The Sustain

Today, on 8/13/09, the legend passed on.

Les Paul, Pioneer of Electric Guitar, Inventor, Dead at 94

I cannot even begin to adequately describe the man's influence on music or on my personal musical maturation. All I can say is that he served as the head of the long train of guitar legends who yielded the mighty axe that Paul invented - Duane Allman, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Edge, Ace Frehley, Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, Billy Gibbons, Dave Grohl, George Harrison, Kirk Hammett, Freddie King, Bob Marley, Paul McCartney, Ted Nugent, Joe Perry, Randy Rhodes, Gary Rossington, Slash, Pete Townsend, Muddy Waters, Zakk Wylde and Neil Young. This is a virtual cross section of every relevant era of rock n roll history, and all of these guys saw it fit to perfect their sound using what I consider the finest guitar ever designed by its name sake.

Some memorable if silly moments:

Les Paul's beer commercial


Spinal Tap - "It's just...it's quite unbelievable"

November Rain



Slash's guitar collection. Simply gorgeous.