Blues music is often considered the foundation of rock and roll, providing the essential inspiration for countless artists. While the vibrant psychedelic sounds of the 1960s were seen as groundbreaking and revolutionary, they largely drew from the blues traditions that came before them. For many guitarists, blues music was the gateway to rock and roll. However, not every guitarist found the genre to be a perfect fit.
Jeff Beck, one of the most influential guitarists of the 1960s, stands as a defining figure of that era. Deeply immersed in British rock, Beck played a critical role in pushing guitar-led music into new, uncharted territories. His love for jazz, soul, and R&B gave his style a distinctiveness that set him apart from his peers. Tracks like “Heart Full of Soul,” recorded with The Yardbirds, exemplified his ability to capture the psychedelic energy of the time and helped define the experimental spirit of the 1960s.
Though Beck was firmly rooted in blues, like many rock musicians of the era, his musical evolution was headed in a different direction. His contemporaries, such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Keith Richards, gained widespread fame through their devotion to blues rock. It seemed logical that Beck could follow a similar path. But his expansive, experimental style didn’t align perfectly with the traditional blues structure.
By the time Beck left The Yardbirds and formed The Jeff Beck Group, he was still trying to master the blues. It wasn’t until the legendary Jimi Hendrix entered the picture that Beck started to pivot away from the genre.
In 1966, when Hendrix first arrived in London, he quickly became friends with Beck. The year 1969 proved to be a defining period for both guitarists, and they frequently saw one another during that time. Beck recalled in an interview: “He’d come onstage and completely overshadow and undermine what we’d done. But nobody cared; it was so great. And to have Rod singing as well, two guitars blazing away… forget it. It was just crammed to capacity every night.”
Despite the exciting experience of playing alongside Hendrix, Beck was dissatisfied with his role in The Jeff Beck Group. He was never fully content with the band’s musical direction and felt they weren’t achieving their true potential. “It was pretty rough, I must say,” Beck explained in a 2009 interview with Guitar World. “A pretty grim time, with no one to talk to about it except Jimi himself. It was almost the end of my career. I probably would have packed up if he hadn’t spoken.”
Hendrix’s advice to Beck became a turning point in his career. “I used to say, ‘Jim, what the fuck?’ And he said, ‘Man, you know when you play blues, it’s as boring as a monkey. Your next step should be to take the electro stuff further. Experiment. That’s what I respect about you. That’s your thing. Don’t try to play the blues.’” Beck later revealed that this advice was also reinforced by another guitar legend, Eric Clapton: “Eric as well. He said, ‘Don’t mess with my music.’ So, I forgot about the blues… with a few notable exceptions.”
After hearing this crucial advice, Beck found the freedom to explore his musical vision beyond blues. His solo career allowed him to delve into jazz, a genre that proved far more compatible with his style and creativity. Without the guidance from Hendrix and Clapton, Beck might never have taken the leap to embrace the experimental and diverse sounds that defined his later work.
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