Sixty years after the meeting between Jimi Hendrix and Marshall amps, the British brand is celebrating the collaboration with a limited collection – half-stack, Fuzz Face pedal and Acton III Bluetooth speaker – dressed in “Purple Haze” and silver accents dear to the guitarist.
Look at any photo of Jimi Hendrix in concert: behind him, for sure, a stack of Marshall amps. A central relationship in the history of rock'n'roll, born almost by chance. James Marshall Hendrix shared a surname with Jim Marshall, founder of the legendary British brand. This coincidence, in part, aroused Hendrix's curiosity and sparked a partnership in 1966 that spanned his tragically short career.
Today, to mark 60 years since Hendrix plugged in his first Marshall amp, the brand is releasing a limited-edition half-stack and pedal, inspired by the “iconic sound and cosmic aesthetic” of the guitarist, according to Marshall. The half stack sports a black and purple swirl design. The pack also includes a Fuzz Face pedal for maximum distortion. In addition to this professional equipment, Marshall is releasing a Hendrix edition of its Acton III Bluetooth speaker, whose imitation leather covering is replaced by crushed purple velvet.
For both the amp and the speaker, Marshall also swapped his signature brass accents for silver, in reference to Hendrix's taste for silver and turquoise jewelry. The inspiration goes beyond aesthetics: the Bluetooth speaker uses excerpts from Hendrix songs as audio jingles, when switching on or when connecting a device.
“ From his clothing style to his lyrics, and of course his music… So many stories we could tell about Hendrix. We started by exploring materials and patterns, looking at different fabrics and doing test prints with a psychedelic passage in mind. We spent a lot of time refining the design of the entire collection “, explains Emma Ryadhl, Senior Industrial Designer at Marshall Group.
Marshall and Hendrix: a meeting that has become legendary
When Hendrix met Jim Marshall in 1966, he paid full price for his amps, only asking Marshall to maintain them in case they broke down. And if Hendrix multiplied his declarations of love for the brand, the opposite was just as true. “Marshall became international thanks to Jimi Hendrix”tell Joel Manan, Artist Liaison Manager at Marshall. “In the UK, everyone — the Claptons, the Townshends — knew Marshall. But when Jimi started playing these amps, pushing them hard, stacking them full stack? This is where the brand went global. »
The collection took years to see the light of day, says Manan. The team worked directly with Janie Hendrix, Jimi's sister and CEO of Authentic Hendrix, to find a design faithful to the spirit of the guitarist. “We really went back and forth a lot”said Manan. “Janie gave us a lot of valuable input. What would Jimi like? What would he fall for? And what makes sense to Marshall? »
Three full stacks for “real music”
“ Jimi was an outstanding musician, a true force of nature. He gave a new dimension to everything he touched and carried everyone along without his wake. His performances aroused real emotion and some said to themselves that “if he could do it, maybe I could too”. And since he used Marshall products, his fans wanted them too. It was a pivotal time for us: Marshall very clearly grew with him and thanks to his notoriety. A natural connection. The rest is history as they say “, explains Terry Marshall, co-founder of Marshall Amplification.
The amp bundle is available for pre-order and the Bluetooth speaker is available immediately, at $5,000 and $300 respectively on marshall.com. The brand has already teased other upcoming releases for the 60th anniversary of the collab. The special Marshall x Hendrix™ 60th anniversary collection, also includes two t-shirts inspired by the musician at €49, is already available on the brand's website.
