I am speechless! I ordered tickets today to see Jeff Beck in Denver next Thursday. I was very excited about it. So, when I bumped into a coworker in the hall, who is from England, I told him I was going to see one of his countrymen play next week. He asked me who and when I told him, Jeff Beck, he said, "Jeff who??" :(
This guy is 30 years old, so perhaps he is a little young, but come on! It's like saying "Jimi Hendrix" or Eric Clapton" and having some one say, "who?"
Ask someone ten years younger and both Hendrix and Clapton won't ring a bell. Although Clapton had a commercial on MTV, so maybe someone will know his name. That's how it goes, most older people have no idea who the current 'gods' are and most younger people have no clue about the past.
and if he had heard of Jeff chances are he would only know 'Hi Ho Silver Lining'
Jeff isn't that well known outside the guitar fraternity, experimental, instrumental noodling doesn't make for many hit records. It's like being horrified he didn't know Peter Green or John Mclaughlin
Well I'm sad to here you met one of my generation's degenerate's. I hope you know we dont all lack any knowledge. I'm 16 and love the yardbirds.
Don't give up hope!
My students ask me all the time about hip hop singers and I don't have a clue (even though I sometimes recognize a song or 2). However, I work with several younger teachers (I'll be 40 Thursday and they are in their 20's) and most of them know (and LOVE) Clapton, AC/DC, etc. They say what I have been saying for some time now...music today just doesn't have the soul or impact it once did. It used to be that you could remember what you were doing when you fist heard a particular song. They were that unique. Nirvana & Creed are one of the few NEWER bands that were getting close...I'll also include Phish & Red Hot Chilie Peppers to that list as well. But most are just passing through time. So many young people I know listen to the older rock music or even country. Heck, some of my elementary students know songs like RESPECT by Aretha Franklin and many Elvis Presley songs!
I agree with both of you - to a point. Jeff Beck was certainly not as commercial as other guitar gods, but I don't think he is obscure as Green or McLaughlin! After all, he did play in the Yardbirds, then released many solo albums, some of which were big sellers (Blow by Blow & Wired).
And, I bet EVERYONE knows BB King's name (for example), but doubt that 90% of people could name any song of his, except for "Thrill Is Gone." It just surprised me that a guy from the UK wouldn't even know Jeff Beck's name.
Neither was what I would class a big seller, in fact his only UK Top 40 album was the Jeff Beck, Tim Bogert And Carmine Appice album!
And I would suggest most people would link the Yardbirds with Eric and then the New YarbirdsLed Zepplin with Pagey.
Your average 30 yr old would know Clapton due to Tears in Heaven too, and would probably struggle to name many others, this is what happens when we get older and our heroes don't have any relevence to the next gen. :cry:
Don't forget we're talking about nothing but taste here. Plenty of folks remember exactly where they were when they heared that 50Cents or snoop Dogg song. Everyone has a different taste and although I myself would rather listen to Beck then 2Pac on itself there is zero difference when it comes to soul or impact: people just don't all relate to the same thing. There is so much music, there are thousands upon thousands of musicians that are 'amazingly great' to some and absolutely unknown to most.
The reason I'm saying this is because I'm starting to get almost ashamed when I tell people I love Rachmaninov, Hendrix and Pink Floyd. For some reason or other people of my age sharing my taste almost always believe 'our' taste is 'better' and other people's idea of good music is 'inferior'. And personally I believe such ideas of mental superiority are very, very nasty.
I remember where I was when I heard 50cents. I was reaching for the dial to change stations. :D
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hehe, I know exactly how you feel man. But hey, as long as they accept my love for 'I shot a man in Reno' blues I can accept their love for 'I shot a man in NYC' rap. :D
Hehe, I know exactly how you feel man. But hey, as long as they accept my love for 'I shot a man in Reno' blues I can accept their love for 'I shot a man in NYC' rap. :D
Some things are left unforgiven! :wink:
As for taste vs soul I disagree...having soul means that even if you don't like a song/band you still respect it because of the emotion put into it.
I am not a huge classical music fan but I respect it because of the emotion it creates in people...it has "soul" and it's longevity speaks for itself. Newer songs tend to peak and then almost vanish...almost mechanical sounding. I don't "dislike" rap but I respect the older rappers from the 80's much more..the emotion was in their music.
Who's Jeff Beck? No really, I haven't heard of him, seen him or heard his stuff. What band is he in?
I'm at that age where Beck was not in the main-stream anymore when I was in my formative years. Heck, in New Hampshire at the time, there was not even a Rock station until I figured out how to wire my room up to pick up a Boston station at night. I missed out on a lot.
And to change the subject, a lot of these kids today have discovered their parents music collection. My 13 year old has all the hip-hop stuff, sure. But, I often have to go on a CD hunt into the dark bowels of his bedroom to find my CDs when I'm looking for one. I have the same conversation with many friends of mine with same age childeren. One of them even had to get the Allman Brothers box for his son for Christmas. What I'm trying to say is that it isn't as bad as some people think.
And then there's an occasional jewel like that System Of A Down(?) cover of that Phil Collins tune. Reminds me of Van Halen doing Pretty Woman came out and all the old farts were whining.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Who's Jeff Beck? No really, I haven't heard of him, seen him or heard his stuff. What band is he in?
He is most famous for being in the Yardbirds -- same band that also had Clapton and Page for a time. He was one of the fusion innovators. Has appeared on a lot of other people's albums as well.
Lately, his stuff varies from spacey blues to hard crunching rock to metal to edgy jazz-fusion. In the technique area, he is known for being the master of the trem, slide and going pickless. He is the sort of player that people like -- well Clapton and Vai look up to as one of the innovative electric masters.
Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Beck
Youtube (notice no pick) ...
In current band with Jennifer Batten:
What Mama Said: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp6B6eu-cD4&NR
A Blast from the East: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk42NryqcKI&mode=related&search=
Declan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI5CCEwnkE8&mode=related&search=
This is just plain hilarious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nLdhXZb_z4&mode=related&search=
-=tension & release=-
I think alot has to do with what you are exposed to. I am no young kitten (37) but I know little about Jeff Beck or the Yardbird. Ya, I have heard them and I know his name.. but I dont really KNOW him like I know Hendrix or Clapton.
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
