This week, we have been met with the tragic information that Jeff Beck, the guitarist famed for his work with The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group, has died aged 78. “After all of a sudden contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully handed away yesterday,” Beck’s household wrote in a press release. “His household asks for privateness whereas they course of this large loss.”
Because the announcement, tributes have poured in from the likes of Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Web page, Tony Iommi, Dave Davies, Gene Simmons and plenty of extra. The guitar hero had been lively onstage and within the studio as not too long ago as late 2022. His most up-to-date album was a collaborative effort with actor Johnny Depp, titled 18, which was launched in July final 12 months.
Hollywood star Depp first met Beck in 2017; they fashioned a decent friendship, and it didn’t take the pair lengthy to start out jamming collectively. Because the information of Beck’s demise, it has been reported that Depp joined the legendary rocker at his bedside shortly earlier than he handed.
In the course of the Amber Heard defamation trial final 12 months, Depp revealed that Beck and his spouse had been his closest allies by means of the ordeal. “There’s a pair who very a lot helped to maintain me alive and sane and completely happy by means of the weirdness, and that’s Jeff and [his wife] Sandra,” Depp instructed Hollywood Genuine final 12 months.
In October 2022, Beck and Depp appeared collectively on SiriusXM to debate their musical collaboration and friendship. In the course of the dialog, Depp mentioned Beck’s affect on fellow guitar hero Jimi Hendrix. “It’s good to remind these folks, ‘Hey… Jimi Hendrix wouldn’t have performed the identical approach if it hadn’t been for that man,’” Depp stated, pointing to Beck. “I imply, that’s a very unusual idea to place into your head.”
In his music ‘In From the Storm’, a observe that appeared on Cry of Love, Hendrix used the catchy riff from The Jeff Beck Group’s 1969 music ‘Rice Pudding’. After Depp mentions Hendrix, the host reminds listeners of the late guitarist’s touching tribute to Beck in his ultimate solo album, The Cry of Love.
“He did,” replied Beck remembering the tribute. “That’s… That’s… I imply, I can die completely happy once I know that he performed that,” he added, placing his hand over his coronary heart to indicate respect from one virtuoso to a different.
Regardless of the tribute, Beck lamented that “there’s not one single photograph of me and Jimi on this planet, there’s not one single photograph of us collectively. Except there’s somebody on the market who’s obtained one? There’s one image that was taken with me on bass off out of the shot, and Ronnie Wooden is peering behind a display screen. So I do know I used to be enjoying bass, as a result of why was he behind the display screen? He was trying spherical and Jimi was there with my Les Paul the wrong way up. So I do know I used to be onstage. However why did the man solely take [a photo of] him? I do know I’m ugly, you understand, however there’s a restrict,” he jokes as Depp giggles within the seat subsequent to him.
Hearken to Jeff Beck’s ‘Rice Pudding’ and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘In From the Storm’ beneath.
