FUN GUITARIST PROFILE: JEFF BECK!

JEFF BECK!

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It's easy for me to forget that this British guitarist was born in 1944. He played in the Deltones and Tridents before being tapped to replace Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds in 1965. His solo career started the very next year, which was followed by an uncanny hit song called "Hi Ho Silver Lining" in 1967. Over the years The Jeff Beck Group has changed personnel a lot. He earned a Grammy in 1989 for his LP "Guitar Shop", his 3-CD set called "Beckology" was released in 1992; and in 1993 he released "Crazy Legs" with Big Town Playboys in a tribute to Cliff Gallup. Gallup was Gene Vincent's guitarist and Beck's biggest influences. Back in 1990, the British Sunday newspaper Observer conducted a "Guitarists' Guitarist" poll and Beck won. He is highly regarded. I have to smile at his passion for restoring hot rod automobiles---which explains, by the way his long gaps between releases. By 1999, he was back with the CD "Who Else!" and in 2001, "You Had it Coming". He enjoys using a Fender Stratocaster that is custom designed with a thick neck. I like him because he uses sparse effects and I find it interesting that he was one of the first guitarists to explore the tremolo arm to his playing. He finished a 2006 tour of the USA and some of his earlier LP's are being remastered and re-released such as "Beck-Ola!" and "Truth". On a final note, one of the more interesting, albeit, short-lived groups he formed was Beck, Bogert & Appice. This was a hot band but they released just two albums, a studio effort and a live LP. Very enjoyable!