The JCM800 series (Models 2203, 2204, 2205, and 2210) is a line of guitar amplifiers made by Marshall Amplification . The series was introduced in 1981. Although models 1959 and 1987 had been in production since 1965 and the 2203 and 2204 had been in production since 1975, they were redesigned and introduced as JCM800 amplifiers in 1981. The JCM800 amplifiers became a staple of 1980s hard rock and heavy metal bands.
38-404: In 1981, Marshall finally reached the end of its 15-year distribution deal with Rose-Morris , which had severely limited its potential to sell amplifiers outside England; Rose-Morris tagged 55% onto the sticker price for exported models. The JCM800 was the first series produced after the contract expired. The name comes from Jim Marshall 's initials, "J.C.M.", coupled with the meaningless "800" from
76-563: A "charismatic amplifier innovator and music entrepreneur", Marshall was awarded an OBE at Buckingham Palace in 2003 for "services to the music industry and to charity". In 2009, he was given the Freedom of the Borough of Milton Keynes for his work in the community. Marshall was born in Acton , West London, in 1923, into a family which included boxers and music hall artists. As a child he
114-524: A 2015 interview, Fame recalled: "His main hero was jazz drummer Ronnie Stephenson and if you look at early film clips of Mitch, he had that Ronnie Stephenson look, the way he set his jaw. And he loved crashing around on the cymbals like Ronnie, but in my band I liked the arrangements pretty tight. When he started splashing around I'd say 'just play the hi-hat!'". Mitchell auditioned for the Jimi Hendrix Experience on 6 October 1966 and
152-764: A backup drummer alongside. At his last concert in Portland, Oregon, Mitchell looked so weak that his drum technician and tour manager asked him to sit out the entire show. The drum tech filled in for him on the drums on this, the last show of the tour, and the last show of his life. Afterwards, he asked to rest up for a few days due to exhaustion. From Seattle, he had planned to return to his home in England. The tour manager respected Mitchell's request but had outspoken reservations about its wisdom. Queen drummer Roger Taylor has described Mitchell as his early role model. He said: "I still think listening to Mitch Mitchell, especially
190-529: A music video session of Led Zeppelin 's " Black Dog ". He did session work on Junior Brown 's Long Walk Back and participated in various Hendrix-related recordings, videos, and interviews. In 1999, Mitchell was part of the Gypsy Sun Experience, along with former Hendrix bassist Billy Cox and guitarist Gary Serkin. He also appeared on Bruce Cameron 's album Midnight Daydream that included Billy Cox, Buddy Miles and Jack Bruce. Mitchell
228-554: A substitute for drummer Cozy Powell . Mitchell drummed alongside John Halsey in the 1970s jam band Hinkley's Heroes, the only time he played alongside another drummer. In 1974, he auditioned for Paul McCartney 's band Wings but lost the part to Geoff Britton in another coin toss. For the rest of the 1970s through to the 1990s, Mitchell, semi-retired and living in Europe, continued to perform and occasionally record. In 1986, Mitchell teamed up with jazz musician Greg Parker and made
266-493: A three-year period. In 1985, Marshall was invited to Hollywood to add his hand prints to the " Rock and Roll Walk of Fame ". In 2003, Marshall received an OBE honour from Buckingham Palace for "services to the music industry and to charity". On 19 March 2009 he was given the Freedom of the Borough of Milton Keynes . Marshall was a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats . Jim Marshall donated millions of pounds to
304-486: A tribute. On 6 April 2013 musicians and music lovers held a tribute music festival in Hanwell , West London, the town where Jim Marshall sold his first amplifier. A plaque was unveiled near the site. Mitch Mitchell John Graham " Mitch " Mitchell (9 July 1946 – 12 November 2008) was an English drummer and child actor, best known for his work in the Jimi Hendrix Experience , for which he
342-466: A year (eqv. 2012 to £108,000), which was how I first saved money to go into business." From 1960, Marshall owned a moderately successful music store in Hanwell , West London , selling drums and then branching out into guitars. His many guitar playing customers (including Ritchie Blackmore , Big Jim Sullivan and Pete Townshend ) spoke of the need for a particular kind of amplifier , with Townshend wanting something "bigger and louder", and Marshall saw
380-684: The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore , London, where he was treated for tuberculosis as a child. Marshall also supported a number of causes in his local community in Milton Keynes , such as Marshall Milton Keynes Athletic Club and Willen Hospice , while also being a supporter of the MK Dons football club. Marshalls were one of the earliest shirt sponsors for Milton Keynes Dons . Marshall
418-508: The number plate on his car. It was later noted that "800" stood for the decade. For example, the JCM900 was released in 1990 and the JCM2000 was released in 2000. The series included head amplifiers with matching cabinets, as well as combos, and was produced until the 1990s. It quickly became a very successful amplifier, and ubiquitous amongst hard rock and heavy metal bands. These were
SECTION 10
#1732801950542456-467: The 1950s, Marshall became part of the English music scene and started teaching other drummers, including Mitch Mitchell ( The Jimi Hendrix Experience ), Micky Waller ( Little Richard ) and Mick Underwood ( The Outlaws with Ritchie Blackmore ). Marshall commented, "I used to teach about 65 pupils a week and what with playing as well, I was earning in the early 1950s somewhere in the region of £5,000
494-527: The Dirty Mac , an impromptu band assembled for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus . Others included John Lennon as vocalist and rhythm guitarist " Winston Leg-Thigh "; Yoko Ono providing improvised primal screams ; Eric Clapton as guitarist, and Keith Richards as bassist. The group recorded a cover of " Yer Blues " as well as a jam called "Whole Lotta Yoko". While working with Hendrix from late 1969 until early 1970, Mitchell also collaborated with
532-760: The Hendrix Experience playing a Premier drum kit in England and Europe in 1967. When the Experience came to the US for the Monterey Pop Music Festival in June 1967 Mitchell was playing that same set. Later in the summer, Mitchell switched to a Ludwig drum set and stayed with Ludwig through the rest of the year, 1967, and continued with Ludwig in 1968 and 1969. In 1970, Mitchell switched to a double-bass Gretsch Drums set, his last year with
570-620: The Hendrix Experience. With the exception of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, during which he played a Rodgers Powertone snare drum, during his time with the JHE, Mitch played a Ludwig Supraphonic 400, a 5- by 14-inch metal snare drum. Much later, and until his untimely passing, he played DW drums. On April 11, 1969, Mitchell played with Jimi in Dorton Arena, in Raleigh, NC, using George Hayman Drums. In December 1968, Mitchell played with
608-612: The Jack Bruce and Friends band fronted by ex- Cream bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce , with keyboardist Mike Mandel and jazz-fusion guitarist and future the Eleventh House frontman Larry Coryell . After Hendrix' death, Mitchell finished production work with engineer Eddie Kramer on incomplete Hendrix recordings, resulting in the releases The Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge . In 1972, he teamed up with guitarists Mike Pinera and April Lawton to form Ramatam . They recorded
646-489: The Master Volume Marshall amps and the classic Marshall JCM800 split channel amps introduced in 1981. Soon after he started production, musicians including Jimi Hendrix , Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page were using his equipment. The "Marshall stack", a wall of black, vinyl-clad cabinets, one atop the other, was seen as the physical embodiment of rock's power, majesty and excess. A Marshall features in
684-483: The Model 2205 and 2210 appeared on the market. These were equipped with two channels, which could be activated via a foot switch, allowing for separate lead and rhythm sounds. They also had an effects loop and reverb , also a first for Marshall. Initially, users complained that the amplifiers (used with the standard Marshall cabinets) sounded flat compared to the older Marshalls, until it was discovered (by accident) that
722-781: The Shades , the Pretty Things , Bill Knight & the Sceptres, the Riot Squad , and the Who as a session drummer while the band was in the process of replacing Doug Sandom with Keith Moon . In 1965, he also temporarily replaced Viv Prince as drummer in the Pretty Things . From December 1965 until October 1966, Mitchell was the drummer of Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames , appearing on their 1966 album Sweet Things . In
760-560: The United States from approximately 1973 to 1985. Jim Marshall (businessman) James Charles Marshall OBE (29 July 1923 – 5 April 2012) known as The Father of Loud or The Lord of Loud , was an English businessman and pioneer of guitar amplification . His company, Marshall Amplification , founded in 1962, has created equipment that is used by some of the biggest names in rock music, producing amplifiers with an iconic status. Described by The Times as
798-552: The early stuff with Hendrix, is just fantastic". Matt Sorum , drummer with the Cult , Guns N' Roses , and Velvet Revolver , has praised his "pure musicianship" and called him "one of the greatest drummers of all time". In an interview with the Police drummer Stewart Copeland in the late 2000s, Copeland listed the Jimi Hendrix Experience debut album Are You Experienced as his favourite drum album of all time, and relates that as
SECTION 20
#1732801950542836-552: The famous amp scene in the 1984 mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap , with guitarist Nigel Tufnel claiming his Marshall's volume knob went "one louder" to a unique setting of 11 on the dial. In response, Marshall set about producing models that could be cranked up to 20. In 1984 Marshall was awarded the " Queen's Award for Export ", an honour bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in recognition of Marshall Amplification's outstanding export achievement over
874-449: The fault was with the speakers: The new cabs had been equipped with a new kind of Celestion speakers. Marshall quickly reverted to the older Celestions. Still, some users prefer the pre-JCM800 amplifiers, claiming that those have a warmer, less "brittle" sound. The amplifier was equipped with EL34 valves (tubes) for amps sold in the UK, Europe, and Canada. 6550 tubes for amps exported to
912-458: The first of Ramatam's two albums and were an opening act for Emerson, Lake & Palmer at a number of concerts. Mitchell and Hendrix had been offered spots in the band Keith Emerson and Greg Lake were forming, but Carl Palmer got the drum position instead. Ramatam never achieved commercial success, and Mitchell left the act before their second album was released. He also performed in concerts with Terry Reid , Jack Bruce , and Jeff Beck as
950-541: The opportunity, founding Marshall Amplification in 1962, with Dudley Craven and Ken Bran as assistants. Using a Fender Bassman as a starting point, it took them six attempts to create an amp (the Marshall JTM 45 ) that Jim Marshall was happy with and it was Pete Townshend of The Who who dubbed it "the Marshall sound" that revolutionised music. As the company grew, Marshall expanded his products, and unveiled
988-446: The second series of Marshalls equipped with a master volume, which allowed for more distortion at lower volumes. Compared to the earlier "Master Volume" series, they offered some advantages, including the possibility to be patched internally and linked with other amplifiers. The first JCM800s were in fact Master Volume amplifiers (Models 2203 and 2204, at 100 and 50 watts respectively), repackaged in new boxes with new panels. Soon, however,
1026-489: The tour ended, Mitchell died in his sleep on 12 November, in his room at the Benson Hotel in Portland of natural causes . Mitchell had been in ill health for many years due to an immune system disorder and cancer. Mitchell had earlier bouts with extreme fatigue but had recovered from them after a few days' rest in 2007 and 2008. But by the end of the 2008 show, Mitchell was playing only two or three songs and always with
1064-475: Was 88 years old. Musicians including Paul McCartney , Slash , Dave Mustaine , and Nikki Sixx paid tribute. Marshall has been cited, along with Leo Fender , Les Paul and Seth Lover , as one of the four forefathers of rock music equipment. The Download Festival named their main stage for him at the 2012 festival . Every year on 5 April guitarists from all over the world post videos containing 1 minute of feedback , instead of 1 minute of silence, as
1102-401: Was a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats , serving in office for the charitable entertainment fraternity. The 400 seat Jim Marshall Auditorium at The Stables Theatre , Wavendon, Milton Keynes is named after him, and celebrates his friendship with Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine , the theatre's founders. "I consider myself very fortunate to have known the late Jim Marshall. He
1140-654: Was born in 1947). As a 13 year old, he had a leading role in the British film Bottoms Up (1960) with Jimmy Edwards . As a teenager he starred in a children's television programme, Jennings at School and also had a bit part in the 1963 film Live It Up! which starred Heinz Burt , David Hemmings and Steve Marriott . Mitchell became a musician through working at Jim Marshall 's drum shop on Saturdays while still at school. Among drummers, his chief influences were Elvin Jones and Tony Williams . One of his first bands
1178-532: Was chosen over Aynsley Dunbar in a coin toss. Mitchell's fast, driving, jazz -influenced playing meshed well with Hendrix's open-ended, revolutionary approach to the electric guitar. He played on the three best-selling Experience studio albums, Are You Experienced (1967), Axis: Bold As Love (1968), and Electric Ladyland (1968). Mitchell remained with Hendrix after the Experience broke up when Noel Redding quit in June 1969. He performed with Hendrix's expanded lineup at Woodstock (August 1969). Mitchell
Marshall JCM800 - Misplaced Pages Continue
1216-441: Was diagnosed with tubercular bones, and spent many years in hospital. His formal education suffered as a consequence. During WWII he was exempt from military service due to his poor health. He became a singer, and then, due to the shortage of available civilian musicians, doubled as a drummer. In his day job as electrical engineer he built a portable amplification system so his light, crooning vocals could be heard over his drums. "I
1254-659: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2016, Mitchell was ranked number 8 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time". Mitchell was born in Ealing , Middlesex, to Phyliss C. (née Preston) and Thomas J. Mitchell on 9 July 1946 (although several modern sources have incorrectly claimed that he
1292-556: Was making 10 shillings (£0.50) a night and because it was wartime, we didn't have any petrol for cars, so I would ride my bicycle with a trailer behind it to carry my drum kit and the PA cabinets which I had made! I then left the orchestra to be with a 7 piece band and in 1942 the drummer leader was called into the forces and I took over on drums." To become more proficient on the drums and to better emulate his idol, Gene Krupa , from 1946 to 1948 Marshall took weekly lessons from Max Abrams . In
1330-538: Was part of the 2008 Experience Hendrix Tour which for nearly four weeks in October and November 2008 travelled on an 18-city tour of the US, finishing in Portland, Oregon . The tour also featured Billy Cox , Buddy Guy , Jonny Lang , Robby Krieger , Kenny Wayne Shepherd , Eric Johnson , Cesar Rosas , David Hidalgo , Brad Whitford , Hubert Sumlin , Chris Layton , Eric Gales , and Mato Nanji . Five days after
1368-574: Was replaced briefly with Buddy Miles for the Band of Gypsys album (1970), but rejoined Hendrix (with Billy Cox on bass) for the April–September 1970 the Cry of Love Tour . He played drums for most of the songs included on the posthumously-released Hendrix studio albums The Cry of Love (1971) (also listed as a co-producer), Rainbow Bridge (1971), and War Heroes (1972). Mitchell debuted with
1406-479: Was such a fantastic individual. Not only did he create the loudest, most effective, brilliant-sounding rock 'n' roll amplifier ever designed, but he was a caring, hardworking family man who remained true to his integrity to the very end. His work ethic was unequaled and his passion unrivaled." — Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash . Jim Marshall died on 5 April 2012, at a hospice in Milton Keynes. He
1444-699: Was the Soul Messengers, formed in November 1963 at the Ealing Club with tenor saxophonist Terry Marshall (born 15 March 1944), son of Jim Marshall. Mitchell left this band in c. July 1964 . Early in his career, he gained considerable musical experience as a touring and session musician, working with Pete Nelson and the Travellers, Frankie Reid and the Casuals (1962), Johnny Harris and
#541458