# Jeff Beck alert!! Jeff Beck alert!!



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

This morning's (Wednesday) paper indicates that Jeff Beck will be accompanying all the contestants on American Idol this evening. So if you can stomach all the mutual admiration and teenage angst (and bad song choices), somewhere in there might be one of the only good reasons to watch this show in years.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...thankfully, i don't have cable, so i'll put on a beck, bogart and appice album in tribute to da man.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I cannot get into "Idol" this year at all. It just seems like cheesey karaoke. I mean, I guess it's always been that way but this year seems particularly bad. And why do the judges seem to love everything. At least Simon Cowell was honest in his judging and called a turd a turd.

I guess I might check it tonight to see JB, but I'm not sure how long I'll last.


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## NGroeneveld (Jan 23, 2011)

I have to admit I'm getting bored with it this year. You would think that with each contestant having their very own FAMOUS producer, they could come up with better. I'm a bit sceptical about how they are planning to arrange these tunes for both voice and guitar when the amount of time per song is so short.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I'm also curious about how they plan to spotlight Beck. He obviously can't be sitting behind some barrier, or else they may as well not have him. And he can't be centre stage because the intent is to support the singers. And he doesn't dance. And he can't make any one singer look better than any other (or at least, ethically he shouldn't).


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

My sincere apologies to all who were sucked in and as disappointed as I was. I acted in what I thought was a socially responsible manner, but I seem to have been deceived...by someone else who in turn was likely deceived. Our local listings in this morning's paper said: "Fresh off butchering the Elton John songbook, Idol's remaining nine contestants take on Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductees in tonight's performance program. Jeff Beck will accompany each of the singers on guitar. (8 P.M. Fox, CTV)"

Lying bastards!

We did see Beck's image flash by momentarily as part of a montage of HoF winners, but that was it.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

I heard that he was going to be on as well. 

Maybe he'll perform tomorrow?


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## NGroeneveld (Jan 23, 2011)

Apparently Jeff Beck was supposed to be the mentor on the show but he canceled because he didn't have enough time.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

NGroeneveld said:


> Apparently Jeff Beck was supposed to be the mentor on the show but he canceled because he didn't have enough time.


Brilliant move by Jeff.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

335Bob said:


> Brilliant move by Jeff.


LOL. Yeah. He must have watched it and decided he was too busy.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Probably. I think there is a world of difference between playing behind Joss Stone singing "I Put a Spell on You" in its entirety, and standing around while kids sing 1:50 versions of whatever the hell they picked to sing. If he was going to have to stand around and play 3 notes for one of them, he was going to have to do it for all of them. As it was, the manner in which they stuck the guy from the house band beside the singers was annoying. Having Mr. B standing off to the side all night would have just felt weird.

I guess there's a point where an opportunity for good publicity can transform into something demeaning, and he recognized it.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

If you still need a Jeff Beck fix he'll be on Jay Leno with Imelda May tonight!!! (April 7)


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I'll set the PVR when I get home. Thanks!


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

[video=youtube;jVAx3-x5Mj4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVAx3-x5Mj4[/video]


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I do wish Mr Beck could leave his whammy bar alone during a solo once in a while. 'Microtonal' it may be, to me it's cat in heat howling. Better yet, go back to a Les (not happening I know, other than rare occasions like the LP tribute) it sounds soooooo fat and good in his hands.

All that said, I am an admirer. I was looking forward to the AI appearance MARK I BLAME YOU FOR MY HEARTBREAK! (j/k, of course).


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

NB_Terry said:


> [video=youtube;jVAx3-x5Mj4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVAx3-x5Mj4[/video]


Thanks so much for that. I had heard that tune before on a downloaded show. Simply thrilled that he would have selected a Shangri-Las tune. It suits him to a T, and the brass just frames it flawlessly. Imelda May really needed a bouffant with a bow to sing it properly, but the little curl thing she has going was an acceptable substitute. She sang it with the right amount of commitment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Y0CElF1xg&feature=related

The selection of tunes on that Rock and Roll Party DVD make me smile. His renditions of Apache and Sleepwalk are lovely.

Loved the fact that there were a pair of tweed Princetons on top of those cabs. I own one myself, and I describe it to folks as being like an old horse that knows the way home. Just point it in the right direction and it'll take you where you want to go.

As for the incessant whammy usage, Keto, part of it is simply resting his hand there to gain leverage for plucking the strings, and some of it is for that unique "string-gargle" he gets by suddenly releasing the arm.

My profound apologies for any role I might have played in breaking your heart. If it helps, my own was plucked from my bosom and thrust rudely onto the floor as well.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Beck does use the whammy bar a lot for sure.


But to my ear, and this is of course just a matter of taste, it's bloody beautiful. When he's on, and again to my ears, in that clip he WAS on, he's brilliant amd in a class of his own.


Very cool clip.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

The proper use and shall we say "subtle" use of the whammy bar is an artform itself


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Loved the fact that there were a pair of tweed Princetons on top of those cabs. I own one myself, and I describe it to folks as being like an old horse that knows the way home. Just point it in the right direction and it'll take you where you want to go.


I read that JB uses custom Fender Pro jr amps, but on the Leno show he's using 20 watt Lazy J amps.


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

Yeah I was never sure of the whammy bar either until I accidentally did the 'blind taste test' kind of thing. I walked into one of my local music store haunts that always has a jumbotron going with a concert of someone or other playing. A pain if you want to play but cool if you're just hanging around. This day I walked straight past the jumbotron and was looking for a specific guitar when I heard this 'horn' player in the background doing some really sweet licks. As I look at the guitars I was wondering how in blazes any horn player could produce such amazing sounding guitar licks (had a Sugarcane Harris flashback). It got to the point where I could no longer concentrate on the guitars because this 'horn' player was blowing my mind (can we still say that and not seem too old?). I check the jumbotron. Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scott's. I knew then and there that 1. I had to have this DVD and 2. I had never really listened to Jeff Beck closely enough. Truth is JB has done what Hendrix had done. Made the guitar a true voice that expresses music in a way that is completely unique. I remember long ago Beck saying Hendrix had made him throw out everything he knew and start again. Well, mission accomplished.


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