I've been sleeping pretty well lately, but this morning I was up and wide awake at 3:15. So, I spent my time chain smoking and listening to YouTube. I found myself really interested in Les Paul and the various musicians who play the Gibson Les Paul guitar.
For those of you who don't know (and please forgive me, I'm pretty much cutting and pasting this from Wikipedia), Les Paul was an American jazz, country and blues guitarist, songwriter, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-bodyelectric guitar, which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound),delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.
His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.
Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed.
The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold in 1952. The Les Paul was designed by Ted McCarty in collaboration with popular guitarist Les Paul,
whom Gibson enlisted to endorse the new model. It is one of the most
well-known electric guitar types in the world. The
Gibson Les Paul is one of the most recognizable guitars of all-time and
the artists who brandish it seem to transcend age, era, gender and
genre. From heavy metal enthusiasts to indie rock icons to reggae
superstars, it seems like nearly every musical legend has strapped on a
Les Paul at some point to take advantage of its signature sound.
Here are YouTube links to some of the music I found by musicians playing the Les Paul.
Duane
Allman used a 1957 Les Paul Goldtop with PAF pickups, a 1959 cherry
sunburst Les Paul, a 1958 tobacco sunburst Les Paul and a 1968 cherry SG
which he used for slide guitar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCtdKWWfZG8
All
of the guitarists of the Rolling Stones (Keith Richards, Mick Taylor,
Ronnie Wood, and Brian Jones) played (and still play) Gibson guitars, including Les Paul
models.
The American
blues musician who is considered the "father of modern Chicago blues,"
Muddy Waters was a major inspiration for the British blues explosion in
the 1960s and is ranked No. 17 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of
the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Muddy Waters used a Les Paul
Goldtop in his early career. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aav1shpaK6s
B.B.
King has used many different Gibson models, including an ES-5 and an
ES-175 early in his career; later he began using thinline semi-acoustic
models such as an ES-330, ES-335 and ES-345. King's Signature ES-355,
nicknamed Lucille, has been his main guitar for many years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ozjCQkqZs
Mick
Ralphs used a Les Paul Junior, a Firebird and a Les Paul during his
Mott the Hoople tenure; and a Les Paul Standard and a Flying V during
his years with Bad Company. Although being a British band, Bad
Company had more success in the United States than in the United
Kingdom. Four of their albums were certified Gold by the British
Phonographic Industry, while another four other albums were certified
Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOj_93UP8kY
Eddie Van Halen has used a Les Paul, an ES-335 and a 1958 Flying V.
Joe
Walsh uses a Les Paul Standard and an EDS-1275. Walsh was known for
"hot-wiring" the pickups on these guitars to create his trademark
"attack" sound
Another
Gibson guitar player, George Thorogood's Move It On Over is the second
album by George Thorogood & The Destroyers released by Rounder
Records in 1978. The album contains no original material. Its title
track received major FM radio airplay when released, as did the Bo
Diddley cover, "Who Do You Love?"
Mark
Knopfler is known for playing a 1979 Gibson Les Paul Standard Reissue
'59 on the Dire Straits song 'Money for nothing'. He also owns a 1985
Gibson Les Paul Standard Reissue '59, Sunburst. This customshop model
has got his birthdate (12849) as the serialnumber. He also plays
other Gibson models like a 'super 400', an 'es 175' and a 'Chet Atkins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rztpwexog30
Jeff Beck purchased his first Les Paul, a 1959 model, for £150 while still a
member of The Yardbirds. Beck's fascination with the guitar sprang as
much from his interest in Les Paul,
the man, as from his love of the guitar itself. Beck told an
interviewer: "It had a deep powerful sound and you could use it to
imitate just about anything - violin, sax, cello, even a sitar."
Beck also used an "oxblood" colored 1954 Les Paul Standard, with PAF
pickups, from 1972 to 1976 and is pictured with the guitar on the cover
artwork of his Blow by Blow album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ej3BdMpgZw
It's sad but true, Bipolar Disorder is still stigmatized in 21st century society. I suspect that there's only a small percentage of us with the disorder that are willing to "come out." And, I can't imagine anyone admitting to having bipolar as a disability on a job application.
However, there is an amazing number of famous and influential people with bipolar order, many of whom have openly discussed their illness. I'm going to make this post short today and simply provide a list. You may already be aware of some of these people as having bipolar disorder, yet you may be surprised by some of the others. I'm definitely keeping in good company!
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- One of the most prolific and influential composers of the Classical era.
A child prodigy, Mozart is know for his brilliance
and maturity of style that encompassed the light and graceful along with
the dark and passionate. He composed over 600 works, many of them regarded as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic and choral music. His influence on subsequent Western music is profound.
Winston Churchill -- British politician who lead the United
Kingdom through World War II. He is regarded as one of the greatest
wartime leaders of the 20th century. He served as British Prime
Minister twice, 1940-45 and 1951-55.
Napoleon Bonaparte -- French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the latter stages of the French Revolution and its associated wars in Europe.
As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815. His legal reform, the Napoleonic Code, has been a major influence on many civil law jurisdictions worldwide, but he is best remembered for his role in the
wars led against France by a series of coalitions, the so-called Napoleonic Wars. He established hegemony over most of continental Europe and sought to
spread the ideals of the French Revolution, while consolidating an imperial monarchy, which restored aspects of the deposed Ancient Regime. Due to his success in these wars, often against numerically superior
enemies, he is generally regarded as one of the greatest military
commanders of all time, and his campaigns are studied at military
academies worldwide.
Isaac Newton -- English physicist and mathematician. Regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time. His book Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica ("Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy"), first published in 1687, laid the foundations for most of classical mechanics. Newton also made seminal contributions to optics and shares credit with Gottfried Leibniz for the invention of the infinitesimal calculus. By deriving Kepler's laws of planetary motion from his mathematical description of gravity, Newton removed the last doubts about the validity of the heliocentric model of the cosmos. Newton built the first practical reflecting telescope and developed a theory of color based on the observation that a prism decomposes white light into the many colous of the visible spectrum.
Ludwig von Beethoven -- German composer and pianist. Considered one of the most influential of all composers. Beethoven was a crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic periods in Western music. His best known compositions include nine symphonies, five concertos for piano, 32 piano sonatas and 16 string quartets. He also composed other chamber music, choral works (including the celebrated Missa Solemnis.
Jean-Claude van Damme -- Belgian martial artist, actor and director best known for his martial arts action films. After studying martial arts intensively from the age of ten, Van
Damme achieved national success in Belgium as a martial artist and bodybuilder, earning the "Mr. Belgium" bodybuilding title.
Abraham Lincoln-- The 16th President of the United States. Lincoln led the U.S. through its greatest constitutional, military, and moral crisis, the American Civil War. He is responsible for preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, strengthening the national government and modernizing the economy.
Edgar Allan Poe -- American author, poet, editor and literary critic. He is best known for writing in the mystery and macabre genres. Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emergence of the science fiction genre.
Ralph Waldo Emerson -- American essayist, lecturer, and poet. He led the Transcendentatalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society. He disseminated his thoughts through dozens of published essays and more
than 1,500 public lectures across the United States.
Buzz Aldrin -- American astronaut and the second person to walk on the Moon. He was the lunar module pilot on NASA's Apollo II, the first manned lunar landing in history.
Mark Twain (Samual Longhorne Clemens) -- American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has often been referred to as the Great American Novel. His wit and satire, in prose and in speech, earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty.
Patrick Joseph Kennedy -- Former U.S. Representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Jane Pauley -- American
television anchor and journalist, who began news
reporting in 1975. She is best known for her 13-year tenure on NBC's Today program, followed by 12 years as co-host of Dateline NBC. Jane Pauley has also been publicly open about her life living with bipolar disorder.
Agatha Christie -- British auther of crime novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote six romance novels under the pseudonym, Mary Westmacott. She is best known for the 66 detective novels and more than 15
short story collections she wrote under her own name. She also wrote the world's longest-running play The Mousetrap.
Ted Turner -- American media mogul. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network, CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable TV. As a philanthropist, he is known for his $1 billion gift to support the United Nations.
Charles Dickens -- English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most
memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest
novelist of the Victorian era. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the
twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by
critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely
popular.
Abbie Hoffman -- American political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party (Yippies). A member of the Chicago Eight, Hoffman was arrested and tried for consipiracy and inciting to riot as a result of his role in protests that led to violent confrontations with police during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Hoffman came to prominence in the 1960s, and continued practicing his activism in the 1970s, and has remained a symbol of the youth rebellion of that era.
Florence Nightengale -- English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. She came to prominence while serving as a nurse during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night.
Early 21st century Nightingale laid the
foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of her nursing school at St. Thomas' Hospital in London. It was the first secular nursing school in the world. The Nightengale Pledge, taken by new nurses, was named in her honor. Her social reforms include improving healthcare
for all sections of British society; improving healthcare and
advocating for better hunger relief in India; helping to abolish laws
regulating prostitution that were overly harsh to women; and expanding
the acceptable forms of female participation in the workforce.
Nina Simone -- American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. Over the length of her career Simone recorded more than 40 albums, debuting in 1958 with Little Girl Blue. Simone's music was highly influential in the fight for equal rights in the United States.
Gene Tierney -- American film and stage actress. Acclaimed as one of the great beauties of her day, she is best remembered for her performance in the title role of Laura (1944) and her Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress in Leave Her Heaven (1945).
Hello Hello Hello!
I've been "off the air" for a while. I had a big downcycle and anyone that's familiar with bipolar knows what happens then. Nothing. Not. A. Thing. But the meds are readjusted and I'm glad to be back.
I've been reconnecting with some old friends on Facebook lately, and sharing with some of them my experiences as bipolar. It's still scary to talk about it. I'm always afraid of the reaction I might get. One of my friends, who has a physical debilitation, shared this with me:
When I first read it I thought, "yeah, those are some pretty crappy things to say to someone who's sick." Then, I realized that I've heard ALL of those statements in response to my "coming out" as bipolar. The most disappointing came from a friend I've known since elementary school who has become an MD. He said to me, "well, we're all a little bipolar in one way or another." I was really surprised that someone who practices medicine would be so dismissive.
But, I've found that nearly everyone else has been accepting. I've had a few people ask a lot of questions, and with genuine interest. I've had some friends say, "Oh! Is that why you're so weird sometimes? Whatever! What are we going to do this weekend?" And, I have some friends that suffer from similar disorders and we've swapped stories.
The hardest time I've had lately is with school. I was in a bad depression for a month and could barely get out of bed, nevermind take a shower, get dressed and drive to class. Two of my classes are online/attendance not mandatory. But, for the third class I really need to be present twice a week for lecture. I had to tell my professor what was happening with me. I was so self-conscious and embarrassed. But he took it in stride, gave me the assignments via email and, most importantly, graded me fairly -- no special favors.
My parents have been the best. They watch me go up and down and give me the right amount of a nudge when I need it and leave me alone when I need to be alone. And I love it when they laugh at me when I'm in an upcycle. Here's Mom, "hmmm, feeling a little extra wound up this week, aren't you! You were really funny on the phone yesterday!"
My parents have taken an active interest in learning more about bipolar disorder by reading books, talking with some of their health care providers, searching on the web, and even reading my blog! (Hi Mom! Hi Dad!). There are not enough words to express how lucky I am to have such wonderful people as my parents.
I do still become anxious when I tell people I'm bipolar. I'm still very selective about who I'm going to share my information with. But when I do talk about it with those friends, I realize that doing so is liberating. I no longer have a "secret."
