The Jeff Beck Group: Beck Ola

Here is a little riddle that comes to mind; what would have happened, if the Jeff Beck Group had played in Woodstock ?

Because this wasnt exactly expected, but the Jeff Beck Group could have been in the program. Let's imagine what the consequences their apparition in Woodstock would have been if Beck had played his heavy rock clad in black satin in front of an audience of one million Hippies ...

I think the destiny of rocknroll could have been changed dramatically and all kind of theories have been raised on the issue.

We are in early 1969 and Jeff Beck is angry, mad in fact; not only jimmy Page had "borrowed" him his arrangements of 'You Shook Me'.

But worse; Led Zeppelin was carving for itself a reputation of ultimate 'Hard Rock' machine throu the USA, and they smashed the last psychedelic bubbles.

So early in 1969, the Jeff Beck Group's manager explains to Beck that their first album "Truth" seemed totally obsolete compared to the new Hard rock trend led by ... Led Zeppelin !

It's with a bitter feeling of anger, that Beck cancels his US tour and goes back to London, with the rest of the band, and decides to can a record absolutely and totally heavy.

0n April 3 1969, the Jeff Beck Group locks itself in the studios De Lane Lea... In exactly seven days the project is over; thirty minures and 55 secondes of pure sonic fusion. Without any doubt the very very very first Metal album of all times !

The years may pass, but the 'Beck-0la" project remains intact just like the Gizeh pyramides. So Beck is on lead guitar (of course) and he twists the strings and gets exited like a demon, and creates barbed wired like and chromated heavy riffs.

0n 'All Shook Up' (a bonus version added in 2004) he manages to imitate the sound of a flight of wasps flying low. 0n bass guitar there is Ron Wood, (future Faces/Stones), and he could devellop a very creative cycle on bass. Beck's final solo on 'Spanish Boots,' is a great anthologic moment of Fender precision ... 0n drums, there was was a 'con man' whom Beck had spotted after Little Richards and Gene Vincent, and who kicked his drums with a heavy beat with his hands and his feet; Tony Newman. And the lead singer was Rod Stewart ...

Between two seances with 'Quicksilver Messenger Service', Nicky Hopkins helps with his magic touch on piano. Very few Europeans have had the chance or opportunity to see this extraordinery band in action; the Jeff Beck Group was busy carving itself a reputation in the US and it was there in front of crowds made up of flabbergasted students that Beck sticks to his guns. And as he liked to put it he was there to "kick the ass of all those little fashionable guitarists" ...

Mad and angry, by the arrogance of jimmy Page, the lead guitarist decides to turn 100% rocknroll, and he encouraged his band mates to give their maximum; he will impose two classic covers; 'All Shook Up' and 'Jailhouse rock' two classics by Elvis presley.

Used to force his voice to be heard amid that monstrous sound, Rod Stewart sings like he'll never do it again he his long long long carrer; just forget the jadded billionaire that you have seen on MTV. The rod Stewart 69 possess the voice of a real soulman, and expert bluesman too.

It was not the first time that an English band entered the studios so angrily, but in that case Beck was decided to break all limits. A fact that somewhat worried their productor Mickie Most an old 'charts shark'. He would have prefered to see beck to go back to the good old sweet single formula. A pity for him; all this record is a program of demolition and devastation. 0nly a little piano piece by Nicky Hopkins seems to give the album a strange quiet moment confronted by that Beckian tornado.

Reminded by the 'Beck 0la' seances thirty five years later, Beck recalls "we were all high all day long...."

Side A is a non stop hard rock without interuption, and side B offers three gems; a heavy- boogie- rock ('Plynth') followed by a tremendous rock very hard and very reptilian "Hangman Knee" . The album will end with a seven minutes rock instrumental which will give to the musicians the opportunity to shine one last time; very rich in squeaking riffs "Rice Pudding," will be Jeff Beck Group immortal anthem.

Impressed, Hendrix will imitate a little Beckian riff to give life to his own 'In From The Storm'. How come such a band with two phenomenal albums under their belts, the very blues "Truth" and the metallic 'Beck 0la' is not recognized even today and as popular as Canned Beer ? The debut of an explanation is suggested by the leader guitarist in the jacket of the remasterisation 2004; "ego problems..."

Back to 1969 , when the seances were over the Jeff Beck Group flies back to the US, for a tour amid a terrifying ambiance ... Hurted because his photo was not on the cover, (he'll catch up later) Rod Stewart calculate his exit . Big troubleshooter, he tried to persuade the honnest Ron Wood to follow him. 0n stage, Nicky Hopkins is victim of his sardonic jokes and it was in this ambiance that the Jeff Beck Group misses the Woodstock festival; at the very moment of leaving for New York, the band is victim (without it's consent) of a mysterious drug, that will leave Rod, Ronnie, and Nickie, completely 'K0'. Left alone, Beck had to cancel their show for Woodstock as he was told that someone was shooting a movie on the site. Did he ever realized that his band's destiny was sealed ?

The Jeff Beck Group: Beck Ola

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