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The Decade Series:
The 1970s
Guitar Recorded Versions
Inventory #HL 690541. $15.95 (US).
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Jeff Beck
Hailed by many as the greatest rock virtuoso guitarist of all
time, Jeff Beck's career stretches back to the early days of the
British Invasion and leads up to the present day, where he can
still be found out on the road playing an ever-evolving sound.
One of the early experimenters with feedback and distortion, Beck
was getting session work from his friend Jimmy Page in the early
'60s, dazzling other studio guitarists, such as the young Ritchie
Blackmore, with his wildly experimental style. He joined the bluesy
Yardbirds in 1965 following Eric Clapton's departure, and played
on hits like "Train Kept A-Rollin'," "I'm a Man,"
and "Heart Full of Soul."
His tenure with the Yardbirds lasted less than two years, and
the last five months featured Jimmy Page first as bassist, and
then as second lead guitarist. Quitting because of exhaustion
and frustration, he then formed his own band, The Jeff Beck Group,
after first putting together a session for "Beck's Bolero"
that would later lead to the formation of Led Zeppelin. The new
band featured future Rolling Stone Ron Wood on bass and Rod Stewart
on vocals, and their 1968 debut Truth was a precursor to
the heavy guitar rock that would follow in the coming years.
In the early '70s there was another version of The Jeff Beck Group,
followed by Beck Bogert & Appice. But it was 1975's Blow
by Blow, followed by Wired, that took Beck into new
uncharted territory. Produced by the Beatles' producer George
Martin, the two albums were jazz fusion with a rock attitude,
performed in a hitherto unheard of style, with synthesizer wizard
Jan Hammer collaborating.
Through the '80s, Beck toured and recorded with major stars as
well as recording three albums and winning a Grammy for 1986's
"Escape" from the Flash album. Now in his fourth
decade of rock stardom, he continues to dazzle audiences around
the world. Jeff's latest release, 2001's You Had It Coming
(Epic), earned him another Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
for the song "Dirty Mind."
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