Watch Pedals: The Musical, a half-hour, historically accurate production conceived by JHS Pedals' Josh Scott
In between selling the first-ever Klon Centaur for $500,000 and tracking down the rarest guitar pedal on the face of the planet, JHS’ Pedals Josh Scott somehow found the time to pen a script for the world’s first-ever historically accurate musical about guitar effects pedals, which was streamed live in its entirety on YouTube.
The monumental effort boasts a comprehensive cast, jam-packed with professional dancers and actors who really nail their respect roles as the Maestro FZ-1, Tone Bender, Fuzz Face, Vox Wah-Wah, Octavia, Uni-Vibe and Big Muff.
Focusing on the ‘60s – one of the most definitive decades in effects pedal history – the show treats us to a combination of comedic sketches inspired by real-life events, as well as a series of solos from the stars of the show.
A house band, which includes social media star and guitar wizard Rhett Shull, also delivers in spades, with each pedal being put through its paces as its life-like representation tells its story to an original soundtrack.
Viewers are thrown straight into the action, forced to helplessly watch on as the poor Maestro Fuzz Tone tackles its inner turmoil over being the result of a mere transformer malfunction during a recording session led by Glenn Snoddy in 1960.
After dealing with the existential crisis, the FZ-1 embraces its destiny as the fore-runner of fuzz pedals, ushering in a new age of guitar gear history with the defiant declaration, “It’s why I was born.”
Taking a whistle stop-tour through the decade, we are introduced to a number of other notable pedals, including the Arbiter Fuzz Face, the accidentally discovered Wah-Wah pedal – which wallows in self-pity before being informed of its popularity – and Hendrix-favorites Octavia and Uni-Vibe, who offer up show-stopping solos bragging about their game-changing design.
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Other highlights include a boisterous Big Muff solo and show-stopping grand finale that sees the pedals assemble at center stage to celebrate the pioneering decade, as well as reminding viewers to like and subscribe.
Bear in mind, the entire 30-minute production was streamed live on YouTube in front of a socially distanced studio audience, making the spectacle even more impressive.
It’s a classic case of "things we didn’t know we needed, but are grateful they exist", and now all eyes are on Scott to see if he has plans to develop a script for the sequel.
After all, there are a handful of pedals whose stories have yet to be told in song and dance and deserve their time in the limelight, including – to name just a few – the Tube Screamer, ProCo Rat and Klon Centaur.
And who knows, perhaps even the rarest pedal of all, the Ibanez SK-10 Visual Super Product, might even make a cameo in a follow-up theater production – although we’re at odds as to who Scott should bring onboard to play the elusive pedal...
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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
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