Jeff Beck: The Forgotten One

Jeff Beck.

The guitar virtuoso.

The one mentioned in the same breath as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix.

He was recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the five greatest guitarists of all time and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once as a member of a band and once as a solo artist.

So why had two generations of music fans barely heard of him until he died?

One word: enigma.

 

The Brief Bio

Born in Greater London in 1944, Beck discovered the electric guitar as a youngster, and the instrument would become one of three anchors in his life, the other two being his self-built hot rod collection and an ample dose of solitude.

He rose to prominence with The Yardbirds, serving as the replacement for Eric Clapton and joining a cast that would eventually include a pre-Led-Zeppelin Jimmy Page. As was the case for many of Beck’s endeavors, the run would turn out to be short-lived.

While smashing commercial success was often within arm’s reach, Beck either willfully or inadvertently shunned the ingredients of that formula—an egocentric frontman, a defined genre, and the need to entertain rather than create.

He eventually formed The Jeff Beck Group, an outfit that included Rod Stewart at vocals and Ronnie Wood (of future Rolling Stones fame) on bass. What could have been one of the era’s most dynamic blues rock acts—turning down an opportunity to play at Woodstock—soon became an afterthought, as did a reworked version of the band with a different crew.

Along the way emerged sporadic collaborations and Beck, Bogert & Appice, a trio that managed just one studio album.

And then came the solo work. Here, Beck—inspired by the Mahavishnu Orchestra—completely ditched a lead singer in favor of instrumental tracks, which while exhibiting his freakish talent also ensured relatively modest sales in comparison with the works of his contemporaries.

As middle age rolled around, Beck appeased his creative spirit through session work, collaborating with the likes of Jon Bon Jovi, Roger Waters, Tina Turner, and Kate Bush.

Active until his last days, he continued to blend solo projects with one-off partnerships, even releasing an album with Johnny Depp in 2022.

In early 2023, Beck passed away unexpectedly from bacterial meningitis, fittingly moving on near a preferred venue—his rural estate in southern England.

 

The Music

A quick cruise through Beck’s portfolio reveals something incontrovertible—there was no fitting this square peg into a round hole. And while that might have driven record executives crazy, it made for some compelling art.

 

“Heart Full of Soul” by The Yardbirds

From the outset, Beck showcased his ability to coax unique sounds out of his guitar, leaving a few to wonder whether they were listening to some sort of sitar.

 

“Plynth (Water Down the Drain)” by The Jeff Beck Group

This track’s back and forth between Rod Stewart’s iconic voice and Beck’s edgy guitar left many lamenting the fact that the alliance was fleeting.

 

“Superstition” by Beck, Bogert & Appice

Beck worked together on this jam with Stevie Wonder, and while Wonder’s Motown version is the one that has endured, this take deserves equal status.

 

“Scatterbrain” by Jeff Beck

Aptly titled for someone who could never quite figure out what he wanted to do, this frenetic instrumental work has Beck’s brilliance on full display.

 

“Blaze of Glory” by Jon Bon Jovi

One of Bon Jovi’s most recognizable songs has Beck’s fingerprints all over it.

 

Too complex to chase monetary success.

Too talented to avoid it.

You’ll be missed, Jeff Beck.

The world needs more of you.