Jeff Beck demos...

bacchanalian

I think the criticisms about his vibrato arm use being gimmicky or comparisons to Vai et al are misplaced. For me , Jeff only uses the techniques if they add something to the music.  The phrasing in 'Where were you'? mimics the human voice in a way that other 'stunt' guitarists cannot.
If he could only write something like 'Layla' or 'Stairway to Heaven' he would be selling out the Albert Hall like Eric Clapton.

EricTheWeary

english_bob said:

Cirrus said:

I don't really know much of his work, except that he played on Roger Water's Amused to Death and that's got some killer guitar parts, so I like him. Where, as a novice, should I start listening with him?

I'm not a Jeff Beck superfan or anything, but I do like his Live at Ronnie Scott's album. It's basically a "greatest hits" of his solo career, but played with his current style and technique (unlike a lot of guitarists, Beck actually seems to get better with age), and without the dated instrumental sounds that might potentially put you off his 70s output.

 Pretty much an all-star fusion band backing him too- Tal Wilkenfeld, Jason Rebello and Vinnie Colaiuta. Imogen Heap and Joss Bleedin' Stone guest (because Jeff does seem to like working with attractive young women), as does Eric Clapton if you get the DVD.

Plus with the DVD you get to look at Tal Wilkenfeld, which some people like, and you get to see various interviews with Jeff that will convince you- if you needed it- that he's 95% of Nigel Tufnel.



I'm really, really not a superfan, I have a couple of CDs somewhere gathering dust and find a lot of his output, hmm, I don't know but I find it hard to get excited by.
However, I have watched the Ronnie Scott's concert a couple of times ( it was on Sky Arts or BBC4) and found it really interesting. I guess it's more stylistically varied than a single album will tend to be and watching people that good at what they do is quite joyful. 
I've watched the rocknroll party one as well. It's alright but Beck isn't actually as  authentic at doing the rocknroll, Les Paul type stuff as the people paid to back him so it's a bit neither one thing or the other. 

clarkefan

He's good fun live, not to mention him and his band always being utterly stunning.

That bit in the Ronnie Scott's gig where he introduces Clapton and says, "I might as well fack off 'ome then!", is he taking the piss or what? Clapton proceeds to bore everybody with the same old stuff, it's completely out of place given all the stunning music going on otherwise

jacksparrow

Love this LP

guitars4you

understand a new JB live at Hollywood Bowl DVD is on its way

ChuckManual

I've only come to appreciate his stuff in the last ten years or so, but he's one of my favourite guitarists now - and his trem technique (something I usually have no time for) is one of the key reasons I love his playing ...and seeing him play live in Brighton a few years ago (with a *stellar* band that included Narada Michael Walden on drums) remains one of the finest gigs I've ever been to.