We bid a fond farewell to the guy who not only designed a classic electric guitar but who, along with Mary Ford, was a pioneer of overdubbing. (Hmmmm...take a married couple and multiply their voices and instruments until they sound like a full band...sounds like a useful concept!)
Also, here's a guy whose commitment to his craft was such that, when his right arm was shattered in a car crash and doctors told him his elbow would have to be set in one place for the rest of his life, he insisted that it be permanently bent into a guitar-playing position. How did the poor man sleep, one wonders?
Here's a little sunshine from Les and Mary:
7 comments:
I guess he had to go sometime, but it's still a sad occasion. Not only was he the most innovative guitarist of all time (IMHO), but without his brilliant contributions to electric guitar and recording technology there would be no rock 'n roll as we know it today. I have a couple of collections from the height of his career with Mary Ford and never stop marveling at his seemingly limitless ability as a musician and recording engineer. Their sessions were sheer genius, and the multi-tracked vocals of the immensely talented Mary Ford are absolutely beautiful to behold.
And that thing about him having his broken arm set so he could still play the guitar is the icing on the cake of his legend. R.I.P. Mr. Paul and thank you for everything!
What a lovely set of role models! Hey, honey, lets change our name to the Granite Counter Tops and do what they do!
(We make our rock in the kitchen!)
He was 94 years old so it's not surprising he died but R.I.P.
I thought this might make this chuckle, my friend Stan Ridgway (ex-lead singer of Wall of Voodoo and has a great solo career, pick some up you would like his albums) posted this...
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090815/D9A30C6G1.html
You know Stan Ridgway? I never followed Wall Of Voodoo very closely but I always loved the song "Lost Weekend".
Ya, Stan is a good friend of mine, i'm gonna try to get a gig for him up in Leeds early next year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f5nUqko3Ug
That's their feedback drenched version of Ring of Fire.
My favorite-ever cover of Ring Of Fire is probably the Eric Burdon & the Animals version, because it's so ridiculously over the top and psychedelic with Burdon hollering at the top of his lungs. Of all the versions, it's the one most likely to have made Johnny and June go "what the hell was THAT?"
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