Spinner

Les Paul: In His Own Words

Les PaulNine months before Les Paul's death Thursday morning, Spinner had the honor of speaking with the music icon at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute. As captivating as he was knowledgeable, Paul reflected on his journey from youthful tinkerer to inventor of the instrument that would define rock 'n' roll.

"When I was a kid there was only one person in my hometown that played the guitar, and that was me. It was all piano in the old days. The guitar was rare.

What we did was take an acoustical instrument -- which was a very apologetic, wonderful, meek instrument -- and turned it into a pit bull. And that's what happened -- the guitar started to become more important in Waukesha, Wisc., the Chicago area, the Midwest. In 1930, I was already playing on the electric guitar, playing in a little bar in Cleveland, in Rochester, some state fairs. I played Ithaca, Binghamton, Rochester, all the way up to Boston, just everywhere you could play between Chicago and New York, exposing this instrument to all the players or those that would like to be players. Soon everybody wanted a guitar. It was just unbelievable. The people were running up and down the street going from one store to the other.

And there was no such thing as amplifiers, so I had to build my own -- I took my mother's radio and I turned it into one. I did the same thing with a guitar. I just took the guitar and said, 'Hey, it's not loud enough.' I was playing a little barbecue stand halfway to Milwaukee and some critic that was sitting in the backseat of a car, ordering a sandwich, wrote a note that said, 'You know, what you're doing right out there is great, but your guitar is not loud enough.' So I went home and told mom about it. She said, 'You'll figure it out, you'll figure it out.' What I figured out was how to make that guitar louder and better. First, I took an acoustical guitar and ended up filling it with Plaster of Paris. I tried everything, and it finally worked. I said, 'I'm gonna make two guitars, one out of wood and one out of a big long piece of railroad track and make both of them identical.' I used the same telephone for a pickup, the part that you listen to on the telephone, the magnet and the coil. I placed that under the string and I was just playing through my mother's radio. Between the wooden guitar and the metal one, the railroad track was much better. I ran to my mother, saying, 'I found it! I found it!' My mother said, 'The day you see a cowboy on a horse playing a railroad track,' and she blew me right out of the water with that. I said, 'It's got to be wood. Okay, we're gonna make it the most beautiful piece of dense wood that will be as close to that railroad track as we can get with that good sound.'

I remember I would go into a club in the very early days with my electric. I didn't care who was there with his saxophone or trumpet or piano or drums, I could drown them out. It became a monster, from a wimp to a monster.

I think of the impact often. I was lucky young kids came along -- Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck -- and said, 'I wanna do that.'"

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Remembering Les Paul and His Guitars
Rock 'n' roll icon Les Paul passed away at the age of 94 in New York.

His innovations redefined the sound of music history, one decibel at a time.
Richard Drew, AP
Richard Drew, AP

Remembering Les Paul

    Les Paul rehearses at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City in on October 4, 2004. Twice every Monday night, the renown musician, also known for his innovations on the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, performed onstage with his trio. "It's quite a challenge but I enjoy it," the Waukesha, Wis. native said from the stage that night.

    Richard Drew, AP

    Music legends Les Paul and B.B. King put their heads together during a jam session at the third anniversary celebration of the B.B. King Blues Club and Grill in New York City's Times Square. Paul holds King's signature "Lucille" guitar, which he played. June 17, 2003

    Richard Drew, AP

    Paul McCartney tries out a custom-made left handed "Les Paul Lite" guitar presented to him by Paul, left, in New York City. May 3, 1988

    AP

    President Bush presents the 2007 National Medals of Arts to guitar pioneer Les Paul during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. November 15, 2007

    Gerald Herbert, AP

    Slash and Les Paul at the Gibson Guitars Honors Rock 'N Roll Legend Les Paul for a 50th Anniversary Celebration. August 13, 2001

    RJ Capak, WireImage

    Les Paul and Eddie Van Halen pose together. January 1, 1988

    Ebet Roberts, Redferns

    U2 guitarist the Edge performs with a Les Paul guitar during the 13th Annual MusiCares Person Of The Year tribute at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. February 21, 2003

    Frank Micelotta, Getty Images

    Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry plays a Les Paul guitar at the United We Stand concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. October 21, 2001

    Paul J. Richards, AFP / Getty Images

    Randy Rhodes plays a Gibson Les Paul guitar during a live performance with Ozzy Osbourne. October 20, 1980

    Fin Costello, Redferns

    Neil Young, playing a Gibson Les Paul guitar, smiles while performing during the Live Aid concert for famine relief at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, PA. July 13, 1985

    George Widman, AP

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moonunit111

Howie Hubberman sums up Les Paul perfectly,, No enemies,Well loved by all !! Bravo Les Paul !! LP Forever
Stereo Bob

December 11 2010 at 1:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bob Layton

My wife, Bev and I had dinner with Les in the sixties at a time he was traveling around the country picking up old electronic gear he found on what was called the international swapmeet. In an accident with his Model A, the doctor said he could set his arm straight or bent. He had it set so he could still play the guitar. He also said Nola was what started it all. What an honor to know a legend.

August 14 2009 at 5:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Del Casher

I had the honor of knowing Les since I was 15 years old with a photo taken by Mary Ford at the Chicago Theater in 1953.
He was a great inspriation to me and I learned a lot from him, as a guitarist and friend. I have a great appreciation for his pereserverance to survive with his challenges he had to overcome with his health. After his auto accident, his right arm was set at one angle to play guitar. Most would have given up.

He would visit me often, and we talkeed about life and music.
There are so many great things to say about my friend Les Paul.
Del C.
Pioneer and co-inventor of the wah pedal for guitar

August 14 2009 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bob

Les was a great musician, an inventor , and a tinkerer as he put it. Without him there would be no rock music as we know it today. The electric guitar was ground breaking and his studio techniques for multi track over dubbing changed the whole world of music. On top of all that he was an all around nice guy, loved by all who knew him. He was playing in a New York night club one or two nights a week until last year I believe.
Rest in peace Les there will never be another like you.
Rock On !

August 14 2009 at 8:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bill

Les alone is an inventive icon in the music world and with Mary Ford, his bride, he/they became a musical treat as a duo with his multi-track recording and his own playing skills which were awesome. Mary was an attractive lady with a beautiful voice made even more so by the multi-tracking recordings. Few music enthusiasts of their recording era as a duo will ever forget the "How High The Moon, Via Con Dios,etc". Tunes that will last forever as classics of popular music.
Les and Mary and Mary's dog Bambi made a unigue threesome. Les was a night person- Mary wasn't but they recorded their best works all night long. Mary loved Bambi, Les didn't because the dog climbed in their bed and curled up at their feet- not Les' favorite accompaniment ( The threesome Les, Mary and Bambi appeared on TV on a major interview program (Edward R. Murrow) in the 50's).
Les' office had gold record awards scattered about his "office" as we might have had our old plastic ones lying around. Les' Oakland N.J. home was remote,private site and as impressive as a residence/workshop could be.
A little known ploy that Les and Mary used on the road was during public performances any multi-track effort was inappropriate so Mary's sister Carol was offstage harmonizing with Mary which effectively sounded
close to the desired over-recording. Carol never appeared on stage and Carol's husband Wally, who played the bass would accompany Les and Mary and Carol on the bass. The effect was seldom revealed or known about. The pair of Les and Mary crammed in so many grand hits that their music iself was legendary but Les' overall achievements overshadowed their performances. Still, they were a delight as a pair. Mary was a very sweet gal with an angelic voice that Les sagely multiplied into gold. They will both be long remembered by many.
Mary died shortly after their divorce and now Les is gone. Les, who had a rather large (but well earned)ego, also had a select memory which often would recall accomplishments or events that might be questioned.Les may be required to do some St. Pete explaining. He was such a remarkable person that this slight flaw could be easily forgiven. RIP Les !!
To Rusty, Les's son and manager, my apologies for the above revelations.

August 14 2009 at 7:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Skynet507

Les Paul,will be truly missed."What a creative pioneer".Buddy Holly,used Les Paul's "overdub"techniques in the recording studio.If you have ever seen film"The Buddy Holly Story".with Gary Busey.When recording "Words of Love".Engineer's asked Holly"where did you learn about"overdubing"-vocals..Holly's response"Just like everbody else,good ol' Les Paul"..Rock and Roll would not be Rock and Roll,without Les..This is a man that every legend in music,could talk about for hours of the impact on their lives and music..

August 14 2009 at 6:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Paul

Dam, I wanted to make that gig he did in NYC.
Thank YOU Les Paul, thank you for everything.
You changed my life.
Guitar Teacher
More Paul

August 14 2009 at 6:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ralph Clark

I grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin. My mom and dad knew his parents. Thus, when in early 2007 it was announced that Les Paul would be giving a benefit concert in our town on May 10th for the Waukesha County Historical Society through the auspices of Sue Baker, for it's intended future Les Paul wing, I immediately called and secured a ticket. 25 tables of 10 were intended at the Marriott. I believe it expanded to 30. I was assigned table 10. There was one complete section on the west wall devoted to recording the event. I'm not sure those recording(s) have ever been released. I'm told he did the same concert as he was doing once a week in NYC. I would have those interested in those recording(s) find out if they can be secured by any individual. BTW: the lady that sat next to me at table 10 was asked to be my wife May 10th, 2008--we were married July 10th, 2008--at 6:04 PM (digits add up to 10), in front of the pond at the Marriot. So: Les has had that personal influence on our lives, and now life together.

August 14 2009 at 5:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
judy fineman

It was Les Paul and Mary Ford. How High the Moon was one of there most popular songs.

August 14 2009 at 5:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

Oh, yes, I listened to Les Paul and Mary Ford through high school and later played them regularly during a life in which I was a disc jockey. Now, as I write this, I am playing their records from my iTune library. They were -- and still are -- as their records said: FABULOUS!

August 14 2009 at 4:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply