RIP Jeff Beck

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[GoSU96]

Used to play Truth all the time.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Had no idea he was that old! Sad though.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I know we have some serious musicians and music fans here. I have a question. When “they” rank greatest guitar players (or whatever instrument), is any of that based on objective standards ( he uses X chord no one else can play)? How important is innovation? How about having a signature sound (the Edge for one, stands out to me), are the top 20 pretty much consensus, or is it totally subjective. Thanks.

 

[Noexcuse]

Great scene in Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow Up where the David Hemings character walks into a London night club where the Yardbirds happen to be playing. Jeff Beck’s amp starts malfunctioning and Beck becomes agitated as he tries to get the amp to stop buzzing. He ends up smashing it with his guitar, breaking both in the process. He was one of the greats from that era with Clapton, Page, Hendrix, Zappa, Bloomfield etc.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I know we have some serious musicians and music fans here. I have a question. When “they” rank greatest guitar players (or whatever instrument), is any of that based on objective standards ( he uses X chord no one else can play)? How important is innovation? How about having a signature sound (the Edge for one, stands out to me), are the top 20 pretty much consensus, or is it totally subjective. Thanks.

Any ranking of the 'greatest' anything is, by definition, subjective. To me, Beck is undeniably on the list for expanding the instrument's possibilities. Here's an early example from The Yardbirds--don't think anybody had come up with this before:

 

[Symphony Steve]

Just bask in the glory of this:

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Any ranking of the 'greatest' anything is, by definition, subjective. To me, Beck is undeniably on the list for expanding the instrument's possibilities. Here's an early example from The Yardbirds--don't think anybody had come up with this before:

Yeah, but there are certain things experts look for. My wife used to ride horses competitively, including college. We would go to horse shows and she would run through a list of goods and bads and pick the winners. To me, it all looked the same.

 

[GoSU96]

Great scene in Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow Up where the David Hemings character walks into a London night club where the Yardbirds happen to be playing. Jeff Beck’s amp starts malfunctioning and Beck becomes agitated as he tries to get the amp to stop buzzing. He ends up smashing it with his guitar, breaking both in the process. He was one of the greats from that era with Clapton, Page, Hendrix, Zappa, Bloomfield etc.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I loved the way he embraced different genres. He apparently really loved the musical direction of Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, and was a true musical explorer. (BTW, while I was at SU, McLaughlin and Ravi Shankar were on a bill together. I kid you not.) He had no interest in just being a commercial success, in fact, pretty much turned his back on that kind of stardom.

 

[bevosu]

Beck tackled a variety of songs and genres.

 

[DoubleDee]

 

[DoctahLexus]

Another good one from his Les Paul days. So smooth with it. So unique. A sad loss.

 

[Noexcuse]

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/12/1148633721/acclaimed-rock-and-roll-guitarist-jeff-beck-dies-at-78

 

[MGDCuse]

Just bask in the glory of this:

Easily one of the greatest club shows ever. Was never a huge Jeff Beck fan but this show blew me away. Tal Wilkenfeld was like 18 years old when this was recorded and I don't think she stops smiling through the whole show. Just a killer band with Imogen Heap, Joss Stone, and Clapton each singing a song or two. And to top it off, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page in the crowd watching.