Jeff Beck: BECK01

Book review: The life and top gear of a silver-lined guitar hero in pictures.

Cover artwork for the Beck01 book.

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The life and top gear of a silver-lined guitar hero in pictures.

Beck01 was still a work in progress for our review, but it looks to be the ultimate visual treat for fans of Beck, his guitars and hot-rods. As well as glossy images from top rock photographers, the publishers have sought rare private snaps covering Beck’s career from top to tail.

Beck’s captions are brief but illuminating, such as the time he fled the Stones’ hotel at dawn in 1975 because he didn’t want to replace Mick Taylor, and his reassurance to Pete Townshend that newly arrived Jimi Hendrix sounded just like him “but without the arm-swinging”.

It’s the book Beck deserves. The mean girls on the train who mocked the sensitive young guitarist, asking him if he was “twanging tonight”, must be eating their words.

Claudia Elliott

Claudia Elliott is a music writer and sub-editor. She has freelanced for BBC Radio 2's Sounds of the 60s, Uncut, History of Rock, Classic Rock and The Blues magazine. She is a 1960s music specialist.