For his first studio album in seven years, Grammy-winning guitarist and rock n roll legend Jeff Beck returns with an eclectic mix of tracks that find the guitar virtuoso accompanied by a handpicked cast of talented musicians, as well as several songs accompanied by a 64-piece orchestra and we’ve got the new LP, ‘Emotion & Commotion’ to give away to one TVD reader.
Bob Lefsetz recently nailed my thoughts on Jeff Beck when I saw him live 11 or so years ago:
“…You should have been there. To see Jeff tapping, putting Eddie Van Halen to shame. And the band was so locked in! The drummer was incredible and when the keyboard player showed his jazz chops during the interview segment, his versatility was astounding, like Jeff said, he could PLAY!
Yes, there was an interview segment after Jeff not only played songs from the new album, but “A Day In The Life” and BRUSH WITH THE BLUES! My all time favorite Jeff Beck song.
And Jeff had some interesting things to say. About how the records we love most were done in a fit of pique, in one take, how we’ve got all this technology today, but it actually works against us. And then he said artists repeat themselves out of cowardice. And that he started in ballrooms, where he never got paid. Ain’t that interesting, the best rock guitar player of all time (he said Segovia is the best GUITARIST of all time) started off playing for free and the hacks working harder at social networking than music are whining “where are the bucks?” And he ragged on the critics too. Saying he doesn’t win things. And when a questioner from the audience said that he plays slide in G, Jeff put him down to the point where the whole audience was aghast, then laughed. WHO CARES?
Yup, who cares about the wannabe. We’ve only got time for excellence.
And the most fascinating bit of insight came as a result of another audience question, another guitar player asking…why does Jeff no longer use a pick?
Because the great rockabilly players, the great Segovia did not. It gave you options, you could play triplets, and it was clearer than ever at this point that the man in the sleeveless outfit might be a star, but first and foremost, he’s a MUSICIAN!
What a concept!“
What a concept indeed. Get at us in the comments to this post with your thoughts on JB and why you should take home this LP (with contact info!) and we’ll choose one winner from the best of the bunch next Tuesday (5/19) and mail the record right out to ya!
