Jeff Beck: C/D, S/D, RFD

I've listened to Beck, Bogert & Appice and their version of "Superstition" is world-crushingly awesome but everything else is a boring ballad or a generic blooze riff

I like the BBA record, though I won't argue with this assessment, but I also didn't realize until last night that Stevie Wonder wrote "Superstition" for Jeff Beck, the BBA vers was going to come out first until Barry Gordy heard it.

I've always been sort of curious to think what would have happened if the 80s "sci-fi metal" band of Jagger, Beck, Doug Wimbish and Simon Philips (and/or Terry Bozio) would have really happened. Jagger assembled them for the "Primitive Cool" soul tour under the guise of solo songs and writing new things but it turned out to all just be an end around attempt to get the Stones to reunite (or Jagger lost his nerve depending on who is telling the story)

It did (briefly) happen (sort of), just with Satriani instead of Beck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zebssNCklwo

Jagger's hair and scarf match the solos.

Larger than life!

but it turned out to all just be an end around attempt to get the Stones to reunite (or Jagger lost his nerve depending on who is telling the story)

In a way, yes -- Jagger toured Japan because the Stones couldn't (due to drug convictions), and his solo tour opened the door for the Stones playing there two years later.

Simon Phillips in a 2021 RS interview:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/drummer-simon-phillips-interview-mick-jagger-jimmy-page-toto-1115962/

Before we get to the Who, how did you wind up playing with Mick Jagger on his 1988 solo tour?

Well, again, that was thanks to Jeff Beck. Jeff was playing on some of the Primitive Cool sessions. Mick was looking for a drummer and he recommended me and I went over to Wisseloord in Holland to record. This was at the end of 1986. We were trying to put a band together with Jeff, [bassist] Doug Wimbish, myself, and Mick. We started rehearsing. I used to have a rehearsal tape of that band, but it unfortunately went in the fire. It sounded amazing, but Mick didn’t want that. He wanted the dancing girls and the singers. It was a bit of a shame. And Jeff didn’t really want to do that, so they parted company.

...

But from a purely musical and creative point of view, I found it strange. Why are we playing all these Stones songs? This is your solo career. We did speak about this with Jeff way early, back in 1987. “Why are we doing this? And the band sounds great as a four-piece. Just add a keyboard player and let’s play all the new material.” I think it would have been more interesting and historically it would have made a much bigger stamp.

that main melody of “where were you” from guitar shop is angelic. don’t even know how to describe the sound he gets.

Charles Shaar Murray shared this while calling him the greatest guitar alive (except for the years Hendrix was active) - some good shots of Beck playing this on his guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=howz7gVecjE

(The whole show's also here.)

One quick question - how's the box set Beckology? A good representation of his best output or are there any egregious omissions?

Rick Beato posted an appreciation just three or so months ago, does a good job conveying to the layman what Beck is up to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV9bnaqqfq8

A couple of other examples of how he just pops out in various contexts, like here, with Buddy Guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TYWYDqr-TA

or here, with Toots:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sy6lzt2xU8

Where Were You on Guitar Shop was my introduction to Jeff as a boy, because Brian May made it the only 'connoisseur' choice on the first Air Guitar comp. Reminds me of ECM.

I finally heard Who Else! in full today - heard maybe 75% of it before (repeatedly). How do the next two albums pare up?

that Guitar Shop album was also my introduction to him and a big reason why I wanted to play a Strat, pretty sure I even attempted a half-assed version of that tune

I wouldn't say that I straight up love his music, but his whole approach and tone is so utterly his own and just impossible to copy, very few guitarists are able to carve out their own space like that

that's pretty much where i'm at

also was going through his catalog on spotify and did NOT know he apparently got really into chemical brothers and prodigy and did some electronic albums

I wouldn't say that I straight up love his music

Yeah, that's what I meant when above (I think) I said you listen to Jeff Beck for Jeff Beck. That is, not for the songs, as such, but for his playing, which is unique and entrancing in just about any context.

one gem I found today is Jeff Beck Group - Twilight of the Idols (Live 1967-1968), a comp from 2019, really good stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JCs_OSaoBI

https://www.thewho.com/jeff-beck-1944-2023/

“So sad to hear that Jeff Beck has passed away. Last time I worked with him was when he played a lead solo part on an orchestral version of ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ for a BBC concert. His work was impeccable as ever. He walked into Abbey Road Studio 1 with a guitar and asked if I had an amp he could use. He really could get his sound with almost any amplifier. His circle of friends in the music business is vast, we are all partly in shock. He always kept his ‘look’, scraggy black hair, strong face and scrawny rock star physique. It was rumoured he didn’t eat much! But we thought he would go on forever.

Why are we only “partly” in shock? All of us from the first wave of UK rock and pop that followed in the wake of The Beatles back in the early ‘60s are all getting older of course, and when our time comes it comes. And Jeff lived a great life in music, and had a wonderful and beautiful partner in Sandra. He loved his cars, which he engineered himself. He was never bored. He surrounded himself with some of the greatest players in the business, so his concerts were always spell-binding.

Most of all, Jeff was easy to be around, so natural as a musician with such a good ear for melody, as soon as he heard something, he could play it, it fell under his fingers. He was never flashy, his good taste was a huge part of his art. It’s a great relief to know he died peacefully.

The Miles Davis of rock guitar, he will never be forgotten, and those of us who were his friends feel lucky to have known him.”

PETE TOWNSHEND

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzvwap2aA3I

xpost
that's really touching

xp It's funny to see them introducing themselves like they're fairly anonymous. Not surprising given the circumstances, just funny. "Are you also a...?" "I'm a guitarist as well, yes."

xxp I love how Roger Daltrey's short response following Townshend's immediately calls Beck his "favorite guitarist." Regardless, Townshend's tribute is very beautiful.

lovely post via the apollo440 fb page from noko :

"Apollo 440 produced and co-wrote some tracks for what was to be his 9th solo album, 2003’s “Jeff”. We had him round our studio, Apollo Control in Cally Road, for the best part of a fortnight and I would have honestly paid to go into work every single day of that precious time.
To be there, in the moment, at-the-source, as he weaved his alchemical path in and around the notes that we recorded, was a rare honour and a truly humbling experience.
People asked ‘how does he do it?’, 'what’s the secret?’…was it something elusive and special about his signal-chain?…….in fact it was nothing like that.
His rig was the most generic Marshall JCM DSL 100 and 4x12" and the only slightly weird pedal he used was a lovely old Maestro Ring Modulator : all of the religious ecstasy of his gift came from his fingers and the supernatural, animal-like transportive frame-of-mind he entered when you lit the magic touch-paper and the tape rolled : real, actual magic.
He was such a humble musician and was never satisfied with his performance : "just one more take" he would say …on a quest for perfection that was as legendary as it was frustrating.
On the last day we worked with him, we were in Sony’s Whitfield Street studio, supposedly mixing….yet there he was going back for one more solo retake to push his excellence one bit closer to the stars.
The track we were working on was ‘Take a Ride On My Bottleneck Slide’ and he’d taken a fancy to my new Danelecrtro baritone that I picked up from Denmark Street that day (he got to use it before I’d even played it!)
When he’d finally nailed the take, I asked him to sign it…..”what should I write?" he said……"I dunno" I replied, "how about the song title?" I said…..to which he responded with ‘“Sling yo fuckin’ hook!”…priceless and on my Dano forever.
"

First some more bad news, news to me: people can be asymptomatic carriers of bacterial meningitis, ugh, so yeah I was gonna keep masking anyway.
Now the good news to me in effect, since I'd forgotten most of the credits on the well-named Flash---although he later disowned it, I really enjoyed it in the Big 80s, and do recall the two vocals by Beck, most others by Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie, and of course the timewarp "People Get Ready" with Rod Stewart (who overdid the "PRAISE The Lohd!" but good track otherwise, Beck rightly responsive).
Also: Nile Rodgers, writing several and producing whole thing, Doug Wimbish, Jan Hammer, Carmine Appice---https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_(Jeff_Beck_album)

Nile Rodgers told an amazing anecdote at Pop Conference years back when he was one of the keynote speakers -- Alfred remembers it I'm sure -- where he talked about producing Beck and was baffled at learning that Beck was really into Vangelis around then. But with the long scope of time it totally makes sense he was into that as much as anything and everything else.

Jeff, thank you for believing in me before anyone else did. You stood behind me & told everyone to take me seriously. You treated me like a daughter to the point where Wikipedia actually thought that was true. Actually, I did too. ♥️💔♥️💔@jeffbeckmusic #RIPJeffBeck pic.twitter.com/TtQ0Ysrji3

— TAL (@talwilkenfeld) January 12, 2023

Aw. She rules.

Nile Rodgers told an amazing anecdote at Pop Conference years back when he was one of the keynote speakers -- Alfred remembers it I'm sure -- where he talked about producing Beck and was baffled at learning that Beck was really into Vangelis around then. But with the long scope of time it totally makes sense he was into that as much as anything and everything else.

― Ned Raggett,

*nods* It reminds me when I learned Nile Rodgers cited Roxy Music as an influence -- a "well, DUH" moment.

He also cites Kiss, which is more like a "well, HUH" moment.

Goddaaang these first two Jeff Beck Group albums are excellent and also supremely funky. Some of my favorite Rod vocals as well. Came to these very, very late but so glad I have. Rest In Peace. What a master.

I've now listened to Blow By Blow, Wired and There and Back — his three late 70s all instrumental studio albums — and I am definitely gonna be coming back to these. If you're a fan of early Al Di Meola (shredtastic instro rock with some funk and Latin stuff thrown in, plus the occasional wiggy prog synth eruption) you will love these, and vice versa.

Also in that era, he toured with the Jan Hammer Group, and my friend said it was good---now dig this wiki credit, from the resulting album:

Fernando Saunders - bass, harmony vocals; rhythm guitar on "She's A Woman"

And another friend just now sent me the Blow-Up clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHqXWIoYRvA

I listened to Beckology at least twice from end to end. The first half is really strong, a fantastic listen, but the momentum slows with Beck, Bogert, Appice and their two live cuts were kind of excruciating. (The studio outtake "Jizz Whizz" was much better than expected though.) Things do pick up a lot with the selections from Blow by Blow and Wired - that takes us five tracks into the third and final disc. After that the rest is wildly uneven, but there's a nice cover of "People Get Ready" and "Where Were You" is just beautiful.

you guys gimme some other examples if I overlook anything…

1.) he is the most major brit rock 60s personage whose shit under his own name is in no way part of the terrible classic rock complex, no classic rock radio presence to speak of…

2.) while there was a tradition of instrumental music being genuinely popular on the radio before, what, 1967? the 70s? (particularly in the UK), he is the most major rock figure whose mark was most definitive (again, under his own name) as an instrumental artist (those 70s fusion records were genuinely popular).

3. similarly, he is one of the major fusion acts… he's right behind the big three of Return to Forever, Mahavishnu and Weather Report…he plays on Stanley Clarke's "Hello Jeff " and "Rock and Roll Jelly," two songs that are notable for their lack of the self serious portent that enveloped fusion. Which I have no problem whatsoever with, but the absence as such makes these songs totally fun and daresay danceable…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTUBTfeNRtg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igi342t78qs

4) he came up with the drum best for “superstition”

contusion” of songs in the key of life could totally be a late 70s jeff beck tune

beat

xpost: the other day, I heard "Hi Ho Silver Lining" for like the second time: almost no one other than heads in the U.S. know this tune, but is it true that in the UK, it is by far the best known exponent of his work, a pub singalong, played at weddings and so forth?

I had forgotten that he actually played with Clarke, but while walking around this morning listening to Wired again I was thinking that the music sounds very much in the vein of Clarke's solo material, particularly his self-titled and Journey to Love albums...and there he is!

xpost abt Hi Ho Silver Lining

P much, although poss not so much nowadays.

xpost: the other day, I heard "Hi Ho Silver Lining" for like the second time: almost no one other than heads in the U.S. know this tune, but is it true that in the UK, it is by far the best known exponent of his work, a pub singalong, played at weddings and so forth?

― veronica moser,

can confirm.
this is a uk party standard.
and i have never ever got fed up with it.

Just discovered this now-obscure 45:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO4Xn0S5MGE

Written and performed by Paul Jones (ex-Manfred Mann) and released in March 1968, it's more or less a supergroup featuring Jeff Beck on guitar, Paul McCartney on drums, Paul Samwell-Smith on bass, and Nicky Hopkins on keyboard with Peter Asher producing.

From Hot Wired Guitar: The Life Of Jeff Beck, by Martin Power:

Locked into a low-paying contract that forced him to release below-par singles wholly unrepresentative of his undoubted talent or preferred musical direction, and with a band now on the verge of desertion, Beck continued to prop up his income with the odd session. The most notable of these was an inspired contribution to the B-side of ex-Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones’ single ‘And The Sun Will Shine’, cut in the early spring of 1968. Written by the Gibb Brothers – aka the Bee Gees – ‘And The Sun…’ was a fairly innocuous example of late-sixties pop balladry. But its flip side, ‘The Dog Presides’, was much more rewarding to the ear. Cut at Abbey Road’s famous Studio II, ‘The Dog Presides’, featured an all-star cast of musicians and fashionable London faces. Making his debut as a producer was Pete Asher of Peter & Gordon, a singing duo that had already achieved considerable notoriety with four million-selling singles, the best known of which was ‘A World Without Love’. The brother of Jane Asher – then dating Beatle Paul McCartney – Pete had asked McCartney to attend the session at which he ended up playing drums. Also along for the ride was Jeff’s former bandmate and now producer in his own right, Paul Samwell-Smith, who added bass guitar. To give things an extra helping of top-end sheen, Nicky Hopkins brought along his keyboard, leaving Beck to provide some typical fiery runes from the neck of his Gibson Les Paul. The result of all this superstar jamming was a cracking little tune, sung beautifully by Jones, whose panicky harmonica fills were a perfect complement to Jeff’s growling lead lines. For Beck, who reportedly earned a week’s rent from ‘The Dog Presides’, there was only one regret: “Well, all I remember [about it] was hoping Paul McCartney would sing“.

1.) he is the most major brit rock 60s personage whose shit under his own name is in no way part of the terrible classic rock complex, no classic rock radio presence to speak of…

This is true, but also slightly mysterious: why didn’t “classic rock” radio latch onto anything from the first two records? That said, I did hear his version of “Shapes Of Things” a few times on the radio, and I must’ve heard some of the Blow By Blow / Wired stuff on the radio since when checking it out recently every other tune was, “oh, I know this one” (and I didn’t know anyone into Beck who would’ve played those records for me). I think there was probably a narrow window (and/or a midnight “let the stoner DJ play whatever” slot) on “classic rock” radio in the ‘80s that let some Jeff Beck slip through.

BBC just put this up, Beck doing a rig rundown in 1974:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7nP0xwgTY0

is it true that in the UK, it is by far the best known exponent of his work

Beck described it "like having a pink toilet seat hung around your neck for the rest of your life.”

it is / was such a ubiquitous UK wedding / school disco / pub singalong anthem though i'd guess a lot of people who know the song don't know who it's by. i asked my wife about it earlier and sher said she had always thought it was a beatles song!!

..and while he famously hated it, he was persuaded to play it one time at least -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhpgepbvIhY

xxxpost, "The Dog Presides" indeed! Totally refreshing, bird, thanks so much!

Here's one somebody just sent me:

This one, from 2007, is worth it too. Not just because he does the track from Blow by Blow that was all over the airwaves back in the day, but for the solo by Australian bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, who was 22 at the time. The entire show at Ronnie Scott's is available on YouTube, and it's really good...includes a version of Billy Cobham's "Stratus" (from his first solo album, "Spectrum") that is every bit as good as the original!

David Torn said on of Beck winning a Grammy for "Plan B" which featured mix and music by Torn.

splatt said:
that's what Jeff said, and it meant a lot to him..... and to me. he called me immediately upon hearing the Grammy news, and enthusiastically blasted me with, "It's your Grammy, it's yours!"

freaking dude.

ya know, he was really incredibly supportive of me as a player, pointing out the inspiration he'd gotten listening to my playing & music, my uses of pitch-expression on the guitar over the years, and my Oud playing of all things..... completely unbidden, and without any hint of hesitation.

mensch.

i went to a gig with him, once --- his gig, after dinner --- which was fantastic.
me & my friend Hector went backstage afterwards to see what was up, thank him for his brilliance, see how he felt, make after-show plans, but the room was sooooo over-crowded --- maybe 85-100 people jammed together in a pretty small ante-room? --- with a sizeable percentage of guitarists present.

it was waaaay too crowded for me, and i was getting guitarplayerly-claustrophobic..... couple of well-known players saw me, came over & said "hey"; one of 'em said, clearly condescendingly, "what are you doing here?".
(like, why would i attend a JB show?" damn. WTF?)
i said, "well, i came to hear Jeff play", turned to Hector & said "let's split & see Jeff later." Hector disagreed, "f*** that merde, let's hang for another few minutes!"

so, a few minutes later:
Jeff pops through the curtain and is just peering around the crowd, then grabs a chair & stands up on it so's he can see better, sees me & points at me & yells across the room "TORN, TORN! Didja hear me playin' your licks, TORN? Didja hear your licks, TORN?"
and, as if i were a kid..... i just felt so good in that moment. crazy, of course, but kinda validated, maybe even relieved somehow? and Jeff knew, he def knew what that meant to me.

freaking dudistic mensch.

Great story, thanks.
A bunch of shows, incl w xpost Jan Hammer Group and Stanley Clarke---also, scroll all the way down for his Bowie show, guesting on "Jean Genie" and "Round and Round":
https://zensurfingarcher.blogspot.com/

why didn’t “classic rock” radio latch onto anything from the first two records?

I used to hear "Beck's Bolero" and a few others from those records, plus "Going Down", on the local classic rock station.

On the subject of the tour with Jan Hammer, there's a Spinal Tap-worthy quote from Beck from a guitar magazine:

I couldn't believe how I misjudged the role he was to play. Not musically, because his playing is superb, and if he fell on his arse on a piano, it would come out a magnificent chord. He's that sort of bloke.

Flash has weirdly really grown on me. I first heard it last March and only enjoyed the more bizarre songs where the LinnDrum seems to be wanting to do free jazz or 777-9311. Now I have time for all of it except People Get Ready.

The opening seconds of this cannot fail to make me laugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s7r9n4jspM