Pink Floyd's extraordinary career has now spanned four decades, from their early days pushing the cutting edge of British psychedelic pop to their massive successes with moody, conceptual masterpieces like Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall, to their acrimonious split with Roger Waters and finally, the immense stadium tours that followed. Throughout, Pink Floyd has influenced everyone from David Bowie to Nine Inch Nails to Radiohead, and their albums continue to have timeless appeal. Now, premier interview journalist Alan di Perna and the editors of Guitar World have collected penetrating interviews and insights into Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Rick Wright to create a vivid portrait of a notoriously reclusive band.

A brash and dazzling celebration of the instruments that created the sounds of rock and roll from the 1940s to the present day Play It Loud celebrates the musical instruments that gave rock and roll its signature sound-from Louis Jordan's alto saxophone and John Lennon's Rickenbacker to the drum set owned by Metallica's Lars Ulrich, Lady Gaga's keytar, and beyond. Seven engrossing essays by veteran music journalists and scholars discuss the technical developments that fostered rock's seductive riffs and driving rhythms, the thrilling innovations musicians have devised to achieve unique effects, and the visual impact their instruments have had. Abundant photographs depict rock's most iconic instruments-including Jerry Lee Lewis's baby grand piano, Chuck Berry's Gibson ES-350T guitar, Bootsy Collins's star-shaped bass, Keith Moon's drum set, and the white Stratocaster Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock-as works of art in their own right. Produced in collaboration with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this astounding book goes behind the music to offer a rare and in-depth look at the instruments that inspired the musicians and made possible the songs we know and love.