"Thank Yous" go to:
David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars last show with Beck encores including the never TV broadcast 2nd encore "Round 'n Round". Jeff plays on the Magic Bag as the camera catches Bowie smiling his approval at the technique of the UK National Treasure...Guitar Shop Tour dates getting better all the time with the best audios so far at Edinburgh,Scotland and Cincinnati, Ohio...BBC-TV video interviews are a gas, especially"Rapido" with our plank- spanker home at work on his Hot Rods in his garage. Also included is a great panning shot of Beck's estate grounds,mansion, shiny StreetRods, and his dog. Still get chill down my spine when I watch the "Definitely Maybe" video from The Beat Club...San Francisco ARMS video contains Jeff on encores but his set is not on them... Audio "Wired" outakes are on the scene...MTV clip of Jagger/Beck doing "Carol" is great but who has the whole song on video or for that matter the whole shoot?..Listen to Jeff's comments to his audience between numbers during his live shows thru the years. Some are hilarious. We'll do a whole article of them next issue...Back to video, Lenny Henry's comic blues spoof is marvelous with Jeff Beck looking amused at Henry's John Lee Hooker style garb and cracking up when Henry places a Beck solo in jeopardy with a well timed one note passage with his blues harp! Ever notice Jeff loves to play with the strings above the nut on his Strat for sounds? Just seeing if you're still awake.Beck bends on his whammy bar to get a Clint Eastwood "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" style Western effect on Tony Hymas' "Crazy Horse" from Tony's French "Oyate" CD...Don't shelve your video of "Frankie's House" just yet. There are a couple of incidental Beck made sounds not found on the soundtrack. Most notably the Asian twang passage that ends and begins each break...Clarification Dept., The long version of"The Tube" (BBC-TVshow) was recorded during the "Flash" outakes and is the funky outake with Jeff and a "thumb popping" Doug Wimbish on bass. The short version currently available to collectors is the short version recorded off the TV intro to the show and produced by Trevor Horn. Is there a clear studio tape of this second version not recorded off the TV?...We forgot to mention in the last 'zine that Jeff and Tony did some soundtrack work for a BBC TV show "South Atlantic Raiders". It features an early form of "Where Were You" done to a Beck's Bolero beat! Short outake is available but we'd love to have the whole thing! Finally the BBA silent 8mm skit in Boston '72 is on VHS. Beck lies prone on stage at end of the encore but rises from the "dead" to smash a pie in Carmine Appice's face! Be seeing you. Dick W.
Selected track notes:
Most inspirational, famous painters either sign their name acertain way on the canvas or give a telltale stroke or two of their brush. It's their stamp, their signature. Jeff Beck thru the years has sometimes openly and sometimes coyly signed a lot of his works with a certain riff we'll call the "Diddlela, Diddlela, Diddlela, Diddlela" guitar lick.
In Beck's recorded history, one first hears this repetitive group of fast six note phrases on the Yardbirds' For Your Love Lp on "My Girl Sloopy". Towards the end of the tune as everything is mellowing out, Jeff explodes several times with that blast which first dropped my jaw years ago. Following shortly after that came a similar explosion on "Evil Hearted You" from the Rave Up Lp as Keith Relf sings the lyric "and I want you to remain...". The most copied and admired Beck signature however remains those passages in "Jeff's Boogie". Literally spellbinding when done live, they were probably more responsible than anything else for giving Jeff the somewhat condescending title "Crown Prince of Flash" by one ignorant rock writer of the 60's. Stevie Ray Vaughan was so knocked out by this riff that he used to have "guitar slinging" battles with other guitarists to see who could do that riff the fastest!
A quick tour through the rest of Jeff's work shows his signature lick in part or in it's entirety on: "Plynth", "Jizz Whizz", "Scatterbrain", "Sophie", "Head for Backstage Pass" and others. Most recently live "Guitar Shop" audios have memorialized a modern dissonant version of the "Diddlela, Diddlela, Diddlela, Diddlela" as Beck trades licks with Terry Bozio on "Behind the Veil". Another variation in the future? I'm sure Jeff Beck will keep us in suspense!
Next issue...The guitar slide "whistling" technique of Jeff Beck thru the years.
David Terralavoro would like to thank...Steve Rolley, Kenny Sexton, Pat Hilger, and Pete Bassett for helping in the compiling of these dates. Also Disc Magazine for the April 1967 dates and Go Pop Weekly for the October/November 1968 dates and of course Ron Wood and Jeff Beck.
Any corrections/additions are welcome and will be published as updates in future issues, Ed.
Formed at the end of 1985, this six piece band recreates perfectly the American style Rhythm &
Blues of the late forties and early fifties. Eric Clapton was impressed enough to ask them to
back him for three nights at the Royal Albert Hall in 1990. Clapton also used them to back him on
the soundtrack of the hit film "The Color of Money" starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.
They toured California with Mick Fleetwood and Christine Perfect. Robert Cray was so head over
heels about them he chose them to play at his wedding reception. Robert Plant insisted they backed
him for the Heartbeat Charity Performance at the NEC Birmingham. I was lucky enough to interview
lead vocalist and piano player Mike Sanchez, at a local gig ("The Wheatsheaf"-Stoke-on-Trent) recently
and was knocked out by their performance.
How did you first get involved with Jeff Beck?
Well, we played on the soundtrack of "The Color of Money", performing Bobby Bland's
"It's My Life Baby" with Eric Clapton, resulting in the offer of another soundtrack
"The Pope Must Die" in the summer of 1991. We played backing to J.B. and Anne Dudley
(ex Art of Noise) and had lots of fun. Over the last two years we played together many
times at parties and rehearsals, messing around with covers and original songs. Then
we came up with the idea of the Cliff Gallup/Gene Vincent tribute.
What was Jeff like to record with?
Brilliant! Lots of fun, totally dedicated to reproducing the accurate guitar sounds of
Cliff Gallup. He was always thinking of new ideas, I believe he really enjoyed the
rehearsals.
Any particular favourites on the new album?
One biggie for the J.B. fan will be Baby Blue, plus Woman Love, Catman, Double Talkin'
Baby, and Lovin'Lovin'.
Did you leave any songs off 'Crazy Legs' for future reference?
Yes! A couple of songs were left off, but we will be using these ourselves on our new
album due this summer.
Was Jeff moody and tempermental as often suggested in rock mags?
No, not at all. In fact quite the reverse if anything.
Have you any plans to tour with Beck promoting the new album?
Yes, late spring onwards, mostly in the U.S., although this has to be confirmed.
"The first record I ever produced was Paul Jones, the singer in Manfred Mann...The first
track I did was a Bee Gees song "And The Sun Will Shine"...The rhythm section on that was
Nicky Hopkins on piano, Paul Samwell Smith on bass, Jeff Beck played guitar, and Paul McCartney played drums. It was a very illustrious rhythmsection."
Two observations struck me as I read Asher's interview. Firstly, never before had anybody
suggested that Jeff played on the "A" side. I relistened to the track and yes, there is a
rhythm guitar and three lead notes towards the end buried under a ton of strings. So consider this
a "Beckology Discography" update. Secondly, Asher doesn't mention "The Dog Presides" in the
interview which is clearly the more musically interesting track.
The "Jeff Beck Bulletin" contacted Jeff's manager, Ralph Baker, to get some recollections of
this historical session from Jeff himself. These are Jeff's recollections, January 1993:
Beck Bulletin: "You had a dog "Pudding". McCartney's a known dog admirer. Any connection
with this and the origin of the song "The Dog Presides"?
Jeff Beck: "No...Pudding may have been at the session."
BB: What was your guitar and amp set up for this one?
JB: "Honestly can't remember, very likely to have been a Les Paul/Marshall combination."
BB: Was the session done separately with overdubs or live
with the other guys?
JB: "All live!"
BB: Was it strange having McCartney on drums and playing with Samwell Smith again on
bass?
JB: "MMMM...guess it was."
BB: Anything else you remember?
JB: "I remember hoping that Paul (McCartney) was going to sing."
Footnote: As Ralph Baker was preparing to wire me, Paul Samwell Smith happened to phone
him. "Sam" remembers Peter Asher asking him to speak to Jeff as Asher didn't know Beck!
Next issue Sessionology..."Midnight Special Superjam"
NBC has approached Jeff Beck to do music to a TV remake of thefamed action/travel 60's
adventure series "Route 66".
On again, off again, on again department...THE TOUR IS ON!
Well, maybe. Small venues are at press time trying to be arrangedin the U.S. to accommodate
Jeff's ears and the proper setting for promoting his new Lp with the Big Town Playboys. Should
thisauthor be lucky enough to get an interview (no matter how small) with Jeff, and if he indeed
does tour, you can be certain it will be published in it's entirety in a future issue of this mag.
Why did Beck do "Crazy Legs"? He offers this one liner: "I wanted some music I could listen-
to in my car!"
Seems that Ernest Chapman's wife is a relation of Jed Lieber's famous songwriting
("Houndog") dad Jerry. Jeff was always admired by Jed so through that connection Mr. Lieber
got to meet and play with Mr. Beck.
No word yet on Duff Mckagen's (Guns 'N Roses) impending release w/guest Jeff Beck.
Jeff has done some work with Andrew Roachford (Twins) for future release.
Don't go looking in record stores yet for anything with Jeff and Jennifer Batten (Michael
Jackson's guitarist) as the project is just in the planning stages.(Update 96...still waiting)
Ditto for the Jeff Beck/Brian May combination on a film sound track as Mr. May is on holiday.(Update 96...never came off)
Rehearsals set for February 22nd with The Big Town Playboys to see if the Big-tour in smaller
clubs will suit Jeff. We can only hope!
Start saving your pennies for the special collectors packaging of April's Jeff release "Crazy
Legs". Limited edition boxes similar to the recent Clapton release appear to be just about
a reality. (Update 96...Epic dropped the ball on this one.)
People Magazine calls Jeff Beck "father of his art form" in a recent Satriani review.
Roger Waters calls him "a U.K. national treasure" in Goldmine Magazine.
"This award really belongs to Jeff" Eric Clapton, accepting a best guitarist award.
"On nights when he is on then that's the best there is." Jimmy Page speaking about Beck in
Melody Maker Magazine late 1974.
Although there was no official ranking, who got listed in thenumber one position in Musicians
Magazines recent top 100 guitarists of all time article? Hmmm...
Great Guitar Player Magazine cover story on Jeff due at presstime. They ought to overlook
that fifth category victory (not best Lp which Jeff has) needed for induction into the Guitar Player)
Gallery of Greats. Get out your pens lads, write to Guitar Player and to let your voice be heard!
Ed. Trev Wilkinson is the inventor of the "Wilkinson roller nut" which is a guitar nut that
employs roller devices under the strings as well as other innovative designs to reduce string
friction and binding. This reduces detuning of the guitar when the "whammy bar" is used. Jeff
uses this device on his favorite kind of guitars, Fender Stratocasters.
This just in a presstime. Phil Cohen (YB's Charly box setprod.) spoke to Max Middleton who
says there were recordings made with the Rough and Ready Band with Alex Ligertwood, the
original vocalist.
Folks won't say who but someone saw and incredible amount of old boxed up tapes at
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI) from that era marked "Jeff Beck". Greg Geller has a
hypothesis that this material is the Alex Ligertwood pre Rough 'n Ready mixes. We wired Ralph
Baker and Ernest Chapman is looking into it. And even if wedon't hear them soon, at least they
will hopefully be tucked awayin Beck's enviormentally controlled warehouse in London. We
will publish the results in the next issue as this could be a huge find.
Be seeing you.
Dick Wyzanski
Update 96...These tapes were discovered by Gene Vincent compiler for Capitol Records, Ron Furmaneck,
while he was doing some archiving for Jimmy Page. They were however not played and got buried again
somewhere in the dungeons at Abbey Road Studios.
Actually here we are in November 1997 and we can update the above gigs list! Thanks to Bill Wylde for
digging this list up!
1967
1968
1969
The Big Town Playboys
An interview by Nigel Flannigan for The Jeff Beck Bulletin
"These guys are people from my own planet"
-Jeff Beck
Mike Sanchez....Vocals/Piano
Clive Deamer....Drums
Leo Green.......Tenor Sax
Ian Jennings....Bass
Adrian Utley....Guitar
Nick Lunt.......Baritone sax
Every Beck fan will want to know about The Big Town Playboys after hearing his forthcoming
album"Crazy Legs". This band is REALLY HOT! After first meeting the group on the set
of the film "The Pope Must Die", Jeff finally felt that he had met the musicians of the right
calibre who could play authentic R&B, to play on his new album dedicated to Cliff Gallup,
Gene Vincent's stunning guitarist.
SESSIONOLOGY
Among the myriad of sessions Jeff Beck has been a part of, no one of them stands out more
for it's uniqueness than a 1968 U.K. "B" side of a single by exManfred Mann vocalist Paul
Jones. The mere mention of that track "The Dog Presides" sends chills down fans' spines. The
tune is a classic sixties three chord rave up with a strong backbeat. Lyrics about comparing a
dog's behavior and mating habits to human society rates with the best of Ray Davies style satire
right down to the cockney accent. Jeff Beck contributes driving lead notes, trills, and chunky fat
chordsthroughout. He even pauses to deliver a smidgeon of Sly Stone funkpassages for effect.
The most amazing aspect of the session itself is the assemblage of musicians for the event
including; then recently divorced from the Yardbirds Paul Samwell Smith on bass and Beatle Paul
McCartney on drums while he was still a Beatle! Nicky Hopkins was added on keyboards for the
"A" side, "And The Sun Will Shine", which was written by the Bee Gees. McCartney's friend Peter
Asher, then of the duo Peter and Gordon, produced the session and had these things to say in the
December 1992 edition of Audio Magazine:CURRENT EVENTOLOGY
The ultimate Yardbirds box set will feature original Girgio Gomelsky master tapes never used
before. Jeff Beck will be covered by two of the four CD set to be released by Charly Records in
April. Project coordinator Phil Cohen from Miami, Florida, reports that there will be considerable
amounts of previously unreleased Beck-Yardbirds takes as well as studio chatter and better
quality masters of standard hits than had been used before. Examples are;
"Jeff's Blues" take 2, "What Do You Want" takes 1,2 and 3, "Someone To Love" Part I takes 2,4
and 14, and some takes of Here Tis' For more information, subscribe to Richard Mackay's "Yardbird's World"
magazine. We've learned from a recent conversation with Gregg Geller that this issue's feature,
"The Dog Presides", was going to be on the ill-fated fourth CD of the Beckology box set. Other
definites were the Michael Fennelly tracks, the Eddie Harris session, Diana Ross' "Forever
Young" and the 1964 Lord Sutch singles. That's as far as that part of the project got. Jeff Beck's
guitar and word will be predominant this spring. Major interviews will be in all the guitar mags
and Rolling Stone. On CD Jeff will guest on Paul Rodger's Muddy Waters tribute lp in
addition to his own Gene Vincent tribute lp, "Crazy Legs". Three tracks were recorded for
Rodger's as MTV reported only one. It is unclear if all three will appear. (If not maybe a certain
Santa Claus will give us a present if we're good.) They are "Good Morning Little School Girl",
"Rolling Stone" and "I Just Wanna Make Love To You". No Hendrix tribute Lp track has been
sent to Jeff as of this writing)ODDS 'N SODS
Jeff Beck used Noel Redding's (Hendrix bassist) house as a place to jam and devour bacon
sandwiches in 1970. Jeff's lady was getting him into vegetarianism and between strumming the
bass, no less, and listening to Redding on six string, Beck snuck back to old food vices.
(Note to Jeff,Do not read next few lines if it embarrasses you. It's just that fans like to gloat
sometimes.)LETTERS FROM FANS
Jeff Beck's guitar playing always moves forward even when touching on familiar forms.
Blues, Funk, Rockabilly it's always new and exciting. As a guitar player myself, Jeff has shown
me there's always something new to be gotten out of the electric guitar. A guitar can do more
than play chords and solos. A guitar is personal voice. It can sing.
Kenny Sexton
P.S. I want to thank Trev Wilkinson for giving me advice. The motor oil works!