Legendary guitarist, Jeff Beck, passed away at the age of 78 on January 10, 2023 after contracting bacterial meningitis. In a new feature at Guitar World, Def Leppard guitarist, Phil Collen, reflects on the life and legacy of Jeff Beck, and explains how Beck's trailblazing style is all over the the Leppard catalog. An excerpt follows...
“I’ve been listening to Beck since the ’60s. I’m from London and he was always floating around. First it was The Yardbirds, then later on he went off on a tangent like no-one else. I love all the fusion stuff with Stanley Clarke, all of his solo albums, especially Blow By Blow and There & Back, which is just amazing.
“I always thought that the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart on vocals could have been a huge band. They were supposed to play Woodstock, but Jeff had to fly home, so they never got to do it.
“Then Jeff launched a solo career. It was all instrumental, which was way better. It highlighted his guitar playing. And then we got Rod Stewart in the Faces, so everyone gained from them not doing Woodstock, even though if they’d done it they could’ve been as big as Led Zeppelin.”
Read more at Guitar World.
In a video from The Howard Stern Show, Rod Stewart recalls his time in The Jeff Beck Group, why they didn't play Woodstock, and whether or not Led Zeppelin copied his band's style.
Eric Clapton is set to team up with a huge array of artists for two upcoming tribute shows in honour of Jeff Beck. The shows are set to take place on May 22 and 23 at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall.
Artists confirmed to appear include: Doyle Bramhall, Eric Clapton, Gary Clark Jr, Johnny Depp, Billy Gibbons, Imelda May, John McLaughlin, Joe Perry, Robert Randolph, Olivia Safe, Rod Stewart, Joss Stone, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Ronnie Wood, and from the Jeff Beck Band: Rhonda Smith, Anika Nilles and Robert Stevenson.
Both shows are sold out. Surplus income from the concerts will be donated to the Folly Wildlife Rescue based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
