Jeff Beck

Possibly the most influential guitarist in the history of Rock Music, one could say that rock music played with an electric guitar was invented by Jeff Beck. It was through him that the distortions, feedback, and many other techniques, that the rest of rock music did not rediscover until much later, became popular. Jeff Beck left the band Yardbirds in 1966 after experimenting with every type of dissonant technique. He put together a "supergroup" with pianist Nicky Hopkins,drummer Mickey Waller, bassist Ron Wood and singer Rod Stewart; the group got its start with Hi Ho Silver Lining (written by Scott English & produced by Mickie Most). The innovative album titled Truth (Epic Records, 1968), re-cast typical blues-rock as a harder, faster, more brilliant and syncopated sound (Beck's Bolero, with Keith Moon as drummer, John Paul Jones & Jimmy Page, Blues Deluxe, Rock My Plimsoul, I Ain't Superstitio! us). A few months after the debut of Led Zeppelin, Beck did none other than insist on his vision of a blues-rock that is vigorous and captivating on Beck-ola (Epic, 1969), which became another placard of the rise of hard-rock (Spanish Boots, Plynth).

Beck was involved in an automobile accident and when he returned to the music scene, he was not quite the same. Rough & Ready (1971) with Cozy Powell as drummer, resulted in a burning
I've been Used, but his most emotional piece was the sad and criptic Raynes Park Blues. The Jeff Beck Group (1972) also recorded Ice Cream Cakes and the instrumental piece Definitely Maybe. Masters of Rock is an anthology of the years 1969-1972.

After a hiatus, during which his time was wasted on the mediocre Beck Bogart & Appice, Beck displayed the "tour de force" instrumental album Blow by Blow (Epic 1975) which belonged more to jazz fusion than rock music (Freeway Jam, Constipated Duck, You Know What I Mean). The solo in Cause We've Ended As Lovers could be his best ever. Wired (1976) made a valid post-script (but none of the songs were his). These two albums are milestones of rock guitar, revolutionizing the pentatonic scale and the abused jazz-rock language. This period of artisticartistic success ended rather meloncholy with With The Jan Hammer Group (1977) and There and Back (1980), which contained many brilliant pieces, among them The Pump and Final Peace (both written by keyboardist Tony Hymas), and then Jeff Beck was forgotten by the public who preferred Eric Clapton.

After many years of silence, Flash (1985), was a disappointment. Beck's guitar sounded gagged and the the tracks (sung) were second-hand pop music and flirted with dance music. Guitar Shop (1989) instead unleashed Beck's best guitar of his career: the epic Stand On It and the speed-metal of sling-shot.

(Hymas contributed the hybrid reggae-surf Behind the Veil)
Beckology (1991) is an anthology of Beck's entire career.

After the sound track of Frankie's House (1992), Crazy Legs (1993) is a tribute to Gene Vincent's lead guitarist, Cliff Gallup.

Who Else (Epic, 1999) brought Beck's guitar to the style of the 90's, to the cold techno-funk of What Mama Said and Hipnotica, to the world beat of Psycho Sam and Blast From The East, and to the grunge sound of Space For the Papa. He followed it up with You Had It Coming (2000), Jeff (2003). Emotion & Commotion (2010).

Jeff Beck lascio` gli Yardbirds nel 1966, dopo aver gia` sperimentato ogni sorta di tecnica cacofonica. Messo insieme una sorta di supergruppo con il pianista Nicky Hopkins, il batterista Mickey Waller, il bassista Ron Wood e il cantante Rod Stewart, e rodatolo con il 45 giri Hi Ho Silver Lining (scritta da Scott English e prodotta da Mickie Most) il chitarrista pubblico` un album altrettanto innovativo, Truth (Epic, 1968), con cui rifondava il blues-rock su un sound piu` "duro" e veloce, brillante e sincopato, (Beck's Bolero, con Keith Moon alla batteria, John Paul Jones e Jimmy Page, Blues Deluxe, Rock My Plimsoul, I Ain't Superstitious). A pochi mesi dal debutto dei Led Zeppelin, Beck non fece altro che insistere nella sua visione di un blues vigoroso e trascinante su Beck-ola (Epic, 1969), che pertanto fini` per essere considerato un altro manifesto del nascente hard-rock (Spanish Boots, Plynth).

Beck rischio` la vita in un incidente automobilistico e, quando rientro` sulle scene, non era piu` lo stesso. Rough & Ready (1971), con Cozy Powell alla batteria, annovera ancora una bruciante I've Been Used, ma il suo centro emotivo e` semmai la cupa e criptica Raynes Park Blues . Jeff Beck Group (1972) contiene ancora Ice Cream Cakes e lo strumentale Definitely Maybe. Masters Of Rock (CBS, 1975) e` un'antologia del periodo 1969-72.

Dopo uno iato di qualche anno, in cui spreco` tempo nei mediocri Beck Bogart & Appice (Epic, 1973), Beck sciorino` il tour de force strumentale di Blow By Blow (Epic, 1975), che appartiene piu` alla jazz fusion che alla musica rock (Freeway Jam, Constipated Duck, You Know What I Mean). L'assolo in Cause We've Ended As Lovers potrebbe essere il suo migliore. Wired (1976) ne fu una valida appendice (ma nessuna delle sue canzoni era scritta da Beck) Questi due album sono pietre miliari del chitarrismo rock, sovversivi della scala pentatonica e dell'abusato idioma jazz-rock. Questa stagione fini` pero` malinconicamente con With The Jan Hammer Group (1977) e There And Back (1980), che annovera ancora qualche pezzo brillante (The Pump, Final Peace). e Jeff Beck dimenticato dal grande pubblico che gli preferiva Eric Clapton.

Dopo tanti anni di assenza, Flash (1985), fu una delusione. La chitarra di Beck era imbavagliata, e i brani (cantati) erano pop music di seconda mano. Guitar Shop (1989) sguinzaglio` invece la chitarra e regalo` alcuni dei numeri massimi della carriera di Beck: l'epica Stand On It e lo speed-metal di Sling Shot (Hyman contribui` l'ibrido reggae-surf di Behind The Veil).

Beckology (1991) e` un'antologia dell'intera carriera.

Dopo la colonna sonora di Frankie's House (1992), Crazy Legs (1993) e` un omaggio al chitarrista di Gene Vincent, Cliff Gallup.

Who Else (Epic, 1999) aggiorno` la chitarra di Beck agli stili degli anni '90, al freddo techno-funk di What Mama Said e Hipnotica, al world beat di Psycho Sam e Blast From The East, al grunge di Space For The Papa. Gli hanno fatto seguito You Had It Coming (2000), Jeff (Epic, 2003), Emotion & Commotion (2010)