Last night I listened to Truth in its entirety. It had been decades since I last gave it a listen. I was reminded of just what a great album it is.

I don't know why Rod Stewart is doing the whole "crooner" thing, singing "classics" at this stage of his career, but he could sing the blues back then as good as anyone. Listen to Blues Deluxe and you'll hear the range and passion he had. Rock My Plimsoul and Ain't Superstitious are brilliant displays of Rod's vocal talents.

I remember when the album first came out, listening to Beck's Bolero and getting the feeling of hurtling through space. It is a very "cosmic" musical piece with a lot of energy.

Jeff Beck was fantastic on this album, and Ronnie wasn't a bad bass player!!

It was great to rediscover this pearl of an album.

...and don't forget Mickey Waller's kick-ass drumming!

I always thought Jimmy Page patterned LZ after Jeffs band. A powerhouse guitarist,vocalist with great pipes, a versatile and unusual bassist(who actually stepped into that role after the original bassist left) and of course a kick-ass drummer! We wouldnt have had the Faces as we know them but what could this band have been capable of if egos coulda been kept in check?

i got beck olà in vinyl, i like it.
rod is just fantatastic.
of Truth i know I aint supersticious and Rock my Plimsoul, that are both great.
wich album is best in your opinion?

truth/beckola - the only beck you really need

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T&A
truth/beckola - the only beck you really need

Not a fan of Blow By Blow?

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scottkeef
I always thought Jimmy Page patterned LZ after Jeffs band.

Indeed, much to Beck's dismay. Page made pots of money after stealing Beck's formula, even his cover choices (You Shook Me). Granted, the Beck albums were horribly produced compared to Page's, but still . . .

Rod subsequently released Sailing, Do Ya Thing I'm Sexy and Baby Jane. There is no going back.

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ohnonotyouagain

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T&A
truth/beckola - the only beck you really need

Not a fan of Blow By Blow?

pretty much all the work i've heard from jeff post-truth/beckola has veered too far away from his blooze roots for my tastes. all technically brilliant and he's among the few guitarists from the 60's whose chops still astound....

IMO, the one Jeff Beck CD everyone needs..

[www.amazon.com]

I took Truth and Beck-Ola and made a great single CD. Rod and Jeff at their best.

To be fair to Jimmy Page he was already doing a zep type line up as soon as Beck left The Yardbirds.

Page was meant to replace Clapton before Beck joined too, but he recommended Beck instead... Nice friend!

Page was born to play in that kind of line up though where as Jeff seems to have been far too moody, erratic and experimental to be able to get together and keep together such a strong and commercial unit like LZ.

Beck and Page had so much in common that I doubt they stole from one another with any intended malice, it's more a case of friends having similar tastes etc.

I prefer Beck's playing, but Page had a whole host of other goods and talents.

Page originally played Bass when he joined the Yardbirds. Theres actually a few pictures of this line up but it didnt take them long to switch, did it?

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scottkeef
Page originally played Bass when he joined the Yardbirds. Theres actually a few pictures of this line up but it didnt take them long to switch, did it?

Yep: he originaly joined as Paul Samwell-Smiths replacement before switching places with Chris Dreja.

This bizzare French television performance features Page on bass.

This performance is a little more Page-like

[en.wikipedia.org]

how has someone like Jeff Beck $u$tained his career? He was too moody keep a band together, and he doesn't write songs--or certainly not any hits. Yet these factors never seem to have impelled him to do something that would shift some units... or did his solo albums actually sell? If so, to whom?

Cool videos, Big Al. I had seen the second one but not the first.

might be fair to argue that this album sorta created what became known as 'heavy metal' in it's way...
kind of really definitionally original for me this onslaught was so mega power explosive and loose and rough and ready...incredible stuff...the stuff of true godz, giants..perfection...and tons of impact.
then came zep to further take 'heavy rock' to super places...
these bands kinda co-creating what became heavy rock...jailhouse rock...rod is incredible jeff is soaring and blistering and absolutely on top of the entire world as a guitarist and creative genius in full flower...

...bang ya upside the haid...in the wake of the recently deceased Yardbirds, along comes beck to invent something totally else...along comes page with his own magical hammer of the godz...i think that eric guy was doin' quite a decent job with that cream thang too (crossroads live NAILS it)...whooo...
i share your "WOW!" this record still knocks me out, has always knocked me out...
it was like food to me...beck ola just around the corner...just incredible stuff.
among and stands proudly with the very highest of creative ethers in ALL of rock releases in history imo

who's that little haircut on bass we wuz wonderin' at the time...

cc: i don't know the number$ on his solo career and how he sustains himself but for me personally, and there must be others ima thinkin', i bought truth, beck-ola, the two ones with jeff beck group (mach2), on to beck, bogart and appice (saw them live at captiol theatre in passaic oh god...(i think there's an audience for him anytime he wants to play out in the world, almost anywhere...)
then onto his jazz fusion stuff with jan hammer, really loved it...and i'm NOT one for that genre usually...i dunno, i'm not the 'total' beck fanatic per se, but i find every release by this master at least interesting and certainly worthy of a purchase...the man's quite the show...and it IS amazing how he sustains himself just with the power of his vision and guitar, w/o writing and stuff...
he still puts his considerable power and originality on anything he touches...i think he will always have fans and always find peeps wanting to pay to see him...excellent original performing outfit even right now...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-01-14 21:26 by Beelyboy.

I don't think Beck thinks in terms of 'career'.

you could look at it another way - hasn't the boy done well and kept his ability intact in spite of not having a steady band-job or writing songs

by the way his second love is motorbikes. Other than playing guitar he's never happier than when in the garage working on his bike(s).

such an everyday bloke - until he pick a guitar and ........ wow!

talk about 'schiziod'

(there's another Beck thread below somewhere)

I didnt know Beck was into bikes too! I knew he was way into American Hot Rods. doesnt he own the yellow 32 roadster that was used in "American Graffiti?

I'm pretty sure it's bikes - he may love cars too - but I remember an eighties interview with him in his garage which had a bike or two there.

Anyway he loves getting greasy-dirty - and his toned down dress - you'd mistake for any mechanic if you saw him off duty.

I love Jeff Beck's playing but he is infuriating in that he has never consistently lived up to his potential. Truth and Blow By Blow are the only real 100 per cent bona fide solo album classics. There's great moments on Beck Ola, The Jeff Beck Group, BBA, Wired and beyond but they are far and few between.

Great guitarists seldom make great solo albums after leaving the groups where they became famous which in Beck's case was The Yardbirds. Jimmy Page tried with Outrider but didn't succeed and Clapton never really recaptured the excitement of his Cream days with the exception of Layla and 461 Ocean Boulevard.

I've just checked a couple of Beck interviews on youtube - guitar playing is something he does when he's not building cars!

In an interview was with Jools Holland he implies that he was asked to join the Stones - but he half way through Blow By Blow and didn't want to drop it.

If that's true, I don't think he could have lasted long with the Stones. He would have been too confined with too little creative latitude.Plus he and Keith would have beaten the crap out of each other too many times!

Jeff Beck(as a solo artist) will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall fame this year.

I guess it doesn't really mean anything, per say. He is being inducted along with Metallica, which might make for an interesting jam session at the end. RUN-DMC is also being inducted, which should make it even more interesting.

Anyway Truth is indeed an incredible album.

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gomp
Jeff Beck(as a solo artist) will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall fame this year.

I guess it doesn't really mean anything, per say. He is being inducted along with Metallica, which might make for an interesting jam session at the end. RUN-DMC is also being inducted, which should make it even more interesting.

Anyway Truth is indeed an incredible album.

Maybe they can do a rap version of Enter Sandman

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

Thruth is one of my favorite albums. I love the acoustic version of Greensleeves and Rod Stewart was awesome on this record. Beck's Bolero with Keith Moon breaking the drum kit and continuing to play the cymbals is just spontaneous and brilliant. Rock My Plimsoul and Ain't Superstitious are powerful. And yes Mick Waller's drumming was pretty good too!

Anyone heard Live at Luann's from 1968? A truly incendiary performance of the Jeff Beck Group and Jeff in particular. He could stand toe to toe with Hendrix and not be overshadowed. Wow indeed!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-01-15 06:00 by ChrisM.