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Police will reportedly review their investigation into the 1969 death of the Rolling Stones’ guitarist Brian Jones after uncovering new evidence related to the case, the BBC reports. Jones was found dead in his swimming pool in East Sussex in 1969, just months after leaving the Rolling Stones at age [...]]]>

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty

Police will reportedly review their investigation into the 1969 death of the Rolling Stones’ guitarist Brian Jones after uncovering new evidence related to the case, the BBC reports. Jones was found dead in his swimming pool in East Sussex in 1969, just months after leaving the Rolling Stones at age 27. While the coroner originally ruled that Jones had drowned while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, it’s long been rumored that he was possibly murdered.

Behind the Rolling Stones’ 1969 U.S. tour: Photos including some of Brian Jones’ final shots with the band.

Police decided to reexamine the case after 600 pages of documents regarding Jones’ death were handed over to authorities by investigative journalist Scott Jones, the AP reports. Scott Jones — no relation to Brian — reportedly spoke to Janet Lawson, the woman who discovered Brian Jones’ body on July 2nd, 1969. Lawson, who died last year, told Scott Jones that before Brian’s death, she saw the guitarist and builder Frank Thorogood fooling around in the pool. Soon after, Lawson saw Thorogood shaking badly as he reentered the house, and then she found Jones in the pool.

Look back at more musicians lost before their time.

Thorogood was also the central suspect in a pair of 1994 books about Jones’ death. In Who Killed Christopher Robin?, Terry Rawlings writes that Thorogood took responsibility for killing Jones on his death bed in 1993, telling Rolling Stones’ driver Tom Keylock, “It was me that did Brian. I just finally snapped.” Keylock died last month. Why the police will reexamine the case now following Lawson’s statements as opposed to Thorogood’s statements from his death bed remain unclear.

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As word spread of the death of guitar pioneer Les Paul today, many of those he influenced jumped online (and called up Rolling Stone) to share their tributes to the father of the electric six-string. The next issue will have more tributes, but here’s a survey of artists’ immediate reactions to the [...]]]>

Photo: Capak/WireImage

As word spread of the death of guitar pioneer Les Paul today, many of those he influenced jumped online (and called up Rolling Stone) to share their tributes to the father of the electric six-string. The next issue will have more tributes, but here’s a survey of artists’ immediate reactions to the loss of one of the instruments’ true heroes:

Look back at Paul’s life in photos: Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and more stars with the father of the electric guitar.

“My friend & mentor Les Paul died today at 94, he was one of the most stellar human beings I’ve ever known, rest in peace Les.” — Slash

“Remembering Les Paul today. Just happened to have his namesake Gibson around my shoulder the last few days. Pictures of Les Paul all over the studio today. Very special day in here. You should wiki his life. Pretty amazing.” — John Mayer

“RIP Les Paul-thankyou for the instruments that changed the course of music. If u have ever “rocked” or “been rocked” u can thank Les Paul.” — Tom Morello

“The World Has Lost a Remarkable Innovator and Musician.” — the Donnas

“The music industry has lost a giant! I’m very saddened by the news of Les Paul’s passing. I was lucky enough to have known Les as a friend, and admired him as a musician and innovator. He forever changed the way we listen to music.” — Ace Frehley

“Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed. He was the original guitar hero, and the kindest of souls. Last October I joined him onstage at The Iridium club in NYC, and he was still shredding. He was and still is an inspiration to us all.” — Joe Satriani

“There are very few human beings in history who touched so many people the way Les Paul did. Not only musicians. But anyone that loved music. He shared his gifts with all of us and brought people together with his brilliance and devotion to music and the art of sound. It was a privilege to have met him. He will be incredibly missed. But our blessing is to know that his spirit and soul will live for eternity in music everywhere.” — The Hold Steady’s Tad Kubler, who shared this photo with us as well:

Read Rolling Stone’s Les Paul obituary here.

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Les Paul, one of the most revered guitarists in history and the father of the electric guitar, passed away last night, August 12th at the age of 94. Paul’s manager confirmed to Rolling Stone that cause of death was respiratory failure, and a statement from Gibson indicates Paul was suffering [...]]]>

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty

Les Paul, one of the most revered guitarists in history and the father of the electric guitar, passed away last night, August 12th at the age of 94. Paul’s manager confirmed to Rolling Stone that cause of death was respiratory failure, and a statement from Gibson indicates Paul was suffering from severe pneumonia and died at a hospital in White Plains, New York.

Read Rolling Stone’s full Les Paul obituary here.

An inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame, Paul is credited as the inventor of the electric body guitar and the pioneer of recording techniques like electronic echo and multi-tracking. Paul also had a celebrated career as both a solo artist and with singer Mary Ford, his wife until 1964. In 2003, Rolling Stone named Les Paul to our list of the Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and his influence on guitar greats who followed him is undeniable. “He was one of the most stellar human beings I’ve ever known,” Slash posted on his Twitter today, referring to Paul as his “friend and mentor.” Chickenfoot guitarist Joe Satriani released a statement that reads, “Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed. He was the original guitar hero, and the kindest of souls.”

Look back at Paul’s life in photos: Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and more stars with the father of the electric guitar.

In the early ’50s, Paul and Ford had a string of hits including Mockin’ Bird Hill,” “How High the Moon,” “The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise” and “Vaya Con Dios.” Paul also began experimenting with the electric guitar, building the Les Paul Recording Guitar, an instrument that allowed for “hot” pickups and “fatter” tone than the Fender on the market. Paul linked up with Gibson Guitars and his six-string became one of the guitar maker’s signatures.

Slash, Tom Morello and more guitarists remember Les Paul.

Around this time, Paul also made the first-ever eight-track recording, as well as the dual-pickup guitar, the 14-fret guitar, and various types of electronic transducers used both in guitars and recording studios. For his achievements as a technician, Paul was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005, joining Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.

Read Gibson’s CEO’s memories of Paul’s impact here.

Paul was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1915, a fact noted in the name of the 1980 Les Paul documentary The Wizard of Waukesha. Last November, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honored Paul with its annual American Music Masters Concert, where Slash, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Richie Sambora and the Patti Smith Group’s Lenny Kaye paid tribute to Paul (watch footage from the event, below). Kaye told the audience, “Before Les, guitars were only amplified. Les made them truly electric.” During his acceptance speech, Paul joked, “Everybody thought I was a guitar until I played here tonight.” One thing is for certain: Les Paul is responsible for changing the way rock & roll sounds and he will be greatly missed.

Related Stories:

• Slash, Billy Gibbons Jam for Les Paul at Rock Hall’s American Music Masters Concert
• Les Paul to Be Honored By Rock Hall With American Music Masters Concert
• Les Paul Turns Ninety

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