SLASH Remembers JIM MARSHALL

April 6, 2012

Legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) has released the following statement regarding the passing of Jim Marshall, the creator of the Marshall amplifier:

"I consider myself very fortunate to have known the late Jim Marshall. He was such a fantastic individual.

"Not only did he create the loudest, most effective, brilliant-sounding rock and roll amplifier ever designed, but he was a caring, hardworking family man who remained true to his integrity to the very end. His work ethic was unequaled and his passion unrivaled.

"He took great care of me personally, as one of his loyal fans and Marshall amp enthusiasts, ever since we first met in the early '90s.

"At that time, he did the unprecedented; he had the first-ever artist model Marshall series designed for me when my Marshall amps were destroyed in a GUNS N' ROSES concert riot in St. Louis in 1991. We had been friends ever since.

"Jim cared for all his customers like they were his family. He would do whatever it took to make sure an artist was completely satisfied and he made sure his staff did likewise. It was very important to him that Marshall quality and customer care was paramount.

"Jim's passing marks the end of a very loud and colorful era. From Pete Townshend to Kerry King, Marshall amplifiers have been behind every great rock and roll guitarist since the beginning. Marshall Amplification is one of the most enduring, iconic brands of contemporary music history.

"This industry will likely never see the likes of Jim again. But his legacy will live on forever."

Marshall died last week at the age of 88. A message posted at the web site of Marshall Amplification, the company he founded 50 years ago, stated, "Jim's ascent into the history books as 'the Father of Loud' and the man responsible for 'the Sound of Rock' is a true rags-to-riches tale. Cruelly robbed of his youth by tubercular bones, Jim rose to become one of the four forefathers responsible for creating the tools that allowed rock guitar as we know and love it today to be born. The groundbreaking quartet also included the late, great trio of Leo Fender, Les Paul and Seth Lover — together with Jim, they truly are the cornerstones of all things rock."

The site described Marshall as "a legendary man who led a full and truly remarkable life."

The cause of Marshall's death was not announced.

A former singer, drummer and music shop owner, Marshall eventually landed a job as an electrical engineer that helped him design a transportable amplifier to use at his own live shows. Consulting with musicians like THE WHO's Pete Townshend and DEEP PURPLE's Ritchie Blackmore, Marshall refined his invention and opened Marshall Amplification in 1962.

By the mid-1960s, he had created the classic Marshall Stack, consisting of one head containing the actual amplifier, on top of two stacked loudspeaker cabinets each containing four 12-inch loudspeakers arranged in a square layout. The setup has become an iconic symbol of rock music played as loud as possible.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).