Les Paul RIP

He was one of the architects of the electric guitar, invented multi-track recording and reverb, pioneered new micing techniques and was one of the hottest Jazz guitarists ever playing elegant, melodic lines at breathtaking speed that seemed to defy the laws of physics. He reinvented music... he reinvented SOUND! He's one of the very few people who really changed the world. I was working on getting to New York so I could see him at the Iridum. I really wanted to meet him; I'd be happy if he told me to fuck off! LOL He said that kids would be making records in their bedroom just like he did and that's exactly what I've been doing for the last few years (HI-TECH HILLBILLY, HEARTLAND, LONGHAIRED LEFTOVERS). Many times I've sat down at my Zoom 1608CD home studio to record or mix and thought, "I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Les Paul. This technology that allows me to realize my ideas wouldn't exist." When I started making those albums I didn't have much of a catalog, recording studios were prohibitively expensive and getting local musicians to play my music right was a headache (a frustration in babysitting, actually. Recording at home like this helped establish the sound, the style and the body of work. From then on getting gigs and getting musicians to cooperate was much easier. LONGHAIRED LEFTOVERS is almost done. Today I planned on mixing the last song and getting on with the release. I'm tired of recording at home by myself and plan on selling the studio. Ironic, for me, that Les Paul died just as I was wrapping up this chapter of my recording career. Now I can concentrate on those faster-than-light licks of his. So far I can play one at half speed.

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