Music critics can debate forever about who invented rock n' roll, or who the greatest guitar player is, but one thing's for certain like Joseph Stalin behind the Iron Curtain: without Les Paul, this rock shit definitely never would be going on.
Yesterday Paul passed away at the age of 94, and while he wasn't really a rock dude himself, the guitar he helped create (appropriately named the Les Paul) spawned the sound of heavy metal and punk, and was the go-to axe for countless other musicians. To commemorate Paul's passing, Complex presents The Greatest Performances in the History of the Les Paul Guitar...
LED ZEPPELIN "BLACK DOG"
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS "STIR IT UP" (PETER TOSH SOLO)
WES MONTGOMERY "ROUND MIDNIGHT"
THE CLASH "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO" (MICK JONES)
ZIGGY STARDUST & THE SPIDERS FROM MARS "ZIGGY STARDUST"
JOHN LENNON "COME TOGETHER"
SANTANA "BLACK MAGIC WOMAN"
GREEN DAY "KNOW YOUR ENEMY"
THE WHO "WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN"
SPINAL TAP "IT'S FAMOUS FOR ITS SUSTAIN"