Les Paul : Chasing Sound premiere

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I just got home from attending the theatre premiere of a new documentary on Les Paul, part of PBS’ American Masters series.

First things first… if you have a Tivo, set it now. If not, make a note : PBS, July 9, 8pm (Central Time Zone, I assume).

We’ve always been proud of the fact that the inventor of ’sound on sound’ (or multitrack) recording AND the solid-body electric guitar calls Wisconsin home, just like Burst Labs!

But to see, in a single setting, an overview of his life and career spanning 7 or 8 decades (!!!) is truly spectacular.

Many, many interviews and great footage of Les with luminaries and legends from the music industry - Paul McCartney, BB King, Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, Bonnie Raitt, Benny Goodman, Keith Richards, and on and on. There’s a few interviews with icons from the studio world, too… Al Schmitt, Phil Ramone.

But what really made my heart stop was watching the camera follow Les into his workshop/garage. There’s stuff piled everywhere. I mean, just tons of cases, boxes, gear, all kinds of stacks. And then there it is… the original 8 track machine. Just standing there. Then they start pulling out tapes and loading ‘em up, droppin vinyl on some frankenstein looking hand-built contraption, playing incredible music from years ago - including the first layered recording ever made, with his wife Mary Ford singing some the tightest vocal arrangements - on the fly! One take, that’s all you got! My god, could that woman sing.

I couldn’t believe how great some of the audio sounded. The theatre hosting the premiere is not what I would call an audio-lover’s paradise when it comes to seeing movies, and some of the dialog was hard to make out over the laughter (who know he was that funny?!), but some of the old masters just sounded incredible. Absolutely stunning.

Some of the funniest stories for me were of Les reminiscing about dragging a tape machine all over the country in the back of their car, setting up to record in kitchens, bathrooms, wherever.

And his zeal for living, his lust for knowledge and unshakable curiosity… really a great reminder to me tonight.

Imagine a world where we all reached for our dreams with the passion and commitment that Les Paul did. [dh]