British rock legend Jeff Beck dies aged 78

by Lachlan Abbott, January 12, 2023

Legendary British guitarist Jeff Beck has died at the age of 78, family representatives announced in a statement released on Thursday morning (AEDT).

Beck, one of the most influential rock guitarists of all-time, played with the Yardbirds and later fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. He died on January 10 after contracting bacterial meningitis suddenly, the statement on behalf of his family said.

After launching his music career in the 1960s, Beck was recruited to the Yardbirds after a recommendation from Jimmy Page – who later founded Led Zeppelin – as a replacement for Eric Clapton, who himself went on to become another legendary guitarist.

Page paid tribute to Beck on Twitter writing: “The six-stringed Warrior is no longer here for us to admire the spell he could weave around our mortal emotions. Jeff could channel music from the ethereal.

USA photo of Jeff Beck. Photo by Robert Knight

“His technique unique. His imaginations apparently limitless. Jeff I will miss you along with your millions of fans.”

Beck later formed the Jeff Beck Group, which included acclaimed musicians Rod Stewart and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, and went on to have a solo career that incorporated hard rock, jazz, funky blues and even opera. He was known for his improvising, love of harmonics and the whammy bar on his preferred guitar, the Fender Stratocaster.

Stewart, via a statement said: “Jeff Beck was on another planet. He took me and Ronnie Wood to the USA in the late 60s in his band the Jeff Beck Group and we haven’t looked back since. He was one of the few guitarists that when playing live would actually listen to me sing and respond.”

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Beck the fifth-greatest guitarist of all time. He won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice – once with the Yardbirds in 1992 and again as a solo artist in 2009.

Wood, who shifted to the Rolling Stones after playing with the Jeff Beck Group, said: “Now Jeff has gone, I feel like one of my band of brothers has left this world, and I’m going to dearly miss him. I’m sending much sympathy to Sandra, his family, and all who loved him.”

Beck played guitar with vocalists as varied as Luciano Pavarotti, Macy Gray, Chrissie Hynde, Joss Stone, Imelda May, Cyndi Lauper, Wynonna Judd, Buddy Guy and Johnny Depp. He made two records with Stewart – 1968’s Truth and 1969’s Beck-Ola – and one with a 64-piece orchestra, Emotion & Commotion.

A perfectionist, he preferred to make critically well-received instrumental records and left the limelight for long stretches, enjoying his time restoring vintage automobiles.

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons said "No one played guitar like Jeff. Please get a hold of the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and behold greatness. RIP.”

The last studio album he released was a collaboration with actor Johnny Depp. It was panned by the critics.

Article first published on The Sydney Morning Herald website, January 12, 2023 (click link)

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/british-rock-legend-jeff-beck-dies-aged-78-20230112-p5cc04.html