Les Paul gave his name to Gibson’s already rather old fashioned looking, but new electric guitar back in the ’50s, but through time the Les Paul became more than an instrument, it became a symbol, a visual and aural statement of intent and attitude by its player.
The name Les Paul became the physical embodiment of Rock and Roll. That’s a pretty cool legacy to leave the world with. Good lad.
That’s my ’76 LP Custom. 5kg of downtuned glory, lightweight doesn’t belong everywhere. Alright!
Nice, heavy right enough but nicely balanced (unlike the SG, a neck heavy disaster)
Aye, I’ve got two SG Customs, a ’69 with a skinny neck which sits just right and a ’91 reissue with a headstock that swings for the floor every time I strap it on.
I’ve got super-wide strap for the LP Custom to protect my aging back and left shoulder :o)
the man was a legend,also invented multi-tracking which every music studio uses today.was playing weekly shows right up to his demise at 94.
He was years ahead right enough. If anybody thinks that Hendrix was the first player responsible for getting the best possible out a guitar, check out Les Paul on YouTube. The sight of him sitting shredding away on a 50s Black Beauty wearing a tux, while acting out some lame sketch on his TV show is just amazing.
Watched a documentory on the guy a couple of months back, BBC4 I think – really deserves all the praise he’s getting, The guy played such a hugely influential part in the direction of popular music.
He could play a bit too.
Personally speaking – Blackmore and his Strat’ is far more iconic.
We’ve got Clapton and his pschadelic painted SG, Jimmy Page with a Les Paul hanging round his knees playing it with a bow, Michael Shenker with the black and white Flying V, Ted Nugent almost naked right through the 70s with a huge Gibson Byrdland!
All great images. I think my favoutite Blackmore moment is him attacking the film camera with the smashed white strat in ’74 :o)
Don’t know if this will link but I had the poster on my wall as a teenager… well until I decided to paint the Ready an’ Willing album cover there. Of course, Dad wasn’t impressed!
[img]http://home.att.net/~zrxwest/ritchie_blackmore.JPG[/img]
Check of the heels he’s wearing as well, magic :o)