Les Paul 1979 Documentary "The Wizard of Waukesha" with Michael Bloomfield and Rick Derringer

Les Paul documentary from 1979. Features Rick Derringer and Mike Bloomfield.
NOTE for COMPLETISTS: Props to DjangoMan1963, who has posted a slightly different edit of this documentary at • Les Paul - The Wizard... . It has some extra footage, especially in the opening minutes and throughout the film when people are trying out Les Paul guitars, probably at Manny's Music on 48th Street in NYC . . . According to the credits for this edit of the documentary, Bob and Bruce Kulick make an appearance, and I assume they appear in one of these shots).

[@marions.120]

Every time I watch Les play the more I learn that I can’t play! ✌️😎🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶 He was the best!

[@Rich915]

Guy could sure shred…

[@barrykrause1049]

I got to know Les when I lived in NY two blocks from the Iridium Jazz Club where he played every Monday night in his later years. I was very close to buying one of HIS guitars. By the Monday I was supposed to meet him to buy it, he had passed away. He needed to talk to his son about price because he said "no one ever asked me before."

[@Kohntarkosz]

I remember recording this from Night Flight, circa 1985 or 1986, on Betamax! And I watched that tape loads. Loved this film. Even wrote a report on it for my 7th grade English class (then a week later, wrote a piece about Scorpions' World Wide Live concert movie!).

[@frankdardano3182]

THERE. ARE OTHERS,BUT THIS REALLY COVERS IIT. EVEN HIS WIFE WHO COULD ALSO PLAY.HE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH TRACKING AND HARMONIES USED BY BEATLES,ELVIS.THIS IS AMAZING,NOTHING SHORT OF OUTSTANDING,,!!!

[@chiefyamaha7445]

Mike Bloomfield playing a Les Paul was destiny

[@cowsill2x2]

Check out more on the 2013 documentary "Turn It Up! A Celebration of the Electric Guitar," where the Bloomfield clip reappears.

[@wendysmith1242]

My mother grew up with him in Waukesha. He’d come by and play guitar with my grandfather 💜

[@ACOUSTIC_4LOVE]

Just Blown away. This Document of a National treasure is priceless. Les was Gifted beyond measure- but remained humble. What a sense of humor. My God my Grandfather’s generation truly was special. Makes me feel blessed to have grown up influenced by guys like Les and Chet as kid in the 60s.

[@paulkelly154]

Brilliant man. Great player, and such an important, historical figure. I met him a couple of times--once at a NAMM show in the mid 90s, once at The Iridium in NY during his Monday night gig. This was about 2002. Real nice man, too.

[@mrmusic248]

He was not one of us, the same way Einstein or Bach were not one of us. Mega intelligent was he, and it didn't hurt that had that incredible lab in which he could come up with the miracles that he did. If you don't realize it, the fact that we can hear ourselves played back on a tape, is a HUGE miracle, not to mention multi-track recording. RIP, Les, you genius for all time.

[@joepalooka2145]

One of the greatest creative geniuses who has ever lived.

[@luigizanellato2959]

This was fun to watch. There’s so much more about Les Paul than just the guitars.

[@Kohntarkosz]

Just for the record, Les didn't "invent the electric guitar" and he didn't even "invent the solidbody guitar". Lloyd Loar and Rickenbacker introduced solidbody guitars in the early 30's, whereas Les didn't build The Log until around 1940. That doesn't take away from what Les actually did do, which was conceive of multi-track recording and really taking the idea of being able to overdub multiple parts (or do things like doubletracking and tape flanging) to the moon and back. He really set the benchmark for what you could do in the studio, almost before the technology to do it even existed!

[@nataliep.9047]

LP didn't invent half the stuff that he took credit for. Multi-tracking , overdubbing, and half-speed recording had all been done before. LP came up with a formula on how to use those techiniques for optimum commercial effect. I'll give him credit for being a fine jazz guiar player, a good recording engineer, and a good record producer, but he did not single-handedly invent the post-war recording industry as many assume.

[@douglasdaw2968]

He, I'm sure, was happy taking credit for what he did so! And his contribution to the music & entertainment industry. DD

[@michaelmantione286]

IMO Leo Fender deserves credit for the first real electric guitar

[@dw9780]

Wowzer Wholly Crap Fantastic. Thanks much 👍👍👍

[@stevenmccart5455]

Absolutely incredible by any eras standards.

[@staffanotterland8461]

A Humble 🎉 Down to Earth Incredible Intelligent Talented soul Thank you Red for all you brought to Music I am shore your with the Paradis Orchestra

[@ig8083]

Dear lord. Les Paul was the first heavy metal guitarist without the effects pedals.

[@gsavedra]

I have 125th anniversary yellow but that flat yellow...no pick guard! Wow very nice guitar 🎸

[@Colhogan06]

It just dawned on me that I never asked my father if he ever met Les Paul. Our family all come from around the Milwaukee area. I know my dad managed a music store in Milwaukee, and played in the clubs in the area where many of the up and coming artists hung out. He talked about knowing, Conway Twitty, Roger Miller, Johnny Carver and several others.. They also got a one season gig on a local TV Show in Illinois when we moved about 60 to 90 minutes south of Milwaukee. I know Les had left Wisconsin eventually, but did go back often. Musicians all seem to gravitate to the same places so I'm sure they chewed some of the same dirt so to speak even if they hadn't formally met. I wish I had asked him before he passed. This video just got me wondering.

[@dicksatan6444]

Which store did your dad manage?

[@denismpoiriersr3339]

Once Les made the low impedance pickup he never went back to the high impedance ones.

[@dylanfan424]

I’ve been looking for this forever, thank you!

[@cowsill2x2]

Check out more on the 2013 documentary "Turn It Up! A Celebration of the Electric Guitar, where the Bloomfield clip reappears.

[@russelmurray9268]

Don't forget Seth Lover who invented the humbucking pickup. He put the teeth on the LesPaul guitar

[@jimmyjames9752]

Been waiting a very long time for this thank you so much

[@cowsill2x2]

Check out more on the 2013 documentary "Turn It Up! A Celebration of the Electric Guitar, where the Bloomfield" clip reappears.

[@Gennettor-nc8kx]

The most important bit is the clip from 12:27 of the movie "Sarge Goes To College" with Les, Wingy Mannone, Coco Candido, Joe Venuti, Jess Stacey and Abe Lyman. (and of course it's cut....)

[@kevinshea2097]

Before jimmy hendrix ,jeffBeck etc. Eddie Van halen etc The king Les Paul this is the man who started it .

[@mohammedcohen]

...I remember being 6 or 7 years old in Fort Lee, NJ - in the schoolyard at recess - a kid had a crystal radio set that looked like a 50s era rocket ship...he put the alligator clip onto a metal strip on a telephone pole...and I heard something - IIRC a commercial on one of the two 800 lb gorilla radio stations in the NYC area...

[@1allspub]

Les Paul… the original shredder!

[@raystevens3527]

It would have been nice if they said the one guy that was talking was Rick Derringer,one of the greatest living guitar players himself

[@ezze7540]

Les Paul was metal waaay before anyone!

[@thomaspick4123]

Outstanding. His divorce made him not want to promote the SG at the time. Mary denutted him.

[@MarsG0Dofw4r_]

He invented the freaking looper! 16:25

[@larrytaylor3048]

Play that polka.

[@xxcelr8rs]

And the melody!

[@mikec6733]

Wingy Minone !

[@cowsill2x2]

Wingy Manone, but yes :)

[@guitarmeetsscience]

​@@cowsill2x2 Wingy was my grandfather.

[@smedleybutler8787]

He was making $1,000 a week in 1938?

[@mickbrenton]

None better!!!!

[@waynepayne864]

woah is that the kalamazoo factory? the one they closed to bust a union formation attempt

[@Gennettor-nc8kx]

If only Les had known Tommy Emmanuel...

[@helmutsecke3529]

Hier kommt der Ivan Kral am 19:01. Gott mit ihm.

[@eddriver7815]

PEOPLE ............ ITS PRONOUNCED .... WALK A SHAW NOT WALK EEEE SHUH

[@Stillkickingarse]

Les Paul was the Leonardo Da Vinci of the guitar... constantly bringing forth ideas to the instrument that made it to what the guitar is today... Every kid interested in the guitar should be aware what an immense contribution to the instrument this man was...