Just came from the Iridium club on 51st Street and Broadway in New York City. Les Paul, genius, is still playing at 90 years old. Absolutely amazing. His trio is tight and his hands are still quick.

Anyone in the U.S. interested in music, rock, guitar, jazz, or even american history, owes it to themselves to see him. He plays two (!) sets at the Iridium every Monday. Next week, he'll also be at Carnegie Hall.

A true American Master.

God. Where will YOU be at 90? I hope it'll be doing something you love.

http://sev.prnewswire.com...005-1.html

Alasseon said:

The guitar that bears his name is a work of art and is relatively untouched since he designed it a lifetime ago.




I also heard recently someone who said that Les Paul was the guy who invented multi-tracked recording

That would pretty much make him the godfather of every modern record made since!


Respect is due.

This is me with my trusty weapon...and a severe case of red-eye too...

Slash said:

Nice pics! You beat me to it with the guitar pics though.

Just read the article though, and why the hell is Joss Stone involved in the collaborative CD along with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Sting, Peter Frampton, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Billy Gibbons, Richie Sambora, and others? I suppose they need someone to sing, but I can't stand her.

I hope Jimmy Page gets involved with this in some way. You think he would since he has his own signature model.
[Edited 6/7/05 3:58am]

minneapolisgenius said:

Couldn't agree more.

Plus, aside from his signature Les Paul, I'd say Jimmy had made the twin-neck SG his own too - I mean, how can you see that guitar without thinking "Stairway To Heaven"...?

Slash said:

Yeah, that's true.

*trying SO hard not to post Jimmy pics*

minneapolisgenius said:

*tempting so hard to get some more Jimmy pics up here.....*

The guitar in the middle of my first pic is the Joe Perry model, I believe.. Nice finish.

Slash said:

Yeah, it looks familiar.

Here's the replica of Jimmy's:

And here he is playing the original...



I couldn't resist.

I want one, I want one! 'S'not fair!!

Slash said:

What, Jimmy? Yeah I want one too!




What did they go for... There were only 24 of the signed ones made. You could have gotten one for $25,000 I believe. There are more of course, but Jimmy didn't sign them personally. So you pay about 20,000 more for the signature.
[Edited 6/7/05 4:22am]

minneapolisgenius said:

my Studio model was £579 ten years ago - they're about the same now.

I also take issue with Clapton and Sambora being in on this Les Paul tribute - Pick some Les Paul players ferchrissakes!


I'd like to see:


Slash ...well, I would, wouldn't I?
Jimmy Page
Joe Perry
James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers)
Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)
Zakk Wylde

oh I dunno, who else plays a Les Paul and isn't The Darkness? I have gone blank...

Slash said:

Yeah, I agree Jimmy and Joe should be involved.



And Slash.

minneapolisgenius said:

Loving those guitars in the Page/Perry pic!! They look good with the Bigsby trem arm on them...but, Page never played one did he..?

The only trem I have seen him with is on a Strat on the Knebworth footage.



Oh God, listen to me, I think I need to get a life!

Slash said:

Yes. You are correct.

And listen to ME..... I need to get a life too!

Great Post!

Les was also the first person to record multiple tracks (in his home studio, no less). Then, Tom Doud found out and starting building more parts and perfecting the process.

In the documentry called "Tom Doud" he explains that he went to England to find out that the Beatles were still just using 4 tracks to record everything when he had been using 8 tracks for recording for 10 years.

Les Paul is the man and more, an institution for any musician who has ever played or recorded.

What will we all be doing at 90 years old? I'm not going out in a diaper, I'll tell you that much, hopefully still playing and caring about music.

Just to add to this post...

Les was playing with a trem last night. His version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was to die for. Absolute heaven.

In between songs, he also talked a lot about his life. He mentioned how he went to a hotel room with his wife and heard the difference between the bedroom and the bathroom.

At first, we wondered what he meant. He said his bedroom has carpet and curtains and the bathroom had tiles so the sound there made anyone into Sinatra, but he said that he was fascinated by the area between the two places. Between the muffled sounds of the bedroom and the echo in the bathroom, was just the sound he was dreaming of.

He talked about how he invented reverb; he said in his day, you couldn't go to Radio Shack and just buy "reverb".

Like Jerry Lewis revolutionized modern film-making, (don't laugh, I'm serious), Les Paul virtually created the modern recording studio.

He said he spent his entire life looking for the perfect sound.

A true master.

Catch him now...

Alasseon said:

Nice thread. Yeah, Les is definately a living legend. And without a doubt, he can PLAY!. He's been a great guitarist what seems like forever.

Pity those cool guitars are so damn expensive

Alasseon said:

Yeah no doubt. I don't imagine there will be many more years of opportunity to see him perform.

Les Paul is an amazing cat.
Those early recordings with himself and Mary Ford are nuts for the time period.
From what I understand, he's going to be doing a kind of rock or R&R based album next.
Don't have all the details yet.

That club gig is near the top of my list for things to do when I hit NYC later this year.

Btw, my LP...



...Don't play it live anymore it's too damn heavy.


It's come a long way from...




..."The Log"


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

theAudience said:

Yeah, they are too heavy. That's why I play Dean V's. Soundwise, they're very similiar to Les Pauls, same pickups, etc. I just dig the way the original Dean's sound and look.

blackguitaristz said:

I've been spoiled by the weight of my Hendrix Anniversary Woodstock Strat.
After I dropped some Duncan LiveWires in it, it has bigger more modern sound and doesn't break my back.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

theAudience said:

I can dig it.

Slash said:

Jeff Beck is on it, too--another Strat player (but played a Les Paul in the 70's as well).

Pete Townsend played Les Pauls a lot.
Prince played one with the Bangles onstage.
Spinal Tap

I can't afford a Les Paul, but I've got a Strat with a humbucker at the bridge, which is a nice compromise.

Aud, you have the "Hendrix" Strat? Cool! I used to have the "reverse" 1997 model, but sold it. I have a few Les Pauls (84Custom, 2000Classic, 1998Ace Frehley)that are light (thank God) but I usually play them in the studio for rhythm tracks. I'm more into Strats w/ Duncans, but a good Les is like a an old friend.

Hey DP, your passion for artists is cool. I'm withca. I too dig Miles. I also admire they way Miles carried himself. Especially in the 60's. For a black man doing what he was doing AND speaking his mind was very cool to me. Miles was definately baaaad! Miles albums that I own:

Bitches Brew
Agartha
Jack Johnson
In A Silent Way
On The Corner

blackguitaristz said:

Nevermind, wrong thread.