{"title":"Ian S. Port","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the captivating world of \u003cem\u003eIan S. Port\u003c\/em\u003e, a celebrated author known for his engaging narratives in arts and culture. With his meticulous research and vibrant storytelling, Ian S. Port offers readers an exciting peek into the fascinating intersections of music history and cultural evolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong his notable works is \u003cstrong\u003eThe Birth of Loud\u003c\/strong\u003e, a compelling exploration of the electric guitar's profound impact on modern music. This book vividly recounts the rivalry between innovators Leo Fender and Les Paul, unfolding the dramatic story of how their creations shaped the soundscape of contemporary music. It's a must-read for anyone curious about music history and its cultural ramifications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore our Ian S. Port collection and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of narratives that bring the arts and culture to life. Whether you're a music enthusiast, history buff, or just someone who enjoys a well-told story, you'll find Ian S. Port's works both enlightening and entertaining.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-birth-of-loud-by-ian-s-port-9781501141737","title":"The Birth of Loud","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A hot-rod joy ride through mid-20th-century American history” (\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e), this one-of-a-kind narrative masterfully recreates the rivalry between the two men who innovated the electric guitar’s amplified sound—Leo Fender and Les Paul—and their intense competition to convince rock stars like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton to play the instruments they built.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the years after World War II, music was evolving from big-band jazz into rock ’n’ roll—and these louder styles demanded revolutionary instruments. When Leo Fender’s tiny firm marketed the first solid-body electric guitar, the Esquire, musicians immediately saw its appeal. Not to be out-manoeuvred, Gibson, the largest guitar manufacturer, raced to build a competitive product. The company designed an “axe” that would make Fender’s Esquire look cheap and convinced Les Paul—whose endorsement Leo Fender had sought—to put his name on it. Thus was born the guitar world’s most heated rivalry: Gibson versus Fender, Les versus Leo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile Fender was a quiet, half-blind, self-taught radio repairman, Paul was a brilliant but headstrong pop star and guitarist who spent years toying with new musical technologies. Their contest turned into an arms race as the most inventive musicians of the 1950s and 1960s—including bluesman Muddy Waters, rocker Buddy Holly, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton—adopted one maker’s guitar or another. By 1969 it was clear that these new electric instruments had launched music into a radical new age, empowering artists with a vibrancy and volume never before attainable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn “an excellent dual portrait” (\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e), Ian S. Port tells the full story in \u003ci\u003eThe Birth of Loud\u003c\/i\u003e, offering “spot-on human characterisations, and erotic paeans to the bodies of guitars” (\u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e). “The story of these instruments is the story of America in the postwar era: loud, cocky, brash, aggressively new” (\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46516638810348,"sku":"9781501141737","price":54.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/12696993482722.jpg?v=1748926679"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/ian-s-port.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}