With thanks to Michael-in-Paris we just discovered the Pommery Champagne house in Reims, France (photo via Wikipedia): When there, be sure to get a tour of the cellar. That's where you'll discover their contemporary art collection, which features an installation work composed of a pair of Les Pauls, Big Muffs, Marshalls, and a lot of birds.

The gear is left plugged in, and the birds actually "play" the guitars when they land on the strings. Michael wasn't too keen about the bird guano on the instruments, but c'est l'art:

For more Big Muff Pi art, see Robin Rose’s "Cypher" Exhibit, Washington, DC and also Big Fluff Pi vs. Music-Industrial Complex. For even more, see the Big Muff Pi page.

This summer, look for the new documentary film "It Might Get Loud" featuring Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2), Jack White (White Stripes), and directed by Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth").

Here's how producer Thomas Tull describes it: "I wanted to see a movie that captured the essence of why people are so fanatic about the guitar. While there have been a lot of performance documentaries, this one is really about the relationship between these three men and their instruments. We tried to show what drives the artists, what got them passionate as players, what made them pick up the guitar in the first place."

As for me, I was especially chuffed to see the movie's trailer, which begins and ends with Jack White playing a hand-made instrument through a Big Muff Pi. The trailer also includes the White Stripes' "Blue Orchid," one of the first tracks to feature the then-new POG (recently replaced by POG2):

But that's not all! You'll also get a quick look at The Edge sharing a tender moment with his Deluxe Memory Man at the beach:

You can watch the full "It Might Get Loud" movie trailer here:

Welcome to the second installment of Electro-Harmonix's new "Effectology" series. In the first episode, we transformed a regular electric guitar into a blues harmonica.

Today Bill Ruppert, Professor of Effectology, recreates the sound of Pink Floyd's "On the Run" from "Dark Side of the Moon" (pedals used: Micro Synthesizer, Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, Frequency Analyzer, Big Muff Pi, Stereo Pulsar).

Please note: Bill will be in the EHX Forums to discuss his sounds, settings, and process. We hope you join us there.

Previous episodes:

Stay tuned, more Effectology episodes coming soon!

Thanks to Vicktor Stilling for pointing me to his music video for "Rock Scientists" by Danish indie band Gravy, with an opening cameo by the Big Muff Pi. Victor co-directed the video and tells us that it showed at SXSW. SXSW Synopsis: "It took directors Victor Stilling and Mads Hjort 150 hours and lots of coffee to complete this partially animated, partially real life footage video. The video for 'Rock Scientists' is inspired by the featured band Gravy's 'naked to the waist' live performances (vastly popular among female fans). One of Gravy's two drummers is a highly skilled chef, and thus the idea of cooking up a rocking stew with all the bands' secret ingredients came to life. Have fun spotting the spicy references to Rock 'n' Roll History in the video."

Cheers to Jack Conte for "This Disaster," his latest 'videosong' -- I spotted a HOG, a Big Muff Pi, and a Tube Zipper (and for EHX shirts, check out the merch shop).

btw, Jack's videosong rules are: 1. What you see is what you hear (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice). 2. If you hear it, at some point you see it (no hidden sounds).

Robin Rose is a long-established painter specializing in 'encaustic' works[?], but back in 1979 he played guitar and synth for new-wave/punk band Urban Verbs (Warner) and regularly performed at clubs like CBGB here in NYC.

For Robin's new exhibit, titled "Cypher" (April 7-May 17, American University Museum, Washington DC, info/pics), he changes gears and revisits those roots.

"Ascendant" (below, starting top-right) captures the skyward joy that comes when you catch a good groove. Gearheads, from top to bottom: that's a 1965 Fender Stratocaster with reverse tremolo, gold guitar cable, Marshall 800 Lead Amp Head, 1960 Slant speaker cabinet.

"Isolation," the circular work on the left, is assembled from 50 guitar effect pedals, with interconnecting cables. Robin explained that each pedal is an independent entity (in reality, and metaphorically), and each is connected to its peers, but through a loop that never accepts external input or offers external output. So, we can use this to consider the social world, where social circuits can also loop closed and cut off outside contact. Robin's daughter, a 16-year-old rocker, artist and Sonic Youth fan with Asperger Syndrome[?] color coded the pedals (note the rainbow gradation on the left side). Robin tells us: "When the decision came to arrange the direction of the pedals, she said 'there is only one way they can go, Pointing IN.' I asked why, and she replied 'that made them lonely.'"

And I catch that lonely vibe: I first imagine myself standing in the middle of a dream pedalboard, but then I realize they're all turned away from me.

We're honored that Robin placed the Big Muff Pi at the bottom-center position. Thanks to Hemphill Fine Arts for the introduction. Images courtesy of the artist and Hemphill. Photography by Brandon Webster.

Be sure to catch John Frusciante's comments on the English Muff'n in the April 2009 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine: "The Electro-Harmonix English Muff'n tube fuzz has some really extreme EQ and a big, thick and meaty sound. I used it on the solo for 'Enough Of Me.' I turn the EQ up, but leave my guitar tone knobs down and use either the middle or neck pickup so the original source sound is really dark and plain. If you blast the tone controls on the effect, you get a really thick, beautiful sound that reminds me of an exaggerated Eric Clapton tone in cream, where you have this really smooth fuzz."

In addition to the English Muff'n, John has also toured and recorded with the Micro Synthesizer, Big Muff Pi (both USA and Russian), POG, Metal Muff, HOG, Holy Grail, and Deluxe Electric Mistress. That said, I'm sure you fru-heads are still going to email and tell me what I left out.

We recently discovered this hand-sewn Big Muff Pi cushion by German artist/maker Gwendolin Tägert. It immediately struck us as funny and wonderful. (Translated from the German: "Wouldn't you love to hug a Big Muff all the time? Now it is possible! A super cute large stuffed cushion in the form of the world famous guitar effects pedal BIG MUFF!")

However, there was a touchy complication: the Big Muff Pi is a registered trademark, and if we discover unauthorized uses of our trademarks, we're legally obligated to do something about it (we have no choice about that).

We're all too familiar with the endless lawsuits suffocating the world of music, and so we decided to do something different. Instead of threats, demands, and legal letters, we contacted Gwendolin, told her we loved her work, and offered a formal license in exchange for an option to purchase them at discount. So, rather than a new enemy we now have a new friend, and a beautiful Big Fluff Pi. Take that as a lesson, music-industrial complex!

(Thanks for the tip to 'Ned Flanders' over in the EHX forums)

In honor of Pi Day (3/14) we proudly present yet another splendid Pi shootout (Big Muff Pi vs. Little Big Muff Pi vs. Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker) by YouTube's esteemed gearmanndude. And yes, we know, some folks celebrate Pi Day on 22/7.

It's a little known fact, but a few years back we produced a very limited run of Big Muff Pi pedals customized for the experimental Scottish band Mogwai, thought you might enjoy seeing one...

This is just plain cool -- look for the Big Muff Pi at exactly 1:00 into the clip -- but don't blink! If you do blink, here it is:

A short excerpt from the documentary film "Fuzz: The Sound That Revolutionized The World" in which Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews tells the story of EHX's first product, the LPB-1.

Mike also reveals the origins of "Muff," which we take care to use very sparingly: Bass Big Muff Pi, Big Muff Pi, Big Muff Pi (Russian), Double Muff, English Muff'n, Little Big Muff Pi, Metal Muff, Micro Metal Muff, Muff Overdrive, and Pocket Metal Muff (all featured in our Distortion, Fuzz, Overdrive category).

The clip also features Chris Ross (Wolfmother) and ends with J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.) showing off his unbelievable Big Muff Pi collection.

Here's a short experimental video by Radiohead's Thom Yorke -- look carefully, and you'll spot his Frequency Analyzer, Stereo Polychorus, and Big Muff Pi.

Fourteen year old YouTuber cville57 plays Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" (ed note: Pink Floyd's David Gilmour made heavy use of the Big Muff Pi and Deluxe Electric Mistress). Be sure to catch the switch at 2:00 -- cville57, you rock.

Behold: J Mascis' (Dinosaur Jr.) Muff Museum. Why have just one Big Muff Pi when you could have 20? Kids, don't try this at home!