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Jeff Beck R.I.P.
- Thread starter Hot Rats
- Start date
We are getting to that sad point in time when we are going to start losing some of the greats. How the heck Keith Richards is still alive is beyond me. LOL! Sad to see Jeff pass. I didn't realize he was that old. At least we will always have his musical legacy to listen too. I submit one of my favorite songs he played guitar on. May he rest in peace.
A treasure and an icon. Thanks for a life very well lived.
This is worth the read:
Jeff Beck - Wikipedia
This is worth the read:
Jeff Beck - Wikipedia
I got into him with his 1999 release Who Else! and, over the years, have acquired a lot of his material. Probably my overall favorite electric guitarist...I specify "electric" because I've never seen a pic of him even holding an acoustic, never mind seen/heard him play one. That's not a dig, just an observation!
There were/are guitarists arguably "better" than Beck on a straight technical level, but to my ears, he is pretty much unmatched when it comes to feel, phrasing, etc. One of the most special and unique players of all time...truly a "guitar hero's guitar hero".
For me, one of the benchmarks of his playing is "Angel (Footsteps)" (from Who Else!), which is not really a technical showcase - it's slow/simple enough that I think even I, sub-mediocre "guitarist" that I am, could learn it pretty quickly (of course I would never be able to play it quite like him) - but is so sublime in terms of, well, practically everything musically speaking, that every time I listen to it, I just sit there in near disbelief...it's one of the few pieces of music that can actually make me cry.
Oh, and between tours he only, y'know...built hot rods from the ground up...just a little side hobby, y'know?
Thank you, Jeff Beck, for sharing your talent and music with the world. There will never be another quite like you.
There were/are guitarists arguably "better" than Beck on a straight technical level, but to my ears, he is pretty much unmatched when it comes to feel, phrasing, etc. One of the most special and unique players of all time...truly a "guitar hero's guitar hero".
For me, one of the benchmarks of his playing is "Angel (Footsteps)" (from Who Else!), which is not really a technical showcase - it's slow/simple enough that I think even I, sub-mediocre "guitarist" that I am, could learn it pretty quickly (of course I would never be able to play it quite like him) - but is so sublime in terms of, well, practically everything musically speaking, that every time I listen to it, I just sit there in near disbelief...it's one of the few pieces of music that can actually make me cry.
Oh, and between tours he only, y'know...built hot rods from the ground up...just a little side hobby, y'know?
Thank you, Jeff Beck, for sharing your talent and music with the world. There will never be another quite like you.
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I was stunned to see the news this morning. I didn't know Jeff Beck's music in the 60's, but I surely was aware of it and listened to it a lot in the 70's. Beck, Bogert, and Appice was a huge early influence for me. Then the Blow by Blow and Wired albums came along. There is so much more of his catalog to hear still for me.
One of the three giants of English guitar. Time is beginning to run out on them. First Beck, next Page and Clapton will go. Legends, yes, all three. Irreplaceable. Thank you, Jeff Beck, for everything you gave us all.
One of the three giants of English guitar. Time is beginning to run out on them. First Beck, next Page and Clapton will go. Legends, yes, all three. Irreplaceable. Thank you, Jeff Beck, for everything you gave us all.
From one of my all-time favorite shows. You'll be sorely missed Mr. Beck.
It suprised me how much this affected me. In the pantheon of guitar masters, Beck held a unique position. An original and inspirational voice, he will be missed.
I was never a Jeff Beck fan. However, there is no arguing that he left an indelible mark in rock/music history. I did love Freeway Jam! R.I.P. Mr. Beck.
Here you go…
I guess he just wasn’t interested in acoustic; what got him all revved up as a kid was Les Paul and Mary Ford records, Cliff Gallup with Gene Vincent as well.
Yeah, now that you mention it! Never saw him with an acoustic. But man, he sure made the electric guitar an extension of himself.
Listened to Blow by Blow and Wired last night driving, and it's all there - the emotional and the technical, often in the same phrase or lick. The variation and subtlety of sounds he could get with just his fingers was unparalleled as well. The more I think about it, IMHO, Beck was the GOAT on the electric guitar.
One thing about him that I respected was his inclusiveness of female musicians in his bands; from Jennifer Batten on guitar, to Tal and Rhonda on bass, to Rosie Bones and Carmen Vandenberg on the Loud Hailer album and tour, and the female cellist he had on board when I saw him last in 2019, plus having vocalists like Imogene Heap, Beth Hart and Imelda May perform with him.
I agree and I've said so for years. I believe the only reason he was not a bigger star than he became is that he didn't sing as a front person and he really did remain pretty well-grounded overall, not giving into the temptations of rockstar life. He had a successful career that allowed him to reinvent his style over and over again, rather than get stuck in a box filled with fan expectations.
Yesterday I read that he regretted recording Blow-by-Blow, which is my favorite from him, because he felt exactly that way about it. Something along the lines of being constrained by masterful surroundings where he had these monster players to work with in a format that was very well-defined, I believe. I wonder if he ever felt like he got past that? So many people believe that to have been some of the finest work he did.
I loved it, but I also loved the raw power and energy in the BBA stuff, and everything else he ever did. The guy was super versatile and could do anything he wanted to do. I contrast that with the rest of the players who comprise the "top 5" RS list. Hendrix, Clapton, Page, and Richards. All fine players in their respective roles, but none had that level of versatility. Hendrix might have done much more with his already amazing talents had he lived to do it, but we got what we got out of those other three guys. I'm sure glad we got it, but none of them reached for challenges and excellence as consistently as Beck did. That he is ranked in that list fifth is mind-boggling, but he was not the biggest star and that counts in these things, I suppose.
I was just gutted by this news yesterday. Definitely not one I was expecting.
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Interesting, never knew that about his feelings re Blow by Blow. My favorite as well. A masterclass on the electric guitar, really. Sure he did music that was more adventurous at times, but he didn't sound like he was holding back on that one - the way he sings and speaks through the instrument on that album I still find jaw-dropping.
I forget where I read that but it was probably one of the numerous links posted here yesterday. It surprised me, too.
Huge fan. He struck me as reasonably humble. One of my all time favorite concerts was him with SRV and Terry Bozzio trading licks. Absolutely jaw dropping to the point I don’t even remember who played bass, maybe Shannon? This is another huge loss.
Just saw him with ZZ Top. One of my all time favorites. Check out the YouTube videos of him jamming La Grange with Billy Gibbons. It's a show stopper.
