Introduction to Classic Rock
To write this story I have to go back when I first start listening to classic rock bands. I already knew bands like Mötley Crüe, Warrant, Aerosmith, Poison, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden and so on. At that time listening to these great bands someone gave me a VHS tape (yes a VHS tape)of a show that Led Zeppelin gave at the MSG in NY, I think ’73. I was so impressed that I start looking up information about the band and I wanted to know more about them. I later found out that the song “Stairway to Heaven” was from Led Zeppelin. Every year there was this Radio program with the best 2000 songs and “Stairway to Heaven” was always on that list. Now for me the song I loved had a face because I saw that VHS tape. And from there on I started discovering new bands like Black Sabbath, Cream, The Who, Yardbirds, Deep Purple and Pink Floyd. That was my introduction to classic rock bands from that period.
The music of Jeff Beck
And this is how I saw/heard Jeff Beck play for the first time. Since then I always had a thing about watching rockumentaries about these bands/musicians and how their music evolved and influenced other musicians. Just looking at Yardbirds, that band had three legendary guitar players: Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton who played in that band. These guys went on to form bands on their own that would cement their own legacies.
When Jeff Beck left Yardbirds he went on to form The Jeff Beck Group. With Jeff Beck(guitars), Rod Stewart(vocals), Aynsley Dunbar(drums), Ronnie Wood(guitars).
The Jeff Beck Group
That blues rock that Jeff Beck/band played was so wonderful to hear and the way he played you could understand that Jeff was very much influenced by blues as the other great guitars players from that time. Don’t forget that the first line up of The Jeff Beck Group had some musicians that would become legends on their own. I’m talking about Ronnie Wood who is the guitar player of The Rolling Stones, Aynsley Dunbar who played with Journey, Frank Zappa Band, David Bowie and Whitesnake and let’s not forget there vocalist Rod Stewart, who’s solo career is well documented.
To see Jeff Beck play as a solo artist or in the legendary bands he played with as Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group I can understand the youth that are picking up a guitar for the first time saw Jeff Beck play or a guitar player that very much was influenced by Jeff Beck.
Unfortunately Jeff Beck passed away on 10th of January 2023 but his music will never die. That will live forever.
I wrote this short story from a point of view as a fan. I’m not a musician or journalist I enjoyed and loved to watch these guitar players/bands of that time and still do.
R.I.P. Jeff Beck