He’s Not A Master Guitarist, He’s The Master Of His Guitar.
He wasn’t rated like his former bandmates, Clapton or Page – but he isn’t someone you could just overlook. He’s one of the best guitarists out there, and Rolling Stones ranked him as Number five.
We look back at “The Most Important Jeff Beck Songs Ever.”
1. Beck’s Bolero
This song was performed by a supergroup – Jeff Beck (lead guitars), Jimmy Page (12 string rhythm), John Paul Jones (bass), Keith Moon (drums) and Nicky Hopkins (piano).
Indeed one of his most important rock instrumentals and one of his first recording as a solo artist and has been described as “one of the great rock instrumentals but was first played during his tenure with the Yardbirds. It has multiple guitar parts and was inspired by Ravel’s Boléro.
2. I Ain’t Superstitious
Came out from his 1968 debut album Truth, featuring Rod Stewart on vocals, Beck’s made a rendition of the song written by bluesman Willie Dixon and Howlin’ Wolf was the first one to record it in 1961. Many artists had recorded this with their original renditions such as George Lynch, The Upholsterers (Jack White’s original band), iTesla (all based on Beck’s version), The Grateful Dead, Savoy Brown, and even Megadeth, on their 1986 album Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? It’s indeed one of Beck’s most important song considering many artists have covered and recorded it.
3. Heart Full of Soul
Why this song is important as a Jeff Beck tune? Here’s your answer, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck – want more do you want? But, of course, we have to give credit for the man who wrote it – Graham Gouldman. This was the Yardbirds’ first single after Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist. Jimmy Page admired Beck’s phenomenal guitar skills on this song.
4. Freeway Jam
The best Jeff Beck jam for three decades, and it’s still a favorite.
The song was recorded and included in his album called Blow By Blow in 1975 and was originally written by keyboardist Jan Hammer. There’s also another incredible version of the song with a line up of Jeff Beck Band features Hammer on keyboards, Doug Wimbush on bass, and Steve Lukather sharing the lead with Jeff Beck and it was recorded at Karuizawa, Japan in 1986.
5. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
Jeff Beck paved the way for Jimmy Page (or actually vice-versa, but Page really admired and even considered Beck as one of the greatest axe-slingers of all-time.) – Beck on lead, and Page on riffs and not many songs can match this one any given year. And they’ve proven that at one time, they were the supergroup, the best of the best and their everlasting influences are still with us to date.