Jeff Beck
Born in Surrey, England, in 1944, Jeff Beck was already a guitar
veteran of early 60s bands like Screaming Lord Sutch and The
Nightshifts when he joined The Yardbirds to replace
Eric Clapton (at
the suggestion of future band member Jimmy Page).
Leaving The Yardbirds in November 1966, Beck signed a solo record
deal with Columbia and recruited three musicians, vocalist Rod
Stewart, Bass player Ron Wood (who would later join The Rolling Stones
as a guitarist) and drummer Aynsley Dunbar. Initially backing him on
early solo sessions, the trio would later become the first incarnation
of the Jeff Beck Group.
In 1967, Beck undertook a tour supporting Roy Orbison and
The Small Faces. Beck received poor reviews and was not asked to complete the
tour. His debut release, Hi-Ho Silver Lining, was released on
March 23 and featured Jeff on guitar and lead vocals - a role he would
rarely undertake again. The single reached Number 14 in the UK charts
but eventually proved to be unrepresentative of all his future work.
Billed
as a blues/rock outfit, the Jeff Beck Group made their US debut in
June 1967 at the Fillmore East, New York, to more positive reviews,
including a description of Beck's guitar playing in the New York Times
as "wild and visionary". His solo follow-up single,
Tallyman, written by Graham Gouldman (later of 10cc), reached Number
30 in the UK, again with Beck handling lead vocals rather than Rod
Stewart (at the insistence of producer Mickie Most).
1968 brought line-up changes and a third single, Love Is Blue
- an instrumental version of a song from the Eurovision Song Contest
no less. The track reached Number 23, while a debut album (Truth)
climbed to Number 15 in the US where touring was now concentrated, but
failed to chart in the UK.
The Jeff beck Group performed in summer 1969 at the annual jazz
festival at Newport, but seemingly unable to stick to touring
commitments, Beck cancelled a scheduled performance at the forthcoming
Woodstock Festival. This type of last-minute cancellation became a
trade mark of Beck's. Keyboard player Nicky Hopkins would later
recall; "Every opportunity was there and we blew it by constantly
canceling out tours. We'd wake up one morning in the States and find
Jeff had left the night before and was back in England".
Late in 1969, the album Beckola was released, and having completed
the album, Rod Stewart and Ron Wood left the band to join
The Faces.
Meanwhile, Beck was hospitalized following a car accident and took 18
months to recuperate.
By the end of 1971, Jeff had put together a new backing band
featuring Clive Chapman (bass), Max Middleton (keyboards), Cozy Powell
(drums) and Bobby Tench (vocals) who supported him on the
solo-released Rough and Ready and accompanying US
and UK tour. The same line-up recorded 1972's Jeff Beck Group
album (often referred to as "the Orange Album") and
re-issued Hi Ho Silver Lining, reaching No. 17 in the UK.
In 1973, Beck teamed up with ex-Vanilla Fudge members Tim Bogert
(bass) and Carmine Appice (drums) to form the thunderous rock trio
Beck, Bogert and Appice. Their debut self-titled album (containing a
version of Stevie Wonder's Superstition) reached the Top 40 in
both the US and UK.
Like
so many Beck projects, the union proved short-lived and the trio
dissolved in 1974, with Beck forming an instrumental backing group
comprising Middleton, Philip Chen and Richard Bailey, to play on his
solo double album Blow by Blow (an experimental
jazz-rock fusion offering, produced by George Martin).
The album
reached No. 4 in the US and re-established Beck as one of the most
respected rock guitarists.
Beck spent most of the remainder of the
decade touring as co-headliner with the Jan Hammer Group and the
majority of the 80s working on disparate projects such as live
appearances for charity, touring with Rod
Stewart, playing on Mick
Jagger's solo recordings and touring as a duet with Stevie Ray
Vaughan.
Since 1989 Beck has worked on a number of film soundtracks, toured
sporadically, played live with Guns 'n'
Roses, and released (or
contributed to) tributes to Gene Vincent,
Jimi Hendrix and Muddy
Waters.
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JEFF BECK BAND
Jeff Beck
Guitar, vocals
Ron Wood
Bass
Rod Stewart
Vocals
Aynsley Dunbar
Drums
Ray Cook
Drums
Mickey Waller
Drums
Nicky Hopkins
Keyboards
Tony Newman
Drums
Clive Chapman
Bass
Cozy Powell
Drums
Max Middleton
Keyboards
Bobby Tench
Vocals
Philip Chen
Bass
Richard Bailey
Drums
Jan Hammer
Drums
Wilbur Bascomb
Bass
Narada Michael Walden
Keyboards
Simon Phillips
Drums
Mo Foster
Bass
Tony Hymas
Keyboards
BECK, BOGERT & APPICE
Jeff Beck
Guitar, vocals
Tim Bogert
Bass
Carmine Appice
Drums
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