (1984‑)
Black metal is a style of Extreme Metal typified by penetrating, distorted, trebly electric guitar riffs, screamed vocals, and double‑bass drum‑driven rhythms with a distinctively intense style called ‘blast beat’ (NB. a term coined by British Grindcore band, Napalm Death). Tempos can reach a potent 300bpm, roughly double the ‘norm’. Studio production features a raw, lo‑fi approach to mixing. Conventional song structures generally include strong ideological themes such as opposition to organised religion, devil worship, the occult, paganism, Satanism and neo‑Nazism. Lyrics were delivered by gruff, guttural vocals. Black Metal’s origins date back to 1980s Speed Metal with Venom’s 2nd studio album, ‘Black Metal’ (1982), which gave the genre its name. Black Metal aesthetics strongly reflect its overtly ominous lyrics and darkly deviant ideology, lashings of corpse paint included as standard.
Black Metal is widely regarded as comprising two distinct ‘waves’. The first wave established the genre’s prototypical roots, derived from a wide range of early Extreme Metal styles, particularly Thrash Metal and Germany’s Teutonic Thrash Metal scene. Support for the first wave declined by the end of the 1980s due to the rising popularity of other genres such as Death Metal.
The second wave of Black Metal arose during the 1990s, epitomised by Norwegian Black Metal and originating from the major cities of Oslo and Bergen. This wave was characterised by a more progressive, repetitive, riff‑driven style, less structured compositions and powerful instrumental passages. As its popularity increased, Black Metal spread out from Scandinavia and became an international phenomenon. Rather than pushing existing boundaries, Black Metal asserted that there were no boundaries, leading to an ever increasing spiral of destructive, aberrant excess.
By the 1990s, Black Metal had become dangerous and notorious, associated with very real events such as arson attacks on Christian churches, brutality, self‑harm, suicide and murders, rather than the music. Such was the controversy, the Hollywood film, ‘Lords Of Chaos’ was released in 2018. The film was a historical biographical horror/drama portrayal of the Norwegian Black Metal scene of the early 1990s and specifically focussing on the band Mayhem. The film was based on the book, ‘Lords Of Chaos: The Bloody Rise Of The Satanic Metal Underground’ (1998) by Michael J. Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind.
Metal Trivia: The notoriety surrounding the Black Metal band Mayhem was immense. Swedish vocalist ‘Dead’ (Per Ohlin) committed suicide in 1991, aged 22 (his corpse was pictued on an unofficially released Mayhem album cover). Norwegian guitarist ‘Euronymous’ (Øystein Aarseth) was murdered at the age of 25 in 1993 by former bandmate and rival ‘Varg’ (Kristian Vikernes), who was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 1994 for murder and arson (released after 15 years in 2009). Varg continues to make music under the name Burzum.
Metal Trivia: The term Kvlt (an alternative spelling of cult), referring to Nordic or pagan culture, is used by Black Metal fans to prove their knowledge of the obscure and to mock others’ ignorance. Ironically, the term has been turned around by followers of other Metal genres to provoke fans of Black Metal. Now you know.
Related Genres: Satanic Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Black Ambient, Norwegian Black Metal, Industrial Black Metal, Black Doom, Post‑Black Metal, Blackgaze, Pagan Metal
Along with Black Metal, Death metal is another style of Extreme Metal whose influences derive from the raw sound and inflammatory style of early 1980’s Speed Metal and Thrash Metal. Death Metal features heavily distorted, commonly down‑tuned guitars playing fast, palm‑muted riffs and double‑bass drum ‘blast beat’ rhythms. Chromatic chord progressions and abrupt changes in volume, tempo and time signature are also common. Vocalists adopt stressed, guttural vocal styles such as growling, squealing and grunting, with lyrics that emphasise aggression, violence, anti‑religion, politics, philosophy, science fiction, environmentalism and (unsurprisingly) mortality and death.
The first Death Metal bands emerged in America during the mid‑1980s, closely followed by the UK. This period is often now referred to as Old School Death Metal (OSDM). The guitarist with the band Death, Chuck Schuldiner, became known as ‘The Godfather of Death Metal’. A specific offshoot of Death Metal based around the Tampa Bay area formed the discrete Florida Death Metal scene.
During the early 1990s, Swedish Death Metal came to the fore, based around the country’s major cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm. The Swedish Death Metal band Entombed released their debut studio album, ‘Left Hand Path’ (1990), which established Death Metal’s signature ‘buzzsaw’ guitar tone by using the BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal effect pedal (see CRAVE Guitars’ feature). Rarely has a music genre been defined by a single guitar stomp box. Another offshoot, Melodic Death Metal, employs a highly melodic (duh!) style relying on guitar harmonies and vocals, often overlapping in style with Doom Metal. Another Scandinavian country also jumped on the bandwagon with the Finnish Death Metal sub‑genre, which flourished by using off‑kilter rhythms, guttural vocals and doom‑laden lyrics.
Further offshoot sub‑genres also emerged throughout the 2000s and 2010s, including Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore. By the late 2010s, Death Metal bands went back to their roots and revived elements OSDM, including lo‑fi production, riff‑centric song writing, and resonant vocals.
Related Genres: Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Old School Death Metal, Swedish Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Deathcore, Industrial Death Metal, Finnish Death Metal, Florida Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal, Death ‘n’ Roll, Goregrind, Slam Death Metal, War Metal, Dissonant Death Metal, Death Doom Metal
Examples: Possessed, Tiamat, Death, Autopsy, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Immolation, Vader, Six Feet Under, Kataklysm, Dying Fetus, Nile, Amon Amarth, At the Gates, In Flames, Hypocrisy, Dark Tranquillity, Entombed, Grave, Unleashed, Dismember, Demigod, Amorphis, Arch Enemy, Soilwork, The Haunted, Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Carnifex, All Shall Perish, Necrophagist, Origin, Blood Incantation, Legion of the Damned, Children of Bodom, The Black Dahlia Murder
Emo (1987‑)
On first impression, one might think that Emo is an abbreviation for ‘emotional’. In fact, it stands for ‘Emotive Hardcore’, which originated in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1985 from the city’s Hardcore Punk scene, incorporating more melodic song writing, acoustic instrumentation, poetic lyrics, and highly expressive, passionate vocals. Since its inception, the genre has evolved substantially with a wide range of styles. The tortured soul of Emo is its heartfelt outpouring of emotion and sentiment. Emo artists attempt to build a strong emotional connection with their followers. Often seen as a subculture as well as a musical genre, Emo’s lifestyle influence extends to fashion, culture, and deeply felt introspective mind‑set. While the uninitiated may perceive Emo and Gothic as interchangeable, they are separate genres and subcultures, each vehemently defending their own territory and identity. Emo did however influence Gothic Rock/Metal and vice versa.
For a while in the early days, Emo was also known as Emocore, as a way of differentiating it from Hardcore Punk. Emo uses slower tempos with melodic lyrics that were more personal, thoughtful, allegorical and elegiac than its counterparts. Over time, the ‘core’ was dropped and there became a distinct split between old school Emo/Screamo and ‘modern’ Emo‑Pop.
Related Genres: Hardcore Punk, Screamo, Emo‑Pop, Emo‑Rap, Gothic Rock, Pop Punk, Alternative Rock
Examples: My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, Alkaline Trio, All Time Low, Black Veil Brides, Bring Me the Horizon, Cute Is What we Aim For, Dashboard Confessional, Death Cab for Cutie, Embrace, Fall Out Boy, Funeral for a Friend, From Autumn to Ashes, HelloGoodbye, Jimmy Eat World, Lostprophets, Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, Pierce the Veil, The Promise Ring, Sum 41, Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, The Used
Funk Metal (1987‑2006)
Funk metal is a heavier take on Funk Rock born in the mid‑late‑1980s rising out of the Alternative Rock and Alternative Metal genre. It takes the complex dance rhythms of Funk and fuses it with a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal style. With heavy guitar riffs and strident guitar solos, the genre focuses on prominent funky slap‑style basslines and groovy drum rhythms. While Funk Metal blends Funk and Metal (duh!), it also includes other influences that were very un‑metal, such as Hip Hop, Punk and even Ska Revival. The focus of Funk Metal lyrics is diverse, ranging from decadent hedonistic celebrations to barbed political criticism.
The popularity of Funk Metal grew significantly in popularity by the turn of the 1990s, attracting a great deal of exposure on MTV playlists. A lot of artists from other genres experimented, crossed over or dabbled with Funk Metal, seeing it as the ‘in thing’. However, all good things come to an end and Funk metal saw a decline in popularity as Grunge, Alternative Rock and Pop Rock took firm hold of consumers’ precious lucre. It wasn’t all bad news, Funk Metal would go on to adapt and influence the emergence and development of Nu Metal and Rap Metal.
Related Genres: Funk, Alternative Metal, Rap Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Hip Hop, Punk, Ska Revival, Grunge, Nu Metal, Alternative Metal
Examples: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bad Brains, Living Colour, Jane’s Addiction, Primus, Rage Against the Machine, Faith No More, Incubus, Extreme, Mordred
Grindcore (1987‑)
Grindcore was a sub‑genre of Extreme Metal and Hardcore Punk that emerged in the mid‑1980s. Grindcore features a highly aggressive and chaotic sound, such as intense sixteenth‑note ‘blast beat’ and ‘skank’ drum patterns, down‑tuned guitars alternating between tremolo‑picked power chords and groovier down‑picked techniques. Vocal styles ranged from shouts, barks and growls to grating screams and howled shrieks. Grindcore is known for its brutally short song structures, dubbed ‘microsongs’, where tracks regularly last for less than a minute.
Metal Trivia: English Grindcore band, Napalm Death holds the world record for the shortest song ever recorded with their track ‘You Suffer’ from their debut album, Scum (1987). The song is precisely just 1.316 seconds long.
Grindcore lyrics feature defiant and coarse language delivered with attitude and themes including anti‑establishment, anti‑religion, slasher‑inspired horror films and gratuitous sexual behaviour. While being fairly niche in Metal terms, Grindcore has influenced many related sub‑genres (often incorporating the word ‘grind’).
Related Genres: Hardcore Punk, Coregrind, Noisegrind, Deathgrind, Electrogrind, Goregrind, Pornogrind
Grunge, a.k.a. ‘the Seattle Sound’ arose from Washington State in the American Pacific North West. Grunge emerged primarily in the city of Seattle during the mid‑1980s and was closely associated with Alternative Rock. Grunge is generally characterised by moderate tempos, combining the anarchic energy of Punk Rock with the heavier guitar sounds of Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Classic Rock. Grunge’s mixture of many different styles and influences makes its status as a discrete genre in its own right subject to some debate. However, a shared dingy, dirty, messy sound and lifestyle aesthetic generally unites bands and fans under the ‘Grunge’ umbrella… at least to begin with. Grunge lyrics are noted for their anxiety‑induced themes, including troubled relationships, mental health struggles, drug addiction and social (in)justice. Lyrics were often delivered with a distinctively brash, angry, ‘raspy’ vocal style.
While Grunge was an underground genre from the outset, with music released on small, independent labels like Sub‑Pop Records, it wouldn’t stay that way for long, as it gradually rose in popularity towards the end of the 1980s. Grunge would burst into the mainstream, with the landmark commercial success of two studio albums, ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana and ‘Ten’ by Pearl Jam (both 1991). Grunge symbolised a major cultural shift and reflected the melancholic, angst, isolation and alienation felt by many young people at the time. However, pure Grunge didn’t last long and it declined rapidly after the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain on 5th April 1994 at the age of 27 – forever immortalised as a member of the infamous ’27 Club’.
“I was looking for something a lot heavier, yet melodic at the same time. Something different from heavy metal, a different attitude” – Kurt Cobain (Nirvana, 1967‑1994)
Related Genres: Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, Post‑Grunge
Examples: Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Tad, Screaming Trees, Melvins, Green River, Skin Yard, Alice in Chains, Mother Love Bone, Stone Temple Pilots, Foo Fighters
Industrial Metal (1988‑)
Industrial Metal is a niche genre that fuses Heavy Metal and Noise Rock with elements from Industrial Rock and Post‑Industrial music. In addition to traditional Metal instrumentation, Industrial Metal adds electronic instruments such as synthesizers, samplers and sometimes drum machines. The distorted down‑tuned repetitive guitar riffs and dissonant noises give the genre a highly mechanical sounding quality. Other common characteristics include distorted vocals and a heavier, discordant abrasive sound.
The prominent influence of Industrial Metal generated popular sub‑genres through the 1990s such as Cyber Metal and Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) which, in turn, influenced many other Extreme Metal artists.
Related Genres: Industrial Rock, Post‑Industrial, Cyber Metal, Neue Deutsche Härte, Teutonic Thrash Metal, Industrial Black Metal, Industrial Death Metal, Electro‑Industrial, Dungeon Synth, Dark Wave
Examples: Ministry, White Zombie, Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails, Fear Factory, Throbbing Gristle, Strapping Young Lad, Orgy, Static‑X, Rammstein, Blut Aus Nord, The Kovenant, Stabbing Westward, ohGr, Skinny Puppy, Mortiis
Sludge Metal (1989‑)
Sludge Metal is a genre of Metal that emerged in the early‑mid 1990s combining the slow, dark instrumentals and atmosphere of Doom Metal with the aggressive, harsh vocals reminiscent of Hardcore Punk. The word ‘sludge’ gives a sense of the sluggish, grubby atmosphere of the genre. Sludge Metal makes extensive use of guitar feedback, slow groovy distorted guitar riffs, and angry pained vocals. It is also common for Sludge Metal tracks to engage in occasional fast passages and technicality normally attributed to Hardcore. Lyrics borrow both from the angry social and political commentary of Punk and from the sad and melancholic themes of Doom Metal. This merging of styles results in frustrated and embittered messages, often directed either at society or, in a quirk of ironic self‑awareness, at itself.
Many Sludge Metal artists have attempted to experiment with a fusion of Doom Metal and Punk Rock. This includes Progressive Metal, Grindcore, and Crust Punk, among many others. A large number of bands combined the severe qualities of Sludge Metal with the psychedelic aspects and repetitive riffs of Stoner Metal and Heavy Psych.
Many artists have also fused elements of Sludge Metal with textures and stylings of other atmospheric genres like Post‑Rock, giving rise to Post‑Metal and Atmospheric Sludge Metal, so there are extensive genre crossovers muddying (sic!) the waters. Sludge Metal is also considered to be a major influence on other modern Extreme Metal genres.
Related Genres: Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Stoner Metal, Stoner Sludge, Atmospheric Sludge Metal, Progressive Metal, Grindcore, Crust Punk, Doom Metal, Powerviolence, Heavy Psych, Stoner Metal
Examples: Melvins, Black Flag, Sleep, Flipper, Neurosis, Acid Bath, Grief, early Mastodon, Dystopia, Godflesh, Cult of Luna, Bongzilla, Boris, Crowbar, Eyehategod, ISIS, Amenra, Rosetta
Doom Metal (1989‑)
The roots of Doom Metal are considered to have been planted in the early 1970s Traditional Heavy Metal and particularly early Black Sabbath. During the 1970s and most of the 1980s Doom wasn’t fully developed, although many observers now refer to this transitional period as ‘Traditional Doom Metal’. By the late 1980s, European artists had adopted the ‘Doom’ sound as a discrete genre. Doom Metal remained the standard until the early 1990s, when newcomers began to experiment in combining Doom Metal with several other Metal sub‑genres. Doom Metal has proven to be one of the most enduring and recognisable Metal genres, maintaining a relatively small but devoted fan base in many countries.
Wallowing in tension, despair and dread, Doom Metal emphasises an overbearing atmosphere more than many of Metal’s other primary sub‑genres. Doom Metal uses ponderous tempos, repeated chords, and dense, down‑tuned distorted guitars and basses intended to immerse the listener in a wash of desperate foreboding on tracks that commonly exceed the ten minute mark. Instruments generally retain the standard guitar, bass, and drums format, although it is not unusual to add keyboards to help create an ominous layer of atmosphere. Doom Metal stage decoration is usually dark, making good use of occult and Gothic aesthetics.
Doom Metal vocals can be in any of the predominant Metal styles, but all share a determined attempt to evoke a sense of emotional hopeless desperation, sadness and mental anguish. This is further augmented by lyrical themes of grief, depression, fear, resentment, and suffering that are all hallmarks of the genre.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Traditional Doom, Epic Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, Melodic Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal
Examples: Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Trouble, Candlemass, Cathedral, Witchfinder General, Solitude Aeturnus, Sleep, Kyuss, My Dying Bride, Electric Wizard, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Type O Negative, Chelsea Wolfe, Goblin Cock, Esoteric, Shape of Despair, Bell Witch, Ahab, Evoken, Pallbearer
Metal Era #4 – The Nu Nineties: 1990‑1999
Metalcore (1990‑)
Metalcore is a relatively niche sub‑genre that combines elements of Hardcore Punk and Heavy Metal that began to take shape during the early 1990s. It features distorted, down‑tuned guitars, intense drumming using double bass drum techniques and varying tempos. Vocals are often delivered in a harsh screaming and shouting style. Later bands have incorporated clean sonorous vocals to contrast with the heavier elements of the songs. A distinctive feature of Metalcore is the use of breakdown passages, which emphasise a tight, percussive style rather than a focus on harmony and melody. The breakdown sections often feature half‑time tempos, with cymbal patterns and the snare drum on the third beat of the bar (reminiscent of reggae’s ‘one drop’ technique). Guitarists play slow ‘chugs’ in rhythm with the bass drum beats. Metalcore led to offshoot sub‑genres such as Melodic Metalcore.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Hardcore Punk, Melodic Metalcore, Electronicore, Nu Metalcore, Progressive Metalcore
Examples: Corrosion of Conformity, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Suicidal Tendencies, Stormtroopers of Death, Cro‑Mags, Biohazard, Machine Head, Earth Crisis, Hatebreed, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Atreyu, Eighteen Visions, Converge, Architects, Bring Me The Horizon, Caliban
Gothic Metal (1990‑)
Gothic Metal is a genre derived directly from Gothic Rock in the UK in the early 1990s, retaining much of its predecessor’s Goth aesthetic and lifestyle subculture, and complementing them with heavier, more intense Metal sensibilities. Typical characteristics of the Gothic Metal sound include synthesisers and substantial use of guitar chorus, reverb and echo effects. Gothic Metal steers clear of some of Gothic Rock’s lighter, more commercial elements and tends to be heavier and slower than Goth Rock, featuring sombre, gloomy atmospherics with layered synth soundscapes and drone/dirge sequences. Vocals cover a wide range of styles, often plaintive, melodic or even spoken. Gothic Metal, like Gothic Rock, has remained popular with a dedicated core following.
Related Genres: Gothic Rock, Post‑Punk, Death Rock, Ethereal Wave, Progressive Gothic Metal, Dark Wave
Examples: Type O Negative, My Dying Bride, Fields of the Nephilim, Therion, The Gathering, Anathema, Katatonia, Theatre of Tragedy, Within Temptation, HIM, Lacuna Coil, Leaves’ Eyes, Danzig, Draconian, Paradise Lost, Witchbreed, Tristania, Moonspell
Post‑Grunge (1994‑2009)
Post‑Grunge is a direct derivative of Grunge (duh!) that takes the latter’s distorted guitar and grimy aesthetic fused with a more streamlined, groove‑based approach, often adopting a more refined sound compared to the harsh underground characteristics that shaped early Grunge. Post‑Grunge features a mellower, more melodic sound and more conventional song structures and arrangements when compared with its predecessor, though Grunge’s slow‑medium tempo remained. Both Grunge and Post‑Grunge (and much of Indie Rock) genres are known for the ‘yarling’ vocal style (NB. ‘yarling’ is a melodramatic deep, guttural vocal style with precise pronunciation). The combination of acoustic and electric guitars is particularly common in Post‑Grunge ballads. Post‑Grunge lyrics frequently dealt with mental health issues and included featured themes of fear, anxiety, melancholy and insecurity.
Emerging in conjunction with the decline of Grunge, Post‑Grunge’s early style rapidly became an indispensable feature of American commercial rock radio. Post Grunge attracted the disparaging name, ‘Butt Rock’ (NB. meaning lyrically devoid of artistic merit and reduced melodic complexity). A second wave of Post‑Grunge bands continued the genre’s popularity, though some well‑known bands began to attract a great deal of negative criticism, as bands veered more towards Hard Rock and further away from Metal. Post‑Grunge experienced a steep decline during the 2010s, as Rock generally became less popular and Indie Rock rose to prominence.
Related Genres: Grunge, Pop Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock
Examples: Stone Temple Pilots, Candlebox, Bush, Silverchair, Nickelback, Creed, Godsmack, Pearl Jam, Live, Foo Fighters, Staind, Candlebox, Everclear, Puddle of Mudd
Rap Metal (1992‑2006)
Rap metal is a form of Alternative Metal that features rapped Hip Hop‑style vocals. As a heavier and more aggressive offshoot of Rap Rock, Rap Metal tended to feature a greater proportion of aggressive Hip Hop electronic percussive beats incorporating Turntablism and ‘scratching’, and lesser emphasis on the highly technical shred guitar playing of other Metal genres. Lyrics also tended to draw themes from Hip Hop music, focusing on social consciousness, misanthropy, crime, gang culture, hedonism, sedition, anti‑authoritarianism and politics.
Rap Metal’s roots date back to the late 1980s when Hardcore Hip Hop groups ironically sampled Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, and Hip Hop artists collaborated with established Metal bands (e.g. Run‑DMC and Aerosmith). Rap Metal became highly popular with MTV audiences. Rap metal’s success closely paralleled that of Alternative Rock with key bands mixing Metal with Hip Hop rising to significance.
Rap metal experienced its peak in the late 1990s heavily influencing Nu Metal’s use of down‑tuned distorted guitar riffs and percussive syncopation. Along with Alternative Metal and Nu Metal, Rap Metal fell out of popularity by the 2000s, though it continued to inspire future crossovers and cross‑fertilisations between Metal and Hip Hop.
Related Genres: Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop, Rap Rock, Funk Metal, Nu Metal, Turntablism, Trap Metal
Examples: Rage Against the Machine, Skindred, Senser, Biohazard, Die Antwoord, Crazy Town, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Ice‑T, Run‑DMC, Public Enemy
Nu Metal (1994‑2000)
Nu Metal seemed to appear from nowhere in the late 1990s. Many of the elements that made Rap Metal popular where piled on in spades by Nu Metal artists, drawing a degree of satirical criticism in the process. Nu Metal arrangements included keyboards, turntable ‘scratching’ and Hip Hop‑style rapping. Early Nu Metal came from Metal bands collaborating with established Hip Hop artists. Nu Metal also influenced Groove Metal and Hard Rock.
The calamitous Woodstock ‘99 outdoor music festival held at Griffiss Air Force Base in New York State was tainted by difficult conditions, extortionate food prices, insufficient water supply, poor sanitation, substance abuse, sexual harassment, sexual violence, rape, rioting, looting, vandalism, arson and several deaths. This notoriety – far from the 1969 Festival’s air of peace & love 30 years earlier – directly impacted the careers of many of the Thrash Metal, Post‑Grunge, Hip Hop, Rap Metal and Nu Metal artists that appeared on the festival line up. In particular, Nu Metal’s popularity declined significantly overnight.
Related Genres: Thrash Metal, Rap Metal, Hip Hop, Groove Metal, Big Beat, Electropunk
Examples: Korn, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Papa Roach, System of a Down, Kittie, Disturbed, Biohazard, Slipknot, Godsmack, Public Enemy, Faith No More, Otep
Groove Metal (1992‑)
Groove metal, a.k.a. Post‑Thrash, is a genre heavily influenced by Thrash Metal and Hardcore Punk that dates back to the early 1990s. The style is similar to Thrash Metal, but with distorted down‑tuned guitars and a tendency to focus more on syncopated rhythms and heaviness instead of speed. The focus on creating an infectious ‘groove’ gave the genre its descriptive name. Vocals typically consist of screaming, growling or guttural singing.
Groove Metal emerged in the early 1990s with key albums like Pantera’s 5th and 6th studio albums, ‘Cowboys From Hell’ (1990) and, ‘Vulgar Display of Power’ (1992), both of which helped to raise the band’s profile and cement their Groove Metal status. As a direct result of Pantera’s popularity, many Groove Metal bands quickly appeared on the scene hoping to imitate success. Some Thrash Metal bands also experimented with, and crossed over into, Groove Metal during the 1990s to give them an edge. With the start of the new millennium, a new wave of Groove Metal bands emerged, intending to keep the genre fresh and relevant.
Related Genres: Thrash Metal, Hardcore Punk, Nu Metal
Examples: Pantera, Anthrax, Lamb of God, Machine Head, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Skinlab, Prong, White Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Hellyeah, Demolition Hammer, Exodus, Exhorder, DevilDriver
Dark Ambient (1993‑)
Another seemingly unlikely fusing of contrasting genres. Dark ambient springs from an earlier form called Ambient Industrial in the 1980s until it was established as a separate sub‑genre in 1993. Dark Ambient’s evolution paralleled the popularity of Ambient Electronica and Ambient Dub genres. While Metal and Ambient seem to make for unlikely bedfellows, the post‑industrial drone and gloomy soundscapes were shaped by Ambient’s (lack of) structural composition, allied to Metal’s ominous and melodramatic overtones. The resulting slow, dark and menacing ambient soundscapes were intended to alienate and isolate the listener with disturbing dissonant tones and textures. While clearly not mainstream Metal, Dark Ambient has proved influential in some areas of the genre including, particularly, the emergence of Blackgaze.
Related Genres: Ambient, Industrial Metal, Ambient Industrial, Industrial Rock, Post‑Industrial, Noise Rock, Blackgaze
Examples: Deafheaven, Agalloch, Aphex Twin, Daniel Avery, Coil, William Basinski, Blut Aus Nord, Cabaret Voltaire, Ben Chatwin, Deathprod, Esoteric, Robert Fripp, Tim Hecker, David Lynch, Mortiis, Phil Niblock, Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor, NON, Burzum
Folk Metal (1994‑)
Folk Metal is a sub‑genre of Metal music that developed primarily in Europe throughout the early‑mid 1990s. As the name suggests, the music itself is a fusion of Traditional Folk Music with Metal, usually with prominent use of acoustic folk instruments such as the flute, acoustic guitar, violin, accordion, and various others. However, while retaining Folk’s musical inclinations, some bands excluded instruments usually associated with folk music, replacing traditional sounds with synthesisers. Lyrics are commonly related to Folk‑related themes such as nature, legends and mythology, paganism, new age philosophy, heroism, quests, community traditions and fantasy.
The first Folk Metal artists began to appear around 1990 and began to gain popularity throughout the decade. Since the genre’s origination, several regional styles of Folk Metal have arisen, including Celtic Metal, Viking Metal and Pirate Metal. In addition to geographical variations, Folk Metal is often integrated with other, more notable Metal genres.
Related Genres: Traditional Folk Music, Folk Rock, Viking Metal, Celtic Metal, Pirate Metal, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal
Examples: Primordial, Moonsorrow, Finntroll, Skyclad, Blackmore’s Night, Nokturnal Mortum, Turisas, Elvenking, Cruachan, Mägo de Oz, In Extremo, Subway to Sally, Agalloch, Korpiklaani, Amon Amarth, Alestorm
Symphonic Metal (1995‑)
Symphonic Metal is a sub‑genre of Metal that features elements of symphonic and classical orchestral music. In a similar vein to more conventional Symphonic Rock bands, Symphonic Metal artists frequently make use of choirs, orchestras, chamber music, strings or synthesisers to reproduce neo‑classical elements within a deliberate Metal setting. Symphonic Metal often employs female operatic‑style singing, as well as male growling vocals.
In the mid‑1990s, Swedish Death Metal band Therion (formerly Blitzkrieg) became one of the first Metal artists to switch to the Symphonic Metal sound by extensively incorporating orchestral and classical compositional techniques. European Symphonic Metal artists soon attained relative commercial success. A Black Metal version of the genre, known as Symphonic Black Metal, also developed simultaneously in the mid‑1990s.
Related Genres: Symphonic Black Metal, Symphonic Rock, Symphonic Death Metal, Gothic Metal, Neo‑Classical Metal, Power Metal
Examples: Celtic Frost, Therion, Nightwish, Epica, Dark Sarah, Within Temptation, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Avantasia, Rhapsody of Fire, Septicflesh, Apocalyptica
Metal Era #5 – Millennium Metal: 2000‑
New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM) (2000‑)
The New Wave of American Heavy Metal also known as New Wave of American Metal, is a Heavy Metal genre that originated in the United States (duh!) during the early‑mid 1990s and expanded rapidly in the early to mid‑2000s. Some of the bands considered to be part of the movement had formed as early as the late 1980s but did not become influential or reach commercial popularity until the following decades. The term itself borrows from NWOBHM, also focusing on location and time period, rather than a distinctive sound. The term NWOAHM was reportedly coined in 2001 by Mark Hunter, vocalist of the American band Chimaira.
Related Genres: NWOBHM, Alternative Metal, Groove Metal, Industrial Metal, Nu Metal, Metalcore
Examples: Shadows Fall, Lamb of God, God Forbid, Darkest Hour, Killswitch Engage, Unearth, Chimaira, As I Lay Dying, Trivium, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
Blackgaze (2005‑)
Blackgaze is one of the more recent Metal trends emerging since the start of the new millennium. Blackgaze seemingly represents another incongruous fusion between the harsh and aggressive sound of Norwegian Black Metal and the more introspective, atmospheric and melodic nature of British Shoegaze and Post‑Rock. Arguably, it might have resulted from Black Metal wanting to migrate from the exile of Extreme Metal into a more commercially acceptable mainstream. Alternatively, it has been suggested that it is a deliberate move to create something different by retaining the pagan and occult foundations of Black Metal while rejecting the offensive Neo‑Nazi leanings. Whether Blackgaze, as an engineered musical crossover, is a temporary niche fad or a serious attempt for discrete genre longevity has yet to be determined, although it has already been around for nearly two decades. Perhaps Blackgaze represents a quest to refresh and rejuvenate existing styles in a new and exciting way to attract a broader audience.
Related Genres: Black Metal, Shoegaze, Post‑Rock, Atmospheric Black Metal, Post Hardcore, Ambient Metal, Dark Ambient
Examples: Alcest, Møl, Agalloch, Deafheaven, Silvayne, Wolves in the Throne Room, Amesoeurs, Harakiri for the Sky, An Autumn for Crippled Children, Exclaim!
Djent (2008‑)
Djent (pronounced ‘jent’) is possibly the most recent primary sub‑genre of Metal at the time of writing, emerging from Sweden, the UK and America in the late 2000s. Djent is sometimes referred to as Math Metal, suggesting its roots lay in Mathcore and Metalcore. Djent is a style of Progressive Metal with syncopated rhythmic structures, angular melodies, and dissonant chords. The distinctive Djent guitar sound is often colloquially referred to as ‘chugga chugga’ and makes use of the same ‘buzzsaw’ BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal effect pedal so beloved by Death Metal bands. Typical traits of Djent include groovy polyrhythms (often 4/3 time signature), cycling patterns of varying length with more unusual and complex time signatures, a sporadic and relatively sparse use of snare drum, crash cymbals, and repetitive heavily distorted psychedelic‑style guitar riffs, to create a frenzied, chaotic atmosphere.
Related Genres: Progressive Metal, Alternative Metal, Death Metal, Math Rock, Mathcore, Metalcore
Examples: Meshuggah, Periphery, TesseracT, Animals as Leaders, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After The Burial, Vildhjara, A Life Once Lost, Monuments
Final thoughts on Metal
Right, that’s it, in a pretty large nutshell. This has been a long article but it still only scratches the tip of the iceberg (regular readers will know that I like mixing metaphors!). It feels like I’ve done justice to what’s here while recognising that there is no way I could do justice to Metal as a whole. That would take an encyclopaedic tome and it is way beyond my area of expertise to accomplish.
Strangely for such a diverse and relatively youthful top‑tier genre, there hasn’t been much in the way of Metal genre innovation, development and evolution since c.2010. Most of the advancement has been around consolidating, reviving, rejuvenating, extending and expanding existing genres. That can’t be said for the bands or the music, only for the categories within which the bands and music ‘fit’. It will be interesting to see what direction(s) Metal might take for its next genetic mutation, whenever that may happen.
“The Force is strong with this one” – Darth Vader (from Star Wars IV: A New Hope, 1977)
A quick shout out to some independent Metal record labels that work hard outside the major studio system to bring Metal to consumers. Some of these labels include Nuclear Blast, Earache Records, Napalm Records, Noise Records, Sub Pop Records and Roadrunner Records, among many others. A large number of successful independent labels have routinely been swallowed up by the big corporate music businesses wanting to capture popular niches without having to build credibility and start from scratch.
Whether we like it or not, social diversity in Metal remains an issue. Inequality lies not necessarily with the audience or consumers but with the artists, which tend to remain stubbornly in the province of straight white males. Other than bands like Halestorm, Vixen, Burning Witches, Otep, Epica, Babymetal, Lovebites, Dark Sarah, Leaves’ Eyes, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Draconian and Evanescence, females are woefully underrepresented. Non‑white ethnicity of Metal artists also remain resolutely few and far between, bar bands like Living Colour, Sepultura, Alice in Chains, System of a Down, DragonForce and Skindred. Rob Halford, vocalist of Judas Priest became one of the first and most prominent openly gay Metal artist, helping to pave the way for greater openness regarding sexual orientation. There is, however, clearly still more to be done to level the playing field.
While writing this article, I was quite surprised at the number of artists listed that are part of my CD collection/iTunes library, with only a few omissions around the margins. There is also a surprisingly large number of Metal artists that I have on CD/iTunes that haven’t been mentioned here (e.g. Last House on the Left, 36 Crazyfists, The City Burns, Within the Ruins, Burning Skies, Iommi, Damageplan and Cave In). Writing the article has given me a very good reason to revisit many of the great Metal albums out there, as well as to check out new (to me) Metal artists. This venture has also spurred me onto new discoveries to add to my diverse, and sometimes guilty, listening pleasures.
Albums are one thing. Experiencing live music is another. There really is no substitute for seeing Metal played live, whether it’s in a local pub, a live music venue, a stadium arena, or a fully‑fledged open‑air festival. In the UK, annual Metal festivals include Download (which superseded the now‑defunct Monsters of Rock) and Bloodstock. In Germany, there is Wacken, while in France, there is Hellfest. Last but not least, there are Aftershock, Louder Than Life and Rockville in the US. These are just a few; there are numerous Metal Festivals in most countries around the globe if one is motivated to look for them. Keep Music Live.
Some of the most impressive and entertaining concerts the author has attended over the years have been Metal gigs, including German Industrial Metal band, Rammstein in 2022. Another great experience was seeing Black Sabbath’s penultimate gig of their ‘The End’ tour in 2017, concluding their long career (41 years after I first saw them play live). I also saw Metallica in 2009 and again headlining at Glastonbury Festival in 2014 (NB. the first Metal band to do so).
Rammstein Live 30-6-2022Black Sabbath Live – The End 31-1-2017Metallica Live – Glastonbury 28-6-14
Demonstrating that times have indeed changed, there is a growing acceptance of the global cultural importance of Metal. The Mongolian Heavy Metal band The HU (NB. Hu is the root of the word ‘human being’ in the Mongolian language) was named as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2022. The Hu’s music addresses the themes of gender equality, respect for difference and the importance of protecting nature.
A Metal gear plug
No, not the prongy thingy that you insert into a wall socket for electrical power. Rather a bit of shameless, flagrant self‑promotion. Why not take a browse around CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars’ web site for some Metal‑minded matters?
Possibly my favourite vintage guitar is the Gibson Explorer, which is an ideal axe for heavier types of Rock, such as Metal. The Explorer’s ‘Dirty Fingers’ humbucking pickups featured on all CRAVE’s Explorers are absolutely superb. Explorers are great guitars to play and sound great. That’s probably why CRAVE Guitars has five of them, ranging from 1979 to 1983. The Gibson Flying V is another Metal favourite, although I find them unwieldy in comparison. Then there is the Gibson SG, complete with its own ‘devil horns’. Interestingly, while the Gibson Les Paul is commonly used for hard rock, it doesn’t seem to be as favoured by Metal guitarists.
1984 Gibson Explorer Designer Series ‘Union Jack’1984 Gibson Flying V Designer Series1968 Gibson SG Standard
Most Fender guitars aren’t really suited to Metal and don’t tend to appear often in the hands of Metal guitarists, bar a few notable exceptions such as Iron Maiden and John 5. Fender, however, did inspire the slinky ‘Super Strats’ favoured by a large number of shred Metal guitarists from the 1980s onward.
Guitar Brands such as Jackson, Charvel, Ibanez, ESP/LTD, EVH, Schecter, BC Rich, Dean and latterly PRS are more likely to be seen on TV and Metal stages in the 21st Century. PRS in particular were associated with Nu‑Metal guitarists in the 1990s. Many modern shred‑style guitars use the popular and specialised EMG active pickups and Floyd Rose vibrato systems.
Fender Precision bass guitars with their solid, percussive fundamentals are well suited to Metal, as are basses from the likes of Music Man, Ibanez, Warwick, Lakland, Schecter, Rickenbacker and ESP/LTD.
As far as CRAVE Effects goes, there are some interesting metal‑oriented stomp boxes including the aforementioned legendary 1980s BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal. There is an original 1960s Dallas‑Arbiter Fuzz Face (think, Hendrix) and vintage Tone Benders from Sola Sound and Colorsound, an early English Marshall The Guv’nor and a filthy ProCo Rat. Then, from Japan, there are also the OTT Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion and SM9 Super Metal effects to really push an amp’s front end as well as the obligatory Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. Then there is my all‑time favourite, the Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff π fuzz pedal from 1977.
1985 BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal
CRAVE Amps are generally clean American low gain affairs (but great as a platform for pedals). There are plenty of high gain amps out there ideally suited for creating Metal mayhem, including Marshall, Peavey, Orange, Mesa Engineering, Friedman, Diezel, EVH Gear, PRS, Engel, Hiwatt, Hughes & Kettner, Bogner, Randall, BOSS and Soldano.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
For this article, there really can only be one logical choice. I mentioned at the top of this article that there was an identifiable moment that the Antichrist of Heavy Metal was born. While the Devil’s spawn may have been conceived earlier, there was nothing like it before and rock music changed forever after.
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970) – Wow! What an entrance from four ordinary lads from Birmingham, England; Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drummer). From the now‑iconic, gothic and clearly occult‑ish cover to the dark and ominous musical content, this was one of those milestone studio albums that literally changed the musical zeitgeist. It isn’t the polished, glossily produced, technically proficient album of much 21st Century Metal but back in 1970 it hit hard and, more importantly, it brims with raw passion and emotion. Who knows what would have happened had it not been for Black Sabbath’s savage seven tracks spanning a mere 38 minutes. If it was released today, it probably wouldn’t make much of an impression. However, the ground‑breaking debut has stood the test of time over the last 54 years and will likely continue to impress open‑minded metalheads for the next 54.
So shocking to the conservative majority was this album’s release that it was received with hysterical claims of sinister satanic worship, panic‑stricken proclamations of occult practices and dire warnings of the adverse effect on disillusioned uneducated youths looking for an alternative way to express their suppressed inner angst. Media histrionics added fuel to the frantic fire and headlines’ disproportionate doom mongering perversely helped to cement Black Sabbath’s dark and broody reputation. That is irony. One wonders what those same critics would have made of today’s Extreme Metal. Thankfully, most of us now know much better. I think we can all agree that the real world dangers of today are far, far scarier.
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)
[Image: Black Sabbath ‑ Black Sabbath (1970)]
While many fans might cite, ‘Paranoid’ (also 1970) as being the archetypal Sabbath studio album, particularly given the band’s signature title track, it remains a sophomore release that builds on and reinforces their stunning debut. Together, the two albums made 1970 a pivotal year for Rock and vital for the emergence and enduring popularity of Heavy Metal.
“As long as there are kids who are pissed off and have no real way in venting out that anger, heavy metal will live on” – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 1948‑)
Tailpiece
That’s it for this Magnificent Metal Masterpiece (conceited gratuitous alliteration as usual). I trust that it has been an interesting excursion into the heavier and darker side of modern music. I hope that newcomers to Metal found something worth extra exploration (there is plenty of further reading on the hinterwebby thingummy) and I hope readers already familiar with Metal found something enjoyable hidden in the deep dark depths of the discourse.
As a guitarist, the author has dabbled with Metal on and off over the years, although my leanings were more towards Psychedelic/Space Rock/Stoner Rock/Metal. Unfortunately, my limited abilities, poor technical skill and a complete lack of playing speed mean that I never felt confident trying to master it.
Time for a worthy acknowledgement. My son is a long-time confirmed metalhead and I sought his input when writing this article. Many thanks to him for his valuable insights and suggestions. The outcome is much better for it.
A quick, unrelated postscript. Apologies to recent visitors to the CRAVE Guitars website. There is a technical issue with the site’s theme and it is causing problems with both downtime and poor presentation of images. Hopefully, things should be resolved soon. It annoys me as much as it does everyone else.
Next month, we’ll be looking at… erm… err… I have absolutely no idea. One thing is for sure, though, it will be different, again. Watch for this cavernous space to be suitably filled in due course.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “If only I could forget much of what I remember and remember some of what I forgot”
GOOD DAY AND GREETINGS, MUSIC‑MINDED CITIZENS. For this month and for the next two we’re taking a 3‑part sojourn in uncharted lands (as medieval cartographers once denoted, ‘terra incognita’) and what monstrosities may inhabit those unexplored territories (‘hic sunt dracones’, literally translated as ‘here be dragons’). Yes folks, it is time for CRAVE Guitars to explore a current‑day innovation that once seemed surreal but is rapidly becoming increasingly real; a phenomenon that the original makers of what we now know as vintage guitars could never have envisaged (probably).
Whether we like it or not, the faddish fuss around Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a ‘BIG THING’ at the moment. At the forefront of the debate are the societal dilemmas posed by sophisticated systems potentially becoming more intelligent than human beings (in my experience, not particularly difficult in many cases!).
“I’d rather see artificial intelligence than no intelligence” – Michael Crichton (American author)
In a worst case scenario, how does a supposedly civilised society prevent malicious actors using AI technology for nefarious means? A profound question indeed. Prescient Hollywood film director James Cameron’s bleak vision of Cyberdyne Systems, Skynet and Terminators can, perhaps, be taken as an extreme but stark lesson. The rise of the machines, taking over the world and resulting in the potential obliteration of humanity is a chilling proposition. It seems we already have too many twisted tyrants willing and attempting to achieve that end right now with and without AI and robotics as the means. Just spare a moment to think what deranged despots could do with the technology and what the consequences may be for everyone in the very near future. AI’s potential demands that collectively we address the challenge of what needs to be done to avoid the annihilation of civilisation through unhindered autonomous technological advance.
“Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony” – the character Morpheus from ‘The Matrix’ (1999)
What on Earth does this divergent dystopian diatribe (apologies, folks) have to do with vintage guitars and music you may well be justified in asking? Very little, other than as an existential context. From here on, we’ll be taking a far more parochial and prosaically pedestrian path.
Like many people, I have become curious about what AI means for culture and specifically for the creative crafts. Given my obsession with vintage guitars and music, I thought I’d turn my attention to what AI might have to say on the matter. So… that is the basis of this month’s article. For once, I can say, quite legitimately, that AI was used to research and write this article. This interesting (?) examination will not change the world but, then again, neither will it jeopardise it.
Artificial Intelligence Part I
“Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without” – the character Merovingian from ‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Before we get to vintage guitars and what wisdom (or not) AI has to impart, we have to do some homework about AI so that the rest of the article makes sense. We’ll start with an English hero and take it from there.
Alan Turing and the Turing Test
The following description of one of the world’s most influential geniuses in the world of computers and artificial intelligence, comes direct, courtesy of Wikipedia… “Alan Mathison Turing (1912‑1954) was an English mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher and theoretical biologist. Turing was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of algorithm and computation with the Turing machine, which can be considered a model of a general‑purpose computer. He is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.”
During World War II, civilian Alan Turing worked as a codebreaker based at the Government Code and Cypher School at the Bletchley Park country estate in Buckinghamshire, England. While there, Turing devised complex techniques for breaking German ciphers used by the Nazi’s military encryption device, the Enigma Machine, which had been invented by a German engineer Arthur Scherbius (1878‑1929) shortly after WWI. The Germans were confident that the system could not be broken. However, in 1942‑1943, Turing and his colleagues played a vital part in successfully cracking intercepted German encoded messages transmitted using the Enigma Machine. Turing’s historic achievements enabled the Allies to defeat the Axis powers in, particularly, the Battle of the Atlantic (1939‑1945).
After the end of the war in 1945, Turing invented the Automatic Computing Machine the world’s first digital computer capable of using stored programs. By 1950, Turing developed an experiment to gauge the ‘intelligence’ of a computer. His simple test requires that a human being should be unable to distinguish the machine from another human being by evaluating replies to questions put to both. The Turing Test, as it was known, is still regarded as a fundamental benchmark for assessing machine intelligence.
“Artificial Intelligence is what we don’t know how to do yet” – Alan Kay (American computer scientist)
Defining Artificial Intelligence
Now for the techy bit… Sorry, bear with me. The term ‘artificial intelligence’ was first used in 1956 at a Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence held at Dartmouth College, a private Ivy League research university based in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. The conference was organised by computer scientist and Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Dartmouth College, John McCarthy (1927‑2011). The project proposed, “that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it”.
In 1958, American psychologist Frank Rosenblatt (1928‑1971) outlined what he regarded as “the first machine which is capable of having an original idea”. Rosenblatt’s concept was the ‘Perceptron’, a program inspired by the way the human brain works, which ran on a state‑of‑the‑art IBM mainframe computer. The Perceptron was a rudimentary version of a neural network, comprising interconnected nodes (neurons) that process and learn from data, enabling tasks such as pattern recognition and decision making. Rosenblatt was regarded as ‘the father of deep learning’.
As early as the 1960s, computer scientists and neuroscientists were already teaching computers how to mimic human decision‑making processes, which developed into research around what is known today as ‘machine learning’.
“If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t” – Emerson M. Pugh (American physicist)
In 1997, IBM’s ‘Deep Blue’, an expert chess program running on a unique, purpose‑built IBM supercomputer, beat the Russian chess grandmaster, Garry Kasparov, leading to the description of rules‑based ‘Traditional AI’. While Deep Blue may have been excellent at playing chess, its talents were capable of little else.
“AI is the most exciting tech of our time” – Tim Cook (CEO, Apple Inc.)
Artificial Intelligence is now a mainstream branch of computer science that refers to IT systems capable of performing complex tasks that attempt to replicate human thought and intelligence. AI’s systematic tasks include analysing data, identifying patterns, recognising speech, solving problems, proposing solutions and taking decisions.
“Artificial intelligence is one of the most profound things we’re working on as humanity. It is more profound than fire or electricity” – Sundar Pichai (CEO, Google and Alphabet Inc.)
As of early 2024, not all AIs are created equal. Traditional AI (a.k.a. Weak AI or Narrow AI) is an umbrella term for computer systems that employ supervised learning and discriminative models to solve specific tasks using predefined rules, Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs).
“Denial is the most predictable of all human responses” – the character The Architect from ‘The Matrix’ (1999)
The category of AI that we will be looking at in this article is called Generative AI, also referred to as GenAI or GAI, which is a relatively new subset of AI. Generative AI allows users to input a variety of prompts to generate content, such as text, images, videos, sounds, 3D designs and other types of media.
“We’re living in the golden age of AI” – Jeff Bezos (founder, Amazon)
The distinctive aspect of GAI is that it uses unsupervised deep machine learning models to generate new material based on patterns of data acquired from existing sources. GAI models work on large unlabelled data sets that require complex mathematical algorithms and a great deal of computing power to analyse and build constructs.
“While AI has tremendous potential to transform industries, we must not forget the impact it could have on society and must work to mitigate potential risks” – Elon Musk (CEO, Tesla and SpaceX)
Generative AI models don’t stand still; they continue to evolve at an increasingly rapid rate, as they learn from additional data as it becomes available. It is the quality of the data sets that enable the AI to predict responsible outcomes and undertake a range of cognitive tasks in the same way that a human might.
“The question is not whether intelligent machines can have any emotions, but whether machines can be intelligent without any emotions” – Marvin Minsky (American computer scientist, MIT)
Over time, it is inevitable that GAI’s ability will catch up with, and ultimately surpass, that of humans. The nature, pace and potential of GAI is causing concern among some experts and policy makers because of the moral and ethical issues it raises, particularly if AI’s unbridled behaviour is not moderated in some way by responsible human intervention. The risks of uncontrolled or poorly controlled AI models are swiftly becoming both tangible and potentially unsafe.
“We should not be afraid of AI. Instead, we should hope for the amazing amount of good it will do in the world” – Mark Zuckerberg (founder, Meta Inc.)
So, the next question is, what comes after GAI? Well, GAI still has a long way to go and that will keep innovators such as OpenAI and Deep Mind hard at work pushing the boundaries of what is possible for some time yet. After that, the most likely development would be Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) or Artificial General Superintelligence (AGS). The aim is to build a device that can do anything the human brain can do (and more) and to integrate that with the rapidly developing parallel field of advanced robotics to create a machine that can do anything the human body can do (and more). Scary? Super intelligent super robots may well finally demonstrate that yesterday’s science fiction is becoming today’s science fact.
“I am in the camp that is concerned about superintelligence. But I don’t think we need to be fatalistic about it” Bill Gates (founder, Microsoft)
However, let’s not get bogged down by credible or fanciful conspiracy theories and get back to the matter in hand.
Applying Artificial Intelligence to the world of vintage guitars
Phew! Back to basics and more familiar territory. After all that preliminary exposition, I think we can all probably agree that AI is one of topical themes of the first half of the 2020s. Not wishing to be left behind, I thought CRAVE Guitars should try to get AI to respond to a series of questions about my favourite topic, vintage guitars. From my experience so far, all that the easily accessible public AI (as opposed to military‑grade AI) can do is to extract information that is already available on the Internet (whether right or wrong) and to compose it into straightforward responses to an input.
Before we start, I will lay my cards on the table and state my starting position, which, may or may not change by the time this article has concluded. My naïve biological brain came up with eight statements that set out what AI does not (or cannot) currently do. In my view, AI struggles…
To understand a question correctly without over‑specificity (i.e. it can’t deal with vague ambiguity)
To interpret and extrapolate relevant information objectively within a wider context (i.e. the bigger picture)
To present a cogent argument that can adequately be judged and/or challenged
To form a genuine opinion from scratch without relevant information being readily available in the first place, in the same way that a person might do in the case of uncertainty (i.e. its ability to make genuinely informed assumptions from limited information)
To debate the initial result to achieve a potentially better outcome (i.e. to learn from the interaction on the spot and adjust its responses accordingly)
To produce a creative response that improves on the original information input by humans
To remember what it has already output (i.e. as part of a continuous ‘dialogue’ – as here – each question is treated as a new subject with no memory of previous questions)
To understand fully what humans want or expect from ‘intelligence’ (i.e. something coherent and interesting)
Assessing AI’s responses against those eight points is this article’s main challenge.
Below, I pose 20 (plus 2) questions to AI and present its verbatim response to each question (bar correcting the occasional heinous ‘typo’ or bad grammar, which in itself is a bit ironic!), so that you can judge for yourselves just how close AI might be to succeeding at transcending its silicon‑based electronic components (‘deus ex machina’ – god from the machine – if you will). More importantly, you can gauge whether AI can make any sense of the intricately complex subject of vintage guitars. So… can AI pass the CRAVE Guitars Test? We’ll see.
There are no images in the main part of this article. AI did not present any pictures to support its answers, so I haven’t embellished the words with anything additional, as it might skew the results. What you see below is what I got, no more, no less; untainted in any way.
The material presented here is not appropriated as belonging to, or being the view of CRAVE Guitars in any way; it is presented here solely for information, intellectual evaluation and critique.
“Change is never painful, only the resistance to change is painful” Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama ‑ c.480‑400BCE)
Right. That’s my involvement pretty much at an end for now. I’m off to make a cup of tea or ten. See you again at the end of the article with my appraisal of how I think AI did.
20 Questions about vintage guitars posed to AI
Question #1 – What is the definition of a vintage guitar?
AI Response #1 – A vintage guitar is an older guitar that is usually sought after and maintained by avid collectors or musicians. The term can indicate either that an instrument is merely old or that it is sought after for its tonal quality, cosmetic appearance, or historical significance. While there is no strict chronological definition for what makes something vintage, guitars around 30 years old or older typically fall into this category. Even newer instruments are often labelled as vintage by sellers. So, if you come across a beautifully aged guitar with a rich history, it just might be a vintage gem!
Question #2 – Why should I be interested in vintage guitars?
AI Response #2 – Vintage guitars have a unique appeal and charm due to their age and history. They often possess a certain character and sound that cannot be replicated by newer guitars. In addition, vintage guitars can appreciate in value over time, making them a valuable investment. However, they can be expensive and require careful maintenance. Understanding the vintage guitar market, knowing what to look for when buying, and appreciating the unique sound and playability of these instruments are key to making a worthwhile purchase. Ask professional guitar dealers on how to navigate the vintage guitar market.
Question #3 – What are the best things about vintage guitars?
AI Response #3 – Vintage guitars have several unique qualities that make them highly desirable for musicians and collectors alike:
Tonal Character: Vintage guitars often have a distinct and rich sound that sets them apart from newer instruments. The aging of the wood, hardware, and electronics contributes to their unique tonal character. Musicians appreciate the warmth, resonance, and depth of vintage guitar tones.
Craftsmanship: Many vintage guitars were meticulously handcrafted by skilled luthiers. These instruments showcase exceptional attention to detail, fine workmanship, and quality materials. The craftsmanship of vintage guitars reflects the artistry and dedication of their makers.
Historical Significance: Vintage guitars carry a piece of musical history. They have witnessed decades of music, performances, and cultural shifts. Owning a vintage guitar connects you to the past and allows you to be part of a musical legacy.
Collectability: Vintage guitars are sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. Their scarcity and historical value contribute to their collectible status. Some iconic models, such as the Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster, have become legendary in the music world.
Investment Potential: While not all vintage guitars appreciate significantly in value, some rare and sought‑after models can be excellent investments. If you choose wisely and maintain the instrument well, it may appreciate over time.
Visual Appeal: Vintage guitars often exhibit beautiful designs, unique finishes, and intricate inlays. Their aesthetics evoke nostalgia and admiration. Whether it’s the graceful curves of a vintage hollow‑body or the simplicity of a vintage Telecaster, these guitars are visually captivating.
Playing Experience: Many musicians find that playing a vintage guitar is a special experience. The feel of the neck, the responsiveness of the fretboard, and the way the guitar resonates under their fingers create a connection that transcends mere functionality.
Story and Provenance: Each vintage guitar has a story to tell. Who played it? Was it used on famous recordings? Did it travel the world with a touring band? Uncovering the history and provenance of a vintage guitar adds to its allure.
Remember that owning a vintage guitar requires careful consideration. Factors like condition, authenticity, and playability matter. Whether you’re a seasoned guitarist or a collector, the allure of vintage guitars lies in their blend of art, history, and music.
Question #4 – What are the worst things about vintage guitars?
AI Response #4 – While vintage guitars have their allure, there are some potential downsides to consider:
Condition and Maintenance: Vintage guitars may have endured decades of use, wear, and aging. Their condition can vary significantly. Some may require extensive repairs, refrets, or replacement parts. Regular maintenance is essential to keep them playable.
Fragility: Older guitars can be delicate. The wood may have dried out, making it more susceptible to cracks or warping. Vintage finishes are often thin and prone to chipping. Handling them with care is crucial.
Cost: Authentic vintage guitars can be expensive. Rare models or those associated with famous musicians command high prices. If you’re on a budget, acquiring a well‑preserved vintage instrument may be challenging.
Limited Availability: Truly exceptional vintage guitars are scarce. Finding the right one—especially in good condition—can be time‑consuming. Patience and persistence are necessary.
Playability: While vintage guitars have character, not all of them are easy to play. Neck profiles, fret sizes, and action may differ from modern standards. Some vintage instruments may feel less ergonomic.
Incompatibility with Modern Gear: Vintage guitars may lack features found in contemporary models. For example, they might not have versatile pickup configurations, tremolo systems, or locking tuners. Compatibility with modern amplifiers and effects can be an issue.
Weight: Some vintage electric guitars, especially solid‑body models, can be heavy. Prolonged playing sessions may strain your back and shoulders.
Risk of Fakes and Forgeries: The vintage guitar market attracts counterfeiters. It’s essential to verify authenticity and provenance. Consult experts or reputable dealers to avoid purchasing a fake.
Investment Uncertainty: While some vintage guitars appreciate in value, it’s not guaranteed. Market trends fluctuate, and economic factors play a role. Buying solely for investment purposes can be risky.
Sentimental Value: Owning a vintage guitar with historical significance can be emotionally rewarding. However, if you’re purely focused on practicality, the sentimental aspect may not matter to you.
Remember that each vintage guitar is unique, and what some consider drawbacks, others may view as part of their charm. Consider your preferences, playing style, and budget when deciding whether a vintage guitar is right for you.
Question #5 – What are the most desirable vintage guitar brands?
AI Response #5 – Vintage guitars have a rich history, and some lesser‑known brands have become highly desirable among collectors and musicians. Here are a few vintage guitar brands worth exploring:
Bartell: Although less known, Bartell guitars gained attention when one of their models was associated with Jimi Hendrix’s collection. The Black Widow is one of their notable guitars. Bartell was a Californian‑based company that produced around 2000 guitars between 1964 and 1969.
Electra: Active during the 1970s and early 1980s, Electra guitars were made in Japan and sold in the United States. They gained popularity for their good quality and reasonable prices. Notably, Electra introduced the MPC (Modular Powered Circuits) guitars, which featured replaceable effect modules—a unique concept at the time.
Hondo: Often mistaken for the automobile brand Honda, Hondo was an American guitar company founded in 1969. They aimed to produce quality entry‑level instruments in Korea and Japan while maintaining consistency with U.S.‑made guitars. Hondo’s steel‑string acoustics and electric guitars gained recognition. In 1978, they even used DiMarzio pickups, making them pioneers among overseas guitar manufacturers.
Airline: Airline guitars, popular in the 1960s, were produced by Valco and later Harmony. Their quirky designs, including the ‘Jetsons’ look, make them sought after by collectors today.
Supro: Supro guitars were part of the Valco family and gained prominence in the 1960s. Their unique tone, often associated with blues and rock, appeals to vintage enthusiasts.
Teisco: Teisco, a Japanese brand, flooded the market with budget‑friendly guitars in the 1960s. Their funky designs, including offset bodies and unusual pickup configurations, have a cult following.
Hagstrom: Hagstrom, a Swedish brand, produced guitars with innovative features like the ‘resinator’ fingerboard. Their vintage models are prized for their playability and distinct sound.
Remember that desirability varies based on personal preferences, rarity, and historical significance. Exploring these vintage brands can lead to hidden gems and unique instruments that resonate with your musical style.
Question #6 – What instruments are the most desirable vintage guitars?
AI Response #6 – Vintage guitars hold a special allure for collectors and musicians alike. Let’s explore some of the most desirable vintage guitars based on their historical significance, rarity, and iconic status:
1958‑’59 Gibson Explorer:
Value: Between $250,000 and $310,000.
Why: The Explorer, with its futuristic design, initially received little attention from buyers. However, its African limba (marketed as ‘Korina’) body and unique sound have made it highly sought after by collectors.
1936‑’42 Martin D‑45:
Value: Ranging from $250,000 to $400,000.
Why: Martin dreadnoughts are revered, and the D‑45, adorned with Brazilian rosewood back and sides, ivory binding, and intricate fretboard inlays, remains a pinnacle of steel‑string acoustics.
1958‑’60 Gibson Les Paul Standard:
Value: Approximately $225,000 to $375,000.
Why: Initially overlooked, the Les Paul gained prominence after Eric Clapton and Michael Bloomfield played it. Today, it’s not only a collectable solid body but also a symbol of guitar history.
1930‑’33 Martin OM‑45:
Value: Estimated at $265,000 to $350,000.
Why: Rarity drives its value; only a handful were made each year. The first‑year ‘Deluxe’ version commands the highest prices.
1958‑’59 Gibson Flying V:
Value: Around $200,000 to $250,000.
Why: Like the Explorer, the Flying V’s Korina body design was ahead of its time. Only 98 were produced, making it a prized collector’s item.
These guitars not only represent exceptional craftsmanship but also evoke the magic of music history. Whether you’re a player or an investor, vintage guitars continue to captivate enthusiasts worldwide.
Question #7 – Are American vintage guitars better than ones from other countries?
AI Response #7 – The quality of guitars is determined by a variety of factors, including the materials used, the craftsmanship, and the design. While American‑made guitars are often considered to be of high quality, it’s not necessarily true that they are better than guitars made in other countries.
In fact, many guitarists prefer guitars made in Japan, Korea, or Mexico, for example. These countries have a long history of producing high‑quality instruments, and many guitarists appreciate the unique sound and feel of guitars made in these regions.
Ultimately, the best guitar for you depends on your personal preferences and playing style. It’s important to try out different guitars and find one that feels comfortable and sounds great to you.
Question #8 – What is the state of the vintage guitar market today?
AI Response #8 – The vintage guitar market has been through ups and downs over the years. According to a 2009 article by Premier Guitar, the vintage market was down 20 to 30 percent from its 2007 peak, with oversaturated pockets of the market down even further. However, a 2021 report by Market Strides suggests that the vintage guitar market is expected to grow in the coming years, with key market trends and dynamics analysed for major geographies and countries.
If you’re interested in buying or selling vintage guitars, you might want to check out Reverb’s Price Guide. It records the sale price of used or vintage instruments sold on Reverb, providing a fair market range for buyers and sellers.
Question #9 – Are vintage guitars a worthwhile investment?
AI Response #9 – Vintage guitars, like a well‑aged wine or a classic novel, evoke a sense of nostalgia and craftsmanship. But are they a wise investment? Let’s explore the fretted path of vintage guitar investments:
Historical Appeal:
Vintage guitars carry a piece of musical history. Owning an instrument that has been played by legendary musicians can be emotionally rewarding.
Collectability: Rare models, limited editions, or guitars associated with iconic artists tend to appreciate in value over time.
Market Trends:
The vintage guitar market has seen fluctuations. While some models skyrocket in value, others remain steady or decline.
Research: Investigate trends, consult experts, and track auction results. Knowledge is your tuning peg.
Condition Matters:
Originality: Unaltered vintage guitars fetch higher prices. Modifications can dampen their investment potential.
Wear and Tear: Light wear adds character, but excessive damage affects value.
Supply and Demand:
Scarcity: Limited supply drives up prices. Seek out guitars with low production numbers.
Desirability: Popular brands (Gibson, Fender) and models (Stratocaster, Les Paul) remain sought after.
Playability vs. Investment:
Play First: Buy a vintage guitar because you love its sound and feel. Enjoy playing it!
Investment Second: While some vintage guitars appreciate, it’s not guaranteed. Don’t solely rely on them as financial assets.
Diversification:
Portfolio Approach: If you’re investing, diversify. Don’t put all your strings in one guitar case.
Other Instruments: Consider violins, mandolins, or rare basses.
Long‑Term Commitment:
Vintage guitars require care, maintenance, and storage. They’re not a quick flip.
Patience: Appreciation often takes years, not months.
In conclusion, vintage guitars can be a rewarding investment if you’re passionate about music, appreciate craftsmanship, and understand the risks. Whether you strum for profit or pleasure, let your heart and ears guide you.
Question #10 – Which vintage guitars are simply not worth investing in?
AI Response #10 – Vintage guitars can indeed be a rewarding investment, but not all of them are equally valuable. Let’s explore which ones might not be worth your investment:
Mass‑Produced Models:
Guitar factories churned out many models in the past. Some of these are abundant and lack the rarity that drives up value.
Avoid: Generic models with little historical significance.
Obscure Brands:
Lesser‑known brands may not have the same collector appeal. Their limited demand affects their investment potential.
Avoid: Guitars from obscure or defunct manufacturers unless they have unique features or historical context.
Poor Condition:
Wear and Tear: Severely damaged or heavily modified guitars lose value. Repairs can be costly.
Avoid: Instruments with extensive cracks, warped necks, or missing parts.
Overpriced Celebrity Associations:
Be Sceptical: Some sellers inflate prices based on dubious claims of celebrity ownership.
Avoid: Guitars with exaggerated stories unless there’s solid evidence.
Fads and Trends:
Beware of Hype: Trends come and go. What’s hot today may not be tomorrow.
Avoid: Investing solely based on current trends. Look for timeless appeal.
Avoid: Assuming every old guitar will skyrocket in value.
Remember, research is your best ally. Seek advice from experts, explore reputable dealers, and play the guitars yourself. Whether you’re strumming for passion or profit, choose wisely!
Question #11 – What vintage guitars are likely to become more desirable in the next 5 years?
AI Response #11 – The world of vintage guitars is a fascinating blend of history, craftsmanship, and musical magic. While predicting the future is akin to tuning an old guitar by ear, here are some intriguing candidates that might appreciate in value over the next five years:
Gibson Les Paul Signature (1974):
Often overlooked, the Les Paul Signature from the ’70s has hidden potential. Its versatility shines through various genres, especially when cranked through a Marshall amp. Keep an eye out for these criminally underrated semi‑hollow beauties.
Fender Starcaster (1976–80):
Originally overshadowed, the Fender Starcaster has gained traction. Ted Turner of Wishbone Ash fame owned one, and its unique pickups contribute to its allure. Expect further value appreciation in the coming decades.
Silvertone 1446 (1960s):
Crafted by Harmony, the Silvertone 1446 boasts Gibson‑made pickups with a distinct tone. It may not be the most refined instrument, but its sound and sexiness compensate. A vintage gem that could resonate with collectors.
Kay K775 Jazz II (1960s):
Eric Clapton’s early learning ground, the Kay K775 Jazz II, is gaining recognition. Despite Kay’s quality control reputation, this bolt‑on neck thinline surprises with its laminated figured maple top, Bigsby vibrato, and Barney Kessel–designed Kleenex Box single‑coils. A naughty guitar indeed.
Supro and Kay Archtops:
These old Supro and Kay guitars remain undervalued. While the overall vintage market fluctuates, these archtops haven’t fully rebounded. Their unique character and historical significance make them intriguing investments.
Remember, the guitar market dances to its own rhythm, influenced by players, trends, and nostalgia. Whether you strum for passion or profit, let your heart guide your choices.
Question #12 – What is the sort of return on investment that one might expect from collecting vintage guitars?
AI Response #12 – Collecting vintage guitars can indeed be a rewarding investment, combining passion for music with potential financial gains. Let’s explore why vintage guitars are an excellent strategy:
Tangible and Attractive:
Vintage guitars provide more than just financial value. They’re tangible pieces of history, beautiful to display, and enjoyable to collect.
Unlike stocks or bonds, you can admire and play them.
Stability and Appreciation:
Vintage guitars have consistently outperformed the stock market in terms of stability.
As they age, their value tends to appreciate, provided you maintain them well.
Superior Craftsmanship:
Vintage guitars often surpass modern counterparts in quality. They were meticulously crafted using fine materials.
Brands like Gibson Les Paul, Fender Telecaster, and CF Martin remain popular among collectors.
Guitar Brands to Consider:
Gibson Les Paul: These older models, made of oak, mahogany, and other fine materials, are highly sought after.
Fender: Look for ’50s and ’60s Telecasters, Stratocasters, and Thunderbirds.
CF Martin: Known for their acoustic excellence, Martin guitars from the 1960s hold significant value.
Guild: Although less famous, older Guild instruments are on par with Martin guitars of the same era.
Investment Potential:
While not every vintage guitar will skyrocket in value, a well‑chosen collection can yield substantial returns.
Research, learn about the models, and make informed decisions.
Remember, whether you’re a musician or simply appreciate the beauty of old guitars, vintage instruments offer a harmonious blend of passion and investment potential.
Question #13 – Are vintage guitars better than new guitars?
AI Response #13 – Vintage guitars and new guitars each have their own merits, and the answer depends on various factors. Let’s explore both sides:
Vintage Guitars:
Historical Charm: Vintage guitars carry a sense of history and nostalgia. Owning an instrument that has been played by legendary musicians can be emotionally rewarding.
Unique Tone: Some vintage guitars have aged tone woods that resonate differently. The wood dries out over time, leading to a more resonant tone with better sustain, especially in acoustic guitars.
Collectability: Rare models or those associated with iconic artists tend to appreciate in value over time.
New Guitars:
Advancements in Craftsmanship: Modern manufacturing techniques have improved significantly. CNC machines and precision tools allow for consistent builds.
Reliability: New guitars are generally more reliable. They undergo rigorous quality control and benefit from advancements in materials and construction.
Customisation: Custom shop guitars offer the best of both worlds. You can get a new guitar tailored to your preferences, combining vintage aesthetics with modern playability.
Quality Comparison:
Subtle Differences: Vintage guitars may have unique quirks due to handcrafted processes. For example, old Les Pauls had smaller frets and thicker necks.
Precision and Consistency: Modern CNC machines ensure precise fretwork and consistent results. Every Gibson today goes through a PLEK machine for levelling and crowning frets within micrometers.
Subjectivity:
‘Better’ Is Relative: The definition of ‘better’ varies. It’s subjective and depends on personal preferences.
Playability: Some players prefer the feel of vintage necks, while others enjoy the sleekness of modern profiles.
In summary, both vintage and new guitars have their place. Whether you seek historical charm, unique tones, or cutting‑edge craftsmanship, choose based on your playing style, preferences, and budget.
Question #14 – Should vintage guitars be used or preserved in museums?
AI Response #14 – Vintage guitars, like ancient manuscripts or Renaissance paintings, straddle the delicate balance between utility and preservation. Let’s explore both perspectives:
Playing and Using Vintage Guitars:
Sonic Legacy: Vintage guitars were crafted to be played. Their rich tones, unique characteristics, and historical significance come alive when strummed or picked.
Musical Connection: Owning a vintage instrument allows musicians to channel the spirit of past players. It’s a bridge across time and genres.
Art in Action: A vintage guitar’s true purpose is to create music. It yearns for fingers on frets, resonating strings, and melodies that echo through decades.
Preserving Vintage Guitars in Museums:
Cultural Artefacts: Museums safeguard our collective heritage. Vintage guitars, like ancient artefacts, tell stories of creativity, craftsmanship, and musical evolution.
Educational Value: Displaying vintage instruments educates visitors about music history, luthiery techniques, and the evolution of sound.
Conservation: Museums provide controlled environments, protecting guitars from wear, humidity, and light damage.
A Harmonious Balance:
Rotating Exhibits: Some museums allow playable vintage guitars in temporary exhibits. Musicians can strum them, and visitors appreciate their beauty.
Replicas and Demonstrations: Museums can create replicas for hands‑on experiences while preserving the originals.
Digital Archives: Recordings, videos, and virtual tours can complement physical displays.
In the grand symphony of cultural preservation, vintage guitars play a vital note. Whether they resonate in concert halls or rest behind glass, their melodies continue to echo through time.
Question #15 – Are collectors a good or bad thing for vintage guitars?
AI Response #15 – Collectors, like the silent guardians of a musical time capsule, wield both light and shadow upon the vintage guitar realm. Let us strum through their impact:
The Good Harmony:
Preservation: Collectors cradle vintage guitars, shielding them from the ravages of time. These instruments whisper secrets of bygone eras.
Curators of History: They curate private museums, preserving luthiery artistry and the soulful echoes of past players.
Financial Support: By investing in rare models, collectors contribute to the market’s stability and encourage craftsmanship.
The Dissonant Notes:
Inaccessibility: Some vintage guitars languish behind velvet ropes, yearning for calloused fingertips. Their music remains unheard.
Price Inflation: Collectors can inflate prices, making it harder for musicians to acquire playable vintage instruments.
Frozen Artefacts: When guitars become mere artefacts, their purpose shifts from music‑making to display.
The Ongoing Duet:
Balance: Collectors must harmonize preservation with accessibility. Rotate exhibits, allow touch, and share the magic.
Collaboration: Collaborate with musicians, luthiers, and enthusiasts. Let vintage guitars sing in live performances.
Legacy: Remember that these guitars once graced stages, studios, and hearts. Their legacy transcends wood and strings.
In the grand symphony of vintage guitars, collectors play a vital role. May they strum chords of reverence and resonance, bridging past and present.
Question #16 – What is the best advice for someone considering collecting vintage guitars?
AI Response #16 – Collecting vintage guitars is a harmonious blend of passion, history, and craftsmanship. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, here’s some valuable advice:
Do Your Homework:
Know Your Instruments: Dive deep into the guitars you’re interested in. Understand their history, features, and quirks.
Learn Anomalies: Beyond books and the internet, explore anomalies not widely documented. Sometimes, hidden gems lie in those details.
Connect with Experts:
Trustworthy Sources: Build relationships with reputable dealers, collectors, and experts. Seek advice and learn from their experience.
Avoid Shady Sellers: Beware of untrustworthy sources. Not everyone has the same integrity in this world of vintage guitars.
Brand Matters:
Collectible Brands: Focus on heritage brands like Fender and Gibson. These classics tend to rise in value over time.
Rickenbackers: Often overlooked, Rickenbackers (played by the Beatles, Byrds, and Tom Petty) offer great American‑made guitars at reasonable prices.
Avoid eBay Frenzies:
While eBay is a treasure trove, it can also be a frenzy of bidding. Be cautious and aware of shill bidding.
Consider other platforms and auctions for a more measured approach.
Budget Wisely:
Set a Budget: Determine how much you’re willing to invest. Vintage guitars can range from affordable to astronomical.
Quality Over Quantity: Rather than amassing many guitars, focus on quality pieces that resonate with you.
Remember, collecting vintage guitars is not just about financial gain; it’s about connecting with music history and craftsmanship. Let your heart guide your collection, and may each guitar sing its unique melody in your hands!
Question #17 – What are good criteria for evaluating whether to buy a vintage guitar?
AI Response #17 – When considering buying a vintage guitar, it’s essential to assess various factors to ensure you’re making an informed decision. Here are some valuable criteria to evaluate:
Check The Frets:
Examine the condition of the frets. Worn frets can significantly impact playability.
Consider the cost of refretting if necessary. Lacquer issues on maple fingerboards may also need attention.
Electrical Components:
Don’t be alarmed by minor crackling or cutouts in the electronics.
Vintage guitars often need a little love in this area. Budget for potential repairs.
Moving Parts and Hardware:
Inspect tuners, bridges, and other hardware. Ensure they function smoothly.
Some vintage parts may be hard to find or expensive to replace.
Cosmetic Condition:
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Sometimes slightly worn or ‘cosmetically ropey’ guitars sound better.
Look beyond surface imperfections and focus on playability and resonance.
Research and Knowledge:
Understand the specific model you’re interested in. Learn about its history, features, and common issues.
Read reviews, consult experts, and explore online resources.
Budget Realistically:
Set a budget that considers not only the purchase price but also potential repairs or upgrades.
Vintage guitars often require adjustments to optimize playability.
Remember, vintage guitars are more than just instruments; they carry stories, character, and a connection to music history. Let your passion guide you, and may your chosen guitar resonate with your soul!
Question #18 – How to detect a fake from an authentic vintage guitar?
AI Response #18 – When evaluating a vintage guitar for authenticity, keep these criteria in mind:
Weight:
Authentic guitars have consistent weights based on their model and wood type.
Compare the weight of the guitar you’re examining with the average weight for that model.
Guitar Logo:
Download an image of the authentic model’s logo from the manufacturer’s website.
Compare it with the logo on the guitar you’re considering. Look for differences in size, shape, position, font, and staining around the logo.
Components and Hardware:
Inspect tuners, bridges, and other hardware. Authentic guitars use specific components.
Be cautious if anything looks off or doesn’t match the original model.
Sound hole (for Acoustic Guitars):
Authentic acoustic guitars have perfectly round and symmetrical sound holes.
If the sound hole appears irregular or poorly crafted, it might be a fake.
Serial Number:
Check the guitar’s serial number against databases or guides specific to the brand.
Serial numbers can reveal the guitar’s production year and authenticity.
Consult Experts:
Seek advice from reputable dealers, collectors, or luthiers.
They can spot subtle details that indicate authenticity.
Remember, a genuine vintage guitar carries history and soul. Whether you’re a player or collector, choose wisely and let the music resonate!
Question #19 – Are vintage bass guitars worth collecting?
AI Response #19 – Vintage bass guitars, like the heartbeat of a rhythm section, resonate with their own allure. Let’s explore why they’re worth collecting:
Historical Significance:
Vintage basses carry the pulse of music history. They’ve grooved through genres, recording studios, and live performances.
Owning one connects you to the basslines of legends like James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, and Paul McCartney.
Tonal Character:
Each vintage bass has a unique voice. The wood, pickups, and craftsmanship contribute to its signature sound.
Whether it’s the thump of a Fender Precision Bass or the growl of a Rickenbacker 4001, vintage basses offer distinct tones.
Investment Potential:
While not all vintage basses appreciate significantly, certain models do.
Brands like Fender, Gibson, and Music Man have iconic basses that hold value.
Craftsmanship:
Vintage basses were meticulously built by skilled luthiers. Their attention to detail and quality materials shine through.
The patina of age adds character, like the lines on a seasoned musician’s face.
Collectability:
Some basses are rare due to limited production runs or unique features.
Collectors seek these gems, creating demand and driving up prices.
Playing Experience:
Vintage basses feel different. Their neck profiles, weight, and balance offer a tactile experience.
Whether you’re a player or a collector, the joy of plucking those strings transcends time.
In the rhythm of life, vintage bass guitars provide the low notes that anchor melodies. Let your passion guide your collection, and may your basslines resonate!
Question #20 – What is CRAVE Guitars?
AI Response #20 – CRAVE Guitars is a fascinating venture that celebrates and showcases vintage American electric guitars, effects, and amplifiers. Let me break it down for you:
Name and Acronym:
The name ‘CRAVE’ is a clever play on words.
As an acronym, it stands for ‘Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric’ guitars.
Literally, it also means ‘to yearn for’ or ‘to want greatly’.
All these meanings are fitting for the world of vintage guitars.
Mission and Focus:
CRAVE Guitars aims to bring you some of the coolest American vintage electric guitars from iconic brands like Fender and Gibson, among others.
These guitars aren’t necessarily the most expensive or desirable ones but definitely have that special something that makes them stand out.
Non‑Profit Approach:
Unlike traditional dealers or collectors, CRAVE Guitars is a non‑profit enterprise.
It celebrates vintage guitars both as important musical heritage and as real instruments meant to be used and played.
The focus is on more affordable, underdog, and often quirky vintage guitars, effects, and amps.
Instead of the exotic and rarely played classics, CRAVE Guitars delves into the heart of the vintage guitar world.
Wabi‑Sabi and Imperfections:
CRAVE Guitars also embraces the Japanese concept of wabi‑sabi.
Wabi‑sabi appreciates the imperfections in objects, finding beauty in their flaws.
Vintage guitars, with their unique wear and history, embody this concept.
More Than Guitars:
Beyond guitars, CRAVE features galleries and information on vintage effect pedals (from brands like Electro‑Harmonix, MXR, BOSS, and Ibanez) and a small collection of vintage American valve amplifiers.
It’s a treasure trove for guitar enthusiasts and those who appreciate the magic of vintage gear.
So, if you’re curious or have a craving for all things vintage, explore the world of CRAVE Guitars and immerse yourself in the legacy of these remarkable instruments!
In addition, I also asked AI 2 supplementary questions relating to vintage amplifiers and vintage effects. Here is what AI put forward, very much in the same vein as the previous examples.
Question #21 – Are vintage amplifiers worth collecting?
AI Response #21 – Vintage amplifiers are like sonic time capsules, each carrying a unique story and tone. Here’s why they’re worth collecting:
Historical Significance:
Vintage amps shaped the sound of countless recordings. They’re the secret sauce behind iconic guitar tones.
Owning one connects you to the artists and eras that made music history.
Tonal Magic:
Vintage amps have a warmth and character that modern counterparts often lack.
Whether it’s the creamy overdrive of a Dumble Overdrive Special or the gritty blues of a Marshall JTM45, vintage amps offer distinct flavours.
Investment Potential:
While not all vintage amps appreciate significantly, certain models do.
Brands like Fender, Marshall, and Trainwreck hold value and continue to inspire players.
Craftsmanship:
These amps were handcrafted with care, using quality components.
The patina of age adds to their allure, like the wrinkles on a seasoned musician’s face.
Playing Experience:
Vintage amps respond differently. Their tubes, circuits, and speakers create a tactile connection.
Plug in and feel the magic—the way they react to your playing is unmatched.
So whether you’re a collector, player, or both, vintage amplifiers offer a symphony of history and sound.
Question #22 – Are vintage guitar effect pedals worth collecting?
AI Response #22 – Vintage guitar effect pedals are like hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Let’s explore their allure:
Historical Gems:
Vintage pedals offer a glimpse into the evolution of effects. They’re like musical fossils, preserving sonic eras.
Owning one connects you to the creativity of past players and the birth of iconic sounds.
Tonal Mojo:
Each vintage pedal has a distinct flavour. The analogue circuits, aged components, and quirks create magic.
Whether it’s the warm fuzz of a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face or the psychedelic swirl of a Uni‑Vibe, vintage pedals offer sonic character.
Investment Potential:
While not every vintage pedal appreciates significantly, some models do.
Brands like Boss, Electro‑Harmonix, and Ibanez have cult classics that hold value.
Nostalgia and Inspiration:
Vintage pedals evoke memories of classic albums and legendary performances.
Plugging into a vintage pedal can spark creativity and transport you to musical moments.
Collectability:
Some pedals are rare due to limited production or unique features.
Collectors seek these gems, creating demand and driving up prices.
Remember, whether you’re a guitarist, collector, or sonic explorer, vintage pedals offer a symphony of history and sound.
Well, there you have it. 20+2 questions and 20+2 answers (and a haiku thrown in for good measure). What do you think? Apologies, that’s a rhetorical question. My thoughts on the matter are purely my own opinion based on what I was presented with. I am no expert on AI technology, so my observations are therefore, by nature, liable to organic fallibility and bias. I should state at this point that, in no way did I attempt to outwit or trick the AI models. The questions were very simple and the intent was purely to see what would happen. The results are uncorrupted by me in any way.
There are some truly cringe worthy phrases buried in amongst the relevant outputs – AI trying to be ‘clever’. AI can’t seem to master the human traits of irony, satire, wit, whimsy and sarcasm! Mind you, AI also doesn’t exhibit the less desirable human traits of arrogance, hubris, deceit (intentionally or innocently) or biased opinion, which is probably a good, although potentially less entertaining, thing. This jocular aspect, however, is a bit like the 17th Century Spanish idiom, ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ (NB. from a 1620 English translation of ‘Don Quixote’ by Miguel de Cervantes), especially given my innate trademark penchant for pretentious prose and affinity for asinine alliterations (QED!).
Given that simulated responses draw directly on diverse material from a range of (human?) contributors, AI could be accused of plagiarism, as it simply extracts these sources of information and re‑presents them as a rational, objective summary. In terms of credibility, many of the responses make common sense, while others are less believable (see, particularly, the off‑kilter response to Questions #5 and #12).
Each question taken in isolation is one thing but when taken together, the repetitiveness of both content and presentation (and is a dead giveaway that this is not the sort of rational intercourse that would take place between, say, a knowledgeable human interviewer and interviewee. It simply wouldn’t be like that in practice.
Are there any factual errors exposed through this process? Not necessarily (although the reference to older Gibson Les Pauls being made of oak in response to question #12 is peculiar). However, this question does raise the issue of interpretation, i.e. the action of explaining the meaning of something. Inevitably, some perspective may be gleaned from information that is neither technically true nor false, especially where that information is dependent on subjective opinion and/or ambiguity that is difficult to corroborate or prove. The interpretation issue may constrain the ability of AI methodology to explore subject matter diligently and thoroughly in the way a human investigation might. While arguably forensic, it clearly isn’t ‘thoughtful’ in its approach.
The responses generally seem to be ‘playing it safe’, as though AI’s output was written by a committee to iron out any wayward emphases. The sanitised responses may well be useful as a starting point for a novice or someone lacking knowledge about the subject. It doesn’t, however, add anything over and above the basic level of human understanding. AI wouldn’t really impress someone who knows what they are talking about, let alone an expert.
“That’s how it is with people. Nobody cares how it works as long as it works” – The character Councillor Hamann from The Matrix (1999)
AI seems unable to extend a concept beyond the current boundaries of the question. It may be able to develop ‘vision’ at some point but clearly not yet. AI also seems unable to distinguish between poor, acceptable or high quality information – it is innately non‑sceptical of what it is fed with, leading potentially to unreliable outputs. AI currently depends heavily on humans to contribute and moderate content and that is another limitation at the time of writing, perhaps inhibiting its more creative potential. In some ways, AI avoids the question, again, the response to Question #12 doesn’t indicate the range of ROI that one might anticipate from investing.
What the responses do is to focus solely (unnaturally?) on the subject matter without even a hint of the possibility of a wider context. The ‘big picture’ omission struck me throughout the exercise. The current new gear market is strongly oriented – almost obsessively (and irritatingly) so – toward stressing the ‘vintage’ qualities, characteristics and specifications of brand new gear. Many new products are clearly aimed at imitating as closely as possible the idiosyncrasies and technological limitations of the past, frequently as if that is the only game in town. The current new guitar marketplace is not really progressive and, in many cases is clearly regressive. No reference to this marketing incongruity exists in the responses. The vintage past is not actually ‘authentically recreated’ in new products. AI therefore comes across as past‑oriented, not future‑focused.
One of the conundrums with AI at the time of writing is actually how these supposedly intelligible responses were compiled. Presumably, as AI simply mines information originally created by humans (expert or otherwise) in one form or another at some point in time, its generated outputs are not genuinely ‘new’. AI couldn’t possibly conjure a believable level of detail out of an information vacuum, it had to have something from which to start.
The ‘memory’ question is a big issue for AI. When asked basically the same question twice, either consecutively or separated by others, AI will respond to the second question as if the first had not been asked. A human would either, say “I’ve already answered that” or would respond in a slightly different way. AI lacks nuance and is totally oblivious of the regurgitation issue. It seems incapable of a continuing dialogue without tripping up.
The extent to which the human input has been manipulated by AI isn’t readily made clear. One therefore might wonder what was omitted (or added) and what was the result of machine intervention? Also, how did AI decide what should and shouldn’t be processed and the methodology by which it is output? What would AI come up with if it had nothing at all on which to base its algorithmic recipe?
Question – What will happen when AI starts building information based on the output of another AI over several iterations? It would be like a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy, etc. Does the integrity of information degrade significantly as it is repeatedly manipulated such that it bears little or no relationship to the authentic original (i.e. much like artificial Chinese whispers)?
“Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions…” – the character Agent Brown from The Matrix (1999)
Sometimes, less is more and getting something from AI can feel like being bombarded with a relentless barrage of words, rather than selective profound insight (hypocritically guilty as charged!). It is like the difference between learning by rote and repeating facts compared with genuinely understanding a subject matter through critical reasoning, or like reading a dictionary and expecting to comprehend the real world. The responses are more like a pre‑prepared structured lecture based on a text book exemplar, rather than a process of meaningful critical analysis and acute deductive reasoning.
AI is clearly getting a lot closer to human behaviour than simple search results from any standard Internet search engine and it will undoubtedly get better. However, it is not (yet) the last word on the matter. There is something to be gained from the responses, as long as they are taken as one of many inputs into a conclusion, rather than to be taken as a determining factor. My advice, for what it is worth, is to consider what AI presents you with but always take it with a figurative ‘pinch of salt’ (NB. yet another idiom; ‘a grain of salt’, from Pliny the Elder’s ‘Naturalis Historia’, 77CE). A genuine fascination with the subject matter – vintage guitars – is as much about subjective experience as it is about objective black and white bullet point facts. Currently, as far as I’m aware, that degree of authentic articulation of ‘shades of grey’ (i.e. sometimes reality is subtle and complex, and the boundaries are not always clear‑cut) cannot be gained readily from the Internet, AI or no AI.
“The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence” – Aldous Huxley (American author, 1894‑1963)
While the AI processes are undoubtedly impressive, did AI inspire or stimulate curiosity as a skilled mentor might? Categorically not. Did I actually learn anything new about vintage guitars from AI? Nope. But then again, I believe, somewhat conceitedly, that I was already reasonably well informed on the topic.
“AI will be the most transformative technology of the 21st century. It will affect every industry and aspect of our lives” – Jensen Huang of Nvidia Corporation
Final thoughts on AI
In conclusion, I would suggest that AI as it stands, at least on this specific subject matter fails the Turing Test as described at the start of this article. It comes across as ‘artificial’ and the sort of assignment a student might construct from prima facie sources without thought, genuine research, analysis, insight or intellect. The clincher for me was AI’s derivative description of CRAVE Guitars, which isn’t presented as a narrative and not at all how I would (and have) articulated it.
So… Cutting to the chase, how would I rate AI’s responses compared to say, the responses of a specialist to the same questions. Probably, I’d give it about a 5‑6 out of 10 and that is, I think, being generous. AI is leaps and bounds ahead of standard Internet search engine results but still a long way behind what I would expect a rational, knowledgeable human professional to say, not necessarily in terms of what is said but definitely in how it is said. AI could do better (and it definitely will, believe me). It may best be described as ‘work‑in‑progress’.
I posited my starting position at the top of this article, written before embarking on this extravaganza. Reading it again after disembarking, my view has not shifted substantially and I think those eight criteria remain relevant, at least as of March 2024. Perhaps I am falling foul of ‘confirmation bias’, another human flaw. My bad.
Putting it bluntly, AI comes across as having no personality. Some sort of identifiable persona is, I believe, a prerequisite for passing the Turing test. Without a sense of character, AI will always seem a dry, clumsy imitation of an average human. Arguably, AI just wasn’t convincing as being interested in the subject matter. For now, I’ll stick with ‘natural stupidity’, thanks.
Like the character Sarah Connor inaccurately forecast in James Cameron’s 1991 film ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, AI didn’t quite get it right, “Three billion human lives ended on August 29, 1997”. Skynet hasn’t grown up… yet. Thankfully.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
I am not going anywhere near the mechanistic and sterile AI for this section of the article. Consequently, I’m going for one of the most organic and natural sounding albums I know (and like). Once again, it is a fairly well‑known recording, so nothing obscure or inaccessible this time around.
Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session (1988) – The second album from the Canadian alt‑country band, recorded live in the Church Of The Holy Trinity in Toronto in November 1987 and released in 1988. Its atmospheric beauty is partly due to its imperfections and the natural reverb of the building, all captured by a single microphone. The raw recording was purportedly not adulterated, mixed, overdubbed or edited in any way. Interestingly, the sublime, ‘Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis)’ wasn’t on the original vinyl release. While not to everyone’s tastes (and otherwise probably not normally to mine either), it represents fifty three minutes of exquisite alchemy. It is 100% human in all its gentle, fragile, ragged glory – in a good way. It is hard to envisage AI ever coming up with music like this, now or in the future.
Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session (1988)
Tailpiece
Phew! That is way more than enough from me and my erstwhile AI co‑author for now. Please don’t blame me for the majority of this outing, it is mostly down to the synthetic nature of its creation. I must admit that, while a very interesting little (?!?!) project, it was ultimately a bit (?!?!) of a long and arduous slog, bordering on boring (sorry folks). I trust you can discern what was written by me and what was produced by AI.
Finally, a word of sagely counsel. Whatever we do, humanity should always strive to harness the potential of output AI/GAI/AGI for good and to guard against the risks of it being exploited for evil.
I also stated at the beginning that is only Part I of this 3‑part AI adventure! Next month, we’ll take a look at another aspect of AI and vintage guitars. I can tell you are eagerly ‘champing at the bit’ (NB. another human idiom; from ‘Joseph, A Religious Poem’ by the Reverend Charles Lucas, 1810)!
Truth, peace, love, music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Whoever thinks pets are non‑judgemental has clearly never been owned by a cat”
WELCOME FAIR MUSIC‑MINDED PATRONS to the first CRAVE Guitars’ monthly article of the New Year. While we may be less than a full month into the year Two Thousand and Twenty Four of the Common Era, one hopes it is off to a good start despite global uncertainty (and insanity). Let us hope that those intent on geopolitical conflict come to their senses, unlikely as it may seem, rather than escalate tensions further. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be part of the doomsday generation. Scary.
“Bellum omnium contra omnes (the war of all against all)” – Thomas Hobbes (1588‑1679)
Getting back to the musical point, ask pretty much anyone with a slight interest in modern music culture, the question, “Who invented the first bass guitar?” and I’m sure a lot of people would say, “Leo Fender, of course”. Well yes… and no. In the world of vintage guitars, things are rarely quite as straightforward as one may at first think.
With the recent addition of CRAVE Basses to the CRAVE Guitars, Amps and Effects family, this month seems perfectly apt to take a quick look at how the electric bass guitar as we know it came into being and how it has become such an integral component of contemporary music.
Primarily as a guitarist, my dalliances with bass guitars up to now have, I admit, been spawned out of curiosity and exploration, rather than a serious preoccupation. Those dalliances, though, span well over four decades, so the bass encounter isn’t a single, short or recent ‘event’.
We do not start the story, as many might imagine in the 1950s. We’ll come back to that in a little while. Before we get there, though, we should go back quite a few years. Many, many years in fact, starting with the classical orchestral double bass, originating from the 15th Century or thereabouts. Then we’ll explore the modern‑day innovations starting in the 1920s and 1930s before the ‘big bang’ that really exploded in the 1950s and 1960s. Finally we’ll come up‑to‑date, with a look at the instruments, equipment, artists and sounds that have helped to shape the modern musical landscape. Finally, we’ll take a wee peak into the near future of bass instruments.
The fretless acoustic double bass
Before the solid body fretted electric bass guitar, popular music relied almost totally on the acoustic upright double bass for low frequency impact. The instrument’s origins date approximately to the 15th‑16th Century in Venice, Italy. Venetian musician, Silvestro Ganassi developed a ‘bass viola da gamba’ in 1542, widely regarded as the forerunner of today’s double bass. It wasn’t until around 1700, though, that the double bass became part of the opera orchestra. The double bass as we now know it is the largest and lowest‑pitched chordophone in the classical music orchestra.
As a quick recap, defined by the Hornbostel‑Sachs system of musical instrument classification, a chordophone is a musical instrument that makes sound from vibrating one or more taught strings by bowing, plucking or striking the strings. Examples of chordophone types include violins, guitars, and pianos respectively. The word chordophone stems from the Greek words for string (chordē) and sound (phonē).
For more on the historical origins of musical instrument classification (to provide a context for the development of the guitar), see CRAVE Guitars’ March 2018 article.
The traditional 4‑string double bass is usually played in one of two ways, either by rubbing the strings with a bow (arco) or by plucking the strings with fingers (pizzicato). Some modern double bass players, for instance in rock & roll and rockabilly, also use a distinctive ‘slap’ technique. This percussive sound derived from the ‘Bartók pizzicato’ (‘snap’ pizzicato) named after the Hungarian composer and pianist Béla Bartók.
Double Bass (courtesy of Roxanne Minnish)
Depending on the style of music, the double bass is also known by a number of other names, all of which refer to the same instrument. Some of these alternative monikers include bass, upright bass, string bass, acoustic bass, acoustic string bass, contrabass, contrabass viol, bass viol, bass violin, stand‑up bass, bull fiddle, doghouse bass and bass fiddle.
The traditional double bass is a large acoustic fretless instrument of the violin family that is played upright. The deep, resonant, woody tone of the double bass endows it with a very different sound when compared to the modern solid body fretted electric bass guitar. The tuning of the double bass is different from other members of the orchestral sting instruments, in that it is tuned in fourths (E‑A‑D‑G) rather than a violin’s fifths (G‑D‑A‑E). The double bass, then, is tuned the same as a modern bass guitar, an octave below the bottom four strings of a 6‑string guitar in standard tuning. This particular characteristic aided the bass’s transition from classical to modern day musical styles.
Originally, double basses were more likely to have three strings until four strings became commonplace by the 19th Century, by which time the standard format and construction of the double bass had become established. There are, however, 5 and 6 (or more) string variants and there are also various alternative tunings.
The double bass has been the mainstay of orchestral string sections and chamber music for several centuries in one form or another. It was predictable that, with the emergence and evolution of the major modern popular music genres, such as jazz, blues and country & western that the double bass would become the go‑to bass instrument, at least up until the 1960s when the solid body fretted electric bass guitar became predominant. However, the double bass hasn’t disappeared from contemporary music completely. Plenty of present‑day artists still use or revert back to the double bass for authenticity and/or effect.
The main drawback experienced by many players is that the double bass is a substantial piece of equipment. The full‑size double bass is almost 75 inches (190cm) tall, weighing in at c.20‑25lbs (9‑11½kg), without its hefty case. The scale length is set at around 42” (107cm), much longer than most modern bass guitars. Given these dimensions, the double bass is sizeable, cumbersome, unwieldy and plain heavy, making it far from the easiest of instruments to move around or play. There are smaller double basses including ¾, ½ and ¼ size, mainly aimed at younger players. Even so, the double bass not for the faint hearted, as the smallest ¼ size instrument is still over 61” (156cm) tall.
Another drawback is the double bass’s acoustic construction. Like the acoustic guitar, in the first half of the 20th Century, the acoustic double bass’s lack of volume made it hard to be heard in a jazz‑era big band mix unless there was some form of electrification through either a magnetic pickup or a microphone connected to an amplifier and, even then, acoustic instruments can be prone to feedback in high sound pressure level environments.
Traditional double basses are not only large but, because of their construction, they are also quite expensive, making them a major investment and therefore difficult for novices or younger players to access and learn.
Even so, despite its limitations, during the 20th Century the double bass became widely used in a diverse range of modern music genres, including jazz, blues, swing, rock & roll, rockabilly, country & western, bluegrass, folk, funk, reggae, metal, rock, pop, tango and visual media soundtracks.
Trivia: Believe it or not, there is an even larger bass, first built c.1850 by the French luthier Jean‑Baptiste Vuillaume (1798‑1875) in Paris. The octobass, as it is called, has three strings and is basically a larger version of the double bass tuned a further octave down. The octobass is a truly gargantuan beast, approximately 137” high (348cm).
The electric upright bass
To enable modern players to experience the spirit of the acoustic double bass in a more convenient and amplified form, there is the modern Electric Upright Bass (EUB), which is also played, as its name suggests, upright, like a traditional double bass.
EUBs allow for greater portability while retaining the playing style and general sound of its forebear. As the EUB doesn’t require the substantial acoustic resonating chamber of a double bass, they often feature a ‘skeleton’ body, making it much smaller, lighter and cheaper to produce. The minimal structure may have either a solid body or a small acoustic body.
A magnetic, piezo or condenser bass pickup provides the means to route the signal via a bass amplifier to loudspeakers. Like a double bass, the EUB’s strings can be bowed or plucked, although that is dependent on fingerboard and bridge radius. While evoking its acoustic origins, the structural and electric characteristics of the EUB endow it with a unique sound all of its own.
As the EUB’s construction isn’t bound by convention like its orchestral sibling, the flexible format allows for a range of scale lengths to be employed from around 30” (76cm), through 34” (86cm) like a long scale bass guitar to the full 42” (107cm) of a double bass, making it much more accessible to a range of players. Almost all EUB necks allow for a full two‑octave range and most but not all are fretless. Compared to the double bass or the electric bass guitar, the electric upright bass tends to be a modern, notable but relatively niche instrument. There are EUB models at all price points, making it easier for novices and experienced players alike.
The first production electric upright basses were developed independently in the mid‑1930s by Regal (Electrified Double Bass), Vega (Electric Bass Viol), Rickenbacker (Electro Bass‑Viol) and Audiovox (bull fiddle – see below). Gibson introduced their special order Electric Bass Guitar in 1938, which was still an upright fretless instrument with a hollow body and a magnetic pickup.
Manufacturers of electric upright basses include Framus, Ampeg, Warwick, Ibanez, Yamaha, Palatino, NS Design (Ned Steinberger), and Harley Benton.
Electric Upright Bass
The first solid‑body fretted electric bass guitar
As hinted at above, while Leo Fender was the major innovator associated with the solid‑body fretted electric bass guitar, he wasn’t the first. He was beaten to the starting post by at least some 15 years. Hardly a photo finish!
The first indication of the possible future of a bass guitar was in 1924 when the legendary Gibson designer, Lloyd Loar came up with a prototype electric bass. The Loar concept focused on the body, pickup and strings but with little additional detail. Loar’s radical design was rejected by Gibson management at the time. Loar left Gibson shortly thereafter in 1924, so his visionary ideas for an electric bass guitar went no further.
Nearly a decade later, around 1933, American musician and inventor Paul H. ‘Bud’ Tutmarc (1896‑1972), based in Seattle, Washington, began experimenting with reducing the size of the double bass to a more manageable instrument. Tutmarc originally devised an electrified fretless double bass‑style instrument described as an electric 4‑string upright ‘bull fiddle’, slightly smaller than a cello.
It’s worth a quick diversion to go back in time to take in an original report from the ‘Seattle Post‑Intelligencer’ newspaper, which published the story on 17 February 1935. The headline read, “Pity Him No More – New Type Bull Fiddle Devised.”
The article went on to state that, “People have always pitied the poor bass-fiddler… who has to lug his big bull-fiddle home through the dark streets after the theatre closes. But he doesn’t have to do it anymore. Because Paul Tutmarc, Seattle music teacher and KOMO radio artist, has invented an electric bull-fiddle. One you can carry under your arm. And it doesn’t even need a bow, either. You pluck a string – and out of the electric amplifier comes a rich, deep tone, sustained as if five or six bass violinists were bowing five or six bass‑violins with masterly artistry. The tone is sustained as long as you want it, too, without a bow.” The instrument described in the article was a cello‑like upright fretless instrument with an electromagnetic pickup.
Tutmarc was, however, about to do something far more radical. By 1935-1936, Tutmarc, had changed direction and developed the first solid body fretted electric bass guitar, pretty much recognisable in its modern form. It was this version of Tutmarc’s bass that was intended to be played horizontally, rather than upright, in a similar way to the modern bass guitar. The 1935 sales catalogue for Tutmarc’s company Audiovox featured his ‘Model 736 Bass Fiddle’, a solid‑bodied electric bass guitar with four strings, a fretted neck, with a 30½” (775mm) scale length, an ebony (or purpleheart) fingerboard with 16 frets, a black walnut body, a hidden single Tutmarc‑Stimpson horseshoe pickup below a mirror-steel faceplate, and a single volume control.
Tutmarc AudioVox Model 736
In addition, as an electric bass guitar would be pretty much useless without the means to amplify the sound, Audiovox also sold an accompanying ‘Model 936’ bass amplifier with 18 watts of power and a 12” Jensen Concert speaker.
Around 100 of the Model 736 Audiovox bass guitars were made in the mid‑1930s. However, there are only thought to be three Model 736 Tutmarc bass guitars still in existence today, making them remarkably rare. One belongs to the Experience Music Project (EMP), now known as The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), a non‑profit enterprise founded by Microsoft co‑founder Paul Allen in 2000 and based in Seattle, Washington state, USA. In 2018, a 1936 Audiovox Model 736 bass guitar was reportedly sold by Tutmarc’s grandson on eBay for $23,850.
Sadly, for Tutmarc, the Audiovox 736 was not a commercial success. The price tag was high for the mid‑1930s, in a country still severely affected by The Great Depression (1929‑1939). The 736 bass fiddle originally cost $65 and the matching 936 bass amplifier cost $75, placing it well out of reach for many musicians. The high price and the radical concept didn’t attract enough musicians at the time and it wasn’t long before it was discontinued and was subsequently forlornly forgotten to history. Tutmarc’s company, Audiovox folded in 1950.
It can well be argued that Tutmarc was ahead of his time. Perhaps it is a case of supply looking for a demand that consumers didn’t know they needed. Maybe it was bad timing and/or bad luck. The Model 736 also arrived shortly before the outbreak of World War II when the guitar manufacturing industry was deemed ‘non‑essential’ and resources were diverted to the American war effort. Furthermore, a bass guitar didn’t seem to fit seamlessly into any of the prevailing musical styles at that time.
It is surprising, though, that such a significant innovation in guitar history isn’t more widely known about. Perhaps it is time, nay overdue, for Tutmarc’s milestone achievements to be deservedly recognised.
One company, Luthiery Laboratories, makes modern‑day replicas of the Audiovox 736, keeping the spirit of the original instrument alive.
The first commercially successful mass produced solid body fretted electric bass guitar
And so it was that the scene was set for someone else to step in and make the bass guitar ‘a thing’. That someone else was Clarence Leonidas Fender (1909‑1991). Unlike poor old Paul H. Tutmarc, you may just have heard of him.
“I wonder if I could make an electric bass” – Leo Fender (1909‑1991)
For more on the history and development of Fender guitars and musical equipment, see CRAVE Guitars’ August 2018 article for the context behind Fender solid body electric guitars.
Once the proverbial ball started rolling, the bass guitar had a phenomenal, transformative and relatively rapid impact on modern music that cannot be underestimated or understated. It is also very easy to take the electric bass guitar’s presence on stages, in studios and bedrooms all around the world for granted. Back in 1950, though, no‑one other than a select few in Fullerton, California had any idea of what was to come.
So… what are we actually talking about? The answer, after the lengthy preamble (apologies for keeping you on tenterhooks for so long), is the mighty Fender Precision Bass. Three little words. Game changing, era defining and well‑deserving of all the hyperbole attached to it over the past seven‑plus decades. So much has been written about the Precision that there is little need to dredge up the detail again, so what follows is a brief overview.
Leo Fender was working on a prototype back in 1950, bringing the world’s first commercially successful mass‑produced electric bass guitar to market in 1951. Fender designed the Precision Bass (often shortened these days to P‑Bass) to overcome the many drawbacks of the acoustic double bass alluded to earlier in this article. Even the name, Precision, referred to the fretted neck to enable musicians to play in tune far more precisely than on the double bass’s fretless neck. Conservative double bass players may well have looked at the Precision Bass in the same way that conservative guitarists looked at the Fender Telecaster, which had been introduced a year earlier in 1950. Consternation and indignation were probably natural initial reactions from the ‘old‑school’.
At its most basic, the Fender Precision Bass is a solid body, 4‑string bass guitar equipped with a single pickup and a one‑piece 20‑fret maple neck with rosewood or maple fingerboard. It all sounds so very straightforward and unremarkable nowadays doesn’t it?
The Precision Bass didn’t, however, appear fully formed. The original design of the Precision borrowed several design features from the Telecaster guitar, other than the double cutaway body. Initial models carried one single coil pickup, a slab body, large scratchplate and a Tele‑like headstock.
After Fender introduced the Stratocaster guitar in 1954, some of its design features were brought over to the Precision including a contoured body and a Strat‑like headstock. The original pickup was replaced with a single split coil hum cancelling staggered design and a sleeker redesigned scratchplate. It is this version of the Precision from 1957 that has stayed in production largely unchanged to the current day. There have been many, many variants with numerous changes in specification over the years, including a fretless version (ironically, given the origin and intention of the Precision’s name). 5‑string versions, 22‑fret necks, active electronics, multiple pickups, etc. followed.
The original pre‑1957 Precision design has been re-issued by Fender at times over the years, often called the Telecaster Bass to differentiate it from the post‑1957 Precision specification.
The popularity of the Fender Precision Bass grew significantly throughout the 1950s especially with rock & roll and country fraternities, as well as with session musicians. During the 1960s the solid body fretted electric bass guitar became dominant in most modern musical genres. During the early days, there wasn’t a great deal of choice in terms of alternatives to the Precision but that was to change later on.
1977 Fender Precision Fretless Bass
Fender capitalised on their supremacy by introducing the solid body fretted electric Fender Jazz Bass in 1960 (originally called the ‘Deluxe Model’). The svelte Fender Jazz Bass (often now shortened to J‑Bass) was designed to appeal to a different customer base. Like the offset bodied Fender Jazzmaster guitar, it was aimed squarely at the dyed‑in‑the‑wool jazz community. However, like the Jazzmaster, the Jazz Bass’s appeal spread far wider than jazz musicians. Like the Precision, the Jazz Bass has rightly become an iconic industry standard solid body electric bass guitar.
Throughout the years, both the Precision and Jazz Bass have featured sizeable chrome covers over the pickup and the bridge, despite these items limiting playing techniques such as palm muting the strings. As the covers are purely aesthetic, rather than functional components, it is fair to say that the vast majority of musicians removed these covers permanently.
Without doubt, the Fender Precision Bass and its younger sibling the Jazz Bass are icons of contemporary music and remain hugely popular today. Consumers can purchase genuine P‑Bass and J‑Bass models from the budget Fender‑owned offshore‑produced Squier brand, through Mexican and American‑made Fender models, to the high‑end Fender Custom Shop versions. Throughout the decades, the Precision and Jazz Bass models have oft been imitated and/or blatantly copied by other manufacturers, eager to cash in on Fender’s industry‑dominant status.
Understandably, over the years, the Precision and Jazz Bass have become highly collectable, especially the earliest models. The highest vintage market prices undoubtedly belong to the models from 1951 (Precision) and 1960 (Jazz Bass) to 1965, when Leo Fender sold his company to industry giant CBS. Fender equipment from this period is known as ‘pre‑CBS’.
For more information on the Fender Precision and Jazz Bass, just complete any Internet browser search and, alongside a great deal of drivel, there is a massive volume of fact and opinion available, often described in forensic detail.
1989 Fender Jazz Bass American Standard Longhorn
Evolution of the electric bass guitar
It is probably fair to say that, since 1951 and the introduction of the Fender Precision Bass, other brands were in the position of having to play catch up. In particular, Fender’s biggest competitor, Gibson, was wrong‑footed and they have never been able to compete on a level playing field. In 1953, Gibson released the EB‑1, which was a violin‑shaped solid mahogany body bass with a set neck. The EB‑1 didn’t catch on and was replaced by the semi‑acoustic ES‑335‑shaped EB‑2 in 1958, the SG‑shaped Gibson EB‑0 in 1959 and the EB‑3 (made famous by Jack Bruce of Cream) in 1961. While the semi‑acoustic EB‑2 proved popular, its Epiphone‑branded counterpart, the Epiphone Rivoli proved more successful. All these early Gibson basses used a shorter 30½” scale. In 1959, Gibson also released a hollow body EB‑6 6‑string bass.
Possibly Gibson’s best contender for an iconic bass guitar is the Gibson Thunderbird, originally introduced in 1963. The Thunderbird was based on Gibson’s Firebird guitar, designed by legendary American car designer Raymond Dietrich (1894‑1980). The Thunderbird was the first Gibson solid body bass to use the 34” scale made popular by Fender. Like the Firebird, the Thunderbird was redesigned in a simpler ‘non‑reverse’ form for 1966 and the original ‘reverse’ shape wasn’t reissued until the mid‑1970s. During the 1970s, Gibson also released the Ripper and Grabber basses but neither really captured bass players’ imaginations (or their precious dollars!). Later additions like the Gibson Triumph, Victory and RD basses didn’t fare much better as viable competition for Fender’s stalwarts. Epiphone have Thunderbird and EB basses in their line‑up alongside Epiphone‑specific basses such as the Newport and the Embassy.
Over at Danelectro in Neptune, New Jersey, Nathan Daniel launched the world’s first 6‑string bass, the UB‑2 in 1956 comprising a single cutaway semi‑hollow bass with a 30” scale, 24 frets and dual single coil pickups, earning its nickname the ‘Tic Tac bass’. In 1958, Danelectro replaced the UB‑2 with two new 6‑string bass models. The first was the Long Horn 4623 bass with a radical new lyre‑like design 24 frets, and a short 25” scale. The other was the Short Horn 3612 with stubby double cutaways, 29½”scale and only 15 frets. All Danelectro models substantially undercut the retail prices of both Fender and Gibson’s basses. The 6‑string models seemed to attract guitarists rather than bass players to their designs, providing a novel bridge between guitar and bass camps.
It should be noted at this point that older 6‑string basses are generally tuned an octave below a guitar in standard tuning, to E-E, while the baritone guitars that were appearing at the time were tuned either to B‑B or A‑A. On the other hand, modern 5‑string basses simply add a lower B string while modern 6‑string basses tend to add lower B and higher C strings compared to an equivalent 4‑string bass. Confused?
Meanwhile, back in the 1960s, Fender weren’t resting on their laurels. Following the popularity of the ‘student’ Mustang guitar, Fender introduced the short scale Mustang Bass in 1966. The Mustang Bass spawned two later variants, the Bronco Bass (introduced in 1967) and the Musicmaster Bass (introduced in 1971). Fender also released two esoteric ‘bass’ guitars, the Fender Bass V (introduced in 1965), which was the world’s first 5‑string bass guitar and the 6‑string Bass VI (introduced in 1961). The latter was strongly influenced by the Fender Jaguar guitar design. The Bass VI was Fender’s upmarket response to the Danelectro 6‑string bass introduced 5 years earlier. The Bass VI is unique in having 3 pickups, 6 lighter gauge strings, a short 30” scale, a floating bridge and a mechanical vibrato as used on the Jazzmaster/Jaguar guitars, as well as a removable string mute. To compete with the Gibson EB‑2 and Epiphone Rivoli thinline semi‑acoustic basses, Fender introduced the hollow Coronado Bass in 1966.
In addition, the ‘other’ Californian company, Rickenbacker, run by F.C. Hall at the time, also wasn’t going to be left on the side‑lines in the bass department. Rickenbacker had hired Roger Rossmeisl (1927‑1979) who designed the brand’s key guitars and the 4000 series basses. The Rickenbacker 4000 bass with its distinctive cresting wave body outline and thru‑neck construction was launched in 1957. Subsequent models were named 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, all being variants of the same basic instrument. There isn’t enough space to go into the specification differences here.
Rickenbacker 4001
A decade after Leo Fender left the company that still carries his name today, Music Man was formed in California and released Leo Fender’s vision for the next evolution of his era defining bass guitars. The Music Man Stingray Bass was released in 1976 with a single large bridge humbucker, distinctive 3+1 headstock, innovative on‑board active electronics and an integral string mute. While Music Man’s guitars never caught on at the time, the Stingray Bass has joined Fender and Rickenbacker as an iconic design for many bass musicians. The Stingray Bass was especially popular for funk slap‑style bass technique for the likes of Louis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson.
1978 Music Man Stingray Bass
There are a few other notable basses, such as the German Höfner ‘violin bass’, the 500/1, made famous by Paul McCartney of The Beatles. This model, introduced in 1955, with its carved solid spruce top and humbucking pickups, is often nicknamed the ‘Beatle Bass’. Beyond the Beatles connection, though, the 500/1 remains a relatively minor entry in the bass stakes, while the company’s only other notable entry being the Höfner Club and Verythin basses.
Another oddity to mention at this point is the Swedish Hagström H8, unique for being the world’s first mass‑produced 8‑string bass, with four pairs of strings on a short 30” scale. The H8 was only produced briefly from 1967‑1969.
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s a plethora of other companies jumped on the bandwagon, eager to make the most of the massive increase in demand as rock, pop and other genres proliferated. Many of the basses produced during this time were flagrant facsimiles of the best‑selling American brand models, often by Japanese companies (now termed ‘lawsuit‑era’ copies). Other companies like Warwick in Germany were making their own headway with their successful original‑design Thumb and Streamer basses.
Today (2024), Fender arguably still rules the roost with basses covering all bases (sic!) from budget to elite models. All other brands stand firmly in Fender’s enviable shadow. While Fender may dominate, there are now plenty of alternative options. There are some incredible bass guitars out there, some of which are listed later in this article for those that want to diverge from the predictable industry standard ‘Fender sound’. There are numerous ways to deviate from the common path, with different brands, string/pickup configurations, electronics, scale lengths, body construction, etc. The quality of budget instruments is vastly superior to anything available in the past and provides a strong basis (again, sic!) for players seeking to learn and develop their skills.
The acoustic bass guitar
While the solid body electric bass guitar finally took the world by storm from the 1950s and 1960s, the acoustic bass guitar has proved to be another modern, notable and niche instrument. The first (largely unsuccessful) attempts at acoustic bass guitars began to appear in the 1950s as a logical extension to its electric counterpart.
Historically, one of the earliest acoustic bass‑like instruments was the Mexican guitarrón, which has its roots in the 16th Century and is widely used in Mexican Mariachi bands. While looking similar to a guitar, these huge instruments were either 6‑string or 12‑string acoustic instruments, tuned in A‑D‑G‑C‑E‑A.
In 1972, Ernie Ball introduced the Earthwood acoustic bass guitar, stating that “…if there were electric bass guitars to go with electric guitars then you ought to have acoustic basses to go with acoustic guitars.” A simple yet ‘blindingly obvious’ observation, given the benefit of hindsight. Ernie Ball took a guitarrón, being the nearest thing to an existing acoustic bass guitar, and created a more practical instrument for guitar‑centric American consumers. The Earthwood was relatively short‑lived but the foundation of the acoustic bass guitar was established. American company Washburn took the concept and created more successful instruments that coincided neatly with MTV’s Unplugged concert series (1989‑1999). Interestingly, despite starting it all, Ernie Ball does not have an acoustic bass guitar available to buy at the time of writing.
Acoustic bass guitar construction is essentially similar to the steel‑strung flat top acoustic folk guitar, with a larger hollow wooden body and a longer scale neck. Most acoustic basses have four strings, tuned in the same way as an electric bass, E‑A‑D‑G, an octave below a standard guitar. The majority of acoustic basses have fretted fingerboards, although some are fretless.
Acoustic Bass Guitar
Like many modern day acoustic guitars, many acoustic bass models have pickups to enable them to be amplified for stage use or DI’d for recording purposes. Some instruments are thinline electric semi‑acoustic basses while others are full‑depth electro‑acoustic basses. These are designed primarily as acoustic basses with an on‑board pickup for additional amplification when needed.
Today, there are any number of acoustic bass guitars on the market for every level of player and every price point from many key manufacturers including, amongst others; Martin, Taylor, Guild, Fender, Takamine, Ovation, Tanglewood, Epiphone, Warwick, Epiphone, Washburn, Godin, ESP, Breedlove, Larivée, Framus, Hohner, Ozark, Dean, D’Angelico, Ibanez, Sigma, Alvarez and Cort.
Bass guitar amplification
In the early days of bass guitars, brands released bass amplifiers to accompany their instruments, often sold as a package (see Tutmarc’s Audiovox above, for example). Other brands like Rickenbacker did the same in the early days. The main difference between guitar amps and bass amps is that the latter are tuned specifically to reproduce bass frequencies accurately. A standard 4‑string bass guitar produces low frequencies in the range 41Hz to 100Hz with overtones extending up to 4‑5kHz (not dissimilar to an acoustic double bass in fact).
In terms of sound pressure levels, bass frequencies need more power to be heard by the human ear/brain at the same volume as higher frequencies, so bass amps tend to have higher power ratings than guitar amps. In the past, speakers for bass also tended to be larger with 12”, 15” or even 18” to shift the amount of air needed at lower frequencies. In contrast, guitar speakers tended to be 10”or 12”. Bass speaker cabinets, especially those with multiple speakers, normally had sealed or ported enclosures to increase volume. For all these reasons bass amplifiers and speaker cabinets tend to be different to their guitar equivalents.
Probably the most famous brand associated specifically for its bass amplification is the American company Ampeg, founded in 1946 and now under the ownership of Japanese giant, Yamaha. Ampeg started out attempting to amplify the acoustic double bass in 1949 by using a microphone/pickup in the instrument’s stand. The ‘Amplified Peg’ as it was called was then shortened to ‘Ampeg’ and the rest, as they say, is history. Their most famous range of amps was the 300W Ampeg SVT from 1969 and their bass combo amps, the B‑15 from 1960, as used by the likes of Motown session bass player James Jamerson.
It was no surprise that Fender, the leader in the world of bass guitars from the 1950s should also produce bass amps/cabs. Perhaps the most famous Fender bass amp was the Bassman from 1952 onwards, first introduced as a combo valve amp with a 15” speaker. The most desirable though, was the Dual Rectifier Bassman valve combo with 4×10” speakers. From 1960. Fender also released a ‘piggy back’ amp head and speaker cabinet design to cope with higher power levels and to provide flexibility. From 2000, Fender released a solid state version of the legendary Bassman amp. The original valve Bassman also became beloved by many guitar players for its tone, for instance by the late blues rock guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan (SRV).
Student bass players also needed a bass amp. So Fender introduced the Musicmaster Bass amplifier in 1970, as a companion to the Fender Musicmaster Bass guitar. The Musicmaster Bass combo amp was a very simple affair with one channel, 12W of power, volume and tone controls and a single 12″ Fender speaker. Like the Bassman, it has latterly been enjoying a bit of a revival as a budget vintage amp for guitarists. The Musicmaster Bass amp was discontinued in 1982 after the introduction of the Fender Studio Bass combo and Japanese Fender Sidekick Bass 30. Nowadays, the extensive Fender Rumble series has proved very popular with bass players.
Legendary British amplifier company Marshall was not going to be left behind. Marshall’s first 100‑watt bass head was the JTM 45/100 / JTM 45 Super 100 model. Another, also dating from the second half of the 1960s, is the JMP #1992 Super Bass 100 (100W) and JMP #1986 Bass (50W). Like the Fender Bassman, the Marshall Super Bass 100W also proved popular with guitarists. Bass players were also known to use the Marshall #1963 Super PA (50W) and Marshall #1968 Super PA (100W) amps.
Another legendary British amplifier company, VOX produced bass versions of its AC‑15 and AC‑30 combo amps. These were followed in 1963 by the VOX T‑60 and Foundation amps, the latter promoted by Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones.
German acoustic amp company AER also produce a range of bass amps, particularly well‑suited to amplifying acoustic and electro‑acoustic bass guitars.
Bass guitarists turn out to be a little less conservative than their guitarist counterparts, especially when it comes to amplification and speaker cabinets. For instance there are plenty of modern‑day bass amps that use efficient solid state D‑class amplification (a type of amplifier that uses digital switching technology to amplify audio signals efficiently), with very high power ratings – 500W and 600W or more being not uncommon. Bass amps often also make wide use of sophisticated on‑board EQ. Speaker cabinet configurations also tend to be more versatile with reflex ports, horns, tweeters and combining multiple speaker types being common.
There are many other valve, solid state or hybrid bass amplifier manufacturers not mentioned above, including Trace Elliot, Ashdown Engineering, Mesa/Boogie, Peavey, Music Man, Hiwatt, Laney, Sound City, H/H, WEM, Hartke and Orange.
Bass guitar effects
Things have changed a great deal over the decades since 1951. In the early days of the solid body electric bass guitar, most players plugged straight into their amps without much in the way of tone augmentation.
By the 1970s and 1980s bass players had a paucity of effects specially designed for their instruments, so they generally adopted guitar effects with just a few bass‑specific pedals to choose from. Since the industry started to migrate to digital technology from the 1980s onwards, the major effect companies began to produce pedals designed primarily for use with bass guitars. Now, in the 2020s, there is plenty of choice with most of the big players in the effect industry now making bass‑specific effect pedals, including Electro‑Harmonix, MXR, BOSS, Ibanez, Fender, Laney and Ampeg.
In addition, from around the start of the new millennium, a number of manufacturers turned their ideas for integrated multi‑effect units into practical musicians’ tools that became popular for both guitar and bass, including BOSS, VOX, Zoom, Tech 21, Behringer and Valeton.
In 1998, Line 6 introduced a ground‑breaking innovation called the POD, which put many guitar effects, amps and cabinet emulations into a single portable unit. While the little red kidney shaped POD was initially directed at guitarists, the rack mounted Line 6 POD Pro models came in both guitar and bass versions. Since then, Line 6 and other manufacturers now combine guitar and bass amp/effect/cabinet emulations into a single unit. These units are constantly improving and are gradually replacing stage backlines with direct input (DI) into PAs/monitors, as well as into studio desks/DAWs. Along with the POD, Line 6, also now part of Yamaha, is still in the same business with their extensive Helix range.
Alternatives to the Line 6 POD and Helix units include the Axe-Fx III from Fractal Audio, which is a pro‑level amplification/effects processor suitable for both guitar and bass. Meanwhile, Kemper Amps took a slightly different route with their Profiler, which has all‑in‑one effects, amplifier and speaker cabinet profiles designed for both guitar and bass.
Just to finish off, there are numerous boutique effect pedal manufacturers that produce stomp boxes, often to very high degrees of quality, including brands such as Way Huge, TC Electronic, EarthQuaker Devices, Darkglass, Aguilar, Origin Effects, Free The Tone, Providence, Source Audio, Walrus Audio, ZVEX, Mooer Audio, Sansamp, Digitech, Eventide, Strymon, JHS, Keeley and Empress Effects.
Iconic (and other) bass guitars
The next sentence is likely to be highly provocative and intentionally so. While there are innumerable bass guitar models out there from 1951 to the current day, there are probably only four bass guitar models that can truly be called iconic (i.e. something that is widely considered to epitomize an era, culture, community or place). The four key instruments – none of which are based on guitar equivalents – that stand head and shoulders above the rest are:
Truly iconic bass guitars: Fender Precision Bass (1951‑date) Fender Jazz Bass (1960‑date) Rickenbacker 4000 series (1957‑date) Music Man Stingray Bass (1976‑date)
In addition, below are listed just a very few of the other great electric bass guitars manufactured from 1951 onwards. This is far from a comprehensive list and is intended only to be broadly indicative of the type.
Gibson bass guitars: Gibson EB series Gibson Thunderbird Gibson Explorer Bass Gibson Melody Maker Bass Gibson Grabber/Ripper/G3 Gibson RD series Gibson Triumph Gibson Victory Gibson 20/20 Bass
Epiphone bass guitars (not including Epiphone versions of Gibson basses): Epiphone Embassy Epiphone Newport Epiphone Rivoli Epiphone Viola
Other American brand bass guitars: Alembic Series 1/2 Ampeg Dan Armstrong Lucite Ampeg AEB-1 BC Rich Eagle BC Rich Mockingbird BC Rich Warlock Danelectro Longhorn 4623 Danelectro Shorthorn 3612 G&L JB2 G&L L1000/L2000 Gretsch 6071/6072 Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Gretsch 5440 Electromatic Guild B-301/B-302 Guild Starfire Harmony H22 Harmony H27 Jackson JS Kramer 450-B/650-B Kramer DMZ Lakland Skyline Music Man Sabre Music Man Sterling National Val Pro Model 85 Ovation Magnum Peavey T-40 Peavey Millennium/Milestone PRS SE Kestrel/Kingfisher Schecter Omen Schecter Stilletto Silvertone 1440 series Steinberger Spirit XT Steinberger Synapse Supro Pocket Travis Bean TB2000 Washburn Taurus
European bass guitars: Burns Sonic Hagström H8 Höfner Club Höfner HCT-500/1 Höfner President Hohner B2 Hohner The Jack VOX Clubman VOX Cougar VOX Phantom 4 VOX Sidewinder VOX VBW Teardrop Bass Wal Mk1/Mk2 Warwick Thumb/Streamer/Infinity/Corvette Warwick Rockbass
Japanese bass guitars: Other than perhaps the Yamaha BB and TRBX series, and the Ibanez SR and TMB series, Japanese bass guitars do not have the same level of brand/model heritage when compared to those produced by American and European companies. There are, however, many Japanese basses produced by companies such as Ibanez, Tokai, Greco, Jedson, Westone, Teisco, ESP/LTD, Fernandes and Aria.
“Without the Fender bass, there’d be no rock n’ roll or no Motown. The electric guitar had been waiting ’round since 1939 for a nice partner to come along. It became an electric rhythm section, and that changed everything.” – Quincy Jones (1933‑)
Famous bass players
Below are listed seventy of the world’s most famous and influential bass players – alive and departed – including upright double bass and electric solid body bass guitar players. There are, of course, many, many more but this is an indicative list for those interested in exploring some of the music created by these diverse musicians (in alphabetical order):
Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett (Bob Marley & The Wailers) Walter Becker (Steely Dan) Andy Bell (Oasis) Bill Black (Elvis Presley) Jack Bruce (Cream) Cliff Burton (Metallica) Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) John Cale (Velvet Underground) Stanley Clarke (Return To Forever, solo) Adam Clayton (U2) Bootsy Collins (James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic) Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave) Billy Cox (Jimi Hendrix) John Deacon (Queen) Kim Deal (Pixies, Breeders) Willie Dixon Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie) Bernard Edwards (Chic) John Entwistle (The Who) Flea (a.k.a. Michael Peter Balzary – Red Hot Chili Peppers) Bruce Foxton (The Jam) Simon Gallup (The Cure) Roger Glover (Deep Purple) Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone) Marshall Grant (Johnny Cash) Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) Dusty Hill (ZZ Top) Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order, The Light) Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) Jah Wobble (a.k.a. John Joseph Wardle) James Jamerson (session musician) Louis Johnson (The Brothers Johnson) John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) Carol Kaye (session musician) Lemmy Kilmister (Hawkwind, Motörhead) Mark King (Level 42) Alan Lancaster (Status Quo) Geddy Lee (Rush) Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead) Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel) Jenny Lee Lindberg (Warpaint) Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings, solo) Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) Marcus Miller (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, George Benson) Charles Mingus Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) Pino Palladino (session musician) Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report) Guy Pratt (Madonna, David Gilmour) Suzi Quatro Dee Dee Ramone (Ramones) Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix) Mike Rutherford (Genesis) Robbie Shakespeare (Sly & Robbie) Billy Sheehan (Steve Vai, David Lee Roth) Gene Simmons (KISS) Nikki Sixx (a.k.a. Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr. – Mötley Crüe) Chris Squire (Yes) Sting (a.k.a. Gordon Sumner – The Police) Danny Thompson (John Martyn) Thundercat (a.k.a. Stephen Lee Bruner) Robert Trujillo (Metallica) Sid Vicious (a.k.a. Simon John Ritchie – Sex Pistols) Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) Tal Wilkenfeld (Jeff Beck, Prince) Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings)
“The gunk takes the funk” – James Jamerson (1936‑1983)
Bass in the (near) future
It is difficult for, and unfair of, me as a guitarist, to predict any sort of unified future for the bass guitar but I’ll give it a shot.
The traditional conservative brigade will still stick to tried and tested instruments and equipment. Musicians looking for something a bit different will probably want to experiment with the format, for instance number of strings, scale lengths, pickups and electronics. If anything there will be more radical and custom bass guitar designs from up‑market and boutique luthiers that diverge from the traditional archetype set by Fender over 70 years ago. Many additions to the form extend the flexibility of the core instrument, so it may be a case of further evolution, rather than revolution.
Bass amplification will continue to diverge from its simple valve origins and continue to embrace the digital realm, probably dispensing with backline amps/cabs altogether with signals being DI’d into desks/PA/monitors.
While bass players haven’t been particularly well served in the past for bass‑specific effect pedals, I anticipate that bass effects will achieve greater representation, including some out‑there effects not currently available to guitar players.
Bass guitar players have struggled to compete, with synthesisers dominating the world of modern electronica, dance and popular music. At least, for now (thankfully), the bass guitar remains essential to most guitar‑based music in a sort of symbiotic, co‑dependent relationship. As long as guitars keep going, so will bass, and vice versa. Bass players, being ever inventive individuals, will adapt and cultivate new ways to keep the instrument relevant, current and in the limelight for decades to come.
Technique‑wise, there will continue to be the traditional approaches towards walking bass lines, typically using the fundamental root/fifth styles that has been the general mainstay of modern music for decades. In contrast, there will be many more amazing virtuoso bass players who see the versatility and potential of the instrument in its own right.
So, other than tangible incremental progress around the margins, there is probably not a whole lot that will change profoundly in the near future. I may be wrong with that last sentence. In many ways, I hope so!
Interestingly, while the upright double bass continues to appear in modern music from time to time, the solid body fretted electric bass hasn’t really made any headway into the clique of conservative classical orchestral music, which still relies heavily on the traditional, some may say archaic, acoustic upright double bass.
Resources
Periodicals dedicated to bass guitar may be the best place to keep up‑to‑date with the technology and equipment associated with the instrument. Publications include Bass Musician Magazine, Bass Player Guitar Magazine, Bass Guitar Magazine, Bass Magazine, Bass Musician and Bass Gear Magazine.
Online resources include Music Radar, TalkBass.com, Basschat and No Treble. There are also many books on bass guitars and bass playing techniques, including the inevitable, ‘Bass Guitar For Dummies’.
As far as purchasing bass guitars, there are the large Internet sites, brick & mortar retailers and the usual online sites, Reverb.com and eBay. For vintage and rare bass guitars, there are outlets purely for basses including (in the UK) Andy Baxter Bass, The Bass Gallery, The Bass Centre, Vintage Bass Room and ClassicandcoolGuitars.
Some final thoughts
I certainly learnt a lot from researching and writing this article. At first sight, there may seem to be quite a bit of relevant information on the Internet. It is only when one starts to dig deeper and attempt to put something together that makes some form of sense that things rapidly become unclear. All of a sudden, much of the available information seems incomplete, contradictory, vague and/or outright erroneous. In the end, it comes down to evidence and corroboration but sorting the wheat from the chaff isn’t always easy. It seems that online information about vintage guitars is far more reliable than that about vintage basses. There are far too many poorly informed people who invent facts and present opinion as truth.
Despite my best attempts to piece things together, I may have fallen foul of the same issues raised above. However, I have tried very hard not to fill in gaps with assumptions and/or fiction. While I endeavour to be thorough and rigorous, my approach isn’t academic and I don’t have the time, funds or energy to provide the last word in scholarly fact. The contents herein should therefore probably not be relied upon too heavily. This article should, for that reason alone, be regarded as my best intention to balance fact with entertainment.
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480‑400BCE)
This is just the sort of article that would benefit greatly from images to illustrate and break up the narrative. Sadly as a (broke) not‑for‑profit entity, I cannot afford the costly copyright/royalties charged for the use of relevant images, so I have had to rely on very limited free/public domain resources or my own photographs. I apologise for the thousands of words used to describe what images could do in none. Once again, no AI was used in the research and writing of this tome – only my own hard work.
NB. Apologies to anyone disappointed by the wait for a cheap, clichéd joke at the expense of ‘the bass player’! T’ain’t gonna happen here. Love ‘the bass player’.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
Given that this month’s article focuses on the fascinating history of the bass guitar, it seems only fitting to select an album that demonstrates the virtuoso bass playing of one of the greatest bass guitarists of all time, Jaco Pastorius (1951‑1987) and his famous modified fretless Fender Jazz Bass.
Weather Report – Heavy Weather (1977) – The seventh and most commercially successful studio album by the American jazz fusion band. ‘Heavy Weather’ was the first album with Pastorius on full‑time bass duties. The smooth jazz funk production of the album, which was released at the peak of the punk rock movement in the US and UK, stood in stark contrast to the otherwise brutal sounds of the late 1970s. Given that it sold in huge numbers (and still does) is testament to the composition and musicianship on display. Initial sales were about 500,000 and total sales to‑date are over 1.06 million. Other Weather Report albums may be ‘better’ according to purists but this is the one I heard first and it has stuck with me over the years.
Weather Report – Heavy Weather (1977)
To me, this album hit me right between the eyes about what virtuoso bass playing can be like. There are many, many other artists and albums that could arguably take the acclaim, for instance Stanley Clarke’s successful solo album, ‘School Days’ (1976), but on this occasion, the late, great Jaco (& co.) takes the accolade, such as it is.
“I’m the greatest bass player in the world” – Jaco Pastorius (1951‑1987)
Tailpiece
Well, there you go. I think that most of us love a bit of decent low bass in our music. I hope y’all got something out of this fleeting exploration into the defining instruments, artists and music of the lower registers. I think the narrative works well as a complement to the launch of CRAVE Basses at the end of 2023, but that’s just my (obviously biased) opinion.
I hope you feel inclined to come back next month to see what’s currently fermenting in the CRAVE guitars’ secret brewery.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Mundanity is the devourer of lost dreams”
WELCOME BACK ONCE again guitar fans and hello to any new visitors. We are now half way through an extraordinary 2020 and the world is still turned upside down in so many concerning ways. While there may be glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel for COVID‑19, there is still a long way to go and there will be profound ramifications that it will leave in its sizeable wake. At the end of last year, we had no inclination as to what was about to befall, yet here we are now. Perhaps us hooman beans really aren’t as clever as we seem to think we are (shock, horror – hold the front page!). It seems that we also still have some way to go before all people are deemed equal and can live their lives freely, responsibly and peacefully. The first half of 2020 has passed by very quickly and, frankly, good riddance to it. I don’t like wishing life away but it has been 6 months that I’m sure we could all have done without, everything being on‑hold.
Well, here we are and no more historical facts, quotes or predictions on which to ponder this month. I said at the very end of the last article that I would get back to pontificating about ‘cool & rare American vintage electric’ guitars and, at last, I can deliver on that promise/threat (delete as applicable).
There are 3 themes on which I’d like to embark this month. Firstly, I mentioned in my December 2019 article that I had bought some gear (big surprise… not) during last year but I didn’t go any further than to list what they were, without any indication as to the whys and wherefores behind the spending spree. Secondly, after 18 months, most of the 42 repatriated guitars have now been properly assessed and worked through as far as I am able. So far, I haven’t given any real sense about what I found and what I learnt from the exercise. Thirdly, there have been a number of purchases during the first half of 2020 and in due course I can reveal what those are and how they relate both to the existing ‘collection’ and to the ‘wanted’ list from that same December 2019 end‑of‑year/look‑forward roundup.
I think that there is more than enough material to occupy one article, so without further ado, let us begin at the beginning. Sitting comfortably? Good. Then, we’ll begin…
2019 CRAVE Guitars’ Purchases
An Introduction to the 2019 CRAVE Guitars
2019 was certainly an interesting year. Due to circumstances, I started out not anticipating much in the way of guitar purchases. The relatively modest vintage guitar ‘wanted’ list from December 2018 included a Danelectro of some sort, a Fender Starcaster and a Gibson Melody Maker. These had all featured on the target list for more than one year, so it seemed a fairly realistic expectation. What actually happened was a bit more fruitful than I foresaw and I think it deserves some rationale to indicate why they weren’t random purchases. In fact, 2019 resulted in nine new additions to the CRAVE Guitars family, spanning five decades (1940s‑1980s with at least one from each). I couldn’t really afford the outlay but, although it meant sacrifices in other areas, it has probably been worth a bit of hardship. I hope you find this array of short stories moderately interesting.
1982 Fender Bullet H2
This is what happened when esteemed Fender designer John Page was tasked with creating a low cost student model to carry the ‘Made in U.S.A.’ decal and replace the outgoing Mustang and Musicmaster? The result was the Fender Bullet. I’d already acquired a 1981 Fender Bullet which was essentially a Telecaster‑on‑a‑budget model. Several aspects of the first iteration intrigued me and I set about looking for a second generation model, with the more Stratocaster‑like body outline. Initially, I was looking for a ‘standard’ one with twin single coil pickups and the integrated bent steel pick guard and bridge assembly, just like the ‘Tele’ Bullet. Instead, I found a cool Fender Bullet H2 in great all‑original condition in very smart red and white with a maple neck. This version has a more robust standard integrated hardtail bridge/tailpiece with through‑body stringing. The H2 features what at first glance appear to be standard twin ‘humbuckers’. However, looks can be deceiving. The pickups aren’t actually traditional humbuckers – they are actually 4 single coil pickups arranged as two pairs in humbucking configuration. In addition to a normal 3‑way pickup selector switch, the H2 has two additional buttons that ‘split’ the humbucking pickup pairs to give a wide range of tonal options including genuine single coil sounds (unlike most tapped or split humbuckers). When it arrived, one of the 4 pickups wasn’t working and it had to be sent to a pickup expert to fix. Thankfully, it was a weak connection between the coil and pickup lead, so easily sorted. Like the earlier Bullet, the H2 has a very nice standard Telecaster neck. The diverse sounds available from this guitar are nothing short of remarkable and it makes me wonder why this particular unique configuration hasn’t been widely used since. The early USA‑made Bullets were misunderstood and tend to attract a lot of unfair criticism from purists. As a result, like the Fender Leads of the time, they weren’t manufactured for long. Judging it on its own terms, this is really not the cheap Stratocaster imitation it may seem at first glance. I realised that the Fender Bullet H2s are both cool and quite rare, so fit the CRAVE criteria. I never envisaged that it would be so fascinating and collectable while still being affordable. This Bullet H2 came with its original (if battered and stickered) Original Hard Shell Case (OHSC).
1975 Fender Starcaster
The Fender Starcaster (and, no, that isn’t a spelling error) has been a long‑standing ‘wanted’ guitar, ever since I got a 1960s Coronado. There is very little similarity between the two models but as there are very few semi‑acoustic electrics in the brand’s history, I was once again curious. Unusually, I bought this one from a retailer, so I probably paid more than I normally would have considered but it was worth it. Where the Coronado is fully hollow, the Starcaster has a solid centre block running under the pickups and the massive hardtail bridge/tailpiece assembly. Surprisingly, the Starcaster has through‑body stringing like a Telecaster. While the Coronado has DeArmond single coil pickups, the Starcaster uses the sublime Seth Lover ‘wide range’ humbuckers as used on several Telecaster variants from the 1970s. While both the Coronado and the Starcaster use bolt on maple necks, they are, again, very different and the latter is unique to the model with a maple fingerboard. Both the Coronado and Starcaster were reissued by Fender in 2013 although neither are a patch on the originals. The vintage Starcasters are instantly recognisable because of the distinctive bridge assembly and the 5 controls (2 volume, 2 tone plus master volume). When going over the guitar on arrival, I found it was a rare very early 1975 (pre‑production?) model. It has been well used but is still in remarkably good condition with the sort of genuine patina that only age can bestow. The tobacco sunburst and sunburst flame maple is just gorgeous. It is also a fantastic guitar to play with a great neck and I really like the (in‑vogue) offset body shape. Even better, it doesn’t play or sound like any other Fender, ever made. The Starcaster didn’t prove popular on its original release and wasn’t produced for long before being quietly discontinued in 1982. I can understand why it didn’t sell in large numbers but that misses the point about its exclusive charms. Make no mistake, the Starcaster is a high quality instrument just waiting to be rediscovered. This beauty is not to be confused with cheapo far‑eastern Strat imitations from the 2000s that unfortunately carried the ‘Starcaster by Fender’ moniker. The case, while vintage, is not an original Fender Starcaster case. Obtaining a Fender Starcaster was a long‑standing aspiration achieved, which can now be removed from the ‘wanted’ list. These babies are now becoming extortionately expensive on the vintage market, as the ‘collectorati’ are now cottoning onto them. Seems I got this one just about in time‑ish.
1979 Fender Stratocaster Anniversary
I already have a 1977 Stratocaster hardtail and I was kinda looking around for one from the early 1970s with a vibrato before they become unaffordable (rapidly heading that way now). Along the way, I became distracted by the 1979 Anniversary Stratocaster. I missed out on a couple before I finally attained one (once again at a higher price than I intended, unfortunately). The Anniversary is distinctive in that it was Fender’s first foray into limited edition commemorative models, celebrating 25 years since the original Stratocaster’s introduction in 1954. I was attracted by the classic look of silver, black and maple fingerboard. Whether one can regard a massive 10,000 examples as a ‘limited edition’ is debatable. It also comes with a very unsubtle ‘Anniversary’ logo emblazoned on the bass horn plus a much more understated 25th anniversary neck plate which carries its serial/issue number. This one comes with its original certificate of authenticity and most (but not quite all) of its case candy, as well as its ABS OHSC, all of which is nice to have. Like all Anniversary models, this one is heavy at 10lbs (4.6kgs) but I can live with that because of the part this model plays in electric guitar heritage. It looks cool, sounds great and plays very nicely, although the action is a little high. Fundamentally, though, it is essentially a standard Stratocaster with a few aesthetic embellishments. This guitar is in excellent, almost mint condition, which suggests that it was kept as a memento rather than an instrument to be played, which in my view is sacrilege. These aren’t especially rare instruments and many purists would say they aren’t cool. Well, I’m going to stand my ground and say that I like it, which is why it now has a safe home here at CRAVE Guitars.
1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite
This is the first of a pair of Fender Elites that I bought in 2019 (and the second Stratocaster!), both of which I think are quite desirable. As background, the Elite series was only produced in 1982 and 1983 before it was withdrawn shortly before CBS sold Fender in 1984. It is the innovative electronics that really set the Elites apart. The signal chain starts with 3 ‘noiseless’ single coil pickups including an additional dummy coil to reduce hum. These pickups are distinguishable by the Fender logo covers with no visible pole pieces. Instead of a 5‑way pickup selector switch, there are 3 on/off buttons, 1 for each pickup, giving 8 permutations in all (including all ‘off’). This arrangement provides easy access to more sounds than the standard Stratocaster of the time. The switching is unusual but also very intuitive (far better than Fender’s current S‑1 switching). The signal then passes through an on‑board active pre‑amp powered by a 9V battery. The controls are different too and not just the nice soft‑touch logo knobs. There is the usual single master volume complemented by two master tone controls, comprising Fender’s propriety MDX (MiD‑range eXpander) boost and TBX (Treble/Bass eXpander) circuit. The Strat’s iconic jack plate is also absent, with the output moved to the body edge. The bridge assembly is also unique, here it is a top‑loading hardtail Fender Freeflyte bridge. In use, it plays just like a Strat, although it is a touch on the heavy side. The sounds though are, as you might expect, quite different from a normal Stratocaster. Before the purists clamour with cries of sacrilegious iconoclasm, the electronics went on, albeit modified, to be used in both the Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy signature guitars, so the Elite wasn’t an abortive experiment. This example looks particularly cool in creamy Olympic White with a lovely rosewood fingerboard. This Elite is in lovely all‑original excellent condition and comes with its ABS OHSC. Like many 1970s and 1980s Fenders, these are now becoming more desirable on the vintage market. These original Elites are not to be confused with the similarly named but otherwise standard Elite series instruments issued by Fender between 2016 and 2019.
1983 Fender Telecaster Elite
More?! OK then. Onto the second in the pair of Fender Elites. This one is a 1983 Telecaster Elite in lovely translucent Sienna Burst with a gorgeous rosewood fingerboard. Like the Stratocaster Elite, it is a fascinating variant on the classic design. The electronics here comprise dual‑coil noise‑cancelling Alnico 2 pickups routed through an on‑board active 9V preamp with 2 volume controls allied to the same MDX (mid‑range) and TBX (high‑range) tone controls as found on the Stratocaster Elite. Like its sister model, it has the unique top‑loading hardtail Fender Freeflyte bridge. The body has cool single binding on the top edge, similar to the original Custom Telecaster from the 1960s. For some inexplicable reason, the designers at Fender felt that a Telecaster would look good with a Les Paul‑like scratchplate. They were wrong, it doesn’t. Fortunately, the scratchplate was provided in the case, rather than being attached and even then, it could be stuck on with double‑sided tape. Personally, I prefer it without the scratchplate, revealing the woodgrain through the finish. Like the Stratocaster, the Telecaster is a touch on the heavy side but I can forgive that because of its unique position within the Fender canon. This little beauty is in near mint condition and includes its OHSC. The Elite is far from your average Telecaster and, on my unending quest for something cool and rare, it has found a good home here at CRAVE Guitars. Both Elite models (and there was also a Precision bass in the range as well) are harder to come across than standard models, so the prices tend to reflect their relative scarcity. The Elites are unequivocally ‘curio’ guitars from the last dying days of Fender’s notorious CBS era, so they tend to be frowned upon by purists, which makes them all the more appealing to the maverick side of my enduring addiction to the quirky and idiosyncratic guitars from a generally unloved period of guitar history.
1947 Gibson ES-150
Thus, we move onto the ‘Big G’. The author sadly hit one of those dreaded ‘big birthdays’ in 2019 and without much else to celebrate, I figured that I would mark my passing years with something self‑indulgent. I had been keeping my eyes peeled for a vintage Gibson ES‑150 for several years and watching as the prices escalated to, frankly, silly levels. I couldn’t afford one of the carved top pre‑war models with the Charlie Christian pickup, so I was looking around for a newer model, which would be cheaper. For those that may not know, the Gibson ES‑150 was introduced in 1936 and is acknowledged as the first commercially successful electric Spanish guitar. I eventually found a lovely 1947 ES‑150 from the first year of post‑war production and sporting a single P90 pickup. This one was way, way more expensive than I could normally justify so, because of my impending mortality, I was tempted to go for it. In fact, it is the most I’ve ever spent on a single instrument to‑date. This ES‑150 was residing in Italy, so I imported it before Brexit shuts down all opportunities to access vintage fare from our European colleagues. Owning a really old hollow body non‑cutaway jazz guitar is new territory for me, so it was with some trepidation and excitement that I was delving into this particular art form. The guitar itself is in fine all‑original condition with just surface crazing to the lovely sunburst nitrocellulose finish. There is no serial number or Factory Order Number (FON) which, along with the features, dates it to 1947. Playing it is a different experience altogether, as it needs heavy semi‑flat wound strings to get the laminated top vibrating. Then there is the limited upper fret access to contend with, so it takes some time to acclimatise to the technique. Being deep‑bodied and fully hollow, this one actually works quite well as an acoustic jazz guitar too. As you may know, I really like single pickup guitars, so there is less to get in the way of pure P90 tone. The ES‑150 is currently a bit of an outlier within the CRAVE Guitars family. One thing is for sure, it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Definitely not the ideal guitar of choice for metal heads though.
1965 Gibson Melody Maker
This 1965 Melody Maker was a bit of a gap filling exercise. Between 1959 and 1971, Gibson released four versions of their ‘student’ guitar, the Melody Maker. The first was a single cutaway Les Paul shape (1959‑1961), the second was a unique and really cute double cutaway model (1961‑1965), the third iteration was a somewhat crude and short‑lived double cutaway model (1965‑1966) and the final generation was SG‑shaped (1967‑1971). This is one of the rather ‘ugly duckling’ models from 1965 (weirdly often called the ‘type 2’, even though it’s the third body shape), which completes the set. The Melody Maker comprises a slab mahogany body with double cutaways, a set mahogany neck with the typical narrow headstock, one single coil pickup, and comes in a reserved cherry nitrocellulose finish. Unsurprisingly, this model has never been reissued by Gibson, although there has been a Joan Jett signature guitar. The Melody Maker name has re‑appeared a number of times since the 1960s. This example is not in pristine shape but is all‑original and it comes with its OHSC. At least this one hasn’t been butchered over the years unlike many. I was shocked that a recent guitar magazine article (which I won’t name but they really should know better) was recommending that the vintage Melody Maker body should be routed and the pickup replaced with a P90 or humbucker! Unbelievable and indefensible! I think that the narrow single coil pickups give the Melody Maker a distinct tone, which is very underrated by purists. Melody Makers are unique in the Gibson history books and unmolested examples deserve much more credit in my view. They are made from the same materials in the same Kalamazoo factory by the same people as other highly prized models and should be regarded (and treated) as worthy vintage instruments in their own right. They are very light and resonant, making them really easy to pick up and play. Compared to many Gibsons from the 1960s, Melody Makers are still relatively affordable on the vintage market and represent a good starting point for people interested in collecting vintage guitars from a major American brand. Personally, I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of this pointy body shape but now that I own one, it is growing on me.
1989 PRS Classic Electric
Having dipped my toes into the world of Paul Reed Smith (PRS) guitars with an elegant 1988 PRS Standard, I was looking around for other early hand‑finished guitars that were made in PRS’s original facility in Annapolis, Maryland. These early, so‑called ‘pre‑factory’ models are becoming increasingly collectable, especially as they are now beginning to get to vintage age (and price!). The early PRS Customs are becoming incredibly expensive, so my eyes settled on an early PRS model that was initially called the Classic Electric when introduced in 1989. The model was swiftly renamed as the CE after a legal dispute with Peavey over the original name. NB. The CE is not to be confused with the far Eastern PRS SE (‘Student Edition’) guitars. I also had my sights set on the early solid Electric Blue metallic finish, which I think is stunningly beautiful. This example is a very early Classic Electric, being only the 473rd guitar off the production line, distinguished by its 24‑fret, bolt‑on maple neck and the plain headstock carrying the block ‘PRS Electric’ logo (soon to change to the familiar modern ‘Paul Reed Smith’ signature script logo). There are quite a few marks including one significant ding to the body and the finish on the back of the neck has worn down. The wear indicates that it has been well played, which is often a sign of a soundly put together instrument. OK, it doesn’t have the flashy flame or quilted maple cap, faux binding, bird inlays or set neck but it is still a very creditable guitar that plays very well and sounds great. The CE is one of those under‑the‑radar PRSs that the collectors tend to overlook, although genuine owners praise them very highly. PRS finally got around to re‑releasing the bolt‑on CE model in 2016 but the new ones really aren’t the same as these early ‘handmade’ examples. Despite the wear and tear, it is all‑original and comes with its OHSC but no case candy. You can’t have everything. A vintage PRS Custom to add to the Standard and Classic Electric sadly has to remain on the wish list for the time being.
1959 Silvertone 1304
I had a bit of a mad spell towards the end of the year when I was buying several guitars for the sake of it. I was looking for a vintage Danelectro and came across this funky little 1959 Silvertone 1304 with its single cutaway and dowdy brown finish. It is very similar to the Danelectro U1 (differentiated by pickup position and headstock logo), which is no surprise seeing that Danelectro manufactured Silvertone guitars for the Sears & Roebuck retail and mail order company at the time. The 1304 is actually a pretty rare model being only available in Sears & Roebuck’s ‘Wish Book’ Christmas catalogue and related advertising of 1958, 1959 and 1960. The neck and familiar ‘coke bottle’ headstock is also rare, being finished in natural, rather than colour matched to the body, apparently due to supply shortages at the time. It also has the circular electrics cover on the back and the squared off neck joint that confirms its age and lineage. The ever present Lipstick pickup and body‑edge tape will be familiar to Danelectro fans. It also feels, plays and sounds just like you’d expect a vintage Danelectro from the 1950s, i.e. great. This was the last of the Danelectro single cutaway body shapes before they moved to double cutaways in the 1960s. The single pickup and simple controls let you focus on playing and getting the most out of a very cool and groovy (and lightweight due to semi acoustic construction) instrument. It is a lot of fun to pick up and play and hard to put down. The action is a little high but that resistance actually forces one to play differently compared to a more ‘refined’ guitar. Like others in this résumé, it is in fine all‑original condition, although it sadly doesn’t come with an original 1950s case. These cool Silvertone and comparable Danelectro guitars are still amazingly affordable for vintage guitars from the so‑called ‘golden era’, perhaps because they were (generally) made in large numbers and sold to a largely undiscriminating ‘student’ audience at the time.
2019 CRAVE Amps? What Amps?
Right, that’s the 2019 guitars covered, so what else was new? Well CRAVE Amplifiers didn’t achieve anything at all in 2019 – no new additions and no losses. Nada. As it turned out, I was quite happy running two relatively similar modest little units as daily go‑to amplification during the year, a 1978 Fender Champ and a 1978 Fender Vibro Champ both in ‘silverface’ livery. Don’t underestimate these diminutive 5W Class A valve amps, they are really great for what they are. I acknowledge that I’m not a vintage amp specialist, so they are not hugely abundant here at CRAVE Guitars. Owning vintage valve amps demands space, time and effort as well as oodles of filthy lucre, so I’m not in a huge rush to buy up large numbers of vintage amps.
An Introduction to the 2019 CRAVE Effects
CRAVE Effects did a little better during 2019, although there were only five new pedals to join the clan. Having said that, two of those were outstanding examples of the type. As with amps, because I am not a vintage effect expert, I’m sticking to a few well‑known global brands from the 1960s to 1980s, rather than go too far into the realms of the unique, idiosyncratic and unusual.
1987 BOSS RV-2 Digital Reverb
It may seem heretical to many but this is the first vintage digital effect to join the CRAVE club. This Japanese BOSS RV‑2 was sought out principally because there are few vintage compact analogue reverb pedals out there. Yes there are the bulky (and expensive) vintage valve reverb tanks from the likes of Fender but I wanted something small and convenient to add an extra special dimension to the aforementioned Fender Champs, neither of which have on‑board reverb. So, a digital reverb was the way to go with this rather plain looking but flexible 1987 BOSS RV‑2. It provides a range of reverbs and it sounds quite natural without too many sibilant digital artefacts, although not quite the soft and cuddly warm tones of traditional analogue reverbs. Still, it does its job very well and it is from the right era (pre‑1990s), which is why it’s here. Interestingly, the high current draw of the digital circuitry in the RV‑2 means that it cannot be powered by batteries and requires a BOSS PSA power supply in order to do its ‘0’ and ‘1’ digi‑thing.
1969 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face
This is the first of two iconic classic pedals acquired in 2019. The humble but fabled English Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face rose to stardom mainly because of none other than Jimi Hendrix. This isn’t one of the earliest Fuzz Faces that used germanium transistors but one of the first to use silicon transistors, this one dating from c.1969. It is amazing what a few cheap electronic components can end up being turned into. Truth be told, I didn’t actually intend to get this pedal. It came along via an eBay auction and I decided to take a punt and put on a (relatively) low bid and… what happened? No‑one came along at the last minute to beat me and I ended up getting it. Yikes! Yes, it was hideously expensive but not as bad as it could have been. Therefore, while it was not exactly a bargain, I suppose it was still a reasonable price for what it is. Fortunately, it delivers its fuzzy glory in all the right ways, so that’s OK then. It is in excellent all‑original condition and in perfect working order, so my initial reticence was soon overcome. It actually looks pretty cool in red too. By today’s standards, its circular form factor does take up a disproportionate amount of pedalboard real estate but, c’mon, it is a vintage fuzz pedal – what’s not to like? The original Fuzz Face was definitely a batteries only zone back in the 1960s and neither is there an LED status light to indicate when it’s on. Great though it undoubtedly is, this is clearly not one of those pedals you’d want to gig with down the local pub, that’s for sure.
1982 Ibanez PT9 Phaser
At totally the other end of the value scale from the Fuzz Face, we have a fairly widely available and averagely collectable 1982 Ibanez PT9 Phaser. CRAVE Effects has somehow accumulated more phasers than any other kind over the years and that’s probably because the late 1970s and early 1980s experienced a surfeit of these simple analogue modulation effects. Let’s be honest, your average phaser really isn’t the most exciting of guitar effects compared to what else is out there, especially in these days of ubiquitous boutique eccentricities. The PT9 is pretty utilitarian and sounds OK, but not necessarily exceptional, which is probably to damn it with faint praise. I’m guessing that Ibanez chose to change their colour scheme from the previous blue/white PT‑909 Phase Tone to the orange/black PT9 in order to compete on looks with the all‑dominating and very orange MXR Phase 90 of the time. I had been on the track of a PT9 to fill a gap in the collection for a while, so the gap was duly filled. Original PT9s are still relatively affordable phasers and they are, perhaps, a good entry point for neophytes to get into vintage effects before getting into more exclusive and expensive fare. Time to move on… Next!
1981 Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro
… and here is the second iconic classic pedal procured in 2019. The otherwise ordinary green Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro rose to hallowed status via another guitarist association, this time with the inimitable Stevie Ray Vaughan. Like the Fuzz Face, the original vintage TS‑808s are now inordinately expensive on the vintage effect market, with prices increasing all the time. This was one of those times when I felt a ‘now or never’ moment and bagged a reasonably good one dating from 1981 at just below average price. At this point, I’m going to proclaim ‘emperor’s new clothes’ and say that, while it is undoubtedly a very competent pedal, does it really deserve the unchallenged accolades above all the other competent overdrive pedals out there? Just why we guitarists spend thousands of pounds/dollars on vintage instruments and vintage valve amps and then rely on some dirt cheap solid state components to make them sound ‘better’ is beyond me. To some extent, the same goes for the Fuzz Face but at least that is a down ‘n’ dirty fuzz pedal! I understand all the well‑rehearsed arguments about compensating mid‑boost and clean low gain drive into the front end of an already cooking valve amp. Perhaps I’m missing something else obvious but I really don’t think so. I also know that it goes against the grain to defer from perceived wisdom and to test the TS‑808’s seemingly unassailable reputation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking the Tube Screamer and what it does. I just believe it is somewhat overrated for the crazy market prices being asked. Anyhow, one of the green meanies is here now and is part of the growing ranks alongside other Ibanez ‘0’ and ‘9’ series pedals. At least I no longer have to keep scanning the market endlessly for a good one at a reasonable price.
1980 MXR Micro Amp
… and right back to the other end of the value scale again with a humble 1980 MXR Micro Amp. Essentially, all a boost pedal does is to increase the signal level hitting the front end of a (valve) pre‑amp, therefore not only adding a bit of volume, but also hopefully some natural compression and a bit of smooth distortion without affecting the underlying tone. Once again, there is something of a question mark about relying on a few cheap bits of electronics to make vintage gear ‘sing’. Having said that, the Micro Amp does its job perfectly well and it can be a really useful tool in the right circumstances. However, let us be clear that it is not exactly the most exhilarating or far out stomp box out there. As an idle observation, it is funny how things come round again given long enough. Outboard pre‑amp pedals are now a ‘big thing’ in the 2020s, albeit a bit more complex than this little MXR. There are many modern‑day compact pedal pre‑amps out there, including the Hudson Electronics Broadcast, Catalinbread Epoch Pre and Fredric Effects 150 Preamp. At least the unassuming little white MXR Micro Amp doesn’t take up much pedalboard space and is oh‑so simple in operation with only a single ‘Gain’ control. Like most un‑modified MXR pedals back in 1980, the Micro Amp only eats batteries for breakfast and doesn’t come with either an LED status light or DC input.
Help Needed
Vintage guitars, effects and amps need attention from time to time to keep them working at their best. While I can undertake basic maintenance, set ups and general TLC, I know that my skills are finite. I am looking for a guitar tech or luthier who can, from time to time, take on a vintage guitar and do some sympathetic remedial work, whether it involves fretwork, electrics, repairs or whatever. I’m also looking for someone who can do occasional work on effects and amps, which is basically electronics, switches, leads, soldering, etc. With over 60 vintage guitars, more than 50 vintage effects and 6 vintage amps, I need some expert help every so often. If there is someone out there with the requisite skillset for any or all of the above, and who is local to SE Cornwall in the UK, I would be interested in making a connection. Anyone interested? Please contact me at the e-mail address at the bottom of every page on the website.
Tailpiece
Actually, I think this is a good place to pause, so I’ll stop there for now. Nine guitars and five effect pedals is enough for one month.
At this point, I must stress that I did not buy any of these items as a pecuniary investment – anyone familiar with CRAVE Guitars will know that is not my motivation. However, given that savings accounts in the UK are currently offering just 0.01% interest rate, I would prefer to be broke and have great vintage guitars, amps and effects to play with and look at. The last recession that began in 2008 apparently saw 30% wiped off the value of vintage guitars, albeit temporarily. To me, it’s still a no brainer, when funds become available, eBay here I come for some vintage gear hunting. The other thing I would add is that all of the new additions are consistent with CRAVE Guitars larger strategic grand plan to conserve ‘Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric’ guitars, amps and effects as important musical and cultural heritage. Oh, and it’s also an unhealthy obsessive addiction as well but I guess you’ve sussed that out already.
At the top of this article I mentioned that there are three themes to work through and I’ve only covered one of them. I am conscious that the ‘History of Modern Music…’ series resulted in lengthy articles and this is, compared to them, quite short. I’m also a bit fatigued by the demands of lengthy researching and writing exercises. Thus, I’ll leave the rest for future article(s). I reckon that it is best to keep these reflective articles relatively consumable. Besides, there really is no rush, is there? Are we going anywhere, anytime soon? No, I thought not.
Believe me, there is still plenty of stuff to be getting on with here at CRAVE Guitars, so I guess I’ll be getting on with stuff then. Who knows what the world will be like in the coming months. Despite the continuing stresses and challenges of COVID‑19 et al, I hope that you’ll return here in due course for your prescribed diet of diversionary diatribes. Stay home, stay safe and stay (in)sane. Remember this simple but important mantra while civilisation unravels around us, Peace, Love & Guitar Music. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “I can see where this is going because I’ve been where it went.”
April 2020 – The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts – Part XIII
Introduction
For anyone out there still surviving the appalling ‘coronapocalypse’ that is undermining and unravelling civilisation around us as we speak, it’s good that you are hanging in there and hope you’re staying healthy and safe. Take a moment and spare a thought for the many who aren’t as lucky and those that have succumbed to the deadly virus. While the general response to the pandemic shows the best characteristics in most people, it also starkly reveals the sheer idiocy and irresponsibility of a not‑insignificant proportion of the population. Shame.
Thank you again for taking the time to visit CRAVE Guitars for the latest instalment of this epic series. Given the horrifying circumstances out there, your presence here is welcomed and very much appreciated. I only hope that it can provide some idle distraction from more serious issues facing us all.
It seems that this is this is a tale that just keeps on telling. I never thought it would reach these proportions when I started out on it, just over a year ago now! I trust this 13th part of the series is not unlucky. If you suffer from triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) or even primonumerophobia (the fear of prime numbers), it may be advisable to think of this as part 12a or, to be trendy, 12+.
As has become traditional, if you would like to (re)visit any or all of the first 12 parts (and 370 years) of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):
In the last article, I presented an array of quotes about music uttered by a diverse range of non‑musicians. This time, guess what? Yep, perhaps somewhat predictably, we’re looking at quotes about music by musicians or, to be strictly more accurate, music professionals. While this is clearly a heavily skewed sample of the population expressing themselves on the wonder (or otherwise) of music, their vocabulary is revealing about what it means to them and others. As you can imagine, musicians have quite a lot to say about their passion, hence the sheer panoply of relevant observations on all things musical. There are also a couple of sneaky lyrics thrown in just for good measure.
For this article, I have omitted quotes explicitly about the guitar as a musical instrument; these were, I felt, adequately covered in the equivalent part of the companion series, ‘November 2018 – A Potted History of the Guitar: Epilogue’.
Simply because of my obsession with the world’s most popular instrument, the quotes tend to be biased towards those with some sort of connection to the guitar, although not exclusively so. I make no apology for this, it’s just the way it has turned out. Some of the quotes are very well known and may well be familiar, while others are somewhat more obscure but still worth extolling. If nothing else, I hope they inspire you to think about mankind’s unique affiliation with music a little differently.
Like last month, the quotes are in alphabetical order of the person, rather than their quote or any sort of chronological order. After much deliberation and messing around with different formats, I finally decided to lay these quotes out in a table. This is, perhaps, the most accessible and economical way of presentation, even though it means repeating the person being quoted in many instances. I apologise if that is not the best way for you to read the content.
Quotes about music by musicians
Right… let’s go. Enjoy.
Music drives you. It wakes you up, it gets you pumping and, at the end of the day, the correct tune will chill you down
‘Dimebag’ Darrell Abbot (1966-2004)
Music is something that should speak for itself, straight from the heart. It took me a long time to understand that
Damon Albarn (1968-)
Music to me is the air that I breathe, it’s the blood that pumps through my veins that keeps me alive
Billie Joe Armstrong (1972-)
If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
Music is life itself. What would this world be without good music? No matter what kind it is
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there is no more music left in them
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
When I was a little boy, I told my dad, ‘When I grow up, I want to be a musician.’ My dad said: ‘You can’t do both, Son’
Chet Atkins (1924-2001)
The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers
Roy Ayers (1940-)
Don’t cry for me, for I go where music is born
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
I think it’s good if a song has more than one meaning. Maybe that kind of song can reach far more people
Syd Barrett (1946-2006)
I would rather write 10,000 notes than a single letter of the alphabet
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music comes to me more readily than words
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is like a dream. One that I cannot hear
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
I can’t live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
I grew up thinking art was pictures until I got into music and found I was an artist and didn’t paint
Chuck Berry (1926-2017)
Music is an important part of our culture and record stores play a vital part in keeping the power of music alive
Chuck Berry (1926-2017)
If you play music for no other reason than actually just because you love it, the skills just kinda creep up on you
Nuno Bettencourt (1966-)
Music can change the world because it can change people
Bono (1960-)
Music fills in for words a lot of the time when people don’t know what to say, and I think music can be more eloquent than words
Bono (1960-)
I had to resign myself, many years ago, that I’m not too articulate when it comes to explaining how I feel about things. But my music does it for me, it really does
David Bowie (1947-2016)
I wanted to prove the sustaining power of music
David Bowie (1947-2016)
My theory is this; I’m not a political songwriter. I’m an honest songwriter
Billy Bragg (1957-)
It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
I guess all songs is folk songs. I never heard no horse sing them
Big Bill Broonzy (1893-1958)
I only got a seventh-grade education, but I have a doctorate in funk, and I like to put that to good use
James Brown (1933-2006)
I don’t really need to be remembered. I hope the music’s remembered
Jeff Buckley (1966-1997)
Punk was defined by an attitude rather than a musical style
David Byrne (1952-)
We don’t make music, it makes us
David Byrne (1952-)
With music, you often don’t have to translate it. It just affects you, and you don’t know why
David Byrne (1952-)
You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends
David Byrne (1952-)
Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart
Pablo Casals (1876-1973)
Of emotions, of love, of breakup, of love and hate and death and dying, mama, apple pie, and the whole thing. It covers a lot of territory, country music does
Johnny Cash (1932-2003)
I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me – like food or water
Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music is about the only thing left that people don’t fight over
Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music to me is like breathing. I don’t get tired of breathing. I don’t get tired of music!
Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music is powerful. As people listen to it, they can be affected. They respond
Ray Charles (1930-2004)
The important thing is to feel your music, really feel it and believe it
Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music became a healer for me. And I learned to listen with all my being. I found that it could wipe away all the emotions of fear and confusion relating to my family
Eric Clapton (1945-)
Music will always find its way to us, with or without business, politics, religion, or any other bullshit attached. Music survives everything
Eric Clapton (1945-)
The point is, technology has empowered so many musicians, you know?
Stanley Clarke (1951-)
If it’s illegal to rock and roll, throw my ass in jail!
Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
I have one message for young musicians around the world: Stay true to your heart, believe in yourself, and work hard
Joe Cocker (1944-2014)
I want to read… poems filled with terror and music that changes laws and lives
Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
If I knew where the good songs came from, I’d go there more often
Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Music is the emotional life of most people
Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Nobody leaves this place without singing the blues
Albert Collins (1932-1993)
Simple music is the hardest music to play and blues is simple music
Albert Collins (1932-1993)
Musicians understand each other through means other than speaking
Ry Cooder (1947-)
To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
There’s a lot of integrity with musicians; you really still aspire to grow, and be great, to be the best version of yourself you can be
Sheryl Crow (1962-)
Every song is like a painting
Dick Dale (1937-2019)
I don’t play pyrotechnic scales. I play about frustration, patience, anger. Music is an extension of my soul
Dick Dale (1937-2019)
If songs were lines in a conversation, the situation would be fine
Nick Drake (1948-1974)
This land is your land and this land is my land, sure, but the world is run by those that never listen to music anyway
Bob Dylan (1941-)
I have a curiosity that compels me to find ways to make music that are fresh and new
The Edge (1961-)
Music is such a great communicator. It breaks down linguistic barriers, cultural barriers, it basically reaches out. That’s when rock n’ roll succeeds, and that’s what virtuosity is all about
The Edge (1961-)
You see, rock and roll isn’t a career or hobby – it’s a life force. It’s something very essential
The Edge (1961-)
My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require
Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
I merely took the energy it takes to pour and wrote some blues
Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
I need drama in my life to keep making music
Eminem (1972-)
If people take anything from my music, it should be motivation to know that anything is possible as long as you keep working at it and don’t back down
Eminem (1972-)
Aggressive music can only shock you once. Afterwards, its impact declines. It’s inevitable
Brian Eno (1948-)
I’m a painter in sound
Brian Eno (1948-)
I’m fascinated by musicians who don’t completely understand their territory; that’s when you do your best work
Brian Eno (1948-)
You should play with real musicians; the best music comes from real people interacting with each other
John Fogerty (1945-)
It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person. It means I’ve done my job
Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)
Finding a good band is like finding a good wife. You got to keep trying till you find the right one
Ace Frehley (1951-)
That’s what Kiss is all about – not just music, but entertainment, y’know? We’re there to take you away from your problems, and rock and roll all night and party every day for those two hours you’re at the concert
Ace Frehley (1951-)
I enjoy being able to express myself and the band is the perfect way of doing that
Keith Flint (1969-2019)
Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence
Robert Fripp (1946-)
Hardly a day goes by without me sticking on a Muddy Waters record
Rory Gallagher (1948-1995)
Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise
George Gershwin (1898-1937)
A song without music is a lot like H2 without the O
Ira Gershwin (1896-1983)
Until you learn to play what you want to hear, you’re barking up the wrong tree
Billy Gibbons (1949-)
Too many young musicians today want to win polls before they learn their instruments
Benny Goodman (1909-1986)
Never lose faith in real rock and roll music. Never lose faith in that. You might have to look a little harder, but it’s always going to be there
Dave Grohl (1969-)
Anyone who used more than three chords is just showing off
Woody Guthrie (1912-1967)
I’ve never missed a gig yet. Music makes people happy, and that’s why I go on doing it – I like to see everybody smile
Buddy Guy (1936-)
Listen to the lyrics – we’re singing about everyday life: rich people trying to keep money, poor people trying to get it, and everyone having trouble with their husband or wife!
Buddy Guy (1936-)
Music is the tool to express life – and all that makes a difference
Herbie Hancock (1940-)
I do know the effect that music still has on me – I’m completely vulnerable to it. I’m seduced by it
Debbie Harry (1945-)
Music is a safe kind of high
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
Music is my religion
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
My goal is to be one with the music. I just dedicate my whole life to this art
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
We plan for our sound to go inside the soul of a person… and see if they can awaken some kind of thing in their minds
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all
Billie Holiday (1915-1959)
Music is the only thing I’ve ever known that doesn’t have any rules at all
Josh Homme (1973-)
Great music seems to come from a lot of angst, and that angst is from great musicians getting together with intense chemistry. When that chemistry isn’t there, people tend not to write great music
Peter Hook (1956-)
I don’t like no fancy chords. Just the boogie. The drive. The feeling. A lot of people play fancy but they don’t have no style. It’s a deep feeling-you just can’t stop listening to that sad blues sound. My sound
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
It’s never hard to sing the blues. Everyone in the world has the blues
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
No matter what you got, the blues is there
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
Poor people have the blues because they’re poor and hungry. Rich people can’t sleep at night because they’re trying to hold on to their money and everything they have
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
The blues tells a story. Every line of the blues has a meaning
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
When I die, they’ll bury the blues with me. But the blues will never die
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
I had the one thing you need to be a blues singer, I was born with the blues
Lightnin’ Hopkins (1912-1982)
Ain’t but one kind of blues and that consists of a male and female that’s in love
Son House (1902-1988)
The blues is not a plaything like some people think they are
Son House (1902-1988)
I don’t think punk ever really dies, because punk rock attitude can never die
Billy Idol (1955-)
Rock isn’t art, it’s the way ordinary people talk
Billy Idol (1955-)
Ladies and gentleman, I’ve suffered for my music, now it’s your turn
Neil Innes (1944-)
To have someone to relate to and hopefully enjoy the music and get a positive message out of it, to make the best music that we possibly could, those were the goals
Janet Jackson (1966-)
I believe that through music we can help heal the world
Michael Jackson (1958-2009)
I believe we should encourage children to sing and play instruments from an early age
Mick Jagger (1943-)
You start out playing rock ‘n’ roll so you can have sex and do drugs, but you end up doing drugs so you can still play rock ‘n’ roll and have sex
Mick Jagger (1943-)
My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I like to think I did that
Etta James (1938-2012)
I grew up in a world that told girls they couldn’t play rock ‘n’ roll
Joan Jett (1958-)
If nothing else, music lets you know that you’re not alone
Joan Jett (1958-)
Music is healing. It’s a really powerful thing, not to be taken lightly
Joan Jett (1958-)
I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music
Billy Joel (1949-)
Musicians want to be the loud voice for so many quiet hearts
Billy Joel (1949-)
Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours
Elton John (1947-)
I been studyin’ the rain and I’m ‘on drive my blues away
Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
Some people tell me that the worried blues ain’t bad. Worst old feelin’ I most ever had
Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
The blues is a low down achin’ chill
Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
If you think you’re too old to rock ‘n’ roll then you are
Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister (1945-2015)
And as long as people have problems, the blues can never die
BB King (1925-2015)
Notes are expensive… spend them wisely
BB King (1925-2015)
I think no matter what kind of music you play, there will be moments when you feel like it’s all been done before
Kerry King (1964-)
Music is my life, it is a reflection of what I go through
Lenny Kravitz (1964-)
And I think for me, any great art is art which communicates human emotion
Greg Lake (1947-2016)
The bottom line is that musicians love to make music and always will
Jennifer Lopez (1969-)
If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it
John Lennon (1940-1980)
Songwriting is like… being possessed. You try to go to sleep but the song won’t let you
John Lennon (1940-1980)
Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion – very powerful emotions. That’s what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and – people identify with that
Annie Lennox (1954-)
Nothing pleases me more than to go into a room and come out with a piece of music
Paul McCartney (1942-)
I always said punk was an attitude. It was never about having a Mohican haircut or wearing a ripped T-shirt. It was all about destruction, and the creative potential within that
Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010)
The popularity of punk rock was, in effect, due to the fact that it made ugliness beautiful
Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010)
Music is born out of the inner sounds within a soul
John McLaughlin (1942-)
Actors always want to be musicians, and musicians want to be actors
Marilyn Manson (1969-)
Music is the strongest form of magic
Marilyn Manson (1969-)
My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die
Bob Marley (1945-1981)
My music will go on forever. Maybe it’s a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever
Bob Marley (1945-1981)
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain
Bob Marley (1945-1981)
I’m just a musical prostitute, my dear
Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
Life is too short to listen to bad music
Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
What I look for in musicians is a sense of infinity
Pat Metheny (1954-)
All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians
Thelonious Monk (1917-1982)
A musician’s or artist’s responsibility is a simple one, and that is, through your music to tell the truth
Tom Morello (1964-)
Music inflames temperament
Jim Morrison (1943-1971)
Music is the magic carpet that carries poetry
Jim Morrison (1943-1971)
Music is spiritual. The music business is not
Van Morrison (1945-)
You can’t stay the same. If you’re a musician and a singer, you have to change, that’s the way it works
Van Morrison (1945-)
Three chords and the truth – that’s what a country song is
Willie Nelson (1933-)
If it’s too loud, you’re too old
Ted Nugent (1948-)
If I ever really felt depressed, I would just start putting on all my old records that I played as a kid, because the whole thing that really lifted me then still lifted me then, still lifted me during those other times
Jimmy Page (1944-)
I’m all about inspiring young musicians to get out there and express themselves through music
Orianthi Panagaris (1985-)
Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play
Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn
Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art
Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
You can’t go to the store and buy a good ear and rhythm
Les Paul (1915-2009)
If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them
Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)
I don’t know, my music has always just come from where the wind blew me. Like where I’m at during a particular moment in time
Tom Petty (1950-2017)
Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life. There’s not some trick involved with it. It’s pure and it’s real. It moves, it heals, it communicates and does all these incredible things
Tom Petty (1950-2017)
I don’t know how much more expressive you can get than being a rock and roll singer
Robert Plant (1948-)
Music is for every single person that walks the planet
Robert Plant (1948-)
I like music that’s more offensive. I like it to sound like nails on a blackboard, get me wild
Iggy Pop (1947-)
Music is life, and life is not a business
Iggy Pop (1947-)
‘Punk rock’ is a word used by dilettantes and heartless manipulators about music that takes up the energies, the bodies, the hearts, the souls, the time and the minds of young men who give everything they have to it
Iggy Pop (1947-)
Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me. I can’t help it
Elvis Presley (1935-1977)
I’m always happy. I’m never sad. I never slow down. I’m constantly occupied with music
Prince (1958-2016)
Music is music, ultimately. If it makes you feel good, cool
Prince (1958-2016)
The hardest thing with musicians is getting them not to play
Prince (1958-2016)
The key to longevity is to learn every aspect of music that you can
Prince (1958-2016)
I am flattered to have been the woman to have opened the door for female rockers to be accepted into the mainly male industry
Suzi Quatro (1950-)
Rock n’ roll! It’s the music of puberty
Suzi Quatro (1950-)
Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
I never saw music in terms of men and women or black and white. There was just cool and uncool
Bonnie Raitt (1949-)
The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes
Bonnie Raitt (1949-)
All punk is is attitude. That’s what makes it. The attitude
Joey Ramone (1951-2001)
Rock ‘n’ roll is very special to me. It’s my lifeblood
Joey Ramone (1951-2001)
The only love affair I have ever had was with music
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don’t understand the language that you’re singing in, they still know good music when they hear it
Lou Rawls (1933-2006)
Music should come crashing out of your speakers and grab you, and the lyrics should challenge whatever preconceived notions that listener has
Lou Reed (1942-2013)
My God is rock ‘n’ roll
Lou Reed (1942-2013)
My music, I hope, takes 100% of your concentration. I know how to do that
Trent Reznor (1965-)
If you don’t know the blues… there’s no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music
Keith Richards (1943-)
Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones
Keith Richards (1943-)
Music is a necessity. After food, air, water and warmth, music is the next necessity of life
Keith Richards (1943-)
Rock and Roll: Music for the neck downwards
Keith Richards (1943-)
To make a rock ‘n’ roll record, technology is the least important thing
Keith Richards (1943-)
I’ve always said music should make you laugh, make you cry or make you think. If it doesn’t do one those things, then you’re wasting everybody’s time
Kenny Rogers (1938-)
Texas is a hotbed of insanely good bands and musicians
Henry Rollins (1961-)
The musician is perhaps the most modest of animals, but he is also the proudest
Erik Satie (1866-1925)
Anyone who loves music can never be quite unhappy
Franz Schubert (1797-1827)
There is no such thing as happy music
Franz Schubert (1797-1827)
When you play, never mind who listens to you
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Songs won’t save the planet, but neither will books or speeches
Pete Seeger (1919-2014)
The music that I have learned and want to give is like worshipping God. It’s absolutely like a prayer
Ravi Shankar (1920-2012)
Music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die
Paul Simon (1941-)
Music is feeling. You can try to verbalize it. It really just hits you or it doesn’t
Gene Simmons (1949-)
Artists, musicians, scientists – if you have any kind of visionary aptitude, it’s often something that you don’t have a choice in. You have to do it
Patti Smith (1946-)
I don’t think I’ll ever write a song that’ll ever move me as much as ‘Faith’, that’ll change my life as much as that song did, or encapsulates a period of my life as well as that one does
Robert Smith (1959-)
I do a job I really, really love and I kind of have fun with. People think you can’t be grown up unless you’re moaning about your job
Robert Smith (1959-)
I had no desire to be famous; I just wanted to make the greatest music ever made. I didn’t want anyone to know who I was
Robert Smith (1959-)
I honestly don’t class myself as a songwriter. I’ve got ‘musician’ written on my passport. That’s even funnier
Robert Smith (1959-)
I lose myself in music because I can’t be bothered explaining what I feel to anyone else around me
Robert Smith (1959-)
The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with
Bruce Springsteen (1949-)
Half the battle is selling music, not singing it. It’s the image, not what you sing
Rod Stewart (1945-)
If you play music with passion and love and honesty, then it will nourish your soul, heal your wounds and make your life worth living. Music is its own reward
Sting (1951-)
A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence
Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977)
I haven’t understood a bar of music in my life, but I have felt it
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
My music is best understood by children and animals
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Too many pieces of music finish too long after the end
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
People have told me songs I’ve written have changed their life. That`s remarkable. That keeps your faith
Joe Strummer (1952-2002)
Punk rock isn’t something you grow out of. Punk rock is an attitude, and the essence of that attitude is ‘give us some truth’
Joe Strummer (1952-2002)
I believe 100 percent in the power and importance of music
James Taylor (1948-)
I never wanted to get rich or be a star. I’m an old bastard but I’m still playing! That’s the point
Bernie Tormé (1952-2019)
Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens
Maria von Trapp (1905-1987)
Music – what a powerful instrument, what a mighty weapon!
Maria von Trapp (1905-1987)
Music is a great natural high and a great natural escape
Shania Twain (1965-)
I’m always pursuing knowledge; I’m a seeker of spiritual equilibrium – and music is a big part of that
Steve Vai (1960-)
Music really is a way to reach out and hold on to each other in a healthy way
Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990)
I don’t know if any genuine, meaningful change could ever result from a song. It’s kind of like throwing peanuts at a gorilla
Tom Waits (1949-)
I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things
Tom Waits (1949-)
Songs really are like a form of time travel because they really have moved forward in a bubble. Everyone who’s connected with it, the studio’s gone, the musicians are gone, and the only thing that’s left is this recording which was only about a three-minute period maybe 70 years ago
Tom Waits (1949-)
The universe is making music all the time
Tom Waits (1949-)
I been in the blues all my life. I’m still delivering ‘cause I got a long memory
Muddy Waters (1913-1983)
My blues are so simple but so few people can play it right
Muddy Waters (1913-1983)
The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll
Muddy Waters (1913-1983)
Being a musician is a noble profession
Paul Weller (1958-)
Music is very spiritual, it has the power to bring people together
Edgar Winter (1946-)
I think the blues will always be around. It just takes one person to make people aware of the blues
Johnny Winter (1944-2014)
I couldn’t do no yodelin’, so I turned to howlin’. And it’s done me just fine
Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
I don’t play anything but the blues, but now I could never make no money on nothin’ but the blues. That’s why I wasn’t interested in nothin’ else
Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
I just play blues for fun
Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
When you ain’t got no money, you got the blues
Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
Music, at its essence, is what gives us memories. And the longer a song has existed in our lives, the more memories we have of it
Stevie Wonder (1950-)
Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand
Stevie Wonder (1950-)
The musical soundscape is an endless road
Zakk Wylde (1967-)
I am probably the last of a generation to be able to gain an education in country music by osmosis, by sitting in a ’64 Ford banging the buttons on the radio
Dwight Yoakam (1956-)
I think the most important thing about music is the sense of escape
Thom Yorke (1968-)
Rock and roll is here to stay
Neil Young (1945-)
There’s an edge to real rock ‘n’ roll. It’s all that matters
Neil Young (1945-)
I don’t understand this phrase ‘I’ve paid my dues’. We didn’t have any money and lived on peanut butter and jelly, and I loved it. I don’t regret any of it. We never expected to make it this far, but we worked hard to get here
Ronnie Van Zant (1948-1977)
If prisons, freight trains, swamps, and gators don’t get ya to write songs, man, y’ain’t got no business writin’ songs
Ronnie Van Zant (1948-1977)
A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Most people wouldn’t know music if it came up and bit them on the ass
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Music is always a commentary on society
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we’d all love one another
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
You can’t always write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say, so sometimes you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Tailpiece
Well, the above represents a veritable roll call of music royalty covering multiple centuries. As you might have expected, these maxims from musicians about music are often passionate, heartfelt and powerful, almost beyond words. The historical male dominance of the industry is clear and look forward to more female music professionals being credited for their insightful observations in the future.
There is, as mentioned last month, a certain irony in using plain words to articulate the meaning of music but that is just the medium I’m using. I would encourage you to listen to the source material for many of the elements covered in this series so far. There is a lifetime of ever‑growing musical exploration to be had out there.
CRAVE Guitars posts a ‘quote of the day’, both about music and more generally about ‘life, the universe and everything’ (Douglas Adams) every day on Twitter and Facebook. The previous article and this one have allowed me to draw from that broader research and to focus resources on the collective wisdom of this particular theme.
Having now done two consecutive articles on quotations, you are probably all quoted out by now, so be reassured that there won’t be any more for a while (except my traditional personal observation at the end of every article). As far as I can tell, this is the penultimate article in this long series, which means that, all being well, we should culminate the next month, as scheduled. As a bit of bait, I will leave you to ponder what else might be espoused in the way of a conclusion. Any guesses?
Despite the global shutdown of society, I’m sticking to what I know and love doing, which is to continue my mission to share with anyone who may be interested some selfishly selected stuff about ‘Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric’ Guitars. Weirdly, I am actually very comfortable in splendid seclusion and I would be quite happy to continue a relatively hermetic lifestyle whatever comes to pass. In the meantime, above all, please look after yourselves and take care – stay home, stay safe. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “True wealth is appreciating what you have now and neither grieving for what you might have had nor for what you may wish to have”
Welcome to the end of the 20th Century. Not actually, of course, that was 20 years ago now. I mean, in the ‘Story of Modern Music’, having covered almost 350 years so far, welcomes you to the very end of the century that really transformed mankind’s potential and bestowed opportunities hitherto unforeseen and unthought‑of, including musically.
If you would like to (re)visit any of the first eight chapters of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):
I did think of trying to compress the last three decades into a single article and then thought better of it on the grounds that doing so might diminish the impact of the period within the overall picture. So, just for now, the millennial years will have to wait. The result is that the 1990s will have its own dedicated article, although it will be a slightly more diminutive read compared to the previous five decades/articles.
The Story of Modern Music Part IX 1990-1999
It is quite tricky to pinpoint exactly what the ‘90s meant to music devotees. It seemed to depend where you lived, your age and, perhaps, what socio‑economic ‘class’ you belonged to. Whether it was grunge, alternative, Britpop or dance music that floated your boat, there was a new and exciting scene to associate with and belong to. The psychological attachment to a musical style was important to many, especially young people who were looking for some structure to life while the old order of social and political systems seemed to be disintegrating around them. Although not quite as disobedient and defiant as previous musical archetypes, there was still an underlying seething resentment of ‘the man’, which various groups saw as attempting to control their chosen form of exuberant self‑expression. In a sense, they were tapping into the anger of the marginalised.
With previous decades, it was notable that births of familiar artists outnumbered deaths, while the ‘90s saw that trend beginning to reverse. Many future artists that may well achieve sustained fame may have been born in the ‘90s but not yet discovered, while the stars of previous eras are getting, let’s be honest, a bit long in the tooth.
Similarly, it is becoming difficult to distinguish what definitive musical gems will rise from the seeming homogeneity of releases to become revered as ‘classic’ in years to come. Arguably, the 1990s marked the last vestiges of milestone singles and albums. From then on, listening habits began to change fundamentally and that, in turn, changed the way we regard significance, at least through the traditional lens of sales figures.
Historical Context 1990-1999
Some commentators called the 1990s as the ‘best decade’, although that clearly depended on your circumstances and point of view! The dawn of the 1990s experienced widespread international political restructuring, especially in Eastern Europe following the end of the Cold War and the fracturing of the communist Eastern Bloc. The 1990s also saw the growth in environmental consciousness based on dire scientific predictions about global warming and climate change. Ironically, scaremongering about ‘greenhouse gases’ led to an expansion of ‘green’ industries in developed countries. Similarly, many commentators observed signs of societal dysfunctionality, leading to prescient dystopian novels such as ‘Generation X’ by Douglas Coupland (1991), ‘Random Acts Of Senseless Violence’ by Jack Womack (1992), and ‘Prozac Nation’ by Elizabeth Wurtzel (1994). The wealth gap between the haves and have‑nots was striking; a morally unjustifiable trend that would only worsen from the 1990s onwards. The increase in the pace of technological change in post‑industrial countries fuelled the migration towards ‘digitocracies’ and resulted in manufacturing being outsourced to low‑cost developing countries on a massive scale. A period of unprecedented growth in the use of the Internet fuelled unsustainable speculation in the value of high‑tech companies, known broadly as the ‘dot‑com bubble’, a phenomenon that was bound to burst, which it ultimately did. Many companies that had become reliant on IT during the decade were fearful of the impact of Y2K on computer systems that were not prepared for the turn of the millennium.
Year
Global Events
1990
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of soviet communism, East and West Germany were reunited as the Federal Republic of Germany.
Political internee and equal rights campaigner, Nelson Mandela was released from prison after serving 27 years. His return to freedom effectively marked the end of apartheid in South Africa.
The ground breaking American cult TV series Twin Peaks burst onto screens. Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, and starring Kyle MacLachlan. It is considered a landmark in television drama.
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, named after American astronomer Edwin Hubble, was launched into low Earth orbit. The telescope was designed to look into deep space.
The first Middle East Gulf War started after Iraq invaded and annexed neighbouring Kuwait. A U.S.‑led coalition of 35 countries responded with Operation Desert Storm resulting in a coalition victory.
1991
Communist rule of the soviet USSR ended, resulting in a break up into a number of separate countries. The dismantling of the communist state effectively ended the 45‑year old Cold War between Russia and America.
British computer scientist and engineer, Tim Berners-Lee posted a short summary of the World Wide Web project, effectively launching the Internet, initially to research institutions and then to the general public.
1992
The infamous Los Angeles riots took place after 4 LAPD officers were acquitted of using excessive force in the arrest of African-American Rodney King the previous year. The incident had been videotaped and broadcast widely on TV, sparking renewed civil rights activism.
Founded in 1918, Central European country Yugoslavia descended into bitter civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a devastating military conflict that lasted until 1995.
1993
Democrat politician Bill Clinton became the 42nd president of the U.S.A.
Another massive American cult TV series, The X-Files was first broadcast, created by Chris Carter and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.
The European Union (EU) succeeded the European Economic Community (EEC) when 12 countries signed the Maastricht Treaty, signalling a process of closer political and economic union.
1994
The trilateral North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico came into effect.
Anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician Nelson Mandela was elected as president of South Africa. He was the country’s first black head of state and the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election.
The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) declared a cease fire in Northern Ireland, paving the way for de‑armament and the subsequent peace process.
The 38Km (23.5mile) Channel Tunnel rail link beneath the English Channel from Folkestone in England to Calais in France was opened for business.
1995
The phenomenally successful multi‑national online auction and e‑commerce website eBay was launched, founded by entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar and based in San Jose, California.
Former professional American footballer O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of the double murder of former wife Nicole Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman. The criminal trial, held in Los Angeles, was widely broadcast on TV.
1996
Dolly the sheep became the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell by using nuclear transfer in Scotland, UK. Dolly died in 2003 at the age of 6.
Heir to the British throne, Prince Charles was formally divorced from Diana, Princess of Wales in London.
1997
The British crown colony of Hong Kong was returned to Chinese sovereignty as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China after 156 years of British rule.
Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France at the age of 36. Her lover, Egyptian socialite Dodi Fayed, was also killed in the crash, sparking many conspiracy theories.
Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and humanitarian missionary Mother Teresa died of a heart attack in Rome at the age of 87.
The Pacific Rim countries were hit by the major Asian Financial Crisis, starting in Thailand and spreading rapidly across east and southeast Asia, resulting in an international financial contagion that threatened a severe worldwide economic meltdown.
1998
The male virility drug Sildenafil, commonly known as Viagra, became available for use in America. It was originally discovered by pharmaceutical company Pfizer as a treatment for heart‑related chest pain.
The Internet search engine Google Search was launched. It is the most widely used search engine on the World Wide Web, with over 90% market share in 2019, handling more than 5 billion searches per day.
Multinational technology giant, Apple Inc. launched the highly successful iMac computer.
The multilateral Good Friday Agreement was signed in Belfast by the Republic of Ireland and Britain as part of the on-going Northern Ireland peace process.
The first module of the International Space Station (ISS) was launched into low Earth orbit. The ISS has served as a multinational microgravity research laboratory.
1999
The Euro became the official single currency for the majority of European Union (EU) countries, known commonly as the Eurozone. The security of the Euro is overseen by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany.
Politician, Vladimir Putin became President of Russian Federation, succeeding former president, Boris Yeltsin.
Musical Genre Development 1990-1999
The 1990s was a decade of sometimes dysfunctional music set against a background of major political change and social polarisation/alienation.
One phenomenon of the 1990s that isn’t genre‑specific but which built on the perennial success of pop music was the ‘boy band’ and its all‑girl equivalent. Artists included Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, *NSYNC, Take That, Westlife, All Saints, S Club 7, Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child. The record company ‘manufactured’ bands didn’t have it all their own way; solo pop music artists were also highly successful during the 1990s, including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, and Mandy Moore.
American heavy metal saw a resurgence including bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Pantera achieving massive popularity. Meanwhile, British heavy metal was also prospering with NWOBHM bands such as Def Leppard, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.
Hip‑hop became increasingly divisive, inciting gang warfare, gun violence and drug use, fuelling rivalry between east and west coast artists, and resulting in a number of high profile deaths including Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G.
The English ‘Manchester movement’ (or ‘Madchester’ as it was often called) was strong in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. The scene centred on venues like the Haçienda nightclub in Manchester, run by post‑punk band New Order and led by local bands such as Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and The Charlatans, although the latter were actually based in the west midlands. The music isn’t necessarily a genre per se, it was more of a loose social and cultural grouping that also encompassed fashion, art and media. The OTT craziness of the Manchester scene was faithfully represented in the film ’24 Hour Party People’, made in 2002, directed by Michael Winterbottom. Other artists associated with the vital hotpot based around the UK’s North West were The Verve, Inspiral Carpets and James, as well as Scottish band Primal Scream. The Manchester ‘baggy’ zeitgeist would be important in the growth of the drug‑fuelled rave scene later in the decade.
A fusing of genres led to the emergence of trip hop as a discrete genre that grew from its roots in Bristol, UK and was pioneered by artists like Massive Attack, Tricky, Portishead, Morcheeba and Sneaker Pimps. Sometimes referred to as ‘downtempo’, it is typified by taking electronica, hip‑hop, house, funk, dub, soul and psychedelia and creating something altogether different and fresh. While its roots were clearly experimental and atmospheric, trip hop was influential in that it led to other popular mainstream forms that became subsumed in the electronic dance craze (see below) of the 1990s and early 2000s, including breakbeat, bigbeat, drum ‘n’ bass, IDM, dubstep and acid jazz. Like the Manchester movement, trip hop was very much a UK‑led genre, which had little mainstream success in the U.S.
Like punk before it, alternative rock and its counterpart, experimental noise rock, is a musical genre that railed against the major record corporations that ran the music business and the mainstream pop and rock products they marketed. Independent producers and record labels that existed outside the studio system were very much part of an active underground movement, particularly in America, and this is where a number of bands came to public attention at the start of the 1990s. Compared to the mainstream, alternative artists found it relatively difficult to garner wide audience appeal, so word of mouth, radio and record releases were the way that the message got out. The alternative moniker is more of an umbrella term relating to artists’ status in the system, rather than having definitive identifiable genre characteristics. Notable alternative artists include Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Nine Inch Nails, Beck, Jane’s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins and Pixies. Before they signed to a major label, R.E.M. were seen as alternative and this started a broadening of the definition that included other major artists such as Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Radiohead and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. The start of the new millennium saw other alternative rock artists emerge including The Strokes, Interpol and The Rapture, extending and ensuring alternative rock’s destiny into the 21st Century.
Grunge is a specific genre of music that developed in the Pacific North West of the United States and more specifically its epicentre in and around Seattle in Washington State. Like alternative/noise rock, grunge was an underground movement centred on an independent record label, in this case, Sub Pop records based in Seattle. Grunge is influenced by punk, metal and alternative styles resulting in something altogether different from all of them. Grunge is characterised by slow, raw arrangements and a distinctly distorted lo‑fi sound. Compositions often followed a quiet‑loud‑quiet structure. Lyrics tended to be downbeat, melancholic, anti‑consumerist and often depraved with a focus on cultural alienation and social isolation. While all of the following rejected the term ‘grunge’ as defining their music, especially after signing to major labels, the early pioneers of Seattle’s grunge scene included Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney and Alice In Chains. The core grunge scene had largely fizzled out and diversified by the end of the 20th Century. A revival of the grunge ethic evolved in the 2010s to include artists like Courtney Barnett, Wolf Alice and Yuck.
Britpop was essentially an upbeat and positive British reaction to the dark and depressing American grunge scene. The music and its cultural background (nicknamed ‘Cool Britannia’) lasted approximately from 1993‑1997 before fizzling out. The major bands of the Britpop period included the ‘big four’; Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede. Collectively they expanded popularity to include other artists such as Supergrass, Cast, The Lightning Seeds, Sleeper and Elastica. The so‑called ‘Battle of Britpop’ between Oasis and Blur around 1995 was a media‑fuelled highlight catching the public’s imagination at the time. Britpop was important for influencing many quintessentially British bands that came along for the ride including Coldplay, Travis, Feeder, Stereophonics, Elbow, Snow Patrol and Keane. Further influences included Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys in the 2000s.
Dance music (in this context, Electronic Dance Music – EDM) was a phenomenon that had its roots in the late 1980s but exploded in the early 1990s and lasted well into the 2000s. Dance music comprises largely electronically produced progressive dance music intended for use at nightclubs, festivals and (often illegal) raves by DJs who mixed and re‑mixed heavy beats through loud PA systems to audience rapture. In fact, many record labels and DJs became far more celebrated than the musical artists they played in their DJ sets. The predominant sub‑genres of dance music include house, techno, trance, drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep, although these only represent the tip of the dance sub‑genre iceberg. Dance beats generally comprise programmed synthesizers, samplers and drum machines to produce buoyant, insistent 4/4 dance rhythms. Dance music also became synonymous with recreational drug use such as ecstasy (MDMA) as well as party holiday destinations such as Ibiza and Mykonos islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Some of the famous artists of the dance scene include The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Underworld, Orbital, KLF, The Shamen, The Future Sound of London, 808 State, Groove Armada, Aphex Twin, Basement Jaxx and Daft Punk. Later artists built on the foundation, include Pendulum, SBTRKT and Skream. DJs became pivotal in promoting the dance craze and became famous in their own right, including Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, Pete Tong, Paul Van Dyk and Armin van Buuren. There are many sub‑genres of dance including acid house, IDM (Intelligent Dance Music), ambient, breakbeat, downtempo, jungle and UK garage, all ensuring that dance music remains up‑to‑date and relevant in the 21st Century.
Musical Facts 1990-1999
Day
Month
Year
Music Fact
23
January
1990
American guitarist and co-founder of southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allen Collins died from pneumonia in Jacksonville, Florida at the age of 37.
8
February
1990
American country and rock & roll singer and songwriter, Del Shannon committed suicide as a result of depression at his home in California at the age of 55.
18
February
1990
English singer Freddie Mercury made his final public appearance with other members of pop/rock band Queen at the Brit Awards ceremony, held in London.
20
March
1990
English electronic/alternative rock band Depeche Mode released their career-defining classic 7th studio album, ‘Violator’ in the UK.
26
March
1990
Northern Irish blues/rock guitarist, Gary Moore released his classic studio album, ‘Still Got The Blues’.
3
April
1990
Highly acclaimed Grammy award winning American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan died from cancer at her home in Hidden Hills, California at the age of 66.
10
April
1990
American East Coast rappers Public Enemy released their politically charged 3rd studio album, ‘Fear of a Black Planet’.
16
April
1990
Indie rock giants, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their 6th studio album, ‘The Good Son’.
26
June
1990
Prolific American alternative rock band Sonic Youth released their successful and significant 6th studio album, ‘Goo’.
24
July
1990
American heavy metal rock band Pantera released their classic 5th studio album ‘Cowboys From Hell’.
21
August
1990
Legendary American blues guitarist and singer B.B. King received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6771 Hollywood Boulevard.
27
August
1990
American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and four others died tragically in a helicopter crash in East Troy, Wisconsin at the age of 35.
31
August
1990
The funeral service of American blues/rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan took place at Laurel Land Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.
3
September
1990
English heavy metal rock band Judas Priest released their 12th studio album, ‘Painkiller’.
21
September
1990
American thrash metal rock band Megadeth released their superb classic 4th studio album, ‘Rust In Peace’.
6
October
1990
American Heavy metal band Metallica began recording their massive studio album ‘Metallica’ (aka the ‘black album’) in Los Angeles, California.
9
October
1990
American thrash metal band, Slayer, released their mega 5th studio album, ‘Seasons In The Abyss’.
29
October
1990
Legendary award-winning American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter John Lee Hooker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
8
January
1991
English guitarist and songwriter, Steve Clark of hard rock band Def Leppard died of alcohol poisoning at his home in London, at the age of 30.
15
February
1991
Successful English pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actor Ed Sheeran was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
21
March
1991
Legendary American inventor and founder of Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, Leo Fender died from Parkinson’s disease in Fullerton, California at the age of 81.
8
April
1991
English trip-hop pioneers, Massive Attack, released their successful debut studio album, ‘Blue Lines’ in the UK, including the dance anthem, ‘Unfinished Sympathy’.
20
April
1991
English guitarist and front man of rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, Steve Marriott died in a house fire at his home in Essex at the age of 44.
23
April
1991
American guitarist, singer and songwriter with New York Dolls, Jonny Thunders died in mysterious circumstances in a hotel room in New Orleans, Louisiana at the age of 38.
30
July
1991
American heavy metal rock band Metallica released their massively successful single ‘Enter Sandman’.
12
August
1991
American heavy metal band Metallica released their career-defining 5th studio album, ‘Metallica’, often referred to as ‘the black album’.
27
August
1991
American alternative rock band from Seattle, the home of grunge rock pioneers, Pearl Jam burst onto the scene with the release of their astonishing platinum-selling debut studio album, ‘Ten’.
10
September
1991
American grunge rock pioneers Nirvana released their ‘90s anthem for disaffected youth, the near perfect hit single ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.
17
September
1991
American hard rock band, Guns n’ Roses, released their 3rd and 4th studio albums ‘Use Your Illusion’ parts I & II on the same day in the U.S.
23
September
1991
Scottish alternative rock band, Primal Scream released their massive 3rd studio album, ‘Screamadelica’.
24
September
1991
American grunge rock pioneers Nirvana released their career-defining classic 2nd studio album ‘Never Mind’ in the U.S. Well over 30 million copies have been sold so far.
24
September
1991
American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers released their 5th studio album, ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’, produced by Rick Rubin.
28
September
1991
American jazz trumpeter, Miles Davis died of complications from a stroke, pneumonia, and respiratory failure in a hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65.
14
November
1991
Legendary American guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6627 Hollywood Boulevard.
18
November
1991
Massive Irish rock band, U2, released their storming 7th studio album, ‘Achtung Baby’ in the UK.
24
November
1991
English singer with pop/rock band Queen, Freddie Mercury died of pneumonia resulting from AIDS at his home in London at the age of 45.
15
January
1992
Rock band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and country music legend, Johnny Cash were both inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
29
January
1992
Influential American blues singer, songwriter, upright bass player and guitarist, Willie Dixon died of heart failure in Burbank, California at the age of 76.
21
February
1992
American heavy metal rock band Pantera released their classic 6th studio album ‘Vulgar Display Of Power’.
31
March
1992
English heavy metal rock band Def Leppard released their classic 5th studio album, ‘Adrenalize’.
20
April
1992
English indie rock icons, The Cure released their upbeat, commercial 10th studio album, ‘Wish’.
21
April
1992
American rap rockers, Beastie Boys, released their 3rd studio album, ‘Check Your Head’.
27
April
1992
Indie rock giants, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their great 7th album, ‘Henry’s Dream’.
9
May
1992
American guitarist, singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen made his live American TV network debut on ‘Saturday Night Live’ with show host Tom Hanks.
21
July
1992
American alternative rock band Sonic Youth released their cult, cool, classic 8th studio album, ‘Dirty’.
29
September
1992
American alternative rock band Alice In Chains released their sophomore studio album, ‘Dirt’.
6
October
1992
American rock band R.E.M. released their classic top‑selling studio album, ‘Automatic For The People’.
3
November
1992
American rock band Bon Jovi released their classic 5th studio album, ‘Keep The Faith’.
10
November
1992
American rock band Rage Against The Machine released their outstanding and career defining eponymous debut album ‘Rage Against The Machine’.
9
December
1992
Although not officially announced until January 1993, English bass guitarist Bill Wyman left The Rolling Stones.
21
December
1992
Legendary American blues guitarist, Albert King died from a heart attack at his home in Memphis Tennessee at the age of 69, just 2 days after his last concert.
6
January
1993
English bass guitarist Bill Wyman officially announced that he was leaving The Rolling Stones after more than 3 decades with the band.
23
March
1993
English alternative/electronic rock band Depeche Mode released their 8th studio album, ‘Songs Of Faith And Devotion’ in the UK.
20
April
1993
Emerging English alternative rock band Radiohead released their debut album, ‘Pablo Honey’ in the UK.
29
April
1993
English session guitarist, songwriter and producer who played extensively with David Bowie’s Spiders From Mars among others, Mick Ronson died from liver cancer in London at the age of 46.
23
August
1993
English new romantic band Duran Duran received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1770 Vine Street.
21
September
1993
American alternative grunge rock band, Nirvana released their 3rd and final studio album, ‘In Utero’.
19
October
1993
American rock band Pearl Jam released their major 2nd studio album, ‘Vs.’.
9
November
1993
American East Coast rappers Wu-Tang Clan released their incendiary debut studio album, ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’.
19
November
1993
American grunge rock band Nirvana recorded their classic live acoustic concert and album, ‘MTV Unplugged In New York’ at Sony Music Studios.
23
November
1993
American rock band, Guns N’ Roses, released their 5th studio album, ‘The Spaghetti Incident?’
24
November
1993
Legendary American blues/rock guitarist, nicknamed The ‘Master of the Telecaster’ and ‘The Ice Man’, Albert Collins died from lung cancer at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 61.
4
December
1993
Non-conformist American guitarist and composer extraordinaire, Frank Zappa died of prostate cancer at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 52.
1
February
1994
American pop punk rock band Green Day released their breakthrough 3rd studio album, ‘Dookie’.
1
March
1994
American grunge band Nirvana played their last ever live concert, interrupted by a power cut, in Munich, Germany.
1
March
1994
American alternative rock artist, Beck released his 3rd studio album, ‘Mellow Gold’.
8
March
1994
American alternative rock band, Nine Inch Nails released their career-peak 2nd studio album, ‘The Downward Spiral’.
5
April
1994
American singer, songwriter, guitarist and member of grunge rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain died from a self‑inflicted shotgun wound in Seattle, Washington at the age of 27.
19
April
1994
Alternative rock band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their classic, career-defining 8th studio album, ‘Let Love In’.
26
April
1994
American country music legend Johnny Cash embarked on a whole new period of his career with the release of his classic studio album, ‘American Recordings’.
27
April
1994
The famous San Francisco music venue the Fillmore reopened its doors at 1805 Geary Boulevard. It had been closed since 1989 after being damaged in an earthquake.
23
May
1994
Influential American virtuoso jazz guitarist, Joe Pass died from liver cancer in Los Angeles, California at the age 65.
24
May
1994
American rappers, Beastie Boys, released their classic 4th studio album, ‘Ill Communication’ in the U.S.
14
July
1994
English rave band The Prodigy released their breakout 2nd studio album ‘Music for the Jilted Generation’.
22
August
1994
Pioneering English trip-hop band, Portishead released their ground breaking debut studio album, ‘Dummy’.
23
August
1994
Acclaimed American singer, songwriter and guitarist Jeff Buckley released his first and only studio album, ‘Grace’. A modern classic.
26
September
1994
English trip-hop outfit, Massive Attack, released their great sophomore studio album, ‘Protection’ in the UK.
4
October
1994
Versatile American ‘redneck jazz’ guitarist Danny Gatton died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at his home in Newburg, Maryland at the age of 49.
1
November
1994
American grunge band Nirvana released their impressive award-winning live album, ‘MTV Unplugged in New York’, 6 months after Kurt Cobain’s death.
5
December
1994
English indie rock group The Stone Roses released their sophomore studio album, ‘Second Coming’.
13
March
1995
English alternative rock band Radiohead released their breakout 2nd studio album, ‘The Bends’ in the UK.
13
June
1995
Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and producer Alanis Morissette released her classic 3rd studio album, ‘Jagged Little Pill’.
14
June
1995
Renowned Irish blues/rock guitarist Rory Gallagher died of MRSA following liver failure caused by medication and alcohol in London at the age of 47.
9
August
1995
American guitarist Jerry Garcia of psychedelic rock band Grateful Dead died from a heart attack while at a rehabilitation centre in California at the age of 53.
2
September
1995
12 years after it was founded, America’s homage to contemporary music, the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Museum opened on the shore of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio and was celebrated with an all-star concert.
26
September
1995
American alternative rock band Sonic Youth released their great 10th studio album, ‘Washing Machine’.
2
October
1995
Australian artists, Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue released the haunting and elegiac duet single ‘Where the Wild Roses Grow’.
7
November
1995
American alternative rock band Alice In Chains released their eponymous 3rd studio album, ‘Alice In Chains’.
21
November
1995
American rock legend, Bruce Springsteen released his 11th studio album, ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’.
17
January
1996
Music greats, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Velvet Underground were all inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
5
February
1996
Australian alternative rockers, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their dark 9th studio album, ‘Murder Ballads’.
16
April
1996
American alternative rock group Rage Against The Machine released their sophomore studio album, ‘Evil Empire’.
17
May
1996
American blues, soul and funk singer, songwriter and guitarist, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson died of a heart attack after collapsing on stage in Yokohama, Japan at the age of 61.
15
June
1996
Legendary American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald died of complications from diabetes in Beverley Hills, California, at the age of 79.
18
June
1996
American alternative rock artist, Beck, released his classic, top-selling 5th studio album, ‘Odelay’.
17
July
1996
English bass guitarist with R&B band The Animals and Jimi Hendrix’s manager, Chas Chandler died of an aneurism in Newcastle, at the age of 57.
10
September
1996
American alt-rock group R.E.M. released their classic 10th studio album, ‘New Adventures In Hi-Fi’.
13
September
1996
American rapper Tupac Shakur died of gunshot wounds following a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 25.
19
September
1996
American jazz guitarist George Benson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7055 Hollywood Boulevard.
31
October
1996
English/American guitarist Slash announced that he was leaving rock band Guns N’ Roses after a relationship breakdown with the group’s lead singer Axl Rose.
2
November
1996
Sublime American singer and guitarist, known as ‘the songbird’, Eva Cassidy died from cancer in Bowie, Maryland at the age of 33.
10
January
1997
American soul legend James Brown received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1501 Vine Street.
12
February
1997
English singer and songwriter David Bowie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.
4
March
1997
Alternative rock band, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their classic 10th studio album, ‘The Boatman’s Call’.
9
March
1997
American rapper Christopher Wallace (a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G.) was shot and killed in Los Angeles, California at the age of 24.
11
March
1997
English former member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, London.
7
April
1997
British dance/electronica/big beat duo, The Chemical Brothers, released their massive studio album, ‘Dig Your Own Hole’ in the UK.
14
April
1997
English electronic/alternative rock band Depeche Mode released their classic 9th studio album, ‘Ultra’ in the UK.
29
May
1997
Renowned American singer, songwriter and guitarist Jeff Buckley died tragically from accidental drowning in Wolf River Harbor, Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 30.
4
June
1997
English bass guitarist and founder of rock band Small Faces, Ronnie Lane died from pneumonia resulting from multiple sclerosis in Trinidad, Colorado at the age of 51.
16
June
1997
English alternative rock band Radiohead released their top-selling 3rd studio album, ‘OK Computer’ in the UK.
30
June
1997
British rave band, Prodigy, released their massive zeitgeist‑defining 3rd studio album, ‘The Fat Of The Land’ in the UK.
22
August
1997
German industrial metal rock band Rammstein released their massive 2nd studio album, ‘Sensucht’ (translated crudely as ‘Desire’).
11
September
1997
American blues legend John Lee Hooker received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard.
30
September
1997
English trip-hop band, Portishead released their eponymous sophomore album, ‘Portishead’ in the UK.
12
October
1997
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist John Denver died tragically in plane crash in Monterey Bay, California, at the age of 53.
19
October
1997
American guitarist, best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton, died of complications from pneumonia in a hospital in Mason City, Iowa at the age of 49.
10
November
1997
Highly-regarded American session guitarist and one of the most recorded musicians in popular music history, Tommy Tedesco died of lung cancer in Northridge, California at the age of 67.
22
November
1997
Australian singer and front man of the rock band INXS, Michael Hutchence committed suicide in Sydney, Australia at the age of 37.
19
January
1998
American singer, songwriter and guitarist, Carl Perkins died from throat cancer in Jackson-Madison County Hospital, Tennessee, at the age of 65.
30
January
1998
English pop singer and songwriter Sir Elton John received his knighthood from Her Majesty The Queen.
19
February
1998
Legendary American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7060 Hollywood Boulevard.
20
April
1998
English trip-hop outfit, Massive Attack, released their classic 3rd studio album, ‘Mezzanine’ in the UK.
14
May
1998
American singer and actor, Frank Sinatra died from a heart attack at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California at the age of 82.
6
July
1998
Legendary American singer, guitarist and actor, nicknamed the ‘King of the Cowboys’, Roy Rogers died of heart failure in Apple Valley, California at the age of 86.
25
July
1998
American virtuoso jazz guitarist, Tal Farlow died of oesophageal cancer in New York City at the age of 77.
17
August
1998
Mexican-American guitar legend Carlos Santana received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard.
15
September
1998
American heavy metal rock artist, Marilyn Manson released his massively successful classic 3rd studio album, ‘Mechanical Animals’.
24
September
1998
American icon and rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1
October
1998
American guitarist, singer and songwriter and founder of rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.
2
October
1998
American country & western ‘singing cowboy’ Gene Autry died of lymphoma at his home in Studio City, California at the age of 91.
6
October
1998
American rock band Queens Of The Stone Age (QOTSA) released their self-titled debut album, ‘Queens Of The Stone Age’.
13
October
1998
The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, founded by English blues/rock guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, opened its doors to help clients with drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
3
November
1998
American alternative rock singer, songwriter, musician and producer, Beck, released his 6th studio album, ‘Mutations’, the follow up to the massive ‘Odelay’.
29
November
1998
American jazz pioneer of the 7-string guitar, George Van Eps, died of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California at the age of 85.
25
December
1998
English pop/rock band, The Beatles, received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard.
30
December
1998
American surf rock band The Beach Boys received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street.
15
March
1999
Legendary American singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
28
April
1999
American rock band Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard.
17
May
1999
Award-winning American singer, songwriter, guitarist, electronica musician and producer Moby released his mega-successful 5th studio album, ‘Play’.
15
June
1999
After a long break, American Latin rock band Santana released their highly successful 17th studio album, ‘Supernatural’.
16
June
1999
English rock singer, drummer and member of progressive rock band Genesis, Phil Collins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard.
24
June
1999
English blues/rock guitarist, Eric Clapton auctioned many of his guitars in New York City. The proceeds were used in support of the Crossroads Centre he founded in Antigua as a residential treatment centre for alcohol and chemical dependencies.
11
August
1999
American rock band KISS received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard.
7
September
1999
American virtuoso guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer Steve Vai released his astonishing 5th studio album, ‘The Ultra Zone’.
2
November
1999
American alternative rock band Rage Against The Machine released their 3rd studio album, ‘The Battle Of Los Angeles’ in the UK.
23
November
1999
American alternative rock artist, Beck, released his adventurous 7th studio album, ‘Midnite Vultures’.
17
December
1999
American smooth jazz, funk and soul saxophonist, Grover Washington Jr. died of a heart attack in New York City at the age of 56.
26
December
1999
Highly acclaimed American soul singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, Curtis Mayfield, died from complications of diabetes in a hospital in Roswell, Georgia at the age of 57.
Tailpiece
The 1990s was certainly a strange decade both musically and culturally, notably as a segue to the 21st Century. While it seems very recent, it is actually receding into long‑term memory, thereby affecting our perceptions of what it meant to us at the time. Still to come, the new millennium is temptingly beckoning and it will prove as frustrating as it was liberating.
Now… we have a minor problemo. I was hoping to conclude this series of articles conveniently in December at the very end of the current decade. However, there are still one, two or maybe even three articles still to write before we are done. December 2019’s article will therefore, ceteris paribus, interrupt the sequence in that it will cover a summary of 2019 through the eyes of CRAVE Guitars, meaning that the ‘History of Modern Music’ will resume early in 2020, all being well. This series has been a gargantuan task thus far, so perhaps a short break in proceedings won’t do any harm. Heaven knows what will follow after it has been concluded though. Looking into the crystal ball of the future is largely futile, so I’ll have to start thinking hard about the ‘next big thing’ very soon. However, that can wait for next year/decade. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “It is a moral travesty that, if you have got everything, you think you can get away with anything.”
Welcome to the 1970s. Well kinda. Yep, here we are yet again, with the 7th article in the current series of musical discovery, focusing on the delightful ‘Seventies’. As is often the case with monumental projects, the amount of work involved has been colossal and the amount of information has been considerable. The scale alone has meant that compressing it all into logical and manageable chunks has proved somewhat of a challenge. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, it has been the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s that have proved to be the most eventful and remarkable. This month’s article focuses on the unpredictable 1970s as it follows on from the previous two tumultuous decades.
If you would like to (re)visit the first four parts (and over 300 years) of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):
In terms of this article as part of the overall series, the 1970s has, by far, more content than any other single decade. While it is inherently fascinating, it makes for quite a hefty read (over 300 facts this month)… so be prepared and apologies.
The Story of Modern Music Part VII 1970-1979
The so-called ‘golden era’ of music (1950s-1970s inclusive) was characterised by major seismic musical movements. The 1950s saw rock ‘n’ roll burst onto the scene, the 1960s saw the fan hysteria of the ‘British Invasion’ followed by heady idealism of hippie flower power full of peace & love, while the 1970s heralded a very different form of youth rebelliousness, veritably bristling with vigorous nihilistic punk attitude.
Gone was the positivity and optimism to be replaced with disaffection distrust and deeply seated urban angst. Instead of striving for some sort of wistful, unobtainable utopia, the desperate pursuit for a grimy dystopian anarchy became almost an end in itself. The zeitgeist of warts‑and‑all realism was striking back.
The 1970s would ultimately descend into gritty and chaotic demands for change without a clear idea of what outcome the disillusioned generation was rebelling for or against. In many respects, it didn’t matter as the alienated youth voice was seen as irrelevant to detached and remote institutions who weren’t listening and, worse, seemed not to care.
As social provocateur Malcolm McLaren proclaimed, “What matters is this: Being fearless of failure arms you to break the rules. In doing so, you may change the culture and just possibly, for a moment, change life itself.” He went on to comment, “I always said punk was an attitude. It was never about having a Mohican haircut or wearing a ripped T-shirt. It was all about destruction, and the creative potential within that.”
Civilisation wasn’t really breaking down of course and not everything was tainted by dismal doom and gloom. However, western societies were being tested and forced to adapt to a darker, more uncertain, complex and ambiguous new world.
Historical Context 1970-1979
The self-indulgent 1970s was described as the ‘Me Decade’ (coined by writer Tom Wolfe), with a move away from the model of social collectivism (communities) to individualism (self). To many, the ‘70s may well be remembered as a caricature of kitsch, a gaudy facsimile of 1960s’ sybaritic, exuberant excess. While not devoid of conflict and warfare, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, the world was slowly becoming accustomed to a period of extended and stable peace around the globe. Even the tension of the Cold War became a continuous mutual standoff. Progressive political, cultural and social change that began in the 1960s continued, including the emergence of the Women’s Liberation Movement, enabling greater social mobility for many. The ever‑more liberal ‘permissive society’ was well under way representing a crucial stage in that generation’s struggle for greater individual freedom and equality. Technology was developing at a rapid pace, providing much greater work, leisure and recreational opportunities for people in their everyday lives. However, a number of disruptive economic and political events began to destabilise a long period of post‑war economic expansion. Widespread social discontent and a rejection of a stagnant status quo resulted in widespread riots, protests, labour strikes, direct action and hints of anarchy, culminating in the UK with the infamous ‘winter of discontent’.
Year
Global Events
1970
Manned moon mission Apollo 13 narrowly avoided tragedy after an emergency in space, ultimately returning all 3 astronauts safely to Earth.
After being signed in 1968, 43 nations ratified The Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, intended to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and promote co‑operation on the peaceful use of nuclear power.
1971
The phenomenally successful coffee empire, the Starbucks Corporation, was founded in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
The massive Aswan High Dam across the River Nile in Egypt was opened. The project had required moving the ancient Egyptian temples of Ramses at Abu Simbel (in 1964) above the rising waters of Lake Nasser.
1972
The first commercial video game, Pong was released by Atari.
The classic gangster movie, ‘The Godfather’, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando was released.
Britain imposed direct rule over Northern Ireland following the so‑called ‘Bloody Sunday’ massacre.
A Palestinian terrorist group killed 11 Israeli Olympic team members and a German police officer at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany.
Apollo 17 became the last moon landing (to‑date) where humans have walked on the surface of the Moon.
1973
The United Kingdom joined the expanding European Economic Community (EEC).
The seminal and controversial ‘horror’ movie about faith, ‘The Exorcist’ was released, directed by Willian Friedkin and starring Linda Blair.
A global oil crisis was triggered by OPEC, the confederation of Arab oil producing nations, which imposed an embargo on oil exports to countries supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War, also known as the Arab-Israeli War.
The famous Spanish artist and co‑founder of the Cubist movement, Pablo Picasso died at the age of 91.
1974
American President Richard Nixon resigned from office following the Watergate scandal, to be succeeded by Gerald Ford as the 38th U.S. president.
The popular 3-D combination puzzle Rubik’s Cube was invented by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture, Ernő Rubik.
The ubiquitous Bar Code was introduced. It was notable because it was the first standardised method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form.
1975
America finally pulled out of the Vietnam War after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the formal reunification of north and south Vietnam.
An historic joint American/Russian Apollo and Soyuz space mission took place in Earth orbit. It was the first time that spacecraft from different nations docked in space.
Widely recognised as the first modern summer blockbuster film, ‘Jaws’ was released, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel by Peter Benchley published in 1974.
American technology innovators, Bill Gates and Paul Allen co‑founded the Microsoft Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
1976
American technology entrepreneurs, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne co‑founded Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.) in California.
The infamous ‘Son of Sam’ serial murders began in New York City, sparking the largest manhunt in the city’s history. The notorious killer, David Berkowitz, was finally arrested in 1977.
Chinese communist leader, Chairman Mao Zedong died, effectively ending the decade‑long Chinese Cultural Revolution.
1977
South African activist and anti-apartheid campaigner Stephen Biko died while in police custody after violating an order to restrict his movements.
The cinema phenomenon and start of a major film and merchandise franchise, Star Wars Episode 4 was released, directed by George Lucas.
1978
English woman Louise Brown, the world’s first test tube baby, was born after conception by in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF).
The classic video game created by Tomohiro Nishikado, Space Invaders was released.
The Camp David Accords signifying a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and Egypt was signed in Maryland in the U.S.A, leading to the Egypt‑Israel Peace Treaty of 1979.
1979
Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher became the UK’s first female Prime Minister. She was Prime Minister for nearly 12 years.
Russia invaded the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, starting the Soviet‑Afghan war that would last until 1989.
Revolutionary Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed Iran to be an Islamic Republic in the Middle East, starting decades of international isolation.
The epic Vietnam war film, ‘Apocalypse Now’, written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando was released.
In Africa, the notorious Ugandan president and dictator Idi Amin was forced to leave the country into exile.
The nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, America suffered a catastrophic meltdown.
Musical Genre Development 1970-1979
If the 1960s was memorable for its own musical revolutions, the 1970s was about to unleash its own rebellious step changes. The music of the 1970s can be categorised by bursts of creativity, using existing musical styles to come up with something relevant, new, raw and vital with something important to say. Perhaps more than any other decade, the 1970s produced greater musical diversity than any other before or since. Pop music continued to be commercially successful into the 1970s including artists like David Cassidy, The Osmonds, Abba, The Bay City Rollers and the Jackson 5.
Progressive rock, often abbreviated to ‘prog’, is a broad musical genre that grew largely from psychedelic rock and the British Canterbury Scene to achieve significant appeal in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Progressive rock can be characterised by long instrumental compositions influenced by fusing classical, jazz, rock and folk styles often complemented by elegiac, poetic lyrics. Prog music was usually only released by bands on LP albums rather than singles. Studio technology and instrumental proficiency were central to the artistic soundscapes used. Like most classical music, it was intended to be listened to, rather than danced to. To some critics, prog rock was seen as avant‑garde, pompous, overblown and boring, being not readily accessible to casual listeners. For some prog musicians, it was important to elevate music from largely populist to the status of art and included experimental arrangements to create debate and stimulate interpretation. This attitude was regarded by some as pretentious and elitist, pushing the genre into somewhat of a dead end niche. Prog rock reached its peak around 1973 and had largely been rejected by the rise of punk rock in the mid‑1970s. Early artists associated with prog rock include Procol Harum, Colosseum, Soft Machine, Barclay James Harvest, Caravan and Curved Air, paving the way for the progressive giants of the genre, including Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP), as well as Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield.
The underpinnings of heavy metal began in the late 1960s as hard rock explored new musical territories. Often cited as the pioneers of the genre were Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, all forming in 1968. Arguably, though, the first two, while clearly influencing metal, lean more towards hard rock and its successors. Even though many of the characteristics of metal had been used before, Black Sabbath are widely regarded as the true forefathers of today’s heavy metal. The sound of heavy metal took hard rock and laid on layers of thick, heavy distorted riffs using power chords, high volume levels, searing guitar solos, pounding drums and thundering bass. Vocals were often strong and bold and had a dark or satanic emphasis. During the formative 1970s, there were a few bands that adopted the metal tropes, including Judas Priest. By the end of the 1970s, a new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) was spearheaded by bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon and UFO. Although more rock than metal, Motörhead played their part in promoting heavy rock to audiences. The sub‑culture surrounding heavy metal grew alongside the music with fans branded as ‘headbangers’ with a dress code not unlike the rockers of the previous decade but taken further. By 1984 and the release of the mockumentary film ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, metal had reached a point of self‑parody. During the 1980s and beyond, metal gave birth to sub‑genres including hair metal (Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe), thrash metal (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth), groove metal (Pantera, Blackstone Cherry and White Zombie), industrial (Rammstein and Marilyn Manson), alternative metal (Alter Bridge, Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot, Deftones, Tool and Queensryche) and nu‑metal (Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Korn and Disturbed), amongst many others such as glam metal, progressive metal, black metal, doom metal, death metal, power metal, metalcore, Christian metal, etc. Possibly more than any other style of music, heavy metal has proliferated sub‑genres.
Glam rock is a relatively short‑lived offshoot of rock music that developed in the early 1970s, particularly in the UK. Glam rock’s heyday was roughly between 1970 and 1975. The music was tightly interwoven with flamboyant and colourful fashions, being performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, stark makeup and pronounced hairstyles. The impact of the symbolism was to blur the traditional gender stereotyping that was prevalent before 1970. The visuals often extended to custom instruments used by some artists. Although it may not appear obvious, glam rock influenced subsequent genres such as punk rock, new romantics, Goth rock and new wave that followed. Significant artists included Marc Bolan and T.Rex, David Bowie, Queen, Sweet, Slade, Elton John, Mud, Roxy Music and Gary Glitter. Although its impact was lower profile in the USA, artists such as Alice Cooper, New York Dolls and Iggy Pop adapted glam imagery for their own purposes.
Reggae emanated from Jamaica in the late 1960s and significantly became popular internationally during the 1970s. Reggae evolved from ska and a transitional form between ska and reggae called rocksteady. Reggae is distinctive in that it has a 4/4 rhythm with the drum marking the 3rd beat of the bar with a guitar or keyboard staccato ‘skank’ on the 2nd and 4th (off) beats of the bar. Reggae is also often associated with strong and heavy rhythmic bass lines, sometimes complemented by horn arrangements. Reggae is often but not exclusively connected to Rastafarianism which also features strongly in many reggae songs, as does the use of marijuana. Roots reggae refers to its African roots and the black diaspora. Jamaican record producers also played a strong part in moulding the sound of reggae and developed a complete sub‑genre known as ‘versions’ or dub reggae that used production techniques to remove vocals and remix instrumental elements of drum, bass and guitar. Dub reggae was often played on loud PA sound systems. Key producers include Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, King Tubby, Mad Professor and Scientist. Reggae has been successfully exported worldwide, although the UK remains a key consumer market. One of the major artists who not only popularised commercial reggae globally but also acted as an ambassador for Jamaica was Bob Marley who, with his band, The Wailers became an international icon. Other major artists also include Peter Tosh, Toots & The Maytals, Burning Spear, Augustus Pablo, Horace Andy, I‑Roy, U‑Roy, The Abyssinians, Black Uhuru, Sly & Robbie, The Upsetters, Desmond Decker, Jimmy Cliff, Johnny Nash, Third World, Gregory Isaacs and many others. British reggae artists include Aswad, Steel Pulse, Linton Kwesi Johnson and UB40. After Bob Marley’s death, the genre diversified into other forms, such as dancehall and ragga.
The origins of rap and hip hop music derived from vocal a cappella rapping and African American urban street music originating in New York house and block parties in the Bronx during the early 1970s. The largely vernacular spoken rhyming lyrics were backed by rhythmic percussive soul, funk and disco beats of the period. The sub‑culture expanded by the late 1970s to include MCing, DJ scratching, sampling and beatboxing frequently using drum machines. Also associated with rapping were break dancing, urban graffiti art and aggressive gangland/gun culture. The broader cultural definition has become widely known as hip hop, which is the current common categorisation. Early practitioners included Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, the Sugarhill Gang and Afrika Bambaataa. The genre spread widely during the ‘golden age of hip hop’ from the 1980s up to the early 1990s spawning many sub‑genres, often associated with the region or country. For instance, there was intense rivalry between U.S. West Coast and East Coast hip hop during the 1990s, coining the term ‘gangsta rap’. Hip hop became massively influential in many other mainstream musical genres who adapted the rhyming lyrical style and sparse percussive beats. Despite a decline in the mid‑2000s, hip hop is now a global phenomenon with numerous offshoots and diverse styles. While its origins are African American, a few white artists have been successful including the Beastie Boys and Eminem. There are way too many hip hop artists to mention all of them. However, they include Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Ice‑T, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, N.W.A., The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, OutKast, Jay‑Z and Kanye West among many others.
Like other musical forms, funk and disco adapted from previous genres, becoming mainstream during the 1970s. Funk emerged from African American communities and mixed soul, jazz and R&B. Funk is recognisable by have an addictively danceable groove. Funk focused on a strong first beat of the bar and was driven by strong insistent bass and drum rhythms. Funk artists included James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Parliament/Funkadelic, Chaka Khan, Earth Wind & Fire and Kool & The Gang. Later, artists like Rick James and Prince would adopt funk as a key ingredient in their dance‑fused arrangements. Funk tends to be more musically complex than its sister genre, disco. Disco originated in America and rapidly spread to the UK. It is associated with urban nightclubs and DJs mixing dance records through loud sound systems to audiences in clubs and discothèques. Discos also used complex light and strobes to emphasise the beat. Disco is a heavily produced bass and drum‑driven 4/4 rhythm, often using electronic instruments to add syncopation. Disco’s core rationale was music to dance to, so disco dancing became very popular. Culturally, disco is also associated with fashion, drug use and promiscuity. Disco artists included Gloria Gaynor, The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, The Village People, Sylvester and Chic. Disco was hugely influential on later dance genres such as house, techno, drum ‘n’ bass and rave. Like many other broad genres, funk and disco have diversified into many other related sub‑genres over the years.
Widespread social dissatisfaction and a rejection of established musical forms on both sides of the Atlantic during the mid‑1970s led to the emergence of punk rock. Loud, brash, nihilistic and stripped‑back arrangements performed mainly on guitar, bass and drums were used to support often angry and alienated anti‑establishment lyrics. The result was short, sharp bursts of controversial and provocative music. The emergence of punk in America is associated with artists such as Television, Patti Smith and Ramones, building on the work of proto‑punk bands like Velvet Underground, New York Dolls and Iggy & The Stooges. Meanwhile a parallel evolution in the UK was epitomised by bands such as Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, Buzzcocks, Sham 69 and The Ruts. As with many other music‑related sub‑cultures, punk led to distinctive fashions (Vivienne Westwood), art (Jamie Reid) and agressive attitudes. The anarchic punk movement spread rapidly and by 1977 was pervasive in many westernised countries. As popularity increased and punk sensibilities were adopted by the commercial mainstream, the essential ethos of punk imploded and was overtaken by the music business machinery that, ironically, was punk’s original anathema. The demise of chaotic punk rock principles led to post‑punk sub‑genres that expanded its appeal beyond the original audience, including artists like Joy Division, Bauhaus, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Ian Dury, The Cure and The Sisters Of Mercy. Punk in its purest form could not and did not last long. However, it was very influential in subsequent styles such as new wave, new romantic, emo and Goth sub‑genres. Live music venues were very important for audiences to experience the visceral nature of punk rock first hand, including CBGBs in New York and the Marquee in London. Punk saw a revival in the 1990s with bands like Green Day, Blink‑182 and The Offspring but it was far more commercial and lacking the authenticity of the original.
Musical Facts 1970-1979
Day
Month
Year
Music Fact
26
January
1970
American folk rock duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel released their 5th and final classic studio album, ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.
3
February
1970
Multi-talented American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, solo artist and member of rock super group The Winery Dogs, Richie Kotzen was born in Reading, Pennsylvania.
13
February
1970
English heavy metal legends Black Sabbath released their classic, game-changing self-titled debut album, ‘Black Sabbath’ in the UK (NB. appropriately on Friday 13th).
14
February
1970
English rock band The Who performed a concert at Leeds University. The show was recorded and released as the band’s first official live album, ‘Live At Leeds’.
5
March
1970
American guitarist, former member of rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers and solo artist, John Frusciante was born in New York City.
9
March
1970
After changing their name from Earth, English heavy metal rock band Black Sabbath performed their debut live concert at the Roundhouse in London.
22
March
1970
Marc Bolan and Tyrannosaurus Rex released their last studio album before transforming into glam rockers T.Rex, ‘A Beard of Stars’.
10
April
1970
English singer, songwriter and bass guitarist, Paul McCartney issued a press statement that he was leaving The Beatles, signalling the band’s break up.
21
April
1970
American Chicago blues guitarist Earl Hooker died of complications from tuberculosis in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 40.
1
May
1970
English guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and former member of indie rock band Suede, Bernard Butler was born in London.
3
May
1970
English rock band The Who released their classic live album, ‘Live At Leeds in the UK.
8
May
1970
Legendary English pop/rock band The Beatles released what would be the group’s 12th and final studio album, ‘Let It Be’, after the band split up.
3
June
1970
British heavy rock band Deep Purple released their classic breakout studio album, ‘Deep Purple in Rock’ in the UK.
5
June
1970
English heavy rock band Deep Purple released their breakthrough hit single ‘Black Night’ in the UK.
6
June
1970
American rhythm guitarist and co-founder of Nu-Metal rock band Korn, James Shaffer (a.k.a. Munky) was born in Bakersfield, California.
8
July
1970
Innovative and massively talented American alternative rock singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, Beck was born in Los Angeles, California.
18
July
1970
London hosted the third Free Concert held in Hyde Park featuring Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, Kevin Ayers, and the Edgar Broughton Band.
14
August
1970
English psychedelic space rock band Hawkwind released their debut studio album, the eponymous, ‘Hawkwind’.
23
August
1970
American singer, songwriter and guitarist Lou Reed performed his final live concert appearance with The Velvet Underground (bar reunions) at Max’s Kansas City rock club in Manhattan, New York City.
26
August
1970
The famous Isle of Wight Festival began at Afton Down, attracting between 600,000 and 700,000 attendees, the largest open air music festival of its kind. Tickets for the weekend cost £3.
28
August
1970
Well over half a million people attended the 3rd day of the UK’s famous Isle of Wight Festival to see artists including Taste, Chicago, Family and Procol Harum.
29
August
1970
The 4th day of the massive Isle of Wight Festival continued starring Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Ten Years After, ELP, The Doors, The Who and Sly & The Family Stone.
30
August
1970
The 5th and final day of the gigantic Isle of Wight Festival took place starring Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen and Richie Havens.
4
September
1970
English rock group The Rolling Stones released their classic live album, ‘Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out’ in the UK.
6
September
1970
Legendary American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix played his final live concert at the Isle of Fehmarn in Germany.
11
September
1970
American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Jimi Hendrix gave his final interview for the UK weekly music magazine New Musical Express (NME).
12
September
1970
London hosted the fourth Free Concert held in Hyde Park (the 2nd that year) featuring Canned Heat, Eric Burdon and War, John Sebastian, Michael Chapman, Stoneground and others.
18
September
1970
Legendary American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, Jimi Hendrix died tragically of asphyxia in his London flat at the age of 27.
18
September
1970
Pioneering English heavy metal rock band, Black Sabbath released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘Paranoid’ in the UK.
19
September
1970
The very first Glastonbury Pop, Folk & Blues Festival took place at Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, UK, attended by approximately 1,700 people.
19
September
1970
Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist Neil Young released his classic 3rd studio album, ‘After The Gold Rush’.
1
October
1970
American guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s funeral service took place at Dunlap Baptist Church in his hometown of Seattle before he was buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Renton, also in Seattle.
2
October
1970
English glam rock band Marc Bolan and T.Rex released their classic breakout hit single ‘Ride A White Swan’ in the UK.
2
October
1970
English progressive rock band, Pink Floyd released their 4th studio album, ‘Atom Heart Mother’ in the UK.
4
October
1970
Respected American rock, soul and blues singer Janis Joplin was found dead following an accidental heroin overdose in Los Angeles, California at the age of 27.
5
October
1970
English heavy rock band Led Zeppelin released their classic 3rd studio album, ‘Led Zeppelin III’ in the UK.
10
October
1970
English heavy metal rock band, Black Sabbath had their classic 2nd studio album, ‘Paranoid’ reach No. 1 in the UK album chart.
23
October
1970
The Jimi Hendrix Experience released the song ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’ shortly after the guitarist’s untimely death. It reached number 1 in the UK singles chart.
23
October
1970
English progressive rock band Genesis released their breakout studio album, ‘Trespass’ in the UK.
1
November
1970
Legendary American psychedelic rock band Grateful Dead released their classic 5th studio album, ‘American Beauty’.
4
November
1970
English singer and songwriter David Bowie released his classic 3rd studio album, ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ in the UK.
6
November
1970
Emerging American rock band Aerosmith made their debut live appearance in the gymnasium at what was Nipmuc Regional High School (now Miscoe Hill Middle School) in Mendon, Massachusetts.
9
November
1970
American blues/rock guitarist, singer and member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band along with hubby, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
15
November
1970
American alternative rock band, The Velvet Underground released their 4th and possibly most commercial studio album, ‘Loaded’.
27
November
1970
Former member of English rock band The Beatles, George Harrison released his hugely successful solo triple studio album, ‘All Things Must Pass’ in the UK.
11
December
1970
English singer, songwriter and guitarist, Marc Bolan and T.Rex released the first post-Tyrannosaurus Rex studio album, ‘T.Rex’ in the UK.
11
December
1970
English singer and songwriter John Lennon released his post-Beatles solo album, ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ in the UK.
12
December
1970
American rock band, The Doors played their final live concert with singer Jim Morrison at the Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana.
16
January
1971
American blues rock band, ZZ Top, released their debut studio album, ‘ZZ Top’s First Album’ in the UK.
17
March
1971
Renowned Canadian singer, songwriter and poet, Leonard Cohen released his classic 3rd studio album, ‘Songs of Love and Hate’ in the UK.
19
March
1971
English progressive rock band Jethro Tull released their classic 4th studio album, ‘Aqualung’ in the UK.
16
April
1971
English blues rock band The Rolling Stones released their huge hit single, ‘Brown Sugar’, taken from the album, ‘Sticky Fingers’.
23
April
1971
The Rolling Stones released what was probably their career peak 9th studio album, ‘Sticky Fingers’.
29
April
1971
American rock band, The Doors released their massive 6th studio album, ‘L.A. Woman’, including the classic single, ‘Riders On The Storm’, recorded shortly before singer, Jim Morrison’s death.
22
June
1971
The second Glastonbury Festival took place in Pilton, Somerset, UK, attended by c.12,000 fans. Artists included Hawkwind, Traffic, David Bowie, Joan Baez, Fairport Convention, Quintessence and Melanie.
2
July
1971
English glam rock group T.Rex, led by the late Marc Bolan, released their classic hit single ‘Get It On’.
3
July
1971
American singer, poet and member of rock band The Doors, Jim Morrison died from reported heart failure at an apartment in Paris, France at the age of 27.
6
July
1971
American jazz trumpeter and singer, Louis Armstrong died of a heart attack in a New York hospital at the age of 69.
31
July
1971
American guitarist known for his work with heavy rock bands Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie, as well as a solo artist, John Lowery (a.k.a. John 5) was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
25
August
1971
English rock band, The Who, released their 5th studio album, ‘Who’s Next’ in the UK.
9
September
1971
English singer, songwriter, guitarist and former Beatle, John Lennon released his career-defining solo studio album, ‘Imagine’ in the UK.
15
September
1971
English heavy rock band, Deep Purple released their flaming hot 5th studio album, ‘Fireball’ in the UK.
21
September
1971
UK broadcaster, the BBC aired their highly regarded long-running contemporary music TV programme, ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’ for the first time.
8
October
1971
English psychedelic space rock band Hawkwind, released their 2nd studio album ‘In Search Of Space’ in the UK.
29
October
1971
American guitarist and co-founder of rock band The Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman died tragically in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia at the age of 24.
30
October
1971
English former member of The Beatles, John Lennon had his classic solo studio album, ‘Imagine’ reach number 1 in the UK album chart.
1
November
1971
The classic hit single ‘Jeepster’ was released, performed by English glam rock pioneer Marc Bolan and T.Rex, reaching No. 2 in the UK singles chart.
1
November
1971
British guitarist, singer and songwriter John Martyn released his classic 3rd solo album ‘Bless The Weather’ in the UK.
5
November
1971
Supremely versatile English lead guitarist with alternative rock band Radiohead, Jonny Greenwood was born in Oxford.
8
November
1971
English hard rock band Led Zeppelin released their classic multi-million-selling 4th studio album, ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ in the UK, which included the track, ‘Stairway To Heaven’.
12
November
1971
English progressive rock band Genesis released their ambitious 3rd studio album, ‘Nursery Cryme’ in the UK.
13
November
1971
English progressive rock band Pink Floyd released their outstanding 6th studio album, ‘Meddle’ in the UK.
4
December
1971
The Montreux Casino in Switzerland, built in 1881, burnt down during a Frank Zappa gig, inspiring Deep Purple’s classic rock song, ‘Smoke On The Water’.
17
December
1971
Legendary English rock singer, songwriter and actor, David Bowie released his classic 4th studio album, ‘Hunky Dory’ in the UK.
27
December
1971
Remarkable English guitarist with The Aristocrats and noted guitar teacher, Guthrie Govan was born in Chelmsford, Essex.
21
January
1972
English glam rockers Marc Bolan with T.Rex released the classic hit single ‘Telegram Sam’ in the UK.
10
February
1972
English glam rock singer David Bowie made his debut live appearance as his legendary alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust at the Toby Jug pub in London.
17
February
1972
American singer, songwriter, guitarist, front man and co‑founder of pop punk rock band Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong was born in Oakland, California.
25
February
1972
English singer, songwriter and guitarist, Nick Drake, released his sublime 3rd and final studio album, ‘Pink Moon’.
25
February
1972
Legendary Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Neil Young, released his classic 4th studio album, ‘Harvest’.
3
March
1972
English progressive rock band Jethro Tull released their classic 5th studio album, ‘Thick As A Brick’ in the UK.
25
March
1972
English heavy rock band Deep Purple released their classic 6th studio album, ‘Machine Head’ in the UK, which included the track, ‘Smoke On The Water’.
29
April
1972
English hard rock band Wishbone Ash released their career-defining classic 3rd studio album, ‘Argus’.
5
May
1972
English glam rockers, Marc Bolan and T.Rex released their classic hit single ‘Metal Guru’ in the UK.
12
May
1972
English rock band, The Rolling Stones released their massive 10th studio double album, ‘Exile On Main Street’.
6
June
1972
English glam rock singer and songwriter, David Bowie released his classic 5th studio album, ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’.
3
July
1972
American country blues guitarist, Mississippi Fred McDowell died from cancer in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 66.
23
July
1972
British glam rock band, Marc Bolan and T.Rex released their classic studio album ‘The Slider’ in the UK.
8
September
1972
British glam rock star Marc Bolan and his band T.Rex released the classic hit single ‘Children Of The Revolution’.
11
October
1972
Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana with his band released their classic 4th studio album, ‘Caravanserai’.
17
October
1972
American rapper and hip-hop artist, Eminem was born as Marshall Bruce Mathers III, a.k.a. ‘Slim Shady’ in St. Joseph, Missouri.
10
December
1972
British singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of alternative rock band Placebo, Brian Molko was born in Brussels, Belgium.
5
January
1973
American rock band, Aerosmith, released their eponymous debut studio album, ‘Aerosmith’.
5
January
1973
American singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen released his debut studio album, ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.’.
30
January
1973
After changing their name to KISS, the American rock band made their debut live performance in Queens, New York.
1
February
1973
British singer, songwriter and guitarist, John Martyn released his classic 4th solo studio album, the sublime and career-defining, ‘Solid Air’.
7
February
1973
American proto punk rock band Iggy The Stooges released their hugely influential 3rd studio album, ‘Raw Power’.
8
February
1973
Max Yasgur, who owned the New York dairy farm on which the legendary Woodstock Festival was held in August 1969, died from a heart attack in Florida at the age of 53.
23
February
1973
English pop/rock band Slade released their classic hit single, ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ in the UK.
2
March
1973
British glam rockers, Marc Bolan and T.Rex released their classic hit single ‘20th Century Boy’ in the UK.
16
March
1973
English progressive rock group Pink Floyd released their career pinnacle 8th studio album, ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ in the UK.
23
March
1973
English progressive rock band King Crimson released their 5th studio album, ‘Larks’ Tongues in Aspic’.
28
March
1973
British heavy rock band Led Zeppelin released their 5th studio album, ‘Houses Of The Holy’ in the UK.
12
April
1973
English glam rock singer, David Bowie released his milestone classic 6th studio album, ‘Aladdin Sane’ in the UK.
13
April
1973
Jamaican Reggae legends, Bob Marley & The Wailers released their classic 4th studio album ‘Catch A Fire’ in the UK.
17
May
1973
American singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, actor and founder of rock bands Queens Of The Stone Age and Eagles Of Death Metal, Josh Homme was born in Joshua Tree, California.
25
May
1973
Richard Branson’s Virgin Records label was launched, marked by the release of Mike Oldfield’s seminal studio album, ‘Tubular Bells’.
18
June
1973
American folk rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, Ray LaMontagne was born in New Hampshire.
22
June
1973
English glam rock singer David Bowie released his classic hit single, ‘Life On Mars?’, with ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ on the B-side.
3
July
1973
English glam rock star David Bowie announced that his iconic on-stage persona, Ziggy Stardust was to retire (not Bowie himself, as was widely reported in the press).
13
July
1973
English rock/pop band Queen released their great debut studio album in the UK, the eponymous ‘Queen’.
15
July
1973
American bluegrass and country rock guitarist, a member of rock band The Byrds and an accomplished session musician, Clarence White died in a car accident in Palmdale, California at the age of 29.
26
July
1973
American southern blues/rock power trio ZZ Top released their critically acclaimed 3rd studio album, ‘Tres Hombres’.
6
August
1973
Influential American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist Memphis Minnie (real name Lizzie Douglas) died from a stroke in a nursing home in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 76.
13
August
1973
American southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd released their storming debut album, ‘(pronounced ‘lĕh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd)’, featuring their career-defining signature song, ‘Freebird’.
11
September
1973
American rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bruce Springsteen released his sophomore studio album, ‘The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle’.
19
September
1973
American guitarist with country rock band The Byrds, Gram Parsons died of a drug overdose in Joshua Tree, California at the age of 26.
20
September
1973
American folk/rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, Jim Croce died tragically along with 5 others in a plane crash in Natchitoches, Louisiana at the age of 30.
1
October
1973
British singer, songwriter and guitarist John Martyn released his remarkable change of direction 5th studio album, ‘Inside Out’ in the UK.
9
October
1973
Influential American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe died from a stroke in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of 58.
12
October
1973
English progressive rock band Genesis released their classic 5th studio album, ‘Selling England By The Pound’.
19
October
1973
Jamaican reggae legends (Bob Marley &) The Wailers released their classic studio album, ‘Burnin’’ in the UK.
19
October
1973
English singer and songwriter David Bowie released his 7th studio album comprising cover songs, ‘Pin Ups’ in the UK.
26
October
1973
English rock band, The Who, released their classic 6th studio double album; the rock opera and ode to the UK’s mod movement, ‘Quadrophenia’.
11
November
1973
Legendary Irish blues/rock guitarist, Rory Gallagher, released his 4th studio album, ‘Tattoo’ in the UK.
1
December
1973
English heavy metal band Black Sabbath released their 5th studio album, ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’.
5
December
1973
English former member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Wings released his 5th and most successful ‘solo’ studio album, ‘Band On The Run’ in the UK.
10
December
1973
The legendary New York alternative, punk and New Wave music venue at 315 Bowery, Manhattan, CBGB & OMFUG, was opened by club owner Hilly Kristal.
31
December
1973
Australian heavy rock band AC/DC made their debut live performance at a local bar in Sydney, Australia.
17
January
1974
Legendary American guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released the studio album recorded with The Band, ‘Planet Waves’.
15
February
1974
British hard rock band, Deep Purple released their classic 8th studio album, ‘Burn’ in the UK.
20
February
1974
American jazz rock band Steely Dan released their critically well-received and commercially successful classic 3rd studio album, ‘Pretzel Logic’.
8
March
1974
English rock band, Queen released their classic 2nd studio album, ‘Queen II’ in the UK.
15
April
1974
American southern rock group, Lynyrd Skynyrd released their classic breakout 2nd studio album ‘Second Helping’.
17
April
1974
Swedish guitarist, singer and songwriter with progressive death metal rock band Opeth, Mikael Åkerfeldt was born in Stockholm.
18
April
1974
Accomplished American guitarist, singer and songwriter with rock bands Creed, Alter Bridge and as a solo artist, Mark Tremonti was born in Detroit, Michigan.
24
April
1974
English glam rock legend, David Bowie released his classic 8th studio album, ‘Diamond Dogs’ in the UK.
1
June
1974
Talented Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, activist and actress Alanis Morissette was born in Ottawa, Ontario.
15
June
1974
English rock super group Bad Company released their self‑titled debut studio album, ‘Bad Company’ in the UK.
1
July
1974
English blues/rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Eric Clapton released his classic 2nd studio album, ‘461 Ocean Boulevard’.
21
July
1974
Highly acclaimed Irish blues/rock guitarist Rory Gallagher released his hugely successful live album, ‘Irish Tour ‘74’.
29
July
1974
Perennial Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist Neil Young released his classic 5th studio album, ‘On The Beach’.
16
August
1974
American punk rock band Ramones played their first live concert at the legendary CBGB & OMFUG music venue in New York City.
6
September
1974
English space rock band, Hawkwind, released their classic 4th studio album, ‘Hall of the Mountain Grill’.
14
September
1974
English guitarist, singer and songwriter Eric Clapton released his cover of Bob Marley’s ‘I Shot The Sherriff’ as a single, which reached number 1 in the U.S.
6
October
1974
English progressive rock band King Crimson released their 7th studio album, ‘Red’.
12
October
1974
American punk rock band Blondie made their first appearance at the legendary CBGB & OMFUG music venue in New York City.
25
October
1974
Jamaican reggae legends, Bob Marley & The Wailers released their studio album, ‘Natty Dread’ in the UK, the first Wailers’ album to bear Marley’s name in the title.
29
October
1974
Hugely impressive American blues/rock guitarist, Eric Gales was born in Memphis, Tennessee.
8
November
1974
English rock band Queen moved in a more commercial direction and released their successful 3rd studio album, ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ in the UK.
18
November
1974
English progressive rock band Genesis released their 6th studio double concept album, and their final LP with singer Peter Gabriel, ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’.
25
November
1974
English singer, songwriter and guitarist, Nick Drake died from a drug overdose at his home in Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire at the age of 26.
28
November
1974
English former Beatle, John Lennon made his final live appearance, joining Elton John on stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
16
December
1974
After 5 years as a member of The Rolling Stones, English guitarist, Mick Taylor announced that he was leaving the band.
17
January
1975
English former member of The Beatles John Lennon released his classic solo covers album, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ in the UK.
18
January
1975
American jazz, blues and country rock guitarist, Johnny Hiland was born, growing up in Maine.
20
January
1975
Legendary American guitarist, singer and songwriter, Bob Dylan released his renaissance studio album, ‘Blood On The Tracks’ in the UK.
24
January
1975
Influential and pioneering British singer, songwriter and guitarist John Martyn released his 6th studio album, ‘Sunday’s Child’.
7
February
1975
American guitarist and member of nu-metal band Limp Bizkit and Black Light Burns, Wes Borland was born in Richmond, Virginia.
17
February
1975
Australian hard rock band, AC/DC released their debut studio album, ‘High Voltage’.
24
February
1975
English heavy rock band, Led Zeppelin released their epic 6th studio double album, ‘Physical Graffiti’.
7
March
1975
English singer, songwriter and true rock legend, David Bowie released his change of direction classic 9th studio album, the soul-oriented ‘Young Americans’ in the UK.
11
March
1975
English pop/art/rock band 10cc released their hugely successful 3rd studio album, ‘The Original Soundtrack’ in the UK.
16
March
1975
American blues legend, Aaron Thibeaux ‘T-Bone’ Walker died from pneumonia following a stroke in Los Angeles, California at the age of 64.
17
March
1975
English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as member of hard rock band The Darkness, Justin Hawkins was born in Chertsey, Surrey.
29
March
1975
Experimental virtuoso English rock guitarist, Jeff Beck released his seminal and commercially successful 2nd solo album, ‘Blow By Blow’ in the UK.
2
April
1975
English super group Bad Company released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘Straight Shooter’.
8
April
1975
American hard rock band Aerosmith released one of their most successful records, their 3rd studio album, ‘Toys In The Attic’, including the hit track, ‘Walk This Way’.
9
May
1975
English space rock perennials, Hawkwind, released their 5th studio album ‘Warrior On The Edge Of Time’ in the UK.
23
May
1975
English pop/rock band 10cc released their superbly written and produced massive hit single, ‘I’m Not In Love’.
20
June
1975
Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist Neil Young released his classic 6th studio album, ‘Tonight’s The Night’.
23
June
1975
Hugely talented Scottish multi-genre singer, songwriter and guitarist, KT Tunstall was born in Edinburgh.
29
June
1975
Influential American singer, songwriter and guitarist Tim Buckley died from a drug overdose in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 28.
9
July
1975
Mercurial American singer, songwriter and flamboyant guitarist with The White Stripes, The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, as well as solo artist, Jack White was born in Detroit, Michigan.
11
July
1975
British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac released their self-titled 10th studio album, ‘Fleetwood Mac’.
17
July
1975
Jamaican reggae icons, Bob Marley And The Wailers performed the first of 2 live concerts at London’s Lyceum. The concerts were recorded for the classic live album, ‘Live!’
25
July
1975
English singer and songwriter, David Bowie released his hit single, ‘Fame’, co-written with Carlos Alomar and with backing vocals by John Lennon. It was reportedly a jibe at Bowie’s artist management.
16
August
1975
English singer and songwriter Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving Genesis, the progressive rock band he co‑founded.
25
August
1975
American rock icon Bruce Springsteen released his massively successful 3rd studio album, ‘Born To Run’.
1
September
1975
British singer, songwriter and guitarist John Martyn released his masterful live concert album, ‘Live At Leeds’.
5
September
1975
English progressive rock band Jethro Tull released their 8th studio album, ‘Minstrel In The Gallery’ in the UK (8 September in the U.S.).
12
September
1975
English progressive rock band, Pink Floyd released their massive classic 7th studio album, ‘Wish You Were Here’.
23
October
1975
English singer and songwriter, Elton John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard.
6
November
1975
British punk rock band, Sex Pistols made their debut live performance as a support act in the Common Room of Saint Martin’s School Of Art at Charing Cross Road in central London.
10
November
1975
Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Neil Young with his band Crazy Horse released the classic 7th studio album, ‘Zuma’.
2
December
1975
English pop/rock band Queen released their 4th studio album, ‘A Night At The Opera’, including the massive hit single ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
5
December
1975
Jamaican reggae legends Bob Marley And The Wailers released their classic live album, ‘Live!’ recorded at London’s Lyceum Theatre on 17 & 18 July 1975.
13
December
1975
American punk rock singer, beat poet and political activist, Patti Smith released her classic anti‑establishment debut studio album, ‘Horses’, produced by John Cale.
13
December
1975
American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and co‑founder of pop punk rock band Blink-182, Tom DeLonge was born in Poway, California.
20
December
1975
American guitarist Joe Walsh joined the country rock band Eagles, replacing former band guitarist Bernie Leadon.
5
January
1976
Renowned American guitarist, singer and songwriter, Bob Dylan released his classic mid-career studio album, ‘Desire’ in the UK.
10
January
1976
American blues legend Howlin’ Wolf died from complications of kidney surgery in Hines, Illinois at the age of 65.
23
January
1976
Legendary English rock singer and songwriter, David Bowie released his classic 10th studio album, ‘Station To Station’.
9
March
1976
Country music legend Johnny Cash received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6320 Hollywood Boulevard.
18
March
1976
The classic sci-fi film ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’, directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring English singer David Bowie was released in the UK.
19
March
1976
English guitarist with rock band Free, Paul Kossoff died from a drug-related heart attack on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City at the age of 25.
21
March
1976
Guitar pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur, Adolph Rickenbacker died from cancer in Orange County, California at the age of 89.
23
March
1976
English heavy metal band Judas Priest released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’.
26
March
1976
Irish rock group, Thin Lizzy released their breakout classic 6th studio album, ‘Jailbreak’.
28
March
1976
American guitarist with rock group The Killers, Dave Keuning was born in Pella, Iowa.
31
March
1976
Legendary English heavy rock band Led Zeppelin released their 7th studio album, ‘Presence’.
3
April
1976
British pop group Brotherhood Of Man won the 21st Eurovision Song Contest with, ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’.
23
April
1976
American punk rock band, Ramones released their eponymous debut studio album, ‘Ramones’.
30
April
1976
Jamaican reggae legends, Bob Marley & The Wailers released their commercially successful studio album, ‘Rastaman Vibration’.
3
May
1976
American hard rock band, Aerosmith, released their 4th studio album, ‘Rocks’.
4
July
1976
British punk rock band The Clash made their live concert debut supporting the Sex Pistols at the Black Swan pub (known to locals as ‘The Mucky Duck’) in Sheffield, England.
27
July
1976
English singer, songwriter, guitarist and former member of The Beatles, John Lennon, finally had his application for permanent American residency approved by the U.S. Government.
31
July
1976
American hard rock band, Blue Öyster Cult released their signature tune and huge commercial hit, the classic single, ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’.
29
August
1976
Exemplary American blues guitarist and singer, Jimmy Reed died from respiratory failure in Oakland, California at the age of 50.
13
September
1976
American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd released their great live double album ‘One More From The Road’ in the US.
7
October
1976
Following an appeal hearing, English former member of The Beatles, John Lennon had his permanent residency of the USA confirmed.
8
October
1976
American jazz fusion pioneer and bass guitarist Stanley Clarke released his ground breaking studio album ‘School Days’.
22
October
1976
Influential American poet, singer, songwriter, artist and activist Patti Smith released her 2nd studio album, ‘Radio Ethiopia’.
24
October
1976
Legendary Irish guitarist, Rory Gallagher, released his classic 6th studio album, ‘Calling Card’.
25
November
1976
Canadian/American rock group, The Band, played their final concert in San Francisco, California, ‘The Last Waltz’, documented by filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
26
November
1976
English punk rock pioneers, Sex Pistols released their controversial debut single, ‘Anarchy In The UK’ on EMI Records.
2
December
1976
The photoshoot for the iconic album cover to Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ (released in 1977) took place at Battersea Power Station in London, complete with giant inflatable pig.
3
December
1976
Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley was wounded when gunmen shot him, his wife and manager at his home in Kingston. The incident was widely thought to be a politically motivated act.
5
December
1976
French electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre released his milestone 3rd studio album Oxygène in France.
8
December
1976
American country rock band Eagles released their top‑selling and career-defining classic 5th studio album, ‘Hotel California’.
12
December
1976
English guitarist with hard rock bands The Darkness and Stone Gods, Dan Hawkins was born in Chertsey, Surrey.
28
December
1976
American blues guitar legend, Freddie King died of complications from ulcers and acute pancreatitis in Texas at the age of 42.
14
January
1977
English rock singer David Bowie released his 11th studio album and the first part of his highly acclaimed ‘Berlin Trilogy’, ‘Low’ in the UK.
23
January
1977
Highly acclaimed English progressive rock band, Pink Floyd, released their 10th studio album, ‘Animals’, in the UK.
4
February
1977
Anglo-American rock band, Fleetwood Mac released their massive career-topping 11th studio album, ‘Rumours’ in the US.
26
February
1977
American delta blues guitarist and singer Booker T. Washington ‘Bukka’ White died from cancer in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 67 or 70 (age disputed).
2
March
1977
English singer, songwriter, co-founder and front man of band Coldplay, Chris Martin was born in Exeter, Devon.
10
March
1977
English punk rock band Sex Pistols controversially ‘signed’ a short-lived recording contract with A&M Records outside Buckingham Palace in London.
21
March
1977
Australian hard blues/rock band, AC/DC, released their 4th studio album, ‘Let There Be Rock’.
8
April
1977
English punk rock band, The Clash released their classic eponymous debut studio album, ‘The Clash’. Often considered to be one of the finest British punk albums.
8
May
1977
Great American blues rock guitar maestro, Joe Bonamassa was born in New Hartford, New York.
27
May
1977
In the same year as Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, British punk pioneers Sex Pistols released their controversial 2nd single, ‘God Save The Queen’ in the UK.
31
May
1977
The BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority banned the Sex Pistols’ controversial single, ‘God Save The Queen’ from being played on UK radio for being “in gross bad taste”.
3
June
1977
Jamaican reggae icons Bob Marley & The Wailers released their career-defining massively successful 9th studio album, ‘Exodus’.
12
June
1977
Talented American blues/rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd was born in Shreveport Louisiana.
15
June
1977
English punk rock band Sex Pistols infamously performed ‘Anarchy In The UK’ aboard a party boat on the River Thames outside the Houses of Parliament in London.
20
June
1977
Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist Neil Young released his 8th studio album, ‘American Stars ‘n Bars’.
30
June
1977
Marvel Comics published the first comic book with characters loosely based on members of the American rock band KISS.
2
July
1977
British punk rock pioneers Sex Pistols released their controversial 3rd single, ‘Pretty Vacant’ in the UK.
16
August
1977
American rock ‘n’ roll legend, Elvis Presley died from a drug-related heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 42.
18
August
1977
The funeral of American singing legend, Elvis Presley took place at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.
11
September
1977
Welsh guitarist and co-founder of rock band Coldplay, Jonny Buckland was born in London.
16
September
1977
Flamboyant English glam rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Marc Bolan of Tyrannosaurus Rex and later T.Rex died tragically in a car accident in London at the age of 29.
16
September
1977
American alternative rock band, Talking Heads, released their remarkable debut studio album, ‘Talking Heads: 77’.
23
September
1977
English singer and songwriter David Bowie released the single ‘Heroes’, which would become one of his greatest signature songs.
24
September
1977
English heavy rock band Motörhead released their debut studio album, the self-titled ‘Motörhead’ in the UK.
30
September
1977
English post-punk and new wave singer, songwriter and actor, Ian Dury released his debut studio album with The Blockheads, ‘New Boots And Panties!!’ in the UK.
30
September
1977
Fiery American blues/rock guitarist and member of Supersonic Blues Machine, Lance Lopez was born in Galveston, Texas.
7
October
1977
English guitarist Steve Hackett left progressive rock band Genesis to pursue a successful solo career.
12
October
1977
American singer, songwriter and guitarist Bruce Springsteen released his 4th studio album, ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’.
14
October
1977
English singer and songwriter David Bowie released his 12th studio album, ‘Heroes’, the 2nd part of his famed ‘Berlin Trilogy’.
16
October
1977
Award-winning American blues/rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer John Mayer was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
17
October
1977
American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd released their 5th studio album, ‘Street Survivors’, just days before the band’s tragic plane crash.
20
October
1977
Several members of American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, including singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, singer Cassie Gaines were among those tragically killed and injured in a plane crash near Gillsburgh, Mississippi.
21
October
1977
American rock band, Meat Loaf, released their best‑selling debut studio album, ‘Bat Out Of Hell’.
28
October
1977
English punk rock band, Sex Pistols released their controversial debut (and currently only) studio album, ‘Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols’.
4
November
1977
American punk rock pioneers, Ramones released their definitive 3rd studio album, ‘Rocket To Russia’.
4
November
1977
British guitarist, singer and songwriter John Martyn released his classic 7th solo studio album, ‘One World’ in the UK.
25
November
1977
English blues/rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Eric Clapton released his classic 5th studio album, ‘Slowhand’.
1
December
1977
American guitarist, producer and founding member of nu-metal rock band Linkin Park, Brad Delson was born in Agoura, California.
25
January
1978
After changing their name from Warsaw to Joy Division, the post-punk rock band made their first live performance in Manchester, UK.
6
February
1978
Influential Dutch/American guitarist, Eddie Van Halen released the eponymous debut studio album that launched the band’s career ‘Van Halen’.
10
February
1978
English heavy metal band Judas Priest released their classic 4th studio album, ‘Stained Class’.
3
March
1978
American punk rock singer, poet, activist and artist, Patti Smith released her classic 3rd studio album, ‘Easter’.
23
March
1978
Jamaican reggae legends, Bob Marley & The Wailers released their 9th studio album and follow up to the massive ‘Exodus’, ‘Kaya’.
5
April
1978
English new romantic and pop/rock band Duran Duran performed their debut live concert at Birmingham Polytechnic.
15
May
1978
Antipodean heavy rock band, AC/DC released their storming 5th studio album, ‘Powerage’.
19
May
1978
British rock band, Dire Straits released their breakout debut single, ‘Sultans of Swing’ in the UK.
2
June
1978
Irish rock band, Thin Lizzy released their massive live double album, ‘Live And Dangerous’ in the UK.
9
June
1978
Mercurial English guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of rock band Muse, Matt Bellamy was born in Cambridge.
7
July
1978
American indie rock band, Talking Heads, released their 2nd studio album, ‘More Songs About Buildings and Food’.
7
September
1978
English drummer with rock band The Who, Keith Moon, died of a drug overdose in London at the age of 31.
12
October
1978
English bass guitarist with the Sex Pistols, John Ritchie (a.k.a. Sid Vicious) was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.
30
October
1978
American punk rock band Blondie released their single ‘Hanging On The Telephone’, their first Top 10 hit in the UK singles chart.
2
November
1978
English post-punk rock band The Police released their astounding debut studio album, ‘Outlandos d’Amour’ in the UK.
11
November
1978
The first commercially available vinyl 7” single picture disc was released by the Elektra label, featuring The Cars, ‘My Best Friend’s Girl’.
23
November
1978
American singer, songwriter, artist and occasional guitarist with rock bands, The Kills and The Dead Weather, Alison Mosshart was born in Vero Beach, Florida.
2
January
1979
The trial of English bass guitarist with Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious, started in New York. He was accused of murdering his American girlfriend, Nancy Spungen in 1978.
31
January
1979
American virtuoso jazz guitarist Grant Green died of a heart attack while on the road in New York City at the age of 43.
2
February
1979
English bass guitarist of Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious (John Ritchie) died from a heroin overdose in New York City at the age of 21.
7
February
1979
American guitarist, singer and songwriter Stephen Stills became the first major rock artist to record tracks using digital studio equipment at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, California.
3
March
1979
American guitarist, singer and songwriter, Frank Zappa released his highly successful and humorous part studio, part live double album, ‘Sheik Yerbouti’.
12
March
1979
English singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of indie rock bands The Libertines and Babyshambles, Pete Doherty was born in Hexham, Northumberland.
24
March
1979
English rock band, Motörhead hit the mainstream with the release of their classic 2nd studio album, ‘Overkill’.
8
May
1979
English indie rock giants The Cure released their debut studio album, ‘Three Imaginary Boys’ in the UK.
14
May
1979
Great American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and member of blues rock band The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach was born in Akron, Ohio.
18
May
1979
Legendary English rock singer and songwriter David Bowie released his 13th studio album and the third part of his ‘Berlin Trilogy’, ‘Lodger’.
8
June
1979
American guitarist, songwriter, member of rock band The Allman Brothers Band and founder of The Derek Trucks Band, Derek Trucks was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
15
June
1979
English post-punk band Joy Division released their impressive debut studio album, ‘Unknown Pleasures’.
20
June
1979
English guitarist, singer, songwriter, former member of indie rock band Ash and then solo artist, Charlotte Hatherley was born in London.
29
June
1979
American singer, songwriter and guitarist with Little Feat, Lowell George died from a cocaine-related heart attack in Arlington, Virginia at the age of 34.
1
July
1979
Japanese technology company Sony launched the first Walkman portable media player, capable of playing Compact Cassettes while on the move.
27
July
1979
Australian hard rock band AC/DC released their classic 6th studio album, ‘Highway To Hell’.
3
August
1979
American alternative rock band Talking Heads released their classic 3rd studio album, ‘Fear Of Music’, produced by Brian Eno.
11
August
1979
English hard rock band Led Zeppelin played their final UK concert with their original line up at Knebworth Festival in Hertfordshire.
12
August
1979
American pop singer and songwriter Michael Jackson released his 5th studio album, ‘Off The Wall’, marking his status as a global superstar.
15
August
1979
English heavy rock band Led Zeppelin released their last album with their original group line up, ‘In Through The Out Door’.
24
August
1979
American guitarist Peter Frampton received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6819 Hollywood Boulevard.
17
September
1979
American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer Frank Zappa released his studio album, ‘Joe’s Garage Act I’. The first of 3 ‘parts’.
29
September
1979
English post-punk rock trio The Police had their first UK No.1 hit single with, ‘Message In A Bottle’, the band’s 3rd Top 20 hit.
2
October
1979
Jamaican reggae legends, Bob Marley & The Wailers released their studio album, ‘Survival’ in the UK.
2
October
1979
English post-punk rock band The Police released their massively commercial chart-topping 2nd studio album, ‘Reggatta de Blanc’ in the UK.
7
October
1979
English post-punk rock band Joy Division released their debut single ‘Transmission’ on Factory Records in the UK.
19
October
1979
Anglo-American rock group Fleetwood Mac released their divisive, experimental 12th studio album, ‘Tusk’ amidst reports of the band’s excess.
27
October
1979
English rock band Motörhead released their strong 3rd studio album, ‘Bomber’ in the UK, with the classic line up of Lemmy, Eddie Clarke and Phil Taylor.
19
November
1979
American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer Frank Zappa released his classic studio double album, ‘Joe’s Garage Acts II & III’.
30
November
1979
English progressive rock band, Pink Floyd released their epic 11th studio double concept album, ‘The Wall’. Estimated worldwide sales are around 30 million copies.
14
December
1979
English punk rock band, The Clash released their mighty 3rd studio double album, ‘London Calling’ in the UK.
Tailpiece
That’s more than enough for now! Looking at the list of artists, it is a veritable roll call of modern music. Just contrast the albums that started and ended the decade to see how much irreversible change had occurred in just 10 years. For many, the 1970s was the last decade to witness truly fundamental changes in musical and social paradigms. While not being strictly true, it was always going to be a tough task to sustain the energy and innovation of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s into subsequent decades. However, this didn’t stop existing and emerging artists trying to break the constraints of predictability. So, the 1980s was to prove a different kettle of fish altogether and that is what the story seeks to explore in the next article. Are you with me? Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Nobody should have to play a secondary character in their own life”
So, here we are again, good people. Like the immortal rose‑tinted glasses of the ‘Summer of ‘69’, 50 years on, the summer 2019 is beginning to degrade and enter the memory banks while the evenings are inexorably drawing in again. Perhaps it is poignant to recount the past and reflect a little on how we got to where we are now.
If you would like to (re)visit any or all of the first five parts (and over 300 years) of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):
In the last article, the world of music transformed seemingly overnight with the rise of rock ‘n’ roll acting as a significant catalyst for American and British youth culture in the 1950s. Of course, it wasn’t quite like that in reality – so many different ingredients came together to create an irresistible phenomenon. If the 1950s wasn’t enough to challenge the traditionalists, things were about to get a whole lot more liberal and lively in the 1960s. Even greater social change compounded the consternation of the older, and typically more old-fashioned, conservative generation.
The Story of Modern Music Part VI 1960-1969
While rock ‘n’ roll now seems to be a permanent fixture in the minds of modern music lovers, in its purest form, it didn’t last that long before it became diluted and music evolution moved on rapidly. However, the influence of rock ‘n’ roll was pervasive, acting as a major stimulus to all other sorts of genre developments. The 1960s stood alone from previous and subsequent decades in terms of political, cultural, economic, technological climate and this was reflected in the distinctive music emerging over the same period. For many readers, the 1960s is now within ‘living memory’ – it is, just about, for me. Up to now, much of the chronology will be history, picked up second hand from written or pictorial records. From here on in, readers may well have some experience of these events for real. For a younger audience, be patient, we’ll get to your era soon. There is a lot to get through this month, so it focuses only on one decade with a few photos again.
Historical Context 1960-1969
Although fundamental human equality was still a pipedream for many in the west, freedom of expression and individual liberties probably characterised the ‘Swinging Sixties’ more than anything else, including the Sexual Revolution and civil rights movements. People felt able to say and do things that were unthinkable in previous decades. People were also able to protest against what they felt were moral injustices. Many families experienced benefits from improving economic prosperity and technological advancement. The Cold War and the space race dominated international relations, particularly between the capitalist ‘west’ and communist ‘east’. The latter part of the 1960s saw symbols of the peace & love movement, gaudy fashion and hippie ‘flower power’, all kaleidoscopically prevalent. If there was a decade that could live up to the description of ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’, the 1960s would be it.
Year
Global Events
1960
America launched the first satellite navigation geo‑positioning system into space, called Transit for use by the U.S. Navy, entering operational service in 1964.
The oral contraceptive pill was approved for use by married women in America followed by Britain in 1961.
The classic great American novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, written by author Harper Lee was published.
The classic and ground breaking psychological horror film, ‘Psycho’, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Anthony Perkins was released.
1961
Democrat politician John F. Kennedy became the 35th President of the U.S.A. JFK’s election heralded a new wave of hope and optimism set against the background of the Cold War.
The American‑backed military invasion of the Bay of Pigs in Cuba intended to topple Fidel Castro failed, thereby escalating political tensions.
The infamous Berlin wall separating east and west Germany was constructed. It remained until 1989 when it was symbolically destroyed by the German people.
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space aboard the Soviet Vostok 1 capsule.
Astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to go into space aboard a Mercury spacecraft.
1962
The Cuban Missile Crisis between United States and the Soviet Union narrowly avoided escalation into a full‑scale nuclear world war.
American actress and cultural icon Marilyn Monroe died of a drug overdose at the age of 36. Her death was ruled controversially as probable suicide.
Marvel’s fictional super hero Spider‑Man made his first comic book appearance.
The first satellite television transmission and telephone calls took place over the Atlantic ocean from Europe to North America, relayed by the American Telstar communication satellite.
1963
American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Former U.S. Marine, Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of the murder only to be killed while in police custody by local night club owner, Jack Ruby, fuelling many conspiracy theories.
Democrat politician Lyndon B. Johnson became 36th President of the U.S.A. following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay was closed as a prison. The island is now a museum and tourist attraction run by the U.S. National Park Service.
1964
Sidney Poitier became the first African American actor to win an Academy Award (Oscar) for his role in the film ‘Lilies of the Field’.
South African anti‑apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela was jailed, having been charged with sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government.
1965
America joined the Vietnam War by sending U.S. Marines into battle supporting the South Vietnamese against the Chinese‑backed North Vietnamese National Liberation Front (the Viet Cong).
American space missions took a significant step forward with the launch of manned Gemini low Earth orbiting capsules. The successful programme ended in 1966.
Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first person to make a spacewalk, lasting 12 minutes after exiting the Voskhod 2 spacecraft.
Renowned British Fashion designer Mary Quant launched the iconic mini skirt in London, encouraging young women to dress to please themselves.
1966
The Chinese Cultural Revolution began, led by Chairman Mao Zedong, intended to preserve Chinese Communism and purge capitalism from its society. The oppressive campaign lasted until Mao’s death in 1976.
The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded in Oakland, California in 1966, intended to patrol African American neighbourhoods and protect residents from acts of police brutality. It ceased operation in 1982.
The classic, ground breaking science fiction TV series Star Trek was first broadcast, created by American producer and screenwriter, Gene Rodenberry.
1967
British sailor Sir Francis Chichester became the first person to circumnavigate single‑handedly around the globe in his yacht the Gypsy Moth IV.
Argentinian Marxist revolutionary and guerrilla leader Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, a major figure in the Cuban Revolution, was executed while in military detention in Bolivia at the age of 39. His death secured his status as a political martyr and counter‑culture rebel icon.
The first successful human heart transplant took place, carried out by Dr Christiaan Barnard in South Africa.
The first American Football Super Bowl took place between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay won.
1968
Russia brutally crushed the Prague Spring uprising in Czechoslovakia, forcing the country to subordinate its national interests to those of the ‘Eastern Bloc’.
The classic science fiction film, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ was released, directed by Stanley Kubrick.
American civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by lifelong criminal James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee.
The ambitious American Apollo space program got underway with the first manned flight aboard Apollo 7. The program ended in 1972 with Apollo 17.
1969
Supersonic passenger flight became possible with the introduction of the Anglo‑French Concorde airliner.
The cult classic counter-culture movie ‘Easy Rider’ was released, starring Dennis Hopper (also directing) and Peter Fonda.
American Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts, killing 28‑year old Mary Jo Kopechne, a former aide to Senator Bobby Kennedy.
Police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City, sparking demonstrations and the start of the gay civil rights movement in the United States.
Followers of the cult leader Charles Manson carried out a series of 9 brutal murders including that of actress Sharon Tate.
American manned space mission Apollo 11 successfully landed on the Moon. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon’s surface, with Armstrong proclaiming, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
Republican politician Richard Nixon was elected as the 37th U.S. president. Infamously, he remains the only American President to have resigned from office, following the Watergate scandal.
The United Kingdom abolished the death penalty substituting it with a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
Musical Genre Development 1960-1969
The ‘Swinging Sixties’ were particularly important and memorable for music in America and Europe. The musical revolution that began with rock ‘n’ roll in the previous decade rapidly morphed and diversified on both sides of the Atlantic. By the end of the decade, rock and pop were firmly established as major commercial genres that continue to flourish and adapt to the current day. The 1960s was also a time in which large outdoor music festivals flourished, especially towards the end of the decade, with major events like Newport, Monterey and Woodstock in America and Hyde Park and the Isle of Wight in the UK. In addition, the 1960s saw the introduction of the music compact cassette, which made music not only cheaper but also more portable. As the famous quote, probably attributed to American comedian Charles Fleischer (1950-) goes, ‘if you remember the ‘60s, you weren’t really there’. If that is the case, this article might just serve as a timely reminder.
R&B, gospel, and jazz started to evolve into urban African American soul music, made popular by record companies specialising in the genre. One of these labels was Motown in Detroit, Michigan featuring artists such as Diana Ross & the Supremes, The Four Tops, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Another record label that was hugely influential at the time was Stax Records based in Memphis, Tennessee which was significant for its racially integrated production of southern soul and blues music, including house band Booker T & the M.G.’s and artists like Otis Redding. Atlantic Records which began in New York also promoted soul artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Wilson Pickett. Some other popular soul and R&B artists of the 1960s include The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers and the Jackson Five. Racial segregation was a major hurdle for aspiring black musicians and soul is often seen as being closely associated with the American civil rights movement.
Surf music originated in the early 1960s on the west coast of America, particularly around the surfing culture of Orange County in southern California. It was influenced by instrumental rock ‘n’ roll artists like Link Wray, The Ventures and Duane Eddy. Surf is, however, distinct from rock ‘n’ roll and was important in the formation of modern rock music. Surf music tended to fall either into instrumental tunes performed by the likes of Dick Dale & The Deltones or harmonised vocal songs characterised by The Beach Boys. The musical style is heavily based around reverb‑drenched electric guitar sounds often making use of a guitar’s vibrato and the amplifier’s tremolo effect. Lyrics focused on, unsurprisingly, surfing, girls, cars and sunny west coast beach culture. Surf was relatively short‑lived and was taken over by many other American and European genres from the mid‑1960s onwards.
Up to the early 1960s, British artists were in the shadow of American acts and were often playing catch‑up. While not a genre in its own right, the so‑called ‘British Invasion’ began around 1963 with many artists from Britain becoming massively popular in the United States. UK artists sometimes took American songs and gave them a British sound. Perhaps the most significant phenomenon was coined ‘Beatlemania’, when Merseybeat pop group The Beatles broke onto the American music scene circa 1963 and spearheaded the export of UK music to the USA. Other British artists included The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Cream, The Hollies and The Who. By the end of the decade American artists had largely regained their homeland audiences. Various attempts to recreate the phenomenon have only been partially successful, for instance Britpop in the 1990s with artists like Oasis, the Spice Girls and Robbie Williams.
By the mid‑1960s, there was a strong revival of folk music, notable especially for songs with a social and moral conscience, widely articulating the feelings and messages of the various turbulent protest movements of the time. Songs encompassed issues such as poverty, class, the Vietnam War, social injustice and racial segregation. Songs also began to exhibit a stronger leaning towards the emerging rock oriented music scene. Perhaps the most significant artist of the period was Bob Dylan who controversially and ultimately successfully fused acoustic folk and electric rock genres.
Pop music is a diverse genre that attracts a lot of debate. It developed not from the broader traditional popular music of previous decades but from rock ‘n’ roll in the late 1950s and ‘pop’ became a commonly used term since the 1960s to describe non‑classical highly commercial and easily accessible youth‑oriented music. From about 1967, there was a clear divergence between rock music and pop music. Rock became harder edged and played by ‘real’ musicians recording albums while pop was refined into short catchy radio friendly ‘singles’ that were largely industry driven, highly produced, easily packaged, widely marketable and hugely profitable. Musically and lyrically, pop songs are generally uncontroversial and tended not to challenge the listener to any significant degree. Pop artists would sometimes appear and disappear overnight, as it was the songs, sales and chart position that mattered more to the record companies, rather than the performer. The term ‘one‑hit‑wonder’ is often associated with the throwaway appeal of pop music consumption. Conversely, the corporations assert that profits enable investment in new artists. Successful pop artists from the 1960s included The Monkees, The Shadows, Herman’s Hermits, The Dave Clark Five, The Everly Brothers, The Bee Gees and The Lovin’ Spoonful. Pop music continues to evolve and has had a number of peaks since the 1960s including in the early 1980s with artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna and late 2000s including the likes of P!nk, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Pop therefore represents considerable mainstream economic business to the industry.
Experimental psychedelic rock was popular during the late 1960s and is often associated with the hippie/flower power counterculture. It is also associated with the widespread use of cannabis and manufactured hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD (acid). Song lyrics frequently referenced drugs and altered/elevated states of consciousness. Songs were often long and comprised extended instrumental extemporisation and improvisation (often called jamming). Musicians regularly used esoteric instruments like the sitar, tabla vibraphone and organ, much of it influenced by Asian, Indian and oriental music. Psychedelic rock and folk rock became closely associated with simple messages of peace and love that began with 1967’s ‘Summer of Love’ phenomenon and reached a climax at the Woodstock festival in 1969. Many rock bands of the period stretched the boundaries of the genre, including the Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Janis Joplin, The Beatles, The Doors, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, The Moody Blues, Gong, Hawkwind and early Pink Floyd.
Ska is a genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and came to popular prominence in the early 1960s. Ska was influenced by Caribbean calypso and Latin music combined with American jazz and R&B. Ska developed heavy basslines and offbeat accents producing a distinctive up‑tempo dance rhythm. Jamaican producers began recording ska on their own labels which were then played on DJ sound systems. Ska became popular not only in Jamaica but also in Britain, being associated with the decade’s mod and skinhead sub‑cultures. Importantly, ska was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Key players in the genre were Prince Buster, Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd and Duke Reid. Ska experienced a major revival in Britain in the late 1970s and early 1980s on the back of the punk rock boom through Two Tone Records and artists like The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Selecter, and The Beat.
Classic rock music, or simply just rock, really came into its own as a separate broad genre during the 1960s deriving from America and the UK. Rock’s origins stem from rock ‘n’ roll, blues, folk, country and R&B. Experimentation with sound and composition mean that there are many, many sub‑genres and crossover styles of rock music. Rock is predominantly performed by a band with vocals, one or more electric guitars, bass and drums played in an un‑syncopated 4/4 rhythm and comprising a verse and chorus structure. Rock became distinct for increasing use of volume and distorted electric guitar sounds. Classic rock was the starting point for the various offshoots that followed including hard rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock, folk rock, progressive/contemporary rock, heavy metal, glam rock, soft rock, AOR, roots rock, jazz rock, punk rock, new wave, post‑punk, grunge, alternative rock and indie. Many of these styles of rock music remain popular to the current day. Culturally, rock music has often been connected with political activism as well as changes in social attitudes to race, sex, crime and drug use, and is often seen as an expression of young people’s rebellious rejection of adult uniformity and conformity. Artists associated with classic rock include The Kinks, Small Faces, Free, Bad Company and Jeff Beck.
Hard rock split from pop and rock during the latter half of the 1960s. As rock music was beginning to define itself throughout the 1960s, an offshoot rapidly developed that had its own distinctive sound. Hard rock took commercial rock and gave it a heavier and more aggressive style. Hard rock vocals tended to be in the higher registers and were often raspy and guttural. The hard-edged, loud, distorted guitar‑heavy music was influenced by blues, rock and garage. Hard rock could often be identified by catchy ‘power chord’ riffs and impressive lead guitar solos. Hard rock quickly became associated with excluded and defiant young people and the lyrics frequently had a distinctly anti‑authoritarian slant. This sometimes hostile approach to the mainstream was characterised by some acts destroying their instruments on stage, for instance by Pete Townsend of The Who and Jimi Hendrix. The hedonistic rock lifestyle went hand in hand with the music, resulting in musicians reportedly partying as hard as they played, regularly destroying property. Many rock artists developed drug and alcohol dependencies, which resulted in some high profile deaths, including Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Notable hard rock bands from the 1960s include The Who, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf and The Rolling Stones and later in the early 1970s by bands like Rainbow, Whitesnake, Aerosmith, Kiss, Queen, AC/DC, Alice Cooper and Van Halen.
Musical Facts 1960-1969
Michael Stipe (REM)
Day
Month
Year
Music Fact
4
January
1960
American singer, songwriter, producer, artist and former frontman of indie rock band R.E.M. Michael Stipe was born in Decatur, Georgia.
22
January
1960
Australian singer, songwriter and co-founder of rock band INXS, Michael Hutchence was born in Sydney, New South Wales.
9
February
1960
Legendary American singer Elvis Presley received his first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard.
3
March
1960
American rock ‘n’ roll singer and now soldier, Sargent Elvis Presley set foot in the UK for the first and only (confirmed) time while his forces plane was refuelled at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland.
13
March
1960
British/Irish bass guitarist, best known as a member of rock band U2, Adam Clayton was born in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, England.
31
March
1960
American blues rock guitarist, Popa Chubby (a.k.a. Theodore ‘Ted’ Horowitz) was born in The Bronx, New York City.
4
April
1960
Legendary American rock ‘n’ roll singer Elvis Presley recorded his classic hit single, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’ at RCA studios in Nashville, Tennessee.
6
April
1960
American guitarist and member of blues/rock groups The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule and The Dead, Warren Haynes was born in Asheville, North Carolina.
17
April
1960
American rock ‘n’ roll singer and guitarist Eddie Cochran died tragically following a car accident in Wiltshire, UK, at the age of just 21.
23
April
1960
English guitarist, singer, songwriter and key member of heavy rock band Def Leppard, Steve Clark (1960-1991, 30) was born in Hillsborough, Sheffield.
10
May
1960
Irish singer and songwriter Paul Hewson, a.k.a. Bono, front man of massive rock band U2 was born in Dublin.
1
June
1960
Great English bass guitarist with indie rock icons The Cure, Simon Gallup was born in Duxhurst, Surrey.
6
June
1960
American virtuoso rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Steve Vai was born in New York.
20
June
1960
English bass guitarist and co-founder of new romantic band Duran Duran, John Taylor was born in Solihull, Warwickshire.
27
October
1960
American soul singer Ben E. King recorded his first songs as a solo artist after leaving The Drifters, the classics, ‘Spanish Harlem’ and ‘Stand By Me’.
7
November
1960
American guitarist and songwriter with rock band KISS from 2002, Tommy Thayer, nicknamed ‘The Spaceman’ was born in Portland, Oregon.
8
February
1961
After changing their name from The Quarrymen, English pop band The Beatles made their debut appearance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, their first of 292 performances at the venue.
7
May
1961
Welsh guitarist and long-term member of hard rock band Motörhead, Phil Campbell was born in Pontypridd.
12
May
1961
English guitarist, songwriter and member of post-punk band, The Cult, Billy Duffy was born in Manchester.
29
May
1961
Award-winning American singer, songwriter and guitarist, Melissa Etheridge was born in Leavenworth, Kansas.
3
June
1961
English guitarist and founding member of psychedelic rock bands Ozric Tentacles and Nodens Ictus, Ed Wynne was born in London.
10
June
1961
American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter, former member of alternative rock band Pixies and currently fronting The Breeders with her twin sister, Kim Deal was born in Dayton, Ohio.
10
June
1961
American guitarist and member of The Breeders with her twin sister, Kelley Deal was born in Dayton, Ohio.
23
July
1961
Multi-talented award-winning English singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, DJ and co-founder of Depeche Mode, Martin Gore was born in Dagenham, Essex.
8
August
1961
Irish guitarist and songwriter with rock band U2, The Edge (a.k.a. David Evans) was born in Barking, Essex, England to Welsh parents.
13
September
1961
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and co-founder of thrash metal rock band Megadeth, Dave Mustaine was born in La Mesa, California.
16
September
1961
English guitarist, singer and songwriter with indie rock band My Bloody Valentine, Bilinda Butcher was born in London.
3
October
1961
The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee welcomed its first inductees, Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams.
10
October
1961
English bass guitarist and actor best known as member of new wave/pop group Spandau Ballet, Martin Kemp was born in London.
10
February
1962
American bass guitarist and songwriter, best known as a member of heavy rock band Metallica, Cliff Burton (1962-1986, 24) was born in California.
11
February
1962
Talented American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, including guitar, bass and drums, Sheryl Crow was born in Kennett, Missouri.
2
March
1962
American singer, songwriter, founder and front man of the rock band that bears his name, Jon Bon Jovi was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
8
April
1962
American guitarist, co-founder and ex-member of rock band Guns N’ Roses, Izzy Stradlin (a.k.a. Jeffrey Dean Isbell) was born in Lafayette, Indiana.
2
August
1962
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist Robert Allen Zimmerman formally changed his name to… the one and only Bob Dylan.
25
August
1962
Northern Irish guitarist who has been a member of hard rock bands Def Leppard, Dio and Whitesnake, Vivian Campbell was born in Belfast, County Antrim.
11
October
1962
English pop group The Beatles had their song ‘Love Me Do’ reach no. 4 in the UK singles chart, their first record to do so.
16
October
1962
Australian/American bass guitarist and co-founder of rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Balzary (a.k.a. Flea) was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
17
October
1962
English newcomers, The Beatles made their first regional television appearance playing 2 songs live on Granada’s ‘People And Places’ show.
18
November
1962
Great American guitarist, songwriter and long-time member of metal rock band Metallica, Kirk Hammett was born in San Francisco, California.
24
November
1962
English guitarist and songwriter with the Stone Roses and The Seahorses, John Squire was born in Altrincham, Cheshire.
8
December
1962
American guitarist, well known for his 10-year stint with heavy metal band Megadeth, Marty Friedman was born in Washington D.C.
9
January
1963
English drummer, Charlie Watts joined the rock band The Rolling Stones, starting a long-term membership of the group.
19
January
1963
English pop/rock band, The Beatles made their first recorded UK TV appearance on the ITV/ABC show, ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars’.
2
February
1963
American singer, songwriter and guitarist, the ‘songbird’, Eva Cassidy (1963-1996, 33) was born in Washington D.C.
22
March
1963
Emerging English pop group The Beatles released their debut studio album ‘Please Please Me’ in the UK. Merseybeat had well and truly arrived.
27
May
1963
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bob Dylan released his classic 2nd studio album, ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’.
30
June
1963
Impressive, prolific Swedish virtuoso neoclassical heavy rock guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was born in Stockholm.
3
August
1963
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and co-founder of heavy metal rock band Metallica, James Hetfield was born in Downey, California.
9
August
1963
Popular British weekly pop music television show, ‘Ready Steady Go!’ was first broadcast by ITV. The show ran until December 1966.
9
August
1963
Multi-award-winning American soul/R&B singer and actress, Whitney Houston was born in Newark, New Jersey.
30
August
1963
Dutch technology company Philips introduced the Compact Cassette to Europe at the Berlin Radio Show, followed by an American launch in November the same year.
13
October
1963
Emerging English pop band The Beatles made their first major TV appearance on ITV’s famous variety show, ‘Sunday Night At The London Palladium’.
31
October
1963
English guitarist, singer, songwriter, ex-member of post‑punk rock band The Smiths, as well as a successful solo artist and collaborator, Johnny Marr was born in Manchester.
31
December
1963
American guitarist, singer and founding member of thrash metal rock band Anthrax, Scott Ian was born in Queens, New York.
1
January
1964
The BBC’s popular chart music television programme ‘Top Of The Pops’ (TOTP) was first broadcast in the UK. The show ran for over 42 years until July 2006.
13
January
1964
American folk singer Bob Dylan released his 3rd studio album ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’, which became a political anthem for social change in 1960s America.
5
February
1964
American bass player and ex-member of rock bands, Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Loaded and Jane’s Addiction, Duff McKagan was born in Seattle, Washington state.
7
February
1964
‘Beatlemania’ struck America when The Beatles landed at New York’s JFK Airport on their first visit to the USA.
9
February
1964
‘Beatlemania’ struck again when English pop band The Beatles made their American TV debut on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’.
11
February
1964
English pop band The Beatles made their debut live performance in America at the Washington Coliseum in front of 8,000 screaming fans.
26
May
1964
American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actor, Lenny Kravitz was born in New York City.
30
May
1964
Great American guitarist with rock bands Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, as well as several solo projects, Tom Morello was born in New York.
3
June
1964
Great American guitarist with thrash metal rock band Slayer, the formidable Kerry King was born in Los Angeles, California.
19
June
1964
English rock band, The Animals, released their seminal hit single, ‘House Of The Rising Sun’.
10
July
1964
English pop/rock group The Beatles released their 6th studio album ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ in the UK.
24
July
1964
The Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, U.S.A. descended into controversy when Bob Dylan performed an electric rather than acoustic set.
13
November
1964
English rock band The Rolling Stones released their cover of the classic Willie Dixon blues song, ‘Little Red Rooster’ as a single in the UK.
23
December
1964
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and long-time member of rock band Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder was born in Evanston, Illinois.
20
January
1965
The self-proclaimed ‘father of rock ‘n’ roll’, legendary American DJ Alan Freed died from uraemia and cirrhosis in hospital in Palm Springs, California at the age of 43.
28
January
1965
Emerging English rock band, The Who made their debut television appearance in the UK on the ITV music show ‘Ready Steady Go!’
14
February
1965
Australian/French multi-instrumentalist, including guitar, known for working with alternative rock bands Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Grinderman, Warren Ellis was born in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
8
March
1965
Legendary American folk guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released his first top 40 hit single, ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ in the U.S.
12
May
1965
English rock band The Rolling Stones recorded their trademark song ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ at RCA’s studio in Hollywood.
17
May
1965
Prolific composer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and founder of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
16
June
1965
Legendary American folk singer and guitarist Bob Dylan recorded his classic song, ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ at Columbia studios in New York.
23
June
1965
English guitarist and founding member of rock band Oasis, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs was born in Manchester.
23
July
1965
British/American guitarist, member of hard rock bands Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, as well as a successful solo artist, Saul Hudson (a.k.a. Slash) was born in London.
29
July
1965
The full-length film ‘Help!’, featuring a certain English pop quartet, The Beatles, was premiered in London.
6
August
1965
English pop group The Beatles released their 5th studio album, ‘Help!’ in the UK, which was also the soundtrack to their film of the same name.
15
August
1965
English pop band The Beatles broke the (then) record for an audience of 55,600 at Shea Stadium in New York City.
20
August
1965
English rock band The Rolling Stones released their massive hit single, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’.
28
August
1965
Canadian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, Shania Twain, the ‘Queen of Country Pop’ was born in Windsor, Ontario.
30
August
1965
American folk guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released his classic 6th studio album, ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ in the UK.
13
October
1965
English rock band The Who recorded their classic single ‘My Generation’ at Pye Recording Studios in London, UK.
21
October
1965
Pioneering American rock ‘n’ roll bass player, forever associated with singer Elvis Presley, Bill Black died of a brain tumour in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 39.
26
October
1965
HM Queen Elizabeth II presented members of the English pop band The Beatles with MBEs at Buckingham Palace in London.
29
October
1965
English rock band, The Who released the single ‘My Generation’ in the UK, reaching number 2 in the British singles chart.
12
November
1965
Emerging young English singer, songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan performed his first single, ‘The Wizard’ on national UK TV music programme ‘Ready Steady Go!’
12
November
1965
American rock band Velvet Underground performed their debut live performance at Summit High School in New Jersey.
19
November
1965
English guitarist, songwriter and lead man for alternative rock band Spiritualized, Jason Pierce was born in Rugby.
21
November
1965
Avant-garde Icelandic singer, songwriter, producer and actress, Björk Guðmundsdóttir was born in Reykjavík.
25
November
1965
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, a member of punk rock bands Rancid and Transplants, Tim Armstrong was born in Albany, California.
3
December
1965
English pop/rock group The Beatles released their 6th studio album ‘Rubber Soul’ in the UK.
3
December
1965
English rock band, The Who, released their classic debut studio album, ‘My Generation’ in the UK.
10
December
1965
American singer, songwriter and guitarist, front man of alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., the great J. Mascis was born in Amherst, Massachusetts.
4
March
1966
Member of The Beatles, John Lennon, made his infamously controversial statement that the band was “…more popular than Jesus…”.
18
March
1966
American guitarist and founder of heavy rock band, Alice In Chains, Jerry Cantrell was born in Tacoma, Washington.
25
March
1966
Renowned Canadian blues rock guitarist, Jeff Healey (1966-2008, 41) was born in Toronto.
5
April
1966
American guitarist and co-founder of rock band, Pearl Jam, Mike McCready was born in Pensacola, Florida.
22
April
1966
English garage rock band The Troggs released their version of the Wild Ones’ song, ‘Wild Thing’, which became a classic hit single of its time.
1
May
1966
English pop/rock band, The Beatles performed their final UK live appearance at the NME Poll Winners’ Party, held at the Empire Pool, Wembley in London.
13
May
1966
English rock band, The Rolling Stones released their dark and sinister hit single, ‘Paint It, Black’ from the album ‘Aftermath’ (U.S. release).
16
May
1966
Original American surf pop/rock band, The Beach Boys released their best-selling classic 11th studio album, ‘Pet Sounds’ in the U.S.
16
May
1966
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bob Dylan originally scheduled the release date of his classic 7th studio double album, ‘Blonde On Blonde’. It didn’t actually become available until early June.
26
May
1966
English pop/rock band, The Beatles recorded ‘Yellow Submarine’ at Abbey Road Studios in London.
30
May
1966
American singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of alternative rock bands Pavement and the Jicks, Stephen Malkmus was born in Santa Monica, California.
16
July
1966
British music icons Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker formed the short-lived blues/rock super group Cream.
5
August
1966
English pop/rock group, The Beatles released their classic 7th studio album, ‘Revolver’ in the UK.
20
August
1966
American guitarist, songwriter and founder of heavy metal rock bands Pantera and Damageplan, ‘Dimebag’ Darrell Lance Abbott (1966-2004, 38) was born in Arlington, Texas.
12
September
1966
Featuring an American/British pop-rock band, The Monkees show premiered on American TV network NBC.
20
September
1966
Portuguese/American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and member of rock band Extreme, Nuno Bettencourt was born in Terceira, Azores.
23
October
1966
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded ‘Hey Joe’, their debut single, which peaked at number 6 in the UK chart.
2
November
1966
American blues guitarist Mississippi John Hurt died of a heart attack in a hospital in Grenada, Mississippi at the age of 73.
6
November
1966
American virtuoso rock guitarist, member of rock bands Mr Big and Racer X, as well as successful solo artist, Paul Gilbert was born in Carbondale, Illinois.
17
November
1966
American surf band, The Beach Boys had a number one hit in the UK singles chart with the classic song, ‘Good Vibrations’.
17
November
1966
Talented American singer, songwriter and guitarist, the graceful Mr Jeff Buckley (1966-1997, 30) was born in Orange, California.
25
November
1966
The Jimi Hendrix Experience played their debut live performance in the UK at the Bag O’Nails Club in Soho, London.
7
December
1966
English guitarist and songwriter who has worked with bands Oasis, Beady Eye and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Gem Archer was born in Durham.
9
December
1966
English blues/rock super group Cream, comprising Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, released their debut studio album, ‘Fresh Cream’ in the UK.
13
December
1966
Anglo-American rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience, made their UK TV debut on popular music programme ‘Ready Steady Go!’.
13
December
1966
Anglo-American rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their classic track, ‘Foxy Lady’ (a.k.a. ‘Foxey Lady’ in the U.S.), released as a single in May 1967.
16
December
1966
Anglo-American rock band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their debut single in the UK, ‘Hey Joe’, reaching no. 6. It failed to chart in the U.S.
23
December
1966
After 3 years on air, UK TV network channel ITV broadcast the final episode of the popular music programme, ‘Ready Steady Go!’ following a Musicians’ Union ban on miming on television.
29
December
1966
Anglo‑American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their first UK TV appearance on the BBC’s ‘Top Of The Pops’, performing their single, ‘Hey Joe’.
4
January
1967
American rock band, The Doors, released their classic self-titled debut studio album, ‘The Doors’.
11
January
1967
Anglo‑American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their classic song, ‘Purple Haze’ at De Lane Lea Studios in London. It took 3 takes in 4 hours to complete.
14
January
1967
American heavy metal guitarist, singer and songwriter, founder of heavy metal band Black Label Society, Zakk Wylde was born in New Jersey.
17
January
1967
English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, solo artist and session musician, Richard Hawley was born in Sheffield.
3
February
1967
Pioneering English record producer and studio engineer, Joe Meek murdered his landlady and then committed suicide in London at the age of 37.
17
February
1967
English Blues rock band John Mayall and the Blues Breakers released their 2nd studio album, ‘A Hard Road’ with Peter Green replacing Eric Clapton as guitarist.
20
February
1967
American singer, songwriter and guitarist with grunge rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain (1967-1994, 27) was born in Aberdeen, Washington state.
12
March
1967
American rock band, The Velvet Underground released their debut studio album, ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’, with iconic cover art by pop artist Andy Warhol.
17
March
1967
American singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan was born in Chicago, Illinois.
12
May
1967
Anglo‑American rock band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their debut studio album, ‘Are You Experienced’ in the UK.
29
May
1967
English singer, songwriter and guitarist with rock bands Oasis and High Flying Birds, Noel Gallagher was born in Manchester.
1
June
1967
English pop/rock band, The Beatles released their classic 8th studio album, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ in the UK.
1
June
1967
Aspiring English singer David Bowie released his eponymous debut studio album, ‘David Bowie’ in the UK.
7
June
1967
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction as well as former member of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Navarro was born in Santa Monica, California.
16
June
1967
The ‘Summer of Love’ officially arrived with the start of the legendary 3-day Monterey Pop Festival in California. Artists included The Animals, Simon & Garfunkel and Sly & The Family Stone.
16
June
1967
English psychedelic/progressive rock band Pink Floyd released their classic single, ‘See Emily Play’, written by Syd Barrett.
17
June
1967
The ‘Summer of Love’ continued with the 2nd day of the 3-day Monterey International Pop Festival in California. Artists included Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, Otis Redding, Steve Miller Band and The Byrds.
18
June
1967
The ‘Summer of Love’ continued with the 3rd and final day of the Monterey International Pop Festival in California. Artists included Buffalo Springfield, Grateful Dead, Ravi Shankar, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Who.
24
June
1967
German guitarist with Industrial Metal rock band Rammstein, Richard Z. Kruspe was born in Wittenberge.
12
July
1967
Great American guitarist and founding member of heavy rock band Dream Theater, John Petrucci was born in New York.
4
August
1967
English psychedelic progressive rock group, Pink Floyd released their debut studio album, ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’.
25
September
1967
American rock band The Doors released their all-time classic 2nd studio album, ‘Strange Days’.
30
September
1967
English broadcaster the BBC aired their pop music channel Radio 1 for the very first time in the UK. The first record played by DJ Tony Blackburn was, ‘Flowers in the Rain’ by The Move.
3
October
1967
American singer, songwriter and guitarist Woody Guthrie died from Huntington’s Disease in New York City at the age of 55.
9
November
1967
The brainchild of Jann Wenner, the very first issue of Rolling Stone music magazine was published in the USA, featuring a photo of John Lennon on the front cover.
10
November
1967
English blues/rock super group Cream released their classic 2nd studio album, ‘Disraeli Gears’ in the UK.
1
December
1967
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their sophomore studio album, ‘Axis: Bold as Love’ in the UK.
7
December
1967
Shortly before his tragic death, American soul singer Otis Redding recorded his classic single, ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’.
10
December
1967
American soul singer, Otis Redding was killed tragically when the plane in which he was travelling crashed into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin, at the age of 26.
16
December
1967
English rock band, The Who, released their 3rd studio album, ‘The Who Sell Out’ in the UK.
27
December
1967
Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Leonard Cohen released his classic debut studio album, ‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’.
13
January
1968
American country music legend Johnny Cash performed two live shows at the notorious Folsom State Prison in California.
21
January
1968
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their cover version of Bob Dylan’s, ‘All Along The Watchtower’ at Olympic Studios in London.
30
January
1968
American psychedelic rock band, The Velvet Underground released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘White Light/White Heat’.
8
March
1968
The famous New York live music venue Fillmore East opened its doors at 105 Second Avenue and East 6th Street in Manhattan. It closed 3 years later on 27 June 1971.
6
April
1968
English progressive rock band Pink Floyd announced that guitarist and singer Syd Barrett had left the band he helped to found.
15
April
1968
English guitarist, singer, songwriter and original member of alternative rock band Radiohead, Ed O’Brien was born in Oxford.
20
April
1968
After changing their name from Roundabout, English hard rock band Deep Purple played their first live concert as Deep Purple in Tastrup, Denmark.
24
May
1968
English rock band, Small Faces released their classic 4th studio album ‘Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake’.
24
May
1968
English rock band, The Rolling Stones released their massive hit single, ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’.
28
May
1968
Multi-talented Australian singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and sex symbol, Kylie Minogue was born in Melbourne, Victoria.
5
June
1968
Marc Bolan’s band Tyrannosaurus Rex released their debut album, ‘My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair… But Now They’re Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows’ in the UK.
15
June
1968
Acclaimed American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery died of a heart attack at his home in Indianapolis at the age of 45.
28
June
1968
English progressive rock group Pink Floyd released their sophomore studio album, ‘A Saucerful Of Secrets’ in the UK. It was the only Pink Floyd album to feature both Syd Barrett and David Gilmour.
29
June
1968
The first Hyde Park Free Concert was held in London, UK, featuring Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Roy Harper.
5
July
1968
The legendary San Francisco live music venue Fillmore West opened its doors at 10 South Van Ness Avenue. It stayed at this location until 4 July 1971.
10
July
1968
English guitarist Eric Clapton announced that the blues/rock super group Cream were splitting up, after just 3 studio albums.
13
July
1968
Under their original name, Earth, English heavy metal pioneers, Black Sabbath played their first live concert at The Crown pub in Birmingham.
17
July
1968
The unique psychedelic animated film ‘Yellow Submarine’, featuring characters based on The Beatles premiered in London.
5
August
1968
Influential American country guitarist and principal sideman for Johnny Cash, Luther Perkins, one of the famed ‘Tennessee Three’, died tragically in a fire accident in Hendersonville, Tennessee at the age of 40.
9
August
1968
English blues/rock super group Cream released their 3rd studio album, ‘Wheels Of Fire’.
6
September
1968
English blues/rock guitarist Eric Clapton recorded the guitar solo on The Beatles’ song, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’.
7
September
1968
English rock band The New Yardbrids, later to become Led Zeppelin performed their live concert debut at Gladsaxe, near Copenhagen in Denmark.
14
September
1968
The animated series based around a fictional pop band, ‘The Archies’, from the original comic strip, premiered on CBS TV in America.
20
September
1968
English Heavy rock band, Led Zeppelin started recording their ground-breaking debut album ‘Led Zeppelin (I)’ in London, to be released in 1969.
7
October
1968
English singer, songwriter and guitarist with alternative rock band Radiohead, Thom Yorke was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
14
October
1968
English psychedelic folk rock duo Tyrannosaurus Rex released their 2nd studio album, ‘Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages’.
25
October
1968
Nine days after its American launch, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their final studio album ‘Electric Ladyland’ in the UK.
9
November
1968
English hard rock band Led Zeppelin performed their debut London concert at The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm. Members’ tickets cost 16 shillings.
21
November
1968
English bass guitarist and songwriter, principally with Britpop band Blur, Alex James was born in Bournemouth.
22
November
1968
English group, The Beatles released their highly regarded 9th studio double album, ‘The Beatles’, a.k.a. the ‘White Album’ in the UK.
26
November
1968
Aside from their 2005 reunion gigs, English blues/rock super group, Cream played their final ‘Farewell Concert’ at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
29
November
1968
Emerging British/American blues/rock band Fleetwood Mac released their classic instrumental hit single ‘Albatross’.
6
December
1968
British rock band, The Rolling Stones released their classic 7th studio album, ‘Beggars Banquet’ in the UK.
24
December
1968
American blues/rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, prolific musical collaborator as well as solo artist, Doyle Bramhall II was born in Dallas, Texas.
5
January
1969
Controversial American rock singer and songwriter, Brian Warner, better known as the artist Marilyn Manson, was born in Canton, Ohio.
12
January
1969
British rock band Led Zeppelin released their self‑titled debut studio album, ‘Led Zeppelin’ on Atlantic Records in the UK.
13
January
1969
English band The Beatles released their studio album ‘Yellow Submarine’ as a soundtrack to the psychedelic animated film of the same name featuring the Fab Four.
14
January
1969
American singer, songwriter, drummer and guitarist with rock bands Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl was born in Springfield, Virginia.
22
January
1969
Legendary Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Neil Young released his eponymous debut album, ‘Neil Young’.
30
January
1969
English rock band The Beatles made their final live public performance, filming their famous unannounced rooftop gig atop the Apple Studio building in London for the film ‘Let It Be’.
21
February
1969
Welsh singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer with rock band Manic Street Preachers, James Dean Bradfield was born in Pontypool.
22
February
1969
Legendary English pop/rock band The Beatles started recording their classic studio album, ‘Abbey Road’ at the famous London recording studio of the same name.
24
February
1969
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed their final UK live indoor concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London.
12
March
1969
English singer, songwriter, guitarist and founder of indie rock/britpop band Blur, Graham Coxon was born in Rinteln, Germany where his father was stationed with the British Army.
7
April
1969
Legendary Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Leonard Cohen released his classic sophomore studio album, ‘Songs From a Room’.
9
April
1969
American folk rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released his change of direction 9th studio album, ‘Nashville Skyline’.
13
May
1969
Prolific and inventive American rock guitarist, Buckethead (a.k.a. Brian Carroll) was born in Pomona, California.
14
May
1969
Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter, Neil Young with his band Crazy Horse released their sophomore studio album, ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’.
16
May
1969
Before pioneering glam rock, English singer, songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan with Tyrannosaurus Rex released their 3rd studio album, ‘Unicorn’.
23
May
1969
English rock band, The Who released their ground breaking epic rock opera double album, ‘Tommy’ in the UK.
26
May
1969
John Lennon and Yoko Ono promoted world peace through an 8-day ‘bed-in’ in Canada proclaiming ‘Give Peace a Chance’.
4
June
1969
American country artist Johnny Cash released his classic live album, ‘At San Quentin’, recorded at the (in)famous high security prison in California.
20
June
1969
Emerging English singer David Bowie recorded his first hit single ‘Space Oddity’ at Trident Studios, London.
3
July
1969
English guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and founder of The Rolling Stones, Brian Jones drowned in his swimming pool at his home in Hartfield, East Sussex at the age of 27.
11
July
1969
Emerging English rock singer and songwriter David Bowie released his classic debut single, ‘Space Oddity’ in the UK.
1
August
1969
The point at which aspiring rock band Earth changed their name to Black Sabbath, announced at a concert held at the Pokey Hole Club in Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK.
5
August
1969
American singer and songwriter Iggy Pop launched his long and varied music career, with or without The Stooges, with the release of his/their debut studio album, ‘The Stooges’.
15
August
1969
The legendary hippie counter-culture Woodstock Festival ‘Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace and Music’ Arts Fair began at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm near Bethel, New York, attended by over 400,000 people. Tickets were priced at $6 per day. Artists included Melanie, Arlo Guthrie and Joan Baez.
16
August
1969
The second day of the legendary Woodstock Festival took place in upstate New York. Artists included Canned Heat, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who and Jefferson Airplane.
17
August
1969
The third and (sort of) final day of the legendary Woodstock Festival took place on Max Yasgur’s 600-acre farm 43 miles south west of the town of Woodstock, New York state. Artists included Ten Years After, The Band, Johnny Winter, Blood, Sweat & Tears and CSN&Y.
18
August
1969
As the last of 32 acts, American guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix closed the fabled Woodstock Festival by playing a 2-hour set at 9:00 in the morning with a temporary band.
30
August
1969
After changing their name from Earth, English heavy metal pioneers, Black Sabbath played their first live concert as Black Sabbath at a local pub in Workington, Cumbria.
5
September
1969
Talented American guitarist, son of Frank and carrying on the formidable family legacy, Dweezil Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California.
7
September
1969
English guitarist, best known as a member of Britpop group Cast and his work with alternative rock artist Robert Plant, Liam ‘Skin’ Tyson was born in Liverpool.
22
September
1969
Canadian/American roots/folk/country rock artists, The Band released their classic self-titled 2nd studio album, ‘The Band’.
25
September
1969
American guitarist, songwriter, producer and one-time member of rock band Guns N’ Roses (2006-2014), Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal was born in Brooklyn, New York.
26
September
1969
Legendary English pop/rock band The Beatles released their classic final studio album with the iconic zebra crossing cover photograph, ‘Abbey Road’ in the UK.
3
October
1969
Influential American delta blues singer and guitarist Skip James died in Pennsylvania at the age of 67.
10
October
1969
American rock guitarist and composer Frank Zappa released his outstanding, classic career-peak studio album, ‘Hot Rats’.
10
October
1969
English progressive rock band King Crimson released their classic studio album, ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’ in the UK.
16
October
1969
Anglo‑American rock trio the Jimi Hendrix Experience released their 3rd and final studio album, the classic ‘Electric Ladyland’ in the U.S.
18
October
1969
American music family, The Jackson 5 made their debut on American TV, appearing on ABC’s ‘Hollywood Palace’.
22
October
1969
English hard rock group Led Zeppelin released their classic multi-million-selling 2nd studio album, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ on Atlantic Records in the U.S.
28
October
1969
Award-winning multi-genre American guitarist, singer and songwriter Ben Harper was born in Pomona, California.
4
November
1969
English singer and songwriter David Bowie released his 2nd studio album, ‘David Bowie’ (also released as ‘Space Oddity’ after the hit single from the album).
7
November
1969
English progressive rock group, Pink Floyd released their 4th part live, part studio experimental double album, ‘Ummagumma’, with cover art by Hipgnosis.
14
November
1969
Cartoon bubblegum pop group, The Archies began the longest ‘one hit wonder’ UK singles chart-topping streak (8 weeks), with their classic song, ‘Sugar, Sugar’.
27
November
1969
American guitarist, singer and songwriter, a member of heavy rock band Alter Bridge, as well as pursuing many side projects, Myles Kennedy was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
29
November
1969
English rock band, The Rolling Stones, released their classic 11th studio album, ‘Let It Bleed’ in the UK.
6
December
1969
A man was stabbed to death by a member of the Hells Angels during The Rolling Stones set at the infamous Altamont Free Festival in California.
14
December
1969
American music family, The Jackson 5 made their American Network TV debut, appearing on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’.
Tailpiece
Well there you go… that’s the 1960s in a proverbial (and quite sizeable) nutshell. An appreciation of music genre development and music facts from the 1960s catalogues the seemingly sudden eruption of creativity that took place against the background of momentous global events. The vibrancy and liberalism of the 1960s was exploratory, liberating and empowering for many, mostly young people at the time. Much of the optimistic idealism was, perhaps in hindsight, naively transient and disappointingly ephemeral. All good things come to an end and things were about to change quite fundamentally all over again.
How the heck do you follow the decade of decadence? Well, that will be the fascinating story of the 1970s, which will unfold in all its hedonistic, nihilistic grime and glory. Intrigued? Why not come back for the next enthralling episode of the ‘History of Music’. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “I’m glad I’m alive. What else would I do?”
