Jeff Beck

He began with bubblegum pop in the Yardbirds, then moved on to psychedelia, funk, jazz fusion, even techno – but no matter what the genre, Beck was always ...

It was all evidence of a disinclination to be pigeonholed: the only thing you could rely on was that whatever direction his music took, his guitar playing would be incredible. It was the kind of career that baffled the general public – of his latterday albums, only the relatively straightforward Emotion & Commotion, which saw him working with Joss Stone and Imelda May, was really a hit – and obscure quite how innovative Beck had been in the 60s. The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ John Frusciante recalled listening to Truth as a kid and marvelling at Beck “pulling all these sounds out of the guitar … The single that coupled Happenings Ten Years Time Ago and Psycho Daisies was impossibly potent and sinister, so far-out even by the standards of 1966 that it succeeded in alienating their fans – it barely scraped the charts in the UK – and the critics, one of whom derided it as an “excuse for music”. Beck could play the blues if he wanted to – listen to his slide playing on Heart Full of Soul’s B-side, Steeled Blues – but he was no one’s idea of a respectful purist. Beck-Ola was very much in the “heavy” style of Truth – Spanish Boots is particularly fantastic – but subsequent releases dabbled in funk, jazz and soul. It was epic, heavy and quite astonishingly prescient, pointing towards the direction rock would follow in the post-psychedelic era a year before the Summer of Love. Stewart departed after Beck-Ola – an attempt to replace him with the then-unknown Elton John only got as far the rehearsal studio – taking bassist Ronnie Wood with him to form the Faces. The first single he recorded with them, Heart Full of Soul, was another Gouldman confection, enlivened by Beck mimicking the sound of sitar – some months before the Beatles first deployed the instrument on Norwegian Wood – with a guitar played through a distortion pedal called a Toneblender. Throughout his tenure with the Yardbirds, Beck seemed as interested in the sonic possibilities of new technology as he did in demonstrating his instrumental prowess, “making all the weirdest noise I could”. By the time of February 1966’s Shapes of Things – howling feedback, a guitar solo audibly influenced by Indian raga, or, as Beck put it, “some weird mist coming from the east out of [my] amp” – the Yardbirds sounded like a completely different band from the one who had powered their way through covers of Smokestack Lightning and Good Morning Little Schoolgirl on 1964’s Five Live Yardbirds. Tellingly, the song that had first piqued his interest in playing guitar was Les Paul and Mary Ford’s groundbreaking 1951 hit How High the Moon, a single that was as much about Paul’s electronic manipulation of sound through multitracking as it was about his guitar playing.

Beck rose to fame with the Yardbirds before fronting the Jeff Beck Group and making forays into the jazz-fusion sound he pioneered.

Beck’s most recent project was last year’s 18, a collaborative album with Johnny Depp that featured original songs penned by Depp and covers of Marvin Gaye, the Velvet Underground and other classic artists. His projects through the decade were sporadic but notable: in 1981, he performed with Clapton, Sting and Phil Collins at Amnesty International’s Secret Policeman’s Other Ball benefit concerts, and returned with his first solo album in five years, Flash, in 1985. When you’re surrounded with very musical people like Max Middleton and Clive Chaman, you’re in a prison, and you have to play along with that.” In 1968, Beck released Truth, his debut solo album, which drew on blues and hard rock to form a prototypical version of heavy metal. Beck was only in the Yardbirds for 20 months, leaving the group in 1966 due to inter-band tensions that had arisen during a US tour. Although already successful by that time, the Yardbirds had many of their biggest hits during Beck’s short tenure in the band, including the 1966 album Yardbirds and the No 3 single Shapes of Things. He was a good friend and a great guitar player.” My dad went along and explained that we couldn’t afford it – so they waived the rest of the payments and I got the guitar.” [tweeted](https://twitter.com/OzzyOsbourne/status/1613305483250790400), “I can’t express how saddened I am to hear of Jeff Beck’s passing. Playing great he was in great shape. Often described as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Beck – whose fingers and thumbs were famously insured for £7m – was known as a keen innovator. He pioneered jazz-rock, experimented with fuzz and distortion effects and paved the way for heavier subgenres such as psych rock and heavy metal over the course of his career.

Jeff Beck, the influential guitarist who rose to rock and roll stardom with 1960s supergroup the Yardbirds and later enjoyed a prolific solo career, ...

"Jeff Beck was on another planet," said Stewart of his former bandmate. "I don't care about the rules. "He was quiet as moccasined feet, yet mercurial, innovative, impossible to categorise," wrote punk-poet laureate Patti Smith. "No one played guitar like Jeff," Simmons posted on Twitter. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday," a statement on the English-born musician's website said. - Tributes came pouring in for the star with Patti Smith writing: "He was quiet as moccasined feet, yet mercurial, innovative, impossible to categorise.

Beck was a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll.

Listen to the incredible track Plynth in his honour. “And a damn fine human being. “Musically, we were breaking all the rules. I’m sure I will have a lot to say, but right now …. “Jeff, you were the greatest, my man. “Because we were all trying to be big bananas,” Beck told Rolling Stone in 2010. Beck later said there was unrest in the band. We will all miss him so much.— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) "That feeling is the best thing ever, as long as you don’t have too much of it. Thank you for everything. With the death of Jeff Beck we have lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players in the world. Hendrix blew that apart.

The influential rock guitarist “peacefully passed away” on Tuesday after contracting bacterial meningitis. Story continues below Advertisement.

Beck put his career on hold in the 1970s, after he fractured his skull in a car accident. Beck won eight Grammy awards during his career and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. I’d keep that in if I were you.’ He recorded the album “Blow By Blow” with Beatles producer George Martin, while he also collaborated with the likes of Nile Rodgers and Sir Mick Jagger. But after returning to the music business, he took the decision to pursue a career as a solo artist. A statement on his official Twitter page reads: “On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing.

Beck was a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll.

Listen to the incredible track Plynth in his honour. “And a damn fine human being. “Musically, we were breaking all the rules. I’m sure I will have a lot to say, but right now …. “Jeff, you were the greatest, my man. “Because we were all trying to be big bananas,” Beck told Rolling Stone in 2010. Beck later said there was unrest in the band. We will all miss him so much.— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) "That feeling is the best thing ever, as long as you don’t have too much of it. Thank you for everything. With the death of Jeff Beck we have lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players in the world. Hendrix blew that apart.

I am a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order.

In fact, sudden illness used to be even more common before vaccines and antibiotics helped control what used to be some of the world’s deadliest infections. Unfortunately, at the same time, there have been far too many social media accounts offering just the opposite: attempts to exploit Beck’s death in order to further their anti-vaccination agendas. Vaccines can protect against certain types of bacterial infectiuons that can cause meningitis. The key to survival and to minimize long term disability is rapid diagnosis via finding evidence of bacteria in blood or cerebrospinal fluid samples. You should consider meningitis if you have a sudden onset of fevers, headaches, and, in particular, a stiff neck, assuming that you aren’t wearing a really thick and tight turtle neck sweater. Looks like they are now doing the same with Beck, who had twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as tributes to his illustrious guitar-playing career, once as a member of The Yardbirds in 1992 and once as a solo artist in 2009. Your doctor may recommend taking prophylactic antibiotics to protect you just in case you have caught the bacteria. Once the type of bacteria is identified, doctors should quickly select and administer the proper antibiotic treatment. Often, within an hour of the news, even before any real details about the death emerge, a merry band of anti-vaccination social media accounts will quickly jump to action blaming the Covid-19 vaccines in some manner. Yeah, all of these claims were a bit like water in a whisky bottle. Another Vaccine Casualty of War?” And searching for “Jeff Beck vaccine” on social media would yielded a barrel of anti-vaccination slop as @Zimmsy suspected: Yet, it didn’t take too long for a bunch of anti-vaccination social media accounts to play the same old song.

Ten of the best music moments from Jeff Beck's career, including guitar solos, songs with the Yeardbirds, Stevie Wonder, Kate Bush and more.

From the “There & Back” album, featuring his then-constant companion, keyboardist, sequencer and synth player Jan Hammer (along with drummer Simon Phillips and Bowie producer Ken Scott), “Star Cycle” is pop-prog at its slickest. Every lush track on “Blow by Blow” — Beck’s 1975 Top 10 smash — is a winner. Beck moves from echo-heavy rockabilly licks (the sounds of his youth) to fluid, clarion squalls of sound. While its stammering drums and hammering piano provide a stark rhythmic base, Beck’s majestic guitar line slowly slithers through his “Bolero” like a snake. This is where the Jeff Beck revolution begins. Along with these fellow legends, Beck famously played with David Bowie during his 1973 Ziggy Stardust at London’s Hammersmith Odeon and on Ozzy Osbourne’s latest album, 2022’s “Patient Number 9.”

Beck, a guitar virtuoso and innovator, died after contracting bacterial meningitis, his family said.

“Jeff Beck was on another planet,” said Stewart of his former bandmate. Please get ahold of the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and behold greatness. I was totally shocked to hear the very sad news of Jeff Beck’s passing. “I don’t care about the rules. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Beck as the fifth greatest guitarist of all time, one spot ahead of “He was quiet as moccasined feet, yet mercurial, innovative, impossible to categorise,” wrote punk-poet laureate Patti Smith. His imaginations apparently limitless. Heartbreaking news to report the late, great Jeff Back has sadly passed. His technique unique. We didn’t really make any design,” Beck said at the time. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday,” a statement on the English-born musician’s “Please get ahold of the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and behold greatness.

Jeff Beck, the influential, genre-bending English guitarist who rose to fame with The Yardbirds before later embarking on a solo career, has died at the age ...

Beck is a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee - in 1992 for his work with The Yardbirds and as a solo performer in 2009. We didn’t really make any design," Beck said at the time. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Beck as the fifth greatest guitarist of all time, one spot ahead of blues icon B.B.

We're remembering Jeff Beck's phenomenal electric guitar interpretation of Puccini's aria 'Nessun dorma' from the opera Turandot.

Countless guitarists have studied and loved [Paganini](/composers/paganini/). Metallica’s James Hetfield’s favourite classical composer is [Vivaldi](/composers/vivaldi/). Beck also created expansive rock arrangements of [Mahler](/composers/mahler/), and his tenth studio album Emotion & Commotion features [Benjamin Britten](/composers/britten/)’s ‘Corpus Christi Carol’.

Jan 11 (Reuters) - Jeff Beck, the influential, genre-bending English guitarist who rose to fame with The Yardbirds before later embarking on a solo career, ...

We didn’t really make any design,” Beck said at the time. Beck is a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee – in 1992 for his work with The Yardbirds and as a solo performer in 2009. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Beck as the fifth greatest guitarist of all time, one spot ahead of blues icon B.B.

Jeff Beck has died at the age of 78. He was a master of the guitar and played in bands such as the Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group.

[as](https://www.instagram.com/p/CnSqk8rDxZR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=99afac0b-3209-4752-90b3-8dfd48100c10) “the six stringed Warrior,” while Mick Jagger [wrote](https://twitter.com/MickJagger/status/1613312367160397824), “We have lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players in the world.” Rod Stewart, an original member of the Jeff Beck Group, reminisced [with](https://twitter.com/rodstewart/status/1613313294093221888) the following: “Jeff Beck was on another plane … And I have to look at it that way.” Beck has the rare the distinction of being inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: for his work in the Yardbirds and his solo career. Thank you for everything.” Ronnie Wood, another early member of the Jeff Beck Group, [wrote](https://twitter.com/ronniewood/status/1613308688957341696), “I feel like one of my band of brothers has left this world, and I’m going to dearly miss him.” Other tributes to Beck can be read below. His sense of curiosity was also reflected in his technical prowess; he had a knack for discovering new and humorous ways to distort a guitar, somehow making a few strings sound like an instrument that originated in a limitless universe. “When you look around and see who has made it huge, it’s a really rotten place to be when you think about it. “All I can say is that I’ve never made the big time, mercifully probably,” he

The maverick virtuoso rock guitarist has died aged 78. We take a look back at his career in pictures.

Virtuoso musician who took the guitar in new directions with a firework display of contrasting techniques and textures.

After the Jeff Beck Band ended, he formed the “power trio” Beck, Bogert and Appice in 1973 (his bandmates being ex-members of Vanilla Fudge), but the project failed to match expectations and they split in 1974. [Curtis Mayfield](https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/dec/28/guardianobituaries)’s People Get Ready, and the track Escape won Beck the first of his eight Grammy awards. [George Martin](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/09/george-martin-obituary). [Evil Hearted You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y2ayUzXcec) (UK No 3), Shapes of Things (UK No 3) and [Over Under Sideways Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4DdAs0PddQ) (UK No 10). It featured Page, the Who’s drummer Keith Moon and the future Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones (indeed, the musicians on the track almost became Led Zeppelin), but was not released until it became the B side of Beck’s single Hi Ho Silver Lining the following year. Page would go on to bend the boundaries of rock music with Led Zeppelin, while Beck was experimenting with different tunings and feedback effects. Beck was born at his family’s home in Wallington (then in Surrey, but now in south London). His 2010 album Emotion & Commotion included versions of Benjamin Britten’s [Corpus Christi Carol](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itJSLf_8yJ0) and Puccini’s [Nessun Dorma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTBCqmBjNxk), interpreted through Beck’s uniquely sensitive touch. A rebuilt Jeff Beck Group released the albums Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972), but the magic moment had passed. [Heart Full of Soul ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM1qZBFiOLU)and [Shapes of Things](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc17DqcA6Qc), while expanding the band’s musical palette hugely. As a member of the Yardbirds in 1965-66, he featured on some of their best-known hits, including When Clapton and Page appeared at Live Aid in 1985, Beck preferred to stay at home and tinker with his beloved collection of classic hot rod cars.

The guitarist, who died on Tuesday, could make his instrument slash, burn and sigh. Listen to tracks released from 1966 to 2010 that reveal his range and ...

For all his speed and dexterity, Beck never underestimated the beauty of a sustained melody. This gracious latter-day reunion for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is noisy, flashy, virtuosic and over the top in exactly the right proportions. Beck offers a stately, fanfare-like guitar hook after the first verse, then engages Stewart more and more: taking over the melody with note-bending variations, surging up from below, goading Stewart to shout and leap into falsetto. It gives Beck room to peal some clarion melodies and then attack them with trills, bent notes, blues licks and dissonances. His solo eases up to a high note and then casually trickles down, continuing through the track to garland Wonder’s vocals with little slides and curlicues, reveling in the song’s sophisticated chord progression. Beck’s electric guitar opens with twangy rockabilly syncopation, sets up the choppy piano groove and pointedly spurs things along. The song gallops from the get-go, as Beck answers his own power chords with countermelodies high and low. Beck’s lead guitar takes over for the entire last minute, melding rockabilly and something like raga, leaving the rest of the band to whoop along. Beck’s instrumentals moved to the forefront in the 1970s, as his material shifted toward jazz-rock. He could make his Stratocaster sound icy, searing, slashing and otherworldly in the course of a single track. It sparred with singers for the spotlight. The guitarist, who died on Tuesday, could make his instrument slash, burn and sigh.

Jeff Beck, the influential, genre-bending English guitarist who rose to fame with The Yardbirds before later embarking on a solo career, has died at the age ...

He would go on to win seven more of the gold-plated statuettes in his career. “The six stringed warrior is no longer here for us to admire the spell he could weave around our mortal emotions. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Beck as the fifth greatest guitarist of all time, one spot ahead of blues icon BB King.

Jeff Beck, one the most acclaimed guitarists in rock and roll history, died Tuesday after contracting bacterial meningitis, according to his family.

CONTRERAS: Jeff Beck was a notorious loner, and that is - he largely avoided the spotlight that other rock stars were used to, preferring instead to spend time with his collection of vintage hotrod cars at his home in England. In his hands, it was as expressive as the human voice. CONTRERAS: His name pops up throughout that early 1960s history, first as a replacement for Eric Clapton in the legendary British rock group The Yardbirds, then as the leader of the Jeff Beck Group with a very young Rod Stewart. Unlike his British contemporaries who made their names playing with one band back then - musicians like Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin and Pete Townsend in The Who - Jeff Beck was associated with a variety of bands and configurations throughout his career, often invited to perform as a guest musician for artists like Stevie Wonder and jazz fusion musician Jan Hammer. Beck was part of the so-called British Invasion of the 1960s and was widely respected well into his 70s. Guitarist Jeff Beck has died.

After contracting bacterial meningitis, legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck died Wednesday at the age of 78, according to a statement posted to his official ...

The infection can lead to both meningitis and a serious infection of the bloodstream called sepsis, or blood poisoning. However, it is a severe disease with a significant risk of death or lasting disabilities in people who get it,” according to the CDC. The types of bacteria that cause meningitis can be spread in a number of ways. “Even when it is treated, meningococcal disease kills 10 to 15 infected people out of 100. [an inflammation of the membranes](https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html) that cover the brain and spinal cord. Sepsis can travel within hours throughout the body, causing extremities to quickly gangrene and organs to fail. Treatment differs based on the cause of meningitis, so it’s important to know the source. Signs to look for include irritability, vomiting, inactivity, feeding poorly, abnormal reflexes and a bulging “soft spot,” or fontanel, on the head. Travelers to sub-Saharan Africa, which has a coli bacteria can be passed from mother to child during birth. The swelling is typically caused when an infection attacks the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Call the doctor immediately with any concerns.