ABSTRACT
In business since the early 1970s and located in Los Angeles, Roland is a leading manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical instruments including keyboards and synthesizers, guitar products, digital pianos, electronic percussion kits, digital recording equipment, amplifiers, and audio processing devices, such as digital mixers. The company also manufactures urban, dance, and techno-music production equipment, used by disc jockeys, rappers, and dance music producers worldwide. Roland’s BOSS division produces a line of guitar and bass effects pedals, rhythm machines, personal digital studios, and other easy-to-use instruments for all musicians. [website: https://www.rolandus.com./]
HOWARD FERSTLER
Beginning in the modest manner of a fanzine in November 1967-the first issue sold 6,000 of its 45,000 copy run-Rolling Stone became the primary journal of American pop/rock. Although the title seems connected with the Rolling Stones group, it was in fact drawn from the proverb “A rolling stone gathers no moss” (this from the announcement in the first issue; but the announcement also refers to the Muddy Waters song of the same name, and to the first record of Bob Dylan, and to the Stones group). Covering the entire youth culture as well as its music, the journal filled a niche in the publishing scene and was able to shed an early image of being a trade magazine for the music industry. Over the years the association with rock music faded, and the audience age level rose; content became generalized, but the reviews of new pop/rock records, a feature since the early days, remain influential.
