Jeff Beck Final Interview
Infamous Rock journalist and internationally acclaimed interviewer Claude Balzac recently sat down for an in depth conversation with the legendary guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Beck. Little did anyone that it would be his final interview
Madhouse Magazine: Hi Jeff, thanks for talking with me today. It is great to see you again.
Jeff Beck: Claude my man, I love Madhouse. Not a lot of people know that I got my unique guitar sound from using a rolled up Madhouse Magazine as a slide back in the day. Some might say I owe it all to you.
Madhouse: Ooh so what does that mean to me in cold hard cash?
Jeff Beck: Let’s not get crazy now [laughs]
The Early Days
Madhouse: I have hung out with you probably 100 times and I know nothing about you.
Jeff Beck: Well I was born somewhere in England, I had 2 British parents, I sang in the church choir and I fell in love with the guitar thanks to Les Paul. I was 8 years old and I heard Les Paul on the radio. I asked my Mom what is that? She replied it’s an electric guitar honey. A solid body electric guitar with a carved maple top and a single cutaway. I believe it has a mahogany set-in neck with a rosewood fretboard, two P-90 pickups with independent volume and tone controls, and a stop-tail bridge. I then said, Wow, thanks Mom that’s for me. The rest is history.
Madhouse: You have a history of constantly changing. What motivates you?
Jeff Beck: Honestly it was dealing with other people, specifically lead singers that made me want to be out on my own. Then I would go back and get sick of them and leave again. It was a vicious cycle, so I had to figure out a way that I wouldn’t need a lead singer. So I figured out how to make my guitar the lead singer.
Woodstock
Madhouse: What is the story with Woodstock?
Jeff Beck: Well it’s true we were booked to appear and we were in a hotel in New York City waiting to head out there. We just finished a few shows at The Fillmore East. As I am sitting around in the hotel room waiting, Woody is clipping his toe nails and Rod is in the bathroom for 2 hours doing his hair and going on and on about his toy trains. Now don’t get me wrong I love those guys but I couldn’t take another minute of them. I told them I was going out for a pack of cigarettes then got in a cab went to the airport and flew home to the UK. I actually never told those guys the band was over. Do you think they are still waiting in the hotel room for me. [laughs]
Madhouse: You were the most eligible guitarist. Every band wanted you
Jeff Beck: Yes Mick and Keith really wanted me to join the Stones in 1969 and 1975. I knew they were a dysfunctional family so no way I was getting involved with that. They were kind of like the Rock n Roll Munsters and I would have been the niece Marilyn. Woody is a perfect fit god bless him.
Tal Wilkenfeld
Madhouse: You have always found the best musicians to work with. Where did you find Tal Wilkenfeld?
Jeff Beck: That is a funny story. She rang my doorbell and when I answered I see this tiny girl there. I thought she was selling girl scout cookies or something. I said go away little girl. She said wait, I want to play Bass for you. She talked her way in and then proceeded to blow my face off. I could not believe a tiny girl like that could play the bass like that. She is special. Mick tried to steal her too.
Johnny Depp
Madhouse: How did this collaboration with Johnny Depp come about?
Jeff Beck: Well I was a big fan of those Pirate movies. I rang him up because I wanted to do a guest role. He had Keith and McCartney in his movies, why not me? I would have been great. Then that crazy bird had a poo on John’s bed and all that nonsense so we lost touch for a bit. After that was over he showed up at my house with a bottle of champagne, a fist full of cash, his guitar and a bunch of songs. We got along great. We spend days working on hot rods, playing guitars and watching 21 Jump Street Reruns.
Madhouse: What does the future hold?
Jeff Beck: My next project is with Dom Deluise’s son. Depp tells me he is a killer piano player. He has supposedly written an opera based on his father’s life. Tell me that doesn’t sound awesome.
*Note – Jeff passed away suddenly a week after this interview. With Jeff’s death we lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players to ever grace the planet. God will not be making any more Jeff Becks, that’s for sure. His genius gave the world an infinite source of joy. His influence will be forever felt. He was loved by all and the world will be a poorer place without him. We must all be thankful we were around to share the planet with Jeff and enjoy his gifts.
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