Jeff Beck was a hugely influential guitarist known for his distinct sound. This allowed him to carve out a unique niche for himself among the multitude of other guitar heroes of his time. His remarkable talent and equally remarkable life story have left an indelible legacy for the London-born musician.
Beck’s list of accomplishments is extensive, ranging from pioneering psychedelia with The Yardbirds to exploring various hard-rock styles later in his career. The London-born musician, who was a pivotal figure in the transition from blues to classic rock, had a significant impact on the music scene.
In fact, Beck’s influence is widespread, with many naming him their favourite guitarist of all time, including David Gilmour and Geddy Lee. The latter regard him as completely untouchable. He explained, “If I had to pick my favourite guitarist of all time, it would probably be Jeff Beck. “Was there a better guitar sound ever?”
Continuing, he said, “The first time you heard something and knew it couldn’t be anyone but him. He was such an incredible pioneer. Simply an incredible stylist. The notes he gets out of that thing with a whammy bar, a volume control knob and his fingers are just incredible.”
Beck had a strong preference for vocal virtuosos. “James Brown had it all”. He said while talking about his favourite songs with Johnny Marr on the Celebrity Playlist Podcast. He particularly enjoyed Brown’s song ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine’.
“[There were] people screaming at the Apollo when I was just on the cusp of getting to know the Rolling Stones,” he told me. “Ian Stewart could have had the most incredible record shop ever. He said ‘listen to this’, pulled me into this bungalow he lived in in Epsom. And I listened to it and came out a different person.”
Regarding guitarists, Beck was unquestionably in a better position than most to criticise the work of others. He has long admired a wide range of musicians, including British jazz legend John McLaughlin, who leads the Mahavishnu Orchestra. McLaughlin, in his opinion, was “unequalled” and “the best guitarist alive.”
He told Music Radar, “Things took a funny turn in the early 1970s.” It all worked out when I heard John McLaughlin because his performance on the Miles Davis Jack Johnson album with the Mahavishnu Orchestra said, ‘Here’s where you can go’. And every musician I knew raved about them. I thought, “This is a little bit of me.” I’ll take some of that.’ “The mastery of the playing was unparalleled.”
