Chasing Tone

Jim Reilly is an accomplished musician with degrees in music, journalism, and education. He has contributed to many music industry magazines, has had his work featured on CBC Radio One, and is the author of Steinberger: A Story of Creativity and Design. Visit his website: www.jimreilly.ca.

• Foreword: Tom MulhernA Brief Introduction from the Author and Alison TurnerPrologue: Friday NightsChapter One: Just a Kid from Sunny SoCalChapter Two: Lessons at Every CurveCHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 1: Vernon Reid, Jim Root, & Nili BroshChapter Three: Am I Living the Dream?Chapter Four: From Coast to Coast and Across the SeasCHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 2: Joel Landsberg, Chris Pandolfi, Richard Battaglia & Nate LopezChapter Five: Welcome to the Big LeaguesChapter Six: Enter SandmanCHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 3: Robert Trujillo, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield (& Zach Harmon)Chapter Seven: Brother BillChapter Eight: Sometimes You Just Leave It Alone – But More Often You ExploreCHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 4: Bobby Vega, Victor WootenChapter Nine: The Journey ContinuesEpilogue: A Note from the Author with ThanksAppendix: EMG Artists To Date

Musician Reilly tells the story of Rob Turner, a serial innovator best known for refinements to the electric guitar pickup. This component converts string vibration into amplifiable electrified signals. Coming of age in Southern California in the late 1960s, Turner saw iconic acts, including the Doors, the Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane, all of which provided ground-floor exposure to a musical and cultural revolution. Turner and his brother applied the family’s inventive penchant to changing the evolving musical landscape. Turner’s key breakthrough was developing a preamplifier built directly within the pickup, creating a new design with improved vibrancy and clarity. As he continued to explore and refine, he rubbed elbows with a host of rock stars who were eager to find new sounds. Keith Richards, Be´la Fleck, Jim Root, James Hetfield, and many other famous musicians used Turner’s EMG pickups, often working closely with him to find their ideal tone. The book describes these encounters with engaging, fluid prose that brings readers deep inside the creative process and details an inspiring life of ingenuity. A captivating backstage view of the music industry and a pivotal player in the electric guitar evolution.