Jeff Beck, a guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitarist’s guitarist, has died. He was 78.
Beck died Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his representatives said in a statement released Wednesday.
“Jeff was such a nice guy and an iconic, genius guitar player extraordinaire – there will never be another Jeff Beck,” Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi wrote on Twitter.
Paul Stanley of Kiss called Beck one of the guitar masters of all time: “Playing now and forever,” he tweeted. His bandmate Gene Simmons wrote, “No one plays guitar like Jeff.”
Beck first came to prominence as a member of the Yardbirds, and then went on to pursue a solo career spanning hard rock, jazz, funky blues and even opera. He was known for his improvisation, love of harmonicas and the drum bar of his preferred Fender Stratocaster guitar.
“Jeff Beck is the best guitarist on the planet,” Joe Perry, Aerosmith’s lead guitarist, told The New York Times in 2010. “He’s head, hands and feet above all the rest of us, with such talent which only appears once every generation or two.”
On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he died peacefully yesterday. His family is asking for privacy as they process this tremendous loss. pic.twitter.com/4dvt5aGzlv
—@jeffbeckmusic
“I like an element of chaos in music”
Beck was among the pantheon of rock guitarists of the late 1960s that included Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. Beck has won eight Grammy Awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once with the Yardbirds in 1992 and again as a solo artist in 2009. He was ranked fifth on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 greatest guitarists of all’. time.”
Beck has played guitar with vocalists as diverse as Luciano Pavarotti, Macy Gray, Chrissie Hynde, Joss Stone, Imelda May, Cyndi Lauper, Winona Judd and Buddy Guy. He made two recordings with Rod Stewart – 1968’s Truth and 1969’s Beck-Ola – and one with a 64-piece orchestra, Emotion & Commotion.
His technique is unique. Apparently his imagination is limitless. Jeff, I will miss you along with your millions of fans. Jeff Beck Rest in Peace.https://t.co/4h1DfXXmWI
—@JimmyPage
“I like an element of chaos in music. This feeling is the best thing, as long as you don’t have too much of it. It has to be in balance. I just watched Cirque du Soleil and it struck me as total organized chaos,” he told Guitar World in 2014. “If I can turn that into music, it’s not far from what my ultimate goal would be, which is to delighting people with chaos and beauty at the same time.’
Beck’s career highlights include joining bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Apice to form the power trio that released Beck, Bogert and Apice in 1973, touring with Brian Wilson and Buddy Guy, and a tribute album to the late guitarist Les Paul. Rock ‘n’ Roll Party (in honor of Les Paul).
Beck performs in concert at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center on April 25, 2015 in York, Pennsylvania (Owen Sweeney/Invision/The Associated Press)
Geoffrey Arnold Beck was born in Surrey, England, and attended Wimbledon Art College. His father was an accountant and his mother worked in a chocolate factory. As a boy, he built his first instrument using a cigar box, a picture frame for a door, and a string from a toy radio-controlled airplane.
He was in several bands – including Nightshift and The Tridents – before joining the Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Clapton, only to make way for Page just a year later. During his tenure, the band produced the memorable singles Heart Full of Soul, I’m a Man and Shapes of Things.
Beck’s first hit single was the 1967 instrumental Beck’s Bolero, which featured future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones and future Who drummer Keith Moon.
The Jeff Beck Band – with Stewart singing – were later booked to play the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, but their appearance was cancelled.
Beck later said there was unrest in the band. “I could see the end of the tunnel,” he told Rolling Stone in 2010.
Friends with Hendrix, Clapton
Beck was friends with Hendrix and they performed together. Before Hendrix, most rock guitarists concentrated on a similar style and technical vocabulary. Hendrix smashed that. “He came in and reset all the rules for one night,” Beck told Guitar World.
Beck teamed up with legendary producer George Martin – aka “the fifth Beatle” – to help create the genre-blending, jazz-fusion classics Blow by Blow (1975) and Wired (1976). He worked with Seal on the Hendrix tribute Stone Free, formed a jazz fusion band led by synthesizer Jan Hammer and paid tribute to rockabilly guitarist Cliff Gallup with the album Crazy Legs. He released Loud Hailer in 2016.
Beck performs in concert at Madison Square Garden on February 18, 2010 in New York City. (Evan Agostini/Associated Press)
Beck’s guitar work can be heard on the soundtracks of films such as Stomp the Yard, Shallow Hal, Casino, Honeymoon in Vegas, Twins, Observe and Report and Little Big League.
Beck’s career never reached Clapton’s commercial heights. A perfectionist, he preferred to make critically acclaimed music records and left the limelight for a long time, enjoying his time restoring vintage cars. He and Clapton had a strained relationship at first, but became friends in later life and toured together.
According to Beck, it took four decades for that to happen “because we were all trying to be big bananas,” he told Rolling Stone in 2010. “It’s just that I didn’t have the luxury of the hit songs that Eric had.”
Beck is survived by his wife, Sandra.
Add Comment