Ronald Light Examines “Pedal Culture” in New Book

Heads up, pedal junkies – Backbeat Books has just released a new book by Ronald Light that will pique your interest. Pedal Culture: Guitar Effects Pedals as Cultural Artifacts is described as a themed exploration of stompboxes that originated from a 2017 design exhibition by the author.

“An anthropological quest, understanding how effects stompboxes allow for quasi-supernatural power transference from on high to guitarists is just one of the many themes Ronald Light explores,” the publisher writes. “Exhibits showcase symbolic associations in the branding of sonic effects with cultural touchstones from popular arts and culture: material manifestations of noir literature, retro-futuristic cinema, and Japanese anime; graphic metaphors for female pudenda; explicit reference to murder and mayhem; and all too obvious associations to guacamole and chips.”

The 128-page book comes in a hardback edition and a Kindle version. It launches December 30th.