Electro-Harmonix

Electro-Harmonix is a New York-based company that makes high-end electronic audio processors and sells rebranded vacuum tubes. The company was founded by Mike Matthews in 1968. It is best known for a series of popular guitar effects pedals introduced in the 1970s and 1990s.

During the mid-70s, Electro Harmonix had established itself as a pioneer and leading manufacturer of guitar effects pedals. These electronic devices were cutting edge technology and innovations. Electro-Harmonix was the first company to introduce, manufacture, and market affordable state-of-the art "stomp-boxes" for guitarist and bassists, such as the first stomp-box flanger (Electric Mistress); The first analog echo/delay with no moving parts (Memory Man); The first guitar synthesizer in pedal form (Micro Synthesizer); The first tube-amp distortion simulator (Hot Tubes). In 1980, Electro-Harmonix also designed and marketed one of the first digital delay/looper pedals (16-Second Digital Delay).

Company history

Big Muff

The Big Muff Pi (π), often known simply as the Big Muff, is a fuzzbox produced in New York City by the Electro-Harmonix company, along with their Russian sister company Sovtek, primarily for use with the electric guitar. It is used by bassists as well due to the Big Muff's low end frequency response.

History

The following is a direct quote from Mike Matthews, Electro-Harmonix founder and president:

An earlier Electro-Harmonix pedal, the Axis Fuzz, was also manufactured for the Guild guitar company as the Foxey Lady and used a similar chassis as the early Big Muffs, but had a simpler two-transistor circuit. With the introduction of the Big Muff the Axis was discontinued and the Foxey Lady pedal became a rebranded Big Muff. It was available at least until the mid-1970s.

The Big Muff Pi was the first overwhelming success for Electro-Harmonix's line of pedals. Due to its reliability, its low price and its distinctive sound, the Big Muff sold consistently through the 1970s and was found in innumerable guitarists' pedal collections. For example, David Gilmour and Carlos Santana (although Santana owned one it is reported he did not use it) were some of first famous users of the pedal. David Gilmour famously used the Big Muff on the Pink Floyd albums Animals and The Wall and most recently on his 2006 On An Island tour. Other artists who used the Big Muff during the 1970s include Thin Lizzy, Kiss, Frank Zappa (Though Zappa had it modified to produce a very non-typical Big Muff distortion), and Ronnie Montrose. Even after the Electro-Harmonix company was forced out of business in 1982, the pedal remained in such demand that clones of the Big Muff were made by both competing corporations and independent pedal builders, and demand for "vintage Big Muffs" rose. Unsurprisingly, when Matthews restarted Electro-Harmonix in the 1990s, the Big Muff was one of the first pedals he reintroduced to the market.

Memory Man

Memory Man is the third studio album by Aqualung. The album was released on March 13, 2007 in the U.S.. The first single from the album was "Pressure Suit". The album debuted at #88 on the Billboard 200 chart in its first week.

Track listing

Bonus tracks

Reception

Memory Man has received positive reviews. On the review aggregate site Metacritic, the album currently has a 70 out of 100, indicating "Generally favorable reviews."

Other

The song "Garden of Love" features guest vocals by Paul Buchanan of the Scottish band The Blue Nile.

Hot wax

Hot wax may refer to:

See also