In the Fender Guitars clip below, head into the studio with the legendary Jeff Beck as he discusses the magic of discovering new songs, the allure of vintage music. He also performs the once-banned Link Wray track "Rumble" on the new American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster.
Link Wray & His Ray Men released "Rumble"on March 31st, 1958, as a single. The instrumental was banned in several US radio markets because the term "rumble" was a slang term for a gang fight, and it was feared that the piece's "harsh sound" glorified juvenile delinquency. The record is the only instrumental single ever banned from radio in the United States.
Learn more about American Vintage II here.
Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp recently sat down for a SiriusXM Town Hall special hosted by Stevie Van Zandt, on SiriusXM’s Underground Garage, where they spoke about their new music, being on the road together and answered SiriusXM subscriber questions.
During the exclusive Town Hall at SiriusXM’s NYC studios, Beck and Depp shared insight into their unique friendship and the making of their collaborative studio album, 18.
In the video below, Beck recalls a funny memory about being treated coldly by The Beach Boys, in particular, Brian Wilson.
Johnny Depp is currently with Jeff Beck on his North American tour. All shows are on sale now with VIP packages also available here. The full itinerary is below with all dates subject to change.
The duo will highlight songs from their newly released musical collaboration, 18, and join forces with Beck’s current band (bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer Anika Nilles and keyboardist Robert Stevenson) to perform a lengthy set of tunes culled from throughout Beck’s iconic career.
Beck and Depp’s 13-track album, 18, debuted at #10 on both the Billboard Top Albums and Top Current Albums charts marking the first top 10 for both Beck and Depp on the 31-year-old Top Album Sales chart. The set is available on CD and digitally, with a 180-gram black vinyl version coming on September 30. The duo recently wrapped a successful European tour together on July 25 in Paris, France to much fan and critical acclaim with sold-out dates throughout northern Europe, Italy and France - including a stop at the revered Montreux Jazz Festival.
Jeff Beck found a kindred spirit in Johnny Depp when the two met in 2016. They bonded quickly over cars and guitars and spent most of their time together trying to make each other laugh. At the same time, Beck’s appreciation grew for Depp’s serious songwriting skills and his ear for music. That talent and their chemistry convinced Beck they should make an album together.
Depp agreed and they started in 2019. Over the next three years, they recorded a mix of Depp originals along with a wide range of covers that touches on everything from Celtic and Motown, to the Beach Boys and Killing Joke. “We were going to call the album ‘Kitchen Sink’ because we threw everything in it,” the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer says with a laugh. “The only game plan we had was to play songs we like and see where they took us.”
Beck is universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues, and jazz. Over the course of his distinguished 50+ music career, he has earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” and been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice – once as a member of the Yardbirds and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl with special guests including Buddy Guy, Steven Tyler, Beth Hart, Billy F. Gibbons and Jan Hammer.
