Ep805 How Distortion Shaped The Sound Of Rock

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we dig deep into the history of distortion and the electric guitar and how is shaped the sound of rock music.

 

 

Topics Discussed:

What we did this week:

Loudini: Twan Moore & the Train, Black Snake Moan, Are meet and greets worth it? Perry & Dave, The VMA's are still a thing, why that's bad, How D2C is poised to destroy streaming, The tools that musician's need to get hired (not what you think), What Rick Beato (and others) don't understand about today's "charts". Why no bands on "the charts". Robert Epstein explains our "Google-fied" world.

Mr. Pittsburgh: Selling guitar to the Wolf, What happened to The Donnas?

 

 

The History or Distortion:

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-evolution-of-distortion-how-advances-in-gear-paved-the-way-for-heavy-music

 

https://thejhsshow.com/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-overdrive-pedals

 

 

 

The history of distortion is deeply intertwined with the development of the electric guitar, as the two evolved together to shape the sound of modern music. Here’s an overview:

 

### **Early Days: Accidental Origins (1940s-1950s)**

Distortion originally came about as a mistake. In the 1940s and early 1950s, guitarists accidentally discovered that pushing tube amplifiers beyond their normal limits created a gritty, overdriven sound. This was typically caused by damaged speaker cones or malfunctioning amp circuits. Guitarists like Willie Johnson of Howlin' Wolf and bluesmen such as Elmore James and Muddy Waters were among the early users of this overdriven tone, which gave their sound more power and raw emotion.

 

### **First Deliberate Use: 1950s-1960s**

By the late 1950s, guitarists started to intentionally seek out distorted sounds. Link Wray, known for his 1958 instrumental "Rumble," achieved distortion by poking holes in his amplifier's speaker cone. This gave the song a unique, menacing tone that laid the foundation for rock and roll’s aggressive edge.

 

In 1961, the first commercially available distortion device, the Maestro Fuzz-Tone pedal (FZ-1), was created by Gibson, famously used in The Rolling Stones' 1965 hit "(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction." This marked a pivotal moment in the history of guitar distortion, as fuzz became a sought-after effect in rock music.

 

### **The Rise of Fuzz and Overdrive (1960s-1970s)**

The 1960s saw distortion evolve further with the fuzz effect. Artists like Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards popularized fuzz pedals, using them to achieve a thick, saturated tone. Hendrix, especially, made innovative use of distortion in tracks like “Purple Haze,” helping to push the boundaries of what was possible with the electric guitar.

 

Around the same time, the concept of overdrive became more refined. Instead of extreme fuzz, overdrive pedals like the Ibanez Tube Screamer simulated the natural distortion that tube amps produced when cranked to high volumes. This allowed guitarists to achieve warm, harmonically rich distortion at lower volumes, making it more versatile for different styles of playing.

 

### **Heavy Metal and High-Gain Amplifiers (1970s-1980s)**

In the 1970s and 1980s, distortion became even heavier as bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and later Metallica pushed the limits of gain. Marshall amplifiers, known for their high-gain tone, became the go-to choice for hard rock and metal bands, allowing for more sustained and aggressive sounds. Guitarists like Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and Eddie Van Halen were known for their iconic distorted tones, which relied heavily on both amp overdrive and distortion pedals.

 

### **The Modern Era: Digital Distortion (1990s-Present)**

In the 1990s, digital technology revolutionized distortion. Digital pedals and multi-effects units began to emulate the classic sounds of tube amps and analog pedals with greater precision. This era also saw the rise of more extreme metal genres that demanded even more distortion and gain, pushing pedal manufacturers to create high-gain stompboxes like the Boss Metal Zone.

 

Today, digital amplifiers and software (e.g., Line 6 Helix, Kemper Profiling Amp) allow guitarists to access a wide range of distortion tones, from vintage fuzz to modern high-gain sounds, all in one device. Players can easily shape their sound using a combination of analog and digital tools, blending the warmth of traditional

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: The Damn Truth; Love Out Of Luck

Mr Pittsburgh: The Warning; Six Feet Deep