Rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s propelled the guitar to the forefront of popular music. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, as the classic rock era progressed, a flourish of creative dynamism and one-upmanship provided the ideal environment for some of the greatest guitarists ever to emerge. Jimi Hendrix, a US native, joined the ranks of British guitar maestros Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton during the psychedelic rock wave of the late 1960s.
Ranking lists of the “greatest guitarists” frequently favour well-known rock stars over up-and-coming session players, jazz virtuosos, or that kid on YouTube who can play more quickly than Stevie Ray Vaughan. It takes very little explanation for this phenomenon. However, showmanship and inventiveness are the two main components of being a “great” guitarist.
Using Jimi Hendrix as an example, the American musician was not only a technically proficient guitarist but also cognizant of the demands of the genre at the time. He was a supporter of the psychedelic rock movement and elevated his instrumental voicings with fuzzy distortion. Add some jaw-dropping stunts and pyrotechnics to the performance, and you’ve created an enduring icon.
In the decade that followed Hendrix’s untimely death in 1970, a wide range of rock guitarists appeared out of nowhere. Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, and Robert Fripp developed in the prog-rock lane, moving towards the perfect complexity. Punk was emerging at the same time, and Johnny Ramone and Steve Jones stripped things back to the basics.
With Freddie Mercury’s glam-rock affinity and Brian May’s command of heavy yet colourful guitars, Queen defied classification. The progressive appeal of “Bohemian Rhapsody” further set them apart during this chaotic moment for music. When Queen gave in to its funk and disco tendencies in 1980, Brian May was almost as well-liked as some of his heroes from the 1960s. His iconic stature was further enhanced by his instantly recognisable silhouette. This was topped off with a mop that would have made Samuel Pepys blush.
Whether he was jigging to “It’s a Kind of Magic” or rocking out to “We Will Rock You,” May always managed to ground the Queen catalogue with some tasteful guitar work. Throughout the band’s extensive discography, May took inspiration from some of his lifelong heroes, such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison.
But May’s all-time favourite guitarist, Jeff Beck, managed to score a cut above all of these timeless influences. Although the British legend’s career accomplishments may not have surpassed those of Page and Clapton, two other Yardbirds alumni, he is still regarded by many as one of the best guitarists when it comes to soloing. It is simple to understand May’s appeal as a talented soloist in his own right.
Beck declared in a 2006 interview with Classic Rock that the 1980s were the worst decade he could recall for music. That was all he had to say about Eliminator by Prince and ZZ Top. “The entire musical playground was a joke,” they continued. The acts were not as important as the executives of record labels.
This admission suggests that Beck may not have been a big fan of Queen’s more dance-oriented ’80s songs. Despite this, he respected the band’s guitarist a great deal. After Mercury passed away in 1991, Brian May started working on his own. He wrote a song about Beck for his second album, Another World, and invited him to record with him.
A modest Beck agreed to meet May at Allerton Hill Studio after learning about her moving homage, “The Guv’nor.” “I wrote the song specifically for him and gave it to him.” He was kind of shocked, Brian May used to remember. “No, no, it’s not about me,” he exclaims. I gave him carte blanche regarding what he could play. But I did draw out the areas I wanted him to explore. Once he entered the studio, he plugged in.
Since witnessing Beck perform live at one of his early shows with The Yardbirds at the Marquee Club, May had been a fan. Of course, this session represents one of his greatest professional achievements. “I’ve said that Jeff is the governor, that he is my hero, and I would stand by that,” May continued. “Jeff is a phenomenon, an absolute phenomenon of the world. It was extraordinary for me to be able to interact with him in this way.”
