Jeff Beck - Truth
On this memorial episode of This Is Vinyl Tap, we discuss the life and legacy of one of rock’s most unique and imaginative guitarists Jeff Beck. We focus on his 1968 groundbreaking album Truth.
After his very successful, but short-lived, stint in the Yardbirds, Beck began to work on his next project. Finding an amazing supporting cast in singer Rod Stewart, bassist Ron Wood, and drummer Mickey Waller, Beck recorded an album that used the foundation of the blues to build something that was unlike anything else at the time. Beck was often called a “guitar player’s guitar player” and Truth, full of guitar wizardry, definitely backs that sentiment up. Truth was heavier, dirtier, and louder than anything that had come before it and remains an album whose impact and influence continues to be far reaching.
Recommendation on the episode: Beck: Performing this week - Live at Ronnie Scott.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Jeff Beck, circa 1966.
In 1964, Beck was a session guitarist for Screaming Lord Such on his single "Dracula's Daughter" b/w "Come Back Baby.” Screaming Lord Such was the founder of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party. He holds the record for contesting the most Parliamentary elections (39 in all from 1963 to 1997). You can watch a video for the song “Dracula’s Daughter” below.
Beck with Lord Such
“Shapes of Things” was one of the first singles written by the Yardbirds themselves. Its in the group of songs that were early psychedelic tunes and includes a feed-back laden guitar solo by Beck, and was an immensely influential song. It peaked at No. 11 in the US.
Within a year of Beck joining the Yardbirds, his long-time friend, Jimmy Page joined the band for a deul-guitar attack.
Here’s Page and Beck tuning up before a Yardbirds' show on in October of 1966 in Westport Connecticut.
Here’s scene with the Yardbirds playing “Stroll On” from the the 1966 film Blow Up, directed By Michelangelo Antonioni. Its rare video with both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page performing together.
Beck gets so angry about a buzz in his amp that he smashes his guitar on stage. When he throws the guitar neck into the crowd, a riot ensues.
After his stint with the Yardbirds, and before he formed his own band, the Jeff Beck Group, he recored a couple of "solo” singles. One of which was "Hi Ho Silver Lining." picked by manager/producer Mickie Most, to help Beck become a pop star. In addition to playing the guitar, Beck sang the lead vocal. The song was a hit in in the UK, topping out at #14.
Beck, regretting the attention this light weight song afforded him (it was his biggest solo single) called it a “pink toilet seat around his neck.”
The Jeff Beck Group went through several drummers before finally settling on Mickey Waller. Here’s a publicity picture of the band with one of the previous drummers, former John Mayall member Aynsley Dunbar, (L to R: Jeff Beck, Ron Wood, Ansley Dunbar, and Rod Stewart).
Dunbar left the band because he did not like the direction of the music or their hippy clothing style.
Here’s the final line up of the Jeff Beck Group (Picture L to R): Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Mickey Waller, and Jeff Beck.
Here is some silent film footage shot during a 1968 performance of the Jeff Beck Group at the Fillmore East synced with the Truth version of "Shapes of Things".
Beck joined Rod Stewart at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles in 2008 to perform “I Ain’t Superstitious” from Truth.
Our very humble producer, Jonathan “J.M.” Roe mentioned Jeff Beck’s fantastic version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” You can check it out for yourself below:
Beck was considered to replace Syd Barret in Pink Floyd before the band went with David Gilmour. Beck did work with Roger Waters on his 1992 solo LP Amused to Death. You can see Beck doing his thing on the video for “What God Wants, Pt 1” from that album below.
Watch an absolutely uproarious performance of “Hi Ho Silver Lining” on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny in 2003. Beck is joined on stage by Chrissie Hynde, Solomon Burke, Robert Plant, Tom Jones, and Jimmy Cliff (among others by the end of the song). Dig that guitar solo!
