Les Paul: In His Own Words
By Les Paul, Michael Cochran
At thirteen, he took the tone arm from his father's phonograph, jammed the heavy needle into the top of his five-dollar guitar, and filled it with Plaster of Paris to quell feedback. The guitar didn't survive, but his idea worked, essentially creating the first solid-body electric guitar. Les Paul went on to alter guitars in his quest to create the perfect sound, making one breakthrough after another along the way. Nonstop experiments in his homemade recording studio led to the invention of sound-on-sound, multi-track recording, echo, and a host of other discoveries that revolutionized the recording industry, while he and wife Mary Ford dominated early 1950s pop charts with a continual string of hits. Taken together, the enduring influence of his unique contributions to recording technology, instrument design, and American popular music are unsurpassed. He truly is the man who changed the music, and now, Les Paul tells the whole story as only he could, in his own words.
Book and subject exceeding high expectations
Back in '76 I heard 'Chester & Lester', an LP that introduced an artist whose name I knew only from the electric guitar I coveted more than any other: Les Paul. Much nice playing, much merriment, but to me, a Les Paul was supposed to produce the sounds of Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin. Many years and much ear-shattering rock and sophisticated jazz later, I picked up a copy of 'Best of Les Paul', music transcripts published by Hal Leonard, and I discovered some of Les Pauls jazz recordings and the nice recordings with Mary Ford, and the interviews with LP in the preface awakened the realisation that there might be more to discover about this character, who seemed to live and perform forever. Sadly, 'forever' came to an end on 13 August 2009, and this reminded me of 'Les Paul - In his own words', a book I'd intended to read for some time, and I ordered it immediately. It is a very large book and really heavy. The colour prints and the photos are of very high print quality, and the font size makes the reading comfortable. The many pictures of Les Paul's guitars, inventions, contraptions, the studio garage in LA and pictures of artists, groups and friends are much more interesting than I'd imagined. The person one discovers through the story - told to a good writer - is intelligent, humourous, lively and determined. It is also enjoyable to sense the drive and positive outlook in a person who has experienced set-backs, difficulties and disappointment without becoming bitter and disappointed, and who says nothing negative about other people. Les Paul makes me feel that when you have something you really want to accomplish, you can't afford to dwell on failures and disappointments. His anecdotes about meeting Django Reinhardt and Bing Crosby are delightful and funny. One obviously has to respect the achievement of a person who has meant so much for the guitar and recording for most of the past century, but the fact that the story of his life is also such delightful reading goes beyond mere recounting of historical achievement. This book is just better than I expected it to be, both in terms of the story it tells and the way it is told, and the pictures that tell a wondrous story in themselves. Les Paul had an extraordinary life, not just a long life, and his story reminds me to get a life - and get a guitar and play it - not just read about it.
Les Paul In His Own Words Book Review
This is a great book with tons of insightful comments by the man himself, Les Paul. It runs through his life and accomplishments in a way only Les could do it, without sounding arrogant; always with charm and wit. Within the first few pages I learned a lot about Les that I'd never heard before on any documentary or biography of the Wizard of Waukesha. Great book if you're a fan of Les Paul, the electric guitar, multi-track recording or any of his other many inventions. I strongly suggest this book to all music lovers!
FANTASTIC !!
Les Paul's life was truly amazing and this book covers every corner of it! The author's have done an outstanding job of presenting Les' life in a very "face to face" style which really draws the reader in and keeps their attention. This is the holy grail of Les Paul literature! A definite must have for any fan indeed! Highly recommended!! A+ !!
