By Matt DeMarco
Les Paul, the 93 year-old guitarist and inventor of the Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, is a pioneer in the world of music. Not only was he one of the first to amplify the electric guitar, but he was also the first person to use multi-tracking, recording one part over another, in the recording studio. Recently, this music legend sat down with The Chronicle and told us part of his story.
The Chronicle: You have been credited with creating the guitar that "made the sound of rock 'n' roll possible." How does that make you feel?
Les Paul: [smiling] I feel very good about it. I enjoy rock 'n' roll, but I also enjoy all types of music-classical, jazz, country, blues, pop, but I feel very good about it.
TC: How did your creating the infamous Gibson Les Paul come about? It started with "the Log," right?
LP: Well, the Log was the first one that Gibson took seriously. It actually started years before, whether I'd just be talking about it or showing them a broomstick with a pick-up on it [laughs]. So for 10 years, they weren't interested in what I was showing them, but then they saw the Log and entertained my idea. I never thought it would be such a serious instrument.
TC: It was around this time that Fender was developing their own electric guitar, right?
LP: Yeah, quite a few companies were toying with the idea of amplifying the acoustic guitar. The problem that they had to figure out was how to do it without the drawback of feedback-unwanted noise...but I figured it out.
TC: After you signed with Gibson, you got upset because they were putting your name on what's now the popular "SG" model. What didn't you like about the SG?
LP: I made them take my name off of them because the guitar's neck and body were too thin, which is not good for a guitarist-it can affect the tuning. It just wasn't reinforced enough.
TC: Your other major contribution to the music world was multi-tracking. You were the first person to multi-track during a recording. How did that come about?
LP: I started out by punching holes in a piano roll in order to record, but then I switched to recording on discs and recording different parts on different discs.
TC: This was such a major contribution to the world of music. I mean, do you realize what you did? You completely changed the world of music!
LP: [laughs] I don't pay much attention to it. I just accept it and go with it. I know it's important and a big deal, but I just accept it like you'd accept that you've got a left and a right arm...if you're lucky.
TC: "Lover (When You're Near Me)" was the first song that recorded using the multi-tracking technique, correct? How did you even come up with this idea of multi-tracking?
LP: The idea was on my mind since I started punching holes in a piano roll. The idea of recording things at different speeds to make multiple, different sounds became fascinating to me. It allowed the guitar to sound like other instruments.
TC: So, like a synthesizer?
LP: Yeah, exactly.
TC: Now, can you talk a little bit about the "Les Paulverizer?" What is it exactly?
LP: The "Les Paulverizer" was a way of bringing to the stage the same sounds you heard on the recordings-so it allowed me to play all those same effects, but still perform live.
TC: Do you still use it now?
LP: No. I retired in 1965, but when I came out of retirement in '84, I decided to just use my guitar and play with a group.
TC: There are tons of guitarists who've made the Gibson Les Paul their "weapon of choice."-Slash, Peter Frampton, Paul McCartney, etc. Who would you say is the best handler of your instrument?
LP: They're all good in their own way-each guy is saying something in his way. One may play like Chet Atkins with a pick and a capo, another might play finger-style...each one has his own individualized likings and creates his own image. Each guy's trying to say something...I'm just trying to listen.
TC: You won two Grammys in 2006. Tell me what that was like.
LP: You know, I read somewhere that I won five Grammys a year [laughs].
TC: You must have an entire room in your house for them, then! [laughs].
LP: I do [laughs], but I never look at them. I appreciate them and recognize that they're there, but I never look at them.
TC: When Jeff Beck inducted you into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, he said, "I've copied more licks from Les Paul than I'd like to admit." You're so respected in the world of music. How would you respond to Beck's remarks?
LP: [laughs] Well, it seems like if it wasn't for the players today, they wouldn't make my life the way it is today.
TC: Who were some of your inspirations when you started playing?
LP: Gene Autry, Eddie Lang...the originals.
TC: And who do you listen to today?
LP: I like all kinds of players; I have no particular favorite. I just try to learn from the good ones.
TC: You're still learning?
LP: Oh, yes. Every day, every hour. It's amazing how much you can learn. Never stop learning.
TC: What's your advice for [the University's] aspiring musicians?
LP: Determination is key, but most important of all is for a musician to recognize and verify that he has a good ear for music and good rhythm-neither can you buy in a music store. If you believe in what you're doing, just don't give up. You're always looking for that round wheel...you never find it, but you're always looking.