Jeff Beck Group Jeff Beck Group (CD, Sony Music, 1972) ***
Jeff Beck Blow By Blow (CD, Sony Music, 1975) ***
Jeff Beck Wired (CD, Sony Music, 1976) ****
Jeff Beck with The Jan Hammer Group Live (CD, Sony Music, 1977) ****
Genre: British pop/ rock 
Places I remember: HMV East Croyden
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Situation (Rough and Ready); Blue Wind (Wired)
Gear costume: Going Down (JBG); Freeway Jam (Blow By Blow)
Active compensatory factors: Having just read Rod Stewart's autobiography I have a different take on Jeff's peculiar personality. Is it the truth? Who knows, it's certainly Rod's version of the truth
(see what I did there?).
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Situation (Rough and Ready); Blue Wind (Wired)
Gear costume: Going Down (JBG); Freeway Jam (Blow By Blow)
Active compensatory factors: Having just read Rod Stewart's autobiography I have a different take on Jeff's peculiar personality. Is it the truth? Who knows, it's certainly Rod's version of the truth
He's definitely a restless musician - never sticking with a bunch of musicians for very long. Woody and Roddy only lasted for two albums (Truth and Beck-ola) and were gone for 1971's Rough and Ready. Then that band (including Max Middleton and Cozy Powell) only lasted for two albums, and so on.
This five album package in the Original Album Classics series by Sony Music) certainly shows Jeff's ruthless methodology from 1971 to 1977.
That's not to mean the music suffers though. His guitar heroics are on display in a variety of settings over these five albums, and it's actually the period of his that I like the most.
The second incarnation of Jeff Beck Group makes a much funkier, jazzier sound than the blues/ hard rock of the Rod Stewart version.
First 'solo' album, Blow By Blow, is an instrumental album (pesky lead singers are dispensed with from here onwards) and allows Beck to experiment with jazzier guitar styles. It's a transitional album from the rock of the Jeff Beck Group towards the full on jazz fusion sound of Wired and Live.
Max Middleton and Jan Hammer deserve special mentions - both hold their own on keyboards and are not overshadowed by Beck's guitar pyrotechnics. Instead they shine and create their own distinctive sounds to complement Beck.
Beatle fans note: Blow By Blow and Wired are both superbly produced by George Martin.
Where do they all belong? Truth and Beck-ola have their moments but haven't aged as well - I've gone for a cheapo best of (featuring Rod Stewart) compilation. It cherry picks the best moments from Rod and Ron's time with Jeff (and includes, of course, Hi Ho Silver Lining).
Where do they all belong? Truth and Beck-ola have their moments but haven't aged as well - I've gone for a cheapo best of (featuring Rod Stewart) compilation. It cherry picks the best moments from Rod and Ron's time with Jeff (and includes, of course, Hi Ho Silver Lining).
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