This Week's Forgotten Gem of the '80s - Peter Frampton's "Breaking All the Rules"

With the passing of legendary instrumentalist and guitar designer Les Paul this week, I thought it would be particularly fitting to showcase in this space an '80s musician known for playing Paul's namesake guitar model. Now, I could have easily gone for the obvious choice here - maybe Slash from Guns N' Roses or late Ozzy Osbourne ax man Randy Rhoads - but then I would have trampled on the sacred concept of the forgotten gem. Couldn't have that.

So instead I happened upon this 1981 track from Peter Frampton's solo album of the same name, a tune outside of that particular artist's most popular '70s period but one that far better represents his skills as a first-rate guitarist than, say, "Baby I Love Your Way." Essentially, what we have here is an arena rock classic that betrays in a very positive way Frampton's genuinely hard rock past in '60s band Humble Pie. So while you celebrate the long, fruitful legacy this weekend of the brilliant and influential Les Paul, take a few moments to remember that Frampton was and is one hell of a guitarist, perfectly worthy of perhaps Gibson's most celebrated guitar model.

• Sample or download "Breaking All the Rules" here.
• Compare prices on Peter Frampton solo CDs here.