
Play It Loud
An Epic History of the Style, Sound, and Revolution of the Electric Guitar
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Narrated by:
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Rob Shapiro
The inspiration for the Play It Loud exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
"Every guitar player will want to read this book twice. And even the casual music fan will find a thrilling narrative that weaves together cultural history, musical history, race, politics, business case studies, advertising, and technological discovery." (Daniel Levitin, Wall Street Journal)
For generations the electric guitar has been an international symbol of freedom, danger, rebellion, and hedonism. In Play It Loud, Brad Tolinski and Alan di Perna bring the history of this iconic instrument to roaring life. It's a story of inventors and iconoclasts, of scam artists, prodigies, and mythologizers as varied and original as the instruments they spawned.
Play It Loud uses 12 landmark guitars - each of them artistic milestones in their own right - to illustrate the conflict and passion the instruments have inspired. It introduces Leo Fender, a man who couldn't play a note but whose innovations helped transform the guitar into the explosive sound machine it is today. Some of the most significant social movements of the 20th century are indebted to the guitar: It was an essential element in the fight for racial equality in the entertainment industry; a mirror to the rise of the teenager as social force; a linchpin of punk's sound and ethos. And today the guitar has come full circle, with contemporary titans such as Jack White of The White Stripes, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys bringing some of the earliest electric guitar forms back to the limelight.
Featuring interviews with Les Paul, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and dozens more players and creators, Play It Loud is the story of how a band of innovators transformed an idea into a revolution.
©2016 Brad Tolinski and Alan di Perna (P)2016 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
"It's all here: everything knowable now becomes known about the plugged-in ax that changed the world. A comprehensive history of the electric guitar in cultural context is something long wanted, awaited, and needed. At long last, it has arrived." (Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top guitarist/vocalist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee)
"The authors...bring freshness to chestnuts through technical nuggets aplenty.... The electric guitar changed the world, and Tolinski and di Perna impressively reveal its epic story." (Kirkus Reviews)
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must read for guitar nuts
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Vive Le Electric Guitar!
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On the edge of my seat
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A must listen
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great book
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Over The Top Good!
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Great overview
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Where does Play It Loud rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
It's definitely one of the best music oriented non-fiction books available.Who was your favorite character and why?
All the people, guitars and events in the book were very interesting.Which character – as performed by Rob Shapiro – was your favorite?
All equally good.Any additional comments?
It would have been great if it also included audio clips of the guitars and music referenced in the book. For example, it would help to hear the difference between a single coil vs humbucking pickups, a Gibson Les Paul vs a Fender Strat, sample riffs, techniques, etc. I would buy an updated version of this audiobook if it included all the musical, audio examples described in the book.Great history lesson for electric guitar enthusia!
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This book is inspiring. I know when I build a guitar that I'll never be Les Paul or Leo Fender but what I do know is there something magical in a guitar. It's almost indescribable. When you make something with your hands and then handed to somebody and they're smiling from ear-to-ear because they get it.... it's music.
If you love music. If you love the guitar. If you I love rock and roll..... go ahead download this book and prepare yourself to learn about the wonderful rich history of the guitar.
listen to this while I'm tinkering away in my shop
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Required reading for guitar players.
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