Beck

[Big Jim]

Saw Jeff Beck last night at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville.....The guy was of course, amazing. His new band is great, with Rhonda Smith killing the bass. I got up this morning and watched some older concert videos...IMHO he's better now than ever. No one has ever controlled a guitar like Beck. If anyone gets a chance to see this tour do it!

[Alexo]

Jeff Beck rules. I really admire how he continues to change and evolve and incorporate new techniques, and not get stuck living in the past rehashing old stuff the way so many superstars do.

[Zippy]

Saw Jeff Beck last night at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville.....The guy was of course, amazing. His new band is great, with Rhonda Smith killing the bass. I got up this morning and watched some older concert videos...IMHO he's better now than ever. No one has ever controlled a guitar like Beck. If anyone gets a chance to see this tour do it!

Tal Wilkenfeld has already moved on?

+5 for Jeff Beck's mastery of the guitar.

[Big Jim]

Zippy,
Tal wasn't with him... I did a search on Rhonda this morning. I believe she was Prince's bassist previously. She's got a little different style than Tal. She's bad to the bone....has more of a thundering slap style. Les fusiony (is that a word?) if you will. She also sings and played an electric upright with a bow. Not to take anything away from Tal. I expect she is in high demand for sure. Beck had his usual backline of Plexis. Played his white Strats all nite with the exception of one tune. He played a Les Paul on a song that I believe was a tribute to 'ol Les himself. Great show.
Jim

[Zippy]

Thanks, Jim.

The best I can hope for is a quality DVD of the tour. I envy you the experience of hearing such a treasure in a live setting.

I have to wonder about the new band. Tal seemed to have a great sense of melody and harmonic structure for such a young bassist. Kudos to Jeff Beck for getting Tal such a great start to her career. I hope she does well.

Cheers!

George

[Gibsonman63]

I saw this tour when he was here in Texas last year. Simply amazing. Most guys who have had a career this long are well past thier prime, but Jeff Beck somehow manages to continue to improve and expoit the subtleties of the guitar.

Maybe there is something to be said for clean living and a vegetarian diet.

BTW, if you want good footage of JB with Tal on bass, get a copy of Live at Ronnie Scotts. You can really tell they are have a blast playing.

[Bob S]

Even copying the simple things Beck does, the best I've heard is close...
But no cigar.
I'd love to see some gut shots of his amps. Plexis or the DSL's he sometimes uses.
Whatever - someone must be feeding them raw meat.
Hearing him started me on the journey for tone.

[selloutrr]

I worked with him a couple years back.
Beck and his band, I'm not sure of names but the bass player was the replacement for the Who and the drummer was from Santana. It's was technically a great performance but I like the players all better in other bands. IMHO Beck is a great guitarist but his set felt like just one long jam session. After awhile it was starting to get old. It sounded great but it's not in my top 10 best shows I've mixed.

[martin manning]

I'd love to see some gut shots of his amps. Plexis or the DSL's he sometimes uses. Whatever - someone must be feeding them raw meat...

I caught his show last summer. A tweed Champ was on the top of the pile...

[vibratoking]

At the very best, copying Beck is close but no cigar. There are too many idiosyncrasies in his playing to copy completely. Although it can be fun to try.

As far as being bored, or whatever, because it feels like a jam. I never get bored with his playing. And every song of his is a jam because he plays it differently almost EVERY time. That is part of his genious. He is not whipping out the same licks every night and playing karaoke style guitar. I'll happily listen to him jam anytime, anywhere. That's precisely why he is interesting! I can't believe you missed it.

[selloutrr]

when I worked with him he was running one plexi 50w and one DSL behind two 4x12 marshalls. the DSL head on top of the cab closest to the drummer. He was on stage right. audience left. Both amps are run on variacs. one amp was pushed over the 120v limits running hot with fans, the other was browned almost 40 volts low. The amps were switched on/off depending on song via amp tech behind the cabinets.

[vibratoking]

when I worked with him he was running one plexi 50w and one DSL behind two 4x12 marshalls. the DSL head on top of the cab closest to the drummer. He was on stage right. audience left. Both amps are run on variacs. one amp was pushed over the 120v limits running hot with fans, the other was browned almost 40 volts low. The amps were switched on/off depending on song via amp tech behind the cabinets.

Thanks for that info. I have never heard that Beck runs Variacs. Do you have any idea what type of plexi he used - beyond 50W? Also, do you know which amp was set over 120V and which was set 40V low? I find this conversation very interesting.

[sliberty]

I've read that he is also using Narada Michael Wladen on drums instead of Vinnie Colliuta (sorry, I am sure I mangled the spelling of Vinnie's name). Only Jason the keyboard player remains from the previous few tours.

Michael Walden used to be a killer progressive/fusion drummer, but I haven't heard any of his stuff in years.

[selloutrr]

I believe the plexi was a new reissue or customshop model it was shiny and no one made any indication to it being rare or having history.
it was ran ran low on the variac for a browner sound.

The Hi gain amp was pushed on the variac. they called it the tube eater.

[Super_Reverb]

When you consider the fusion type guitar wizardry that Beck was pulling off in the 70's, He was easily 20 years ahead of some of the guitar slingers to follow.

His disappearance from The Yardbirds made it possible for Pagey's move to guitar from bass playing duties: this set the stage for the New Yardbirds. The rest is rock and roll history.

cheers,

rob