Various - The Devlopment of Large Rock Sound Systems Volume 3 [Book]

Ozit Books

£53.98

Format: Book
Catalogue No.: 9780954931315
Barcode: 9780954931315
Release Date: 23 Jun 2023

Large soft back book, 316 pages by Chris Hewitt. With particular reference to the Pink Floyd Dark Side of The Moon sound system and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust sound system on their 50th Anniversary but also looking at lots of companies that shaped the development of music touring. A wealth of photographs and information. BBC’s Mark Radcliffe - 'A further meticulously catalogued account of one man's obsession with the architecturally huge audio systems that sound-tracked some of the most historic rock and roll gigs ever staged. And this time - plenty of fascinating Bowie information to delve into for the uber-fan like myself. Not everybody needs to know all this stuff but for those who are interested - Chris Hewitt knows more than anyone else I can think of'. So here is Volume 3 and Volume 4 could be on the horizon. When I first wrote/collated and published Volume 1 in 2020 it was to try and record the history of the PA industry and the companies that grew up as the demand for larger sound systems for larger festivals and larger indoor gigs increased. Volume 2 was released to celebrate 50 years since the Pink Floyd at Pompeii film which must have inspired many musicians and sound engineers to want to build a large sound system. By Volume 2 I was researching chapters on particular companies in the pro audio industry and on particular vintage PA systems like the Led Zeppelin WEM system and the Pink Floyd Pompeii WEM system. Working on the Pistols Disney TV series recreations of classic Sex Pistols gigs in 2021 with various PAs brought me into researching Bowie/ Ziggy and Ground Control at the Hammersmith Odeon 1973 as that system had to be recreated for the film so that led to the Bowie /Ground Control/Turner chapters in this book. When PAs systems first started being toured as hire systems and used for festivals it was an industry of mavericks often described by people who were doing it as pirates setting sail on a ship and not really knowing where they were going. Hire companies and manufacturers came and went or got taken over, bought out and reinvented. Sometimes the hire companies were set up by bands wanting to get their equipment used when not on the road like Colac Hire (Colosseum) and Britannia Row (Pink Floyd) It usually started with someone building some bass bins and horns in their garage or building a mixer in their garden shed and developed from there.