The British Amp Invasion

Book excerpt: Although rock 'n roll is America's all-time leading cultural export, half of the classic rock sound – hard-hitting, skintight, audacious, and vibrant – was born across the pond. Musician, journalist, and writer Dave Hunter's The British Amp Invasion: How Marshall, Hiwatt, Vox, and More Changed the Sound of Music charts the forty-plus year confluence of British industrial ingenuity and popular culture that grew a minor “also-ran” offshore industry into a true world leader. Art inspired engineering, engineering influenced art, and, as both evolved at breakneck speed, the finest amplifiers in the world were devised and refined on the British Isles. The symbiotic relationship born of this partnership produced the most powerful music ever known to mankind – a sound that still resonates today in the most literal sense possible. Hunter's original account provides a ground-level perspective of the simultaneous development of an adolescent audio industry and a nascent musical style, documenting their twin struggle to find their footing and stride forward. Rich with behind-the-scenes accounts and high-resolution images of the era's greatest (and highly collectible) amplifiers, many of which have never been told or seen before, this book is a welcome addition to the libraries of audio aficionados, guitarists, bassists, and other musicians, classic rock fans, collectors of vintage gear, and anyone with an eye for fine photography and an ear for compelling histories.