A Half-century of Insights, Instruments, and Innovators
For a single company to touch so many dimensions of the music industry is no small feat. However, to emerge an industry titan in doing so, creating countless iconic tools and instruments in the process, represents a level of mastery few companies could ever dream of replicating. This is Roland’s story, a half-century in the making, as told in Inspire the Music — 50 Years of Roland History, by artist, designer, writer, and music scholar Kim Bjørn. From guitar amps, pedal, and studio gear to synths, grooveboxes, keyboards, and more, Roland’s 50-plus-year odyssey has powered countless lauded pieces of music, producing a near-endless list of iconic gear that musicians of all creeds and style at Sweetwater revere. Across its 400 full-color pages, more than 90 interviews with some of world’s most renowned artists, engineers, and designers weigh in with their firsthand stories of creative empowerment, courtesy of Roland, alongside over 60 feature articles that span Roland’s illustrious history. Photos, insights, and history abound, and whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Roland enthusiast or only familiar with the company in passing, any musician, artist, or historian has something to learn from this compendium of artistry, innovation, and discovery.
Iconic Roland gear and how it changed music forever
Throughout the decades, Roland devised some of the most influential instruments of the music world, almost singlehandedly defining entire genres, from hip-hop and acid-house to endless shades of rock, pop, New Wave, R&B, and more. Where would music be without the TR-808 or TR-909 drum machines? What about the TB-303 bass line synth, the SP-404 sampler, the electronic V-Drums, or the studio magic of the Space Echo? How many iconic tracks were fueled by the Jupiter or JUNO series of synthesizers, the V-Synth, and the VK-series organs? Suffice it to say, Roland — and BOSS, by extension — has continuously empowered musicians to produce enduring work that transcends boundaries of style, culture, genre, design trends, and even time. Kim Bjørn expertly and methodically captures the history of these vaunted instruments.
Firsthand accounts from industry heavyweights
Legendary Grammy-winning duo and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were responsible for near-singlehandedly shaping the sound of 1980s R&B. For Janet Jackson alone, they were behind countless hits, in addition to producing for the likes of the S.O.S. Band, Change, Alexander O’Neal, Dynasty, The Human League, New Edition, and many more. But the expertise doesn’t stop there. Industry titans comprising songwriters, world-famous recording artists, engineers, beatmakers, composers, producers, and more span more than 90 interviews and stories detailing the integral part Roland instruments have played in their lives, from Elton John’s favorite pianos to the role played by Roland’s electronic drums and guitar synthesizers played in saving the touring careers of Butch Vig and Joni Mitchell, respectively. From defining moments across numerous genres to inspiring firsthand accounts of their work, an extremely diverse cast weighs in on the Roland difference: Jean-Michel Jarre, The Egyptian Lover, Orbital, Peaches, Richie Hawting, Sister Bliss, Steve Levine (Culture Club producer), Steve Stevens, Swizz Beatz, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Johnny Marr, and TR-808 inventor Tadao Kikumoto are just a handful of names you’ll find.
Unprecedented detail and documentation of your favorite instruments
Throughout 400 colorful, high-quality, eco-friendly pages, Kim Bjørn spares no effort in illuminating every nook and cranny of Roland’s colorful history, beginning with their 1972 roots, illustrating the many trials, tribulations, success, failures, and unexpected triumphs that have defined Roland’s place in music history. Hundreds of instruments are documented in exacting detail, paired with multitudes of insights, tips, histories, anecdotes, and iconic endorsees. Beyond these details and the 90-plus interviews, Bjørn’s went to extensive lengths to include more than 60 feature articles produced throughout Roland’s half-century history, providing invaluable context to accurately portray the company’s rise from newcomer to industry titan.
Bjooks Inspire the Music – 50 Years of Roland History Features:
- 400 full-color pages are produced with high-quality, eco-friendly paper for maximum visual panache with minimal environmental impact
- Painstaking research by Kim Bjørn and the Bjooks team ensures comprehensive, detailed coverage of the furthest reaches of Roland’s illustrious history
- Foreword by iconic R&B production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis provides invaluable insight into Roland’s multifaceted wave of influence in all styles of music and how that shaped an era
- Over 90 interviews and stories from world-famous recording artists, engineers, designers, producers, and more supply inspiring, detailed recounts of Roland’s role in their careers
- More than 60 industry articles from the past 50 years provide significant historical context in documenting Roland’s rise
- Hundreds of classic Roland instruments are documented in exacting detail to provide tips, insights, and stories surrounding the company’s iconic offerings
