DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Jeff Beck Dead at 78

Man, he was definityely an all time top guitarist.. RIP.

Jeff Beck, guitar god who influenced generations, dies at 78 | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/jeff-beck-dies-6fafc82a3f8fe8e27d6f6e39a215e28d


NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff Beck, a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player, has died. He was 78.

Beck died Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his representatives said in a statement released Wednesday. The location was not immediately known.

“Jeff was such a nice person and an outstanding iconic, genius guitar player — there will never be another Jeff Beck,” Tony Iommi, guitarist for Black Sabbath wrote on Twitter among the many tributes.

Beck first came to prominence as a member of the Yardbirds and then went out on his own in a solo career that incorporated hard rock, jazz, funky blues and even opera. He was known for his improvising, love of harmonics and the whammy bar on his preferred guitar, the Fender Stratocaster.

“Jeff Beck is the best guitar player on the planet,” Joe Perry, the lead guitarist of Aerosmith, told The New York Times in 2010. “He is head, hands and feet above all the rest of us, with the kind of talent that appears only once every generation or two.”

Beck was among the rock-guitarist pantheon from the late ’60s that included Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. Beck won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once with the Yardbirds in 1992 and again as a solo artist in 2009. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”


Jeff Beck, guitar god who influenced generations, dies at 78
By MARK KENNEDY
9 minutes ago
FILE - British guitarist Jeff Beck performs on the Stravinski hall during the 41st Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, late Sunday, July 15, 2007. Beck, a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player, died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his representatives said in a statement released Wednesday. He was 78. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP, File)
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FILE - British guitarist Jeff Beck performs on the Stravinski hall during the 41st Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, late Sunday, July 15, 2007. Beck, a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player, died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his representatives said in a statement released Wednesday. He was 78. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff Beck, a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player, has died. He was 78.

Beck died Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his representatives said in a statement released Wednesday. The location was not immediately known.

“Jeff was such a nice person and an outstanding iconic, genius guitar player — there will never be another Jeff Beck,” Tony Iommi, guitarist for Black Sabbath wrote on Twitter among the many tributes.

Beck first came to prominence as a member of the Yardbirds and then went out on his own in a solo career that incorporated hard rock, jazz, funky blues and even opera. He was known for his improvising, love of harmonics and the whammy bar on his preferred guitar, the Fender Stratocaster.

“Jeff Beck is the best guitar player on the planet,” Joe Perry, the lead guitarist of Aerosmith, told The New York Times in 2010. “He is head, hands and feet above all the rest of us, with the kind of talent that appears only once every generation or two.”

Beck was among the rock-guitarist pantheon from the late ’60s that included Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. Beck won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once with the Yardbirds in 1992 and again as a solo artist in 2009. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

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“Jeff could channel music from the ethereal,” Page tweeted Wednesday.

Beck played guitar with vocalists as varied as Luciano Pavarotti, Macy Gray, Chrissie Hynde, Joss Stone, Imelda May, Cyndi Lauper, Wynonna Judd, Buddy Guy and Johnny Depp. He made two records with Rod Stewart — 1968′s “Truth” and 1969′s “Beck-Ola” — and one with a 64-piece orchestra, “Emotion & Commotion.”

“I like an element of chaos in music. That feeling is the best thing ever, as long as you don’t have too much of it. It’s got to be in balance. I just saw Cirque du Soleil, and it struck me as complete organized chaos,” he told Guitar World in 2014. “If I could turn that into music, it’s not far away from what my ultimate goal would be, which is to delight people with chaos and beauty at the same time.”

Beck career highlights include joining with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice to create the power trio that released “Beck, Bogert and Appice” in 1973, tours with Brian Wilson and Buddy Guy and a tribute album to the late guitarist Les Paul, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul).”

Beck’s album credits include “Talking Book,” Stevie Wonder’s landmark 1972 album. His tenderly rendered guitar solo on the ballad, “Lookin’ For Another Pure Love” won him a warm “Do it Jeff” callout from Wonder that was included on the album cut.

Geoffrey Arnold Beck was born in Surrey, England, and attended Wimbledon Art College. His father was an accountant, and his mother worked in a chocolate factory. As a boy, he built his first instrument, using a cigar box, a picture frame for the neck and string from a radio-controlled toy airplane.

He was in a few bands — including Nightshift and The Tridents — before joining the Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Clapton but only a year later giving way to Page. During his tenure, the band created the memorable singles “Heart Full of Soul,” “I’m a Man” and “Shapes of Things.”

Beck’s first hit single was 1967’s instrumental “Beck’s Bolero,” which featured future Led Zeppelin members Page and John Paul Jones, and The Who drummer Keith Moon. The Jeff Beck Group — with Stewart singing — was later booked to play the 1969 Woodstock music festival but their appearance was canceled. Beck later said there was unrest in the band.

“I could see the end of the tunnel,” he told Rolling Stone in 2010.

Beck was friends with Hendrix and they performed together. Before Hendrix, most rock guitar players concentrated on a similar style and technical vocabulary. Hendrix blew that apart.

“He came along and reset all of the rules in one evening,” Beck told Guitar World.

Beck teamed up with legendary producer George Martin — a.k.a. “the fifth Beatle” — to help him fashion the genre-melding, jazz-fusion classic “Blow by Blow” (1975) and “Wired” (1976). He teamed up with Seal on the Hendrix tribute “Stone Free,” created a jazz-fusion group led by synthesizer player Jan Hammer and honored rockabilly guitarist Cliff Gallup with the album “Crazy Legs.” He put out “Loud Hailer” in 2016.

Beck’s guitar work can be heard on the soundtracks of such films as “Stomp the Yard,” “Shallow Hal,” “Casino,” “Honeymoon in Vegas,” “Twins,” “Observe and Report” and “Little Big League.” Beck recently completed a tour supporting his album with Depp, “18” and was heard on Ozzy Osbourne’s “Patient Number 9” album.

Beck’s career never hit the commercial highs of Clapton. A perfectionist, he preferred to make critically well-received instrumental records and left the limelight for long stretches, enjoying his time restoring vintage automobiles. He and Clapton had a tense relationship early on but became friends in later life and toured together.

Why did the two wait some four decades to tour together?

“Because we were all trying to be big bananas,” Beck told Rolling Stone in 2010. “Except I didn’t have the luxury of the hit songs Eric’s got.”

Beck is survived by his wife, Sandra.

One of the best of his genre and generation. Another great one passing away. Clapton and those guys aren't getting any younger. Check out this song from his best album (imo) "Blow by Blow":



RIP

Another great one gone. RIP. Getting old definitely has a downside. I've lost 2 uncles and an in-law in the past month, and I have more than a few older relatives that aren't in optimum health. I fear the floodgates have opened.

Bro, that entire album was The Standard. Changed the game.

If you were a player of any skill in any genre, this joint was is your collection.

I always liked Diamond Dust because it was written in 5 instead of 4... and flowed like ordinary dudes would play in standard time.
(The big string section didn't hurt, either )

It's part of The Circle.
I noticed the effect these passings had on My Parents back when I was growing up. By the time I'd reached high school, I'd figured it out: these were the artists who defined their generation, and losing them reminded Bob & Juanita of their mortality. Then, it started happening in my gen.

The first was the worst: Jaco. Thirties is way too young.
Since then, it's been an inexorable march of attrition.

I'm resigned to live with this because. what's the alternative, you know? Now, I step into the back yard, pour out a shot, thank them for the sounds and inspirations they provided. Then I spend the next day listening to their output in heavy rotation.

I can't think of any other way to handle it.
I can't be objective about it, but it feels like a healthy way to deal.

This one hurts. RIP.

Yeah, it does hurt. One of the all-time great rock/jazz/whatever guitarists.

Rod Stewart is shedding a tear tonight, for the loss of a brother in arms.
Dammit.

I really noticed Beck first when he and Stewart covered People Get Ready in 85. Beautiful phrasing and tone. I later learned much more about him.
RIP.

Funny, the same song got me interested in him, and I've been a fan since.

You are just figuring this out?

At any rate, no doubt Beck was a great at his craft.

He never really "made it" as far as radio goes, but anybody who played guitar knew of Jeff Beck. He wasn't bound to one style of music, but a master of all.

R.I.P.

Nice post, Clem. I believe you and I are at the same age. I'll turn 66 on the 18th of this month. Losing the greats is at least a two-fold proposition. Of course, we mourn the loss of greatness and then we move on because like you said, what's the alternative...?" The second is that as we age, we are consistently being reminded more and more of our own mortality. Mortality salience can be a sobering thought. At some point, we move past just considering it to understanding the inevitable and realize that the end is near. As individuals, we can choose to fear our own mortality or choose to accept it because to do otherwise is ultimately futile.

Absolutely. Beck is truly one of the all time greats. Not everything about being a guitarist is about speed. For me music is about feeling. And Jeff Beck could make you feel it.





As has been said, this one hurts.

I used to listen to Jeff Beck in my late teenage years... Definitely a cut above the rest. R.I.P.

Just thought I would mention that just last year Ozzy had Beck playing on Ozzy's single release, Patient Number 9. I just feel it helps show his diversity in yet another venue and just what a compete artist he was in any and all genres he chose to engage in.

Wow, I had no idea. Just listened to that again. Guitar is sick!