"Jimi was staying at a hotel in Times Square. He had his hair set in pink curlers and we would just talk band drama": Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews on befriending Hendrix, booking Chuck Berry and the birth of pedal culture

Mike Matthews, a Bronx native and Cornell University graduate, showcased a relentless entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Despite pursuing a stable career at IBM as an electrical engineer, his passion for music drove him to create guitar pedals, catalyzed by the Rolling Stones' hit 'Satisfaction' featuring the Maestro Fuzz-Tone. Seeing a market need, he partnered to manufacture fuzz tones, ultimately leading to his success in the music equipment industry. His innovative journey reflects the intersection of passion and business acumen in a dynamic landscape.

"I said, okay, but then he didn't do anything and I was stuck trying to figure out how to get these fuzz tones built."

"On the radio while I was at school for IBM, the Number 1 hit was Satisfaction by the Stones, and Keith Richards playing the Maestro Fuzz-Tone."

Read at Guitar World