Classic Rock Bottom

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

Last week we enjoyed a pre-super group in Dust.  This week, let's do the same.  Seriously, the Jeff Beck Group only had one famous member at the time, and that was Jeff Beck.  All of the others, or at least two of them, would find their fame later.  So this week's Album of the Week comes from 1968.  It's Truth by Jeff Beck.  Although the Jeff Beck Group was present, it was not credited as such on the album.  Your players are:

  • Jeff Beck - All kinds of guitars.
  • Rod Stewart - Vocals.
  • Ron Wood - Bass
  • Micky Waller - Drums

In addition to the band, there are special appearances by Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins, Ansley Dunbar and some dude named Mysterious Scottish Bloke.  That last one plays the bagpipes on Morning Dew. What you have here are basically covers or reworking of songs written by other people.  Basically, this band wasn't writing at all.   Beck has stated that he preferred interpreting songs written by others at that time.  

Since I still have the case handy, I read through the liner notes.  Here are some tidbits that I scrounged from them: 

  • Truth is Rod Stewart's first full length vocal showcase (and in my opinion, he knocks it out of the park).
  • The band's version of You Shook Me preceded Led Zeppelin's more famous version by some six months.
  • The album is described as part blues, part prog and part proto-metal.
  • The audience applause on Blues De Luxe is artificial.  It was added in the studio.
  • Beck's Bolero features Keith Moon on drums, Jimmy Page on 12 string electric guitar and John Paul Jones on bass. Due to contractual obligations, Moon was credited as "You Know Who".  The instrumental was written by Jimmy Page.
  • Several songs on the record are credited to Jeffrey Rod, a pseudonym for Beck and Stewart. Those were just re-workings of material that they didn't write.
  • Shapes Of Things is a Yardbirds cover.
  • The album topped out at number 15. 
  • The album has also been certified Gold (this bit comes from Wikipedia).

So there you have it.  The version I have has eight bonus tracks.  I don't usually include bonus tracks, but I think I'll include four here.  The first is I've Been Drinking.  It's a Jeffrey Rod re-working of Dinah Washington's Drinking Again, and it is way too cool to not include.  It was the b-side of Love Is Blue.  The last three tracks are Jeff Beck's singles that preceded this album, and the two with vocals feature Beck singing.  This version of the album is available on Amazon for only $6.99 if you are so inclined.

Side One:

1. Shapes Of Things

2. Let Me Love You

3. Morning Dew

4. You Shook Me

5. Ol' Man River

Side Two:

6. Greensleeves

7. Rock My Plimsoul

8. Beck's Bolero

9. Blues De Luxe

10. I Ain't Superstitious

Bonus Tracks:

11. I've Been Drinking

12. Tallyman

13. Love Is Blue

14. Hi Ho Silver Lining

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Ah, it's messed up again.  I'll try to contact podsnack again.

Now, this album I've heard before, but only a couple of times within the last....I don't know....10 years?

I only listened to it, because I was curious, because evil tongues claimed, that Zeppelin had stolen their sound from Beck. I honestly don't think it's true. Yes, the album was released before Zep I, but Page had those ideas for years, and what I've read, it was Page who was responsible for Beck to be included in The Yardbirds, which deleoped in to Zeppelin.

Second, Stewart is no match for Plant, not regarding this kind of music, anyway. I like Stewart, but this is not really his scene. Too heavy for him.

As far as I recall, Becks' Bolero was recorded when the "band" were Beck, Page, Keith Moon and John Entwhistle. Moon was also responsible for the band-name "Led Zeppelin", around the same time. (I didn't read your text until after I was done with my own comments).

1. Yeah, pretty much the same as Zeppelin, even the drums, but WTF is Mickey Waller?!!

2. is not bad, but...nah it's a bit of a waste of my time, and not a match for Zeppelin, but still kind of the same "shit".

3. Stewart kind of annoy me on this album. I still need to hear Beck play like everybody says: He's the best of the best. Yeah? Not in my ears.

4. Yep, now it's embarrising. Zeppelin's version was by far the best, even though I've kind of heard this song enough times by now. IT AIN'T THAT GOOD!!!

5. You got to be kidding!! And Beck was wondering why Zeppelin left off, and this band didn't?!! Crap!!!

6. Another "You got to be kidding"!!! What a waste!!!!! It's not me to say, who got the ideas, but it's clear, who was the best to "bring them to live". I think that Beck somehow has wasted his talent on very bad decisions!!

7. This doesn't sound like Zeppelin, more like a cross between Hendrix and old Fleetwood Mac. Is it any good? Well, it's a bit boring imo. Yeah, obviously also Zeppelin at the end of the song. "...runs down my leg"-BS.

8. This is the track I've heard most times. A cross between "you got to be kidding" and okay. I think Page claimed to be the writer of this tune. (Told you)

9. And another totally Zeppelin-track, only worse. Maybe Beck is the better guitarist, but I rest my case. There were no room for two bands playing this alike. This is sounding like a boring Zeppelin-track with "Plant" with a cold, but a Page in form, and "Bonham"'ve been told to play carefully.

10. Too ordinaere blues, this one. Not bad, but...

11. Definitely not Zeppelin. This is more music for Stewart's voice. I like this one, actually.

12. Not so much Zeppelin here. Good guitar, finally. Who's singing? Ah, written by Graham Gouldman, later 10Cc. Only kind of okay. Sounding too old for my taste. More The Who than Zeppelin.

13. Now, that's another WTF? I think I've heard this version, and it's actually pretty good. Still, music for grannies.

14. Sounds like a young Ozzy singing, or Tom Petersson from Cheap Trick. Again, not bad, still not much to do with the actual album, and absolutely nothing to do with Zeppelin. 

Page was a good guitarist, very gifted show-man, awesome song-writer, who occaisionally borrowed from time to time and a very good producer.

I guess Beck was only one of those things, you pick.

Okay, I think it's working now.  My opinion is the opposite of Niels'.  I really like the whole album.  Ron Wood just tears it up on the bass.

I like this album, it's a solid start for solo (if you want to call it that) Jeff Beck. It's a bit raw, but that's ok. Always liked Beck's Bolero from when I heard it way back when until now. Wicked cool (and loud) geetar. The followup, Beck-Ola is even better, IMHOWINEW.

But, if I need a JB fix, I always turn to Wired and Blow By Blow. However, they probably wouldn't go over too well here since they're jazz fusion. Too bad, don't know what you're missing.

Black album covers really don't work well here, do they?

 

Hi Scott,

 I would have to say my #1 Beck Fix is Rough & Ready. A great band lineup and kind of his first step in to the jazzy relm. My favorite Beck album. I would follow it closely with Blow By Blow tho.

If memory serves me correctly (and it usually does)  it was Lost Forgotten Album of the Week #258 where John posted Jeff Beck during his virtuoso geetarists series- No need to check its right and I didn't even have to search it...

This is cool though...  the Stewart/Wood thing is kinda righteous and groovy in a late 60's kind of way.  Maybe its the re-mastering but it sounds really good, but that could be my top of line sound card hooked up to my Samson ResolvA8 studio monitors, yeah they rock crystal clear and hard!

Real bluesy post which I'm totally into right now, and much like Jons LFATOW #258 (no need to check its right, trust me) this only ups my interest but doesn't quite get me to the purchase line, maybe that's because of Spotify, because pre-Spotify I likely would have at least added it to my wish list, now I'm going to go and listen to more Beck and be picky and choosy in an annoyingly Spotify way!  Ya, its the new me...

Who is John?

stupid auto-correct!  or maybe its the NeverTrumpsters...  ya that's it! 

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