Jeff Beck

  • Wallington, Surrey
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  • 1964
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About Jeff Beck

Official Site: http://jeffbeck.com/ | @jeffbeckmusic | facebook.com/jeffbeck


While he was as innovative as Jimmy Page, as tasteful as Eric Clapton, and nearly as visionary as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck never achieved the same commercial success as any of those contemporaries, primarily because of the haphazard way he approached his career. After Rod Stewart left the Jeff Beck Group in 1971, Beck never worked with a charismatic lead singer who could have helped sell his music to a wide audience. Furthermore, he was simply too idiosyncratic, moving from heavy metal to jazz fusion within a blink of an eye. As his career progressed, he became more fascinated by automobiles than guitars, releasing only one album during the course of the '90s. All the while, Beck retained the respect of fellow guitarists, who found his reclusiveness all the more alluring.

Beck began his musical career following a short stint at London's Wimbledon Art College. He earned a reputation by supporting Lord Sutch, which helped him land the job as the Yardbirds' lead guitarist following the departure of Eric Clapton. Beck stayed with the Yardbirds for nearly two years, leaving in late 1966 with the pretense that he was retiring from music. He returned several months later with "Love Is Blue," a single he played poorly because he detested the song. Later in 1967, he formed the Jeff Beck Group with vocalist Rod Stewart, bassist Ron Wood, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who was quickly replaced by Mickey Waller; keyboardist Nicky Hopkins joined in early 1968. With their crushingly loud reworkings of blues songs and vocal and guitar interplay, the Jeff Beck Group established the template for heavy metal. Neither of the band's records, Truth (1968) or Beck-Ola (a 1969 album that was recorded with new drummer Tony Newman), was particularly successful, and the bandmembers tended to fight regularly, especially on their frequent tours of the U.S. In 1970, Stewart and Wood left to join the Faces, and Beck broke up the group.

Beck had intended to form a power trio with Vanilla Fudge members Carmine Appice (drums) and Tim Bogert (bass), but those plans were derailed when he suffered a serious car crash in 1970. By the time he recuperated in 1971, Bogart and Appice were playing in Cactus, so the guitarist formed a new version of the Jeff Beck Group. Featuring keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Clive Chaman, and vocalist Bobby Tench, the new band recorded Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972). Neither album attracted much attention. Cactus dissolved in late 1972, and Beck, Bogert, and Appice formed a power trio the following year. The group's lone studio album -- a live record was released in Japan but never in the U.K. or U.S. -- was widely panned due to its plodding arrangements and weak vocals, and the group disbanded the following year.

For about 18 months, Beck remained quiet, re-emerging in 1975 with Blow by Blow. Produced by George Martin, Blow by Blow was an all-instrumental jazz fusion album that received strong reviews. Beck collaborated with Jan Hammer, a former keyboardist for Mahavishnu Orchestra, for 1976's Wired, and supported the album with a co-headlining tour with Hammer's band. The tour was documented on the 1977 album Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group -- Live.

After the Hammer tour, Beck retired to his estate outside of London and remained quiet for three years. He returned in 1980 with There and Back, which featured contributions from Hammer. Following the tour for There and Back, Beck retired again, returning five years later with the slick, Nile Rodgers-produced Flash. A pop/rock album recorded with a variety of vocalists, Flash featured Beck's only hit single, the Stewart-sung "People Get Ready," and also boasted "Escape," which won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. During 1987, he played lead guitar on Mick Jagger's second solo album, Primitive Cool. There was another long wait between Flash and 1989's Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas. Though the album sold only moderately well, Guitar Shop received uniformly strong reviews and won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. Beck supported the album with a tour, this time co-headlining with guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Again, Beck entered semi-retirement upon the completion of the tour.

In 1992, Beck played lead guitar on Roger Waters' comeback album, Amused to Death. A year later, he released Crazy Legs, a tribute to Gene Vincent and his lead guitarist, Cliff Gallup, which was recorded with Big Town Playboys. Beck remained quiet after the album's release prior to resurfacing in 1999 with Who Else! You Had It Coming followed in 2001 and his 14th release, Jeff, was issued on Epic two years later. An excellent live set, Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, was released in 2008 by Eagle Records. Emotion & Commotion, Beck's first new studio album in seven years, appeared in the spring of 2010. It was greeted by considerable acclaim, including winning two Grammy Awards in 2011 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Appropriately, Beck released a live album called Live and Exclusive from the Grammy Museum in the fall of 2010, followed by Rock & Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul), a salute to Beck's hero featuring vocals by Imelda May. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

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Music

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  • People Get Ready (Live)
    jeff-beck
    Video
    People Get Ready (Live)
  • Goodbye Pork Pie Hat / Brush With the Blues (Live)
    jeff-beck
    Video
    Goodbye Pork Pie Hat / Brush With the Blues (Live)
  • Where Were You (Live)
    jeff-beck
    Video
    Where Were You (Live)
  • 2593
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    • People Get Ready
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/0/1/4/0/263304102.mp3
    • Cause We've Ended As Lovers
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/9/5/6/3/0/919203659.mp3
    • I Ain't Superstitious
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/0/0/7/1/8/957081700.mp3
    • Freeway Jam
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/5/1/5/5/9/919095515.mp3
    • You Know What I Mean
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/2/1/5/3/0/919203512.mp3
    • I Put A Spell On You [Feat. Joss Stone]
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/4/6/2/1/6/897661264.mp3

Photos

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  • Jeff Beck

News

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  • Jeff Beck
    Jeff Beck Shows Off “Musical Tourette’s” at Montreal Jazz Fest
    www.rollingstone.com
    Lovekin/GettyIn the world of rock guitar gods, two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Beck stands alone in terms of scope and style. And in the first...
    Read More
  • Jeff Beck
    Metallica, Run-DMC, Jeff Beck Join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Wild Induction Ceremony
    www.rollingstone.com
    interview room featuring Run-DMC, Jeff Beck, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and more. • Metallica, Run-DMC, Jeff Beck Join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Wi...
    Read More
  • Jeff Beck
    Jeff Beck Shows Off “Musical Tourette’s” at Montreal Jazz Fest
    www.rollingstone.com
    rock guitar gods, Jeff Beck stands alone in terms of scope and style. And in the first of two shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival's half...
    Read More
  • Jeff Beck
    Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jeff Beck Rock Crossroads Fest
    www.rollingstone.com
    in white-rimmed sunglasses with his blues trio — bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan — shooting ... Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jeff Beck Roc...
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  • Jeff Beck
    Video: The Who Rock With Jeff Beck, Debbie Harry and Bryan Adams At Benefit Gig
    www.rollingstone.com
    The Who played their first gig in nearly a year last night at London Hammermsith's Odeon. The headlining set, which raised money for the charity Killi...
    Read More
  • Jeff Beck
    Exclusive: Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck Getting Closer to Recording Together Again
    www.rollingstone.com
    also discussed his second child with wife Penny Lancaster, due in less than three weeks. "It's a little boy and we're either going to call it Aidan or...
    Read More
  • Jeff Beck
    Joss Stone And Jeff Beck Get Steamy On 'Idol Gives Back'
    MTV News
    Wednesday night's (April 21) "Idol Gives Back" event featured performances by everyone from the Black Eyed Peas to Annie Lennox, but it was a pair of ...
    Read More
  • Jeff Beck
    Brian Wilson, Jeff Beck to Lead Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp
    music.yahoo.com
    RELATED CONTENTView Photo Brian Wilson, Jeff Beck to Lead Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck will be the star attractions this spring...
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  • Jeff Beck
    Brian Wilson, Jeff Beck to Lead Rock Roll Fantasy Camp
    www.rollingstone.com
    Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck will be the star attractions this spring at Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas, where campers will learn songwriting and...
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  • Jeff Beck
    Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp with Jeff Beck and Brian Wilson
    www.jambands.com
    Jeff Beck and Brian Wilson will hold jam sessions at Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas April 18-21. "Campers" will have the chanc...
    Read More

Discography

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  • Jeff Beck's Rock 'N' Roll Party: Honoring Les Paul (2011)
    Jeff Beck
    Jeff Beck's Rock 'N' Roll Party: Honoring Les Paul (2011)
    Rhino
  • Live and Exclusive from the Grammy Museum (2010)
    Jeff Beck
    Live and Exclusive from the Grammy Museum (2010)
    Atco
  • Emotion & Commotion (2010)
    Jeff Beck
    Emotion & Commotion (2010)
    Atco
  • Performing This Week...: Live at Ronnie Scott's (2008)
    Jeff Beck
    Performing This Week...: Live at Ronnie Scott's (2008)
    Eagle Records
  • Official Bootleg USA '06 (2007)
    Jeff Beck
    Official Bootleg USA '06 (2007)
    Sony Music Distribution
  • Jeff (2003)
    Jeff Beck
    Jeff (2003)
    Epic
  • Jeff Beck Live: B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill, New York (2003)
    Jeff Beck
    Jeff Beck Live: B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill, New York (2003)
    Friday Music
  • You Had It Coming (2001)
    Jeff Beck
    You Had It Coming (2001)
    Epic
  • Who Else! (1999)
    Jeff Beck
    Who Else! (1999)
    Epic
  • Up (1995)
    Jeff Beck
    Up (1995)
    Import
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