Aug 13 2009Les Paul dies at 94
Les Paul, legendary inventor of the electric guitar, died this morning of pneumonia. He was 94. The AP reports:
According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.
As an inventor, Paul also helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll with multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording.
The use of electric guitar gained popularity in the mid-to-late 1940s, and then exploded with the advent of rock in the mid-'50s.
"Suddenly, it was recognized that power was a very important part of music," Paul once said. "To have the dynamics, to have the way of expressing yourself beyond the normal limits of an unamplified instrument, was incredible. Today a guy wouldn't think of singing a song on a stage without a microphone and a sound system."
They say it was pneumonia, but I'll know in my heart it was the existence of Guitar Hero. Thanks for giving us the gift of rock, Les.
Rest in Peace.
Photos: WENN
Reader Comments
1. Yourworsteffingnightmare - August 13, 2009 2:17 PM
A fine tribute to a truly great man, Les Paul. There will never be another.
2. Steve - August 13, 2009 2:17 PM
First! RIP Les.
3. Da Rock - August 13, 2009 2:21 PM
Well done, Superficial. For once....hahahaha
R.I.P Les
4. Correction - August 13, 2009 2:22 PM
Dear Superficial,
I'm about 99.9% positive that the musician in the black/white striped shirt is not Eric "Slow hand" Clapton.
Amateur Hour.
5. http://www.popduds.com/ - August 13, 2009 2:23 PM
Rock on good buddy!
6. Dooley - August 13, 2009 2:24 PM
He must be good guy if the Fish didn't snark on him.
R.I.P.
7. Pat C. - August 13, 2009 2:26 PM
Unless Eric Clapton is the first person to have surgery to make their nose bigger.
Les Paul was a great innovator. I'm glad he had a long, and hopefully happy, life.
8. havoc - August 13, 2009 2:27 PM
There wouldn't be any rock and roll without him. Well, maybe there would.
RIP Les Paul.
.
9. Dude - August 13, 2009 2:29 PM
...uhh, fact check. That's not Eric Clapton. Looks like Elvis Costello's little brother. Melvis.
10. havoc - August 13, 2009 2:31 PM
Whoa, what happened to the dude that wasn't Eric Clapton?
.
11. Mike Sellers - August 13, 2009 2:32 PM
It's Graham Coxon you morons.
12. WTF - August 13, 2009 2:38 PM
wait, are you trying to tell me that the dude who wasn't Eric Clapton was really Pete Townshend. Because I'm probably 99.9999 repeating % that Pete Townshend is not the guy who isn't Eric Clapton.
13. Zanna - August 13, 2009 2:41 PM
Yo, Jesus..crank the amp! Les Paul in da houuuuuse!
14. RIP - August 13, 2009 2:43 PM
RIP
15. larry fine - August 13, 2009 2:56 PM
RIP Les. You and Mary are together again at last.
16. Crystal - August 13, 2009 3:08 PM
He's old, who cares?
17. R B - August 13, 2009 3:12 PM
Nice impromptu tribute there, Fish. 3 hard core LP users. Nice.
18. Oliver Chester The Molester Lester - August 13, 2009 3:20 PM
RIP Les Paul. My guitar will gently weep for you.
19. mirroredcactus - August 13, 2009 3:22 PM
Rest in peace!!! You have given many gifts to this world and have changed music forever!!! You will be missed!!!
20. Jimbo - August 13, 2009 3:40 PM
I think we need some pictures of naked celbs to help with our consoling over Les Paul's passing. Fish Dude, please post some naked chicks ASAP..
21. wtf - August 13, 2009 3:57 PM
Les Paul??? What reality show was he on?
22. Les Nessman - August 13, 2009 4:02 PM
what the fuck is that ol' coot doing in that first photo? that's why he isn't alive anymore. someone probably pushed his ass down the stairs for flipping them the bird.
Or is he just showing us the stinky finger he got when Pamela Anderson met him in the bathroom?
23. dork - August 13, 2009 4:08 PM
@2
Twat! Suck it faggot.
24. Yahoda - August 13, 2009 5:31 PM
When you click on this link you gain 5$.
25. Crystal bite me - August 13, 2009 5:36 PM
@ 16 Crystal: Go back to watching Sesame Street reruns, you vapid cunt.
26. Lou - August 13, 2009 5:38 PM
This man was a true genius. RIP
27. Jeffer - August 13, 2009 5:56 PM
Great man? Like no one else was working on the same thing? Hardly a great man, be fucking real!
28. unbeliever - August 13, 2009 6:11 PM
@27 - Jeffer, you were right, and I was wrong. You've proven you *can* post here at the same time as holding one cock in your mouth and another in your ass.
29. RIP Les Paul - August 13, 2009 6:15 PM
Les Paul was a scholar and a gentleman. And, he fucking rocked! May he rest in peace.
And #27, So, you don't like music? You don't care for anyone who plays a "Les Paul" guitar?
It doesn't really matter how many people invent things, it just matters which inventions people actually love. Give the man his due.
(And something tells me you are a gonad who probably eschews toilet paper because you're sure there's something BETTER invented, you just haven't found it yet...)
30. NAATI - August 13, 2009 7:19 PM
Music would not be same without his invention. All the legendary guitar riffs are on an electric. Love the picture - shows you can still have attitude when you are older. People like this should be remembered more than MJ.
31. JM - August 13, 2009 7:20 PM
this was the greatest influece in my life. I played a Les Paul and as a Sound Egineer and instructor he made multitrack recording Les I wish I could have met you and today I am not sad I celebrate you
32. Khaverty - August 13, 2009 7:50 PM
He had more than an idea for a guitar. He created the electric guitar, multitrack recording, tape delay effects and overdubbing. I don’t know if he was a great man personally but he had as big an impact on music as anyone in history.
33. hamper_lint - August 13, 2009 8:17 PM
Les IS a legend !
34. Punk Rocker - August 13, 2009 9:07 PM
Rest In Peace, Les!! And, thank you for the chords we play and hear!
35. _me - August 13, 2009 9:24 PM
Rock on Les, Rock on!
36. chi flat iron - August 13, 2009 10:36 PM
Some people make a difference and you, Sir Paul, are one of those (and by far not the least).
Will be thinking of you when the fingers go crazy…
chi original flat iron
37. RaraAvis - August 13, 2009 11:20 PM
All he did was quietly change the face of music. Nothing special. Don't know why we would make any fuss over his passing. He wouldn't want us to, anyway. RIP, big guy.
38. eronne - August 14, 2009 12:11 AM
Les Paul was a visionary, a genius, a pioneer and a legend. it would never be to much to say this.
http://replicajewelry.easyjournal.com/
39. eronne - August 14, 2009 12:13 AM
Les Paul was a visionary, a genius, a pioneer and a legend. it would never be to much to say this.
40. Big Chachi - August 14, 2009 3:54 AM
Yep, Les Paul was a visionary, a genius, a pioneer and a legend. Yep, he changed the face of music. But Jesus, HE DIDN'T INVENT THE ELECTRIC GUITAR! That is all.
41. Ariel - August 14, 2009 5:40 AM
Light a Pixel for the legendary Les Paul here:
http://www.lightapixel.com/Les_Paul
42. london - August 14, 2009 5:43 AM
The father of guitar has died at the age of 94. Rest in peace.
43. @40 - August 14, 2009 8:41 AM
Your right, he didn't invent the electric guitar, but greatly improved it's use and the place it had music. What he did invent though was 'multitrack recording'. That just happens to now be the recording standard of modern music of every genre.
44. Vandal - August 14, 2009 9:03 AM
@16
I do you fuckin' nonse.
45. Rhialto - August 14, 2009 11:17 AM
Our condolences to his family and loved ones.May they find strength and comfort in these difficult days.
46. Chris R - August 14, 2009 11:50 AM
It is difficult to imagine what music would be like without Les paul. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us.
47. Ronk - August 14, 2009 11:52 AM
Rest in peace Les Paul. It's funny. His name is so iconic that it sounds funny attaching to an actual person.
48. Erica Lew - August 16, 2009 1:24 AM
I gained some respect for you, Fish. Putting a picture of Jimmy Page up. Rest in peace, Les Paul. You were truely a genius.