The first Jeff Beck Group was formed in the U.K. in 1967, consisting of Jeff Beck guitar, Rod Stewart vocals, Ron Wood bass, and Aynsley Dunbar drums. Beck had unfortunately signed a personal management contract with famed U.K. singles producer and manager, Mickie Most. Beck had envisioned forming the band he eventually did, but for the first part of their existence (early '67), they were relegated to being a 'backup band' for Beck, but Most lost interest in Beck quickly, and the group floundered for the better part of a year. In fact, if it weren't for Most's employee Peter Grant, they would have almost certainly ended up on the scrap heap before they ever got started.
Grant's interests were not entirely philanthropic though, as he was keenly interested in managing his own band. Having been to the States as tour manager for The New Vaudeville Band, he was well aware of a new Concert and Album trend developing in the U.S., where a band could be launched through concerts - without a hit single. Beck's outfit was made to order for this new market. And so he tried - repeatedly, desperately, and in vain to buy Beck's contract from Mickie Most. And although Most had lost interest in Beck, he stubbornly refused to sell. Grant however, wasn't beaten, and in early '68, he arranged a six week U.S. tour for the band. It was their last chance... Dunbar had left to play 'straight blues', being replaced briefly by Roy Cook and then eventually by Micky Waller, and according to Beck, they were down to "literally one clothing change!!" ...The gamble paid off - they took the States by storm... The response was phenominal, and Grant used their reviews (most notably The New York Times) to secure a contract with Epic records for a U.S. release. Upon return to the U.K., Most left the project in the hands of the band and a young, budding genius engineer/producer, Ken Scott, who had worked with The Beatles, and was soon to produce all of David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars records... The result was "Truth", to this day considered a 'touchstone' to many musicians, and a seminal influence on all 'Hard Blues','Hard Rock', and 'Heavy Metal' music that was to follow, (via Led Zeppelin), often sighted as usurpers of Beck's act, and largely (behind the scenes) responsible for its breakup.
This four piece lineup then toured the U.S. to coincide with the release of 'Truth' in early/mid 1968. The tour was another huge success, and they were being touted as the obvious replacement to Cream. The album climbed to number 15 on the Billboard charts and at Peter Grant's insistence, Jimmy Page was present for most of the second tours shows - apparently studying the band, their audience and material. Many insiders claim that Grant and Page were plotting to form a similar group, which they quickly did; trying to snag the 'gravel-sounding' vocal stylings of Steve Marriott, Terry Reid, and Paul Rodgers among others, before settling on Robert Plant temporarily.
Late in the year, well-known session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins accepted an offer to tour with The Beck Group, although offered more money to tour with Led Zeppelin. This lineup (Beck, Stewart, Wood, Waller and Hopkins), is considered by many to be one of the finest in rock history. But they would ultimately suffer from internal stuggles, jealousies and firings (reportedly from 'he said,'she said' rumours, whispered into Beck and Stewart's ears by Grant himself). Ron Wood was fired at least twice, and in 1969 Micky Waller was replaced by drummer Tony Newman, who stayed with the group until they disbanded. It really must be said that this was definitely a 'live' band. Their list of gigs from 1967 to 1969 is staggering... Through most of 1967 they played the club circuit up and down England, as well as short tours to Europe and Scandinavia. 1968 and 1969 saw them playing an almost unbelievable amount of shows, mostly in the U.S., but again in Europe as well.
Sadly though, for a band that stayed together almost three years, their output is lacking. They were only to produce three ill-conceived U.K. singles, and two L.P.'s. There are however, dozens of early recordings produced at DeLane Lea studios in 1967 and 1968, specifically for various BBC radio shows, including 'Saturday Club', 'Top Gear', and the "Simmonds Show'. Although bootlegged in very poor quality, these have never been officially released.
In mid 1969, after completing the admittedly rushed 'Beck-Ola', The JBG toured the States for the last time with Nicky Hopkins, who had to stop touring for health reasons. They were to do a bit more touring as a four-piece in '69, notably appearing at the Newport Jazz Festival, but unfortunately the forces working against them proved too great, and the band dissolved on the eve of the Woodstock Festival, at which they were scheduled to appear (they are listed on the promotional posters and ads). One wishes this had been their swansong, as it would have cemented their rightful place in history, and as there is virtually no known TV or film footage of this band.
After the group disbanded, Rod Stewart and Ron Wood went on to join The Small Faces, who were about to break up because of the loss of Steve Marriott. Meanwhile, Jeff Beck planned to join Vanilla Fudge Rhythm section, Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice, but suffered a head injury in a car wreck. Bogert and Appice would go on to form Cactus while Beck recovered.
After recovering from his injuries, Beck reformed the group with vocalist Bob Tench, keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Clive Chaman. The band would go on to release two more albums, "Rough & Ready" in '71 and a self-titled album in 1972, before disbanding.
Jeff Beck Group is also on Last.fm as The Jeff Beck Group.
Official Website: Jeff Beck
Highways
Jeff Beck Group Lyrics
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Life's lonely highway
Just traveling 'round, nothing to be found
Now I know, yes I know that leaving you was wrong
So I'm coming on home, won't be long
Now if I bring you back the love I had
Would you see it through
Life's lonely highway
Just traveling 'round, nothing to be found
Now I know, yes I know that leaving you was wrong
So I'm coming on home baby, won't be long
If I bring you back the love I had
Would you see it through
The lyrics of Jeff Beck's song "Highways" are about someone who has been searching for something in their life, wandering along life's lonely highway without any luck. They have finally realized that leaving their loved one was a wrong decision, and they are now returning home. The singer is hopeful that if they bring back the love they had, their partner will be willing to see it through.
The lyrics suggest a sense of regret and longing for a lost love. The singer has been searching for something, but they have not found it until they realized that the love they left behind was what they were missing. The singer's journey is like a metaphor for life's journey, and the message is that sometimes we have to go far away to realize what we had all along. The song's slow and melancholic melody adds to the emotions conveyed in the lyrics.
Overall, "Highways" is a beautiful and heartfelt song that explores the theme of lost love and regret. It's a universal theme that most people can relate to, and the song's simple lyrics and melody make it easy to connect with the emotions it conveys.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I've been searching uphill, down and around and 'round
I have been desperately searching every possible place in my life.
Life's lonely highway
Life is a lonely journey with many hardships.
Just traveling 'round, nothing to be found
I have been aimlessly wandering without a purpose or goal.
Now I know, yes I know that leaving you was wrong
I have finally realized that my decision to leave you was a mistake.
So I'm coming on home, won't be long
I am returning to you, the place where I belong.
Now if I bring you back the love I had
I am hoping that if I restore the love we used to share...
Would you see it through
...will you be willing to work on our relationship and see it through?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFF BECK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Well I've been searching uphill, down and around and 'round
Life's lonely highway
Just traveling 'round, nothing to be found
Now I know, yes I know that leaving you was wrong
So I'm coming on home, won't be long
Now if I bring you back the love I had
Would you see it through
Well I've been searching uphill, down and around and 'round
Life's lonely highway
Just traveling 'round, nothing to be found
Now I know, yes I know that leaving you was wrong
So I'm coming on home baby, won't be long
If I bring you back the love I had
Would you see it through
Steve T.
The Orange album really has a special place in my heart. It just all comes together here.... so fantastic to hear Cozy Powell in a more jazzy, non- hard rock setting. Every note is just perfect, the vocals.... brings tears to my eyes.
Guitar Angel
Don’t know if you still read the replies, but I totally agree brother in my mid 60s and most of the crowd had no idea what they were doing in England. Beck was doing this shit long before anybody else as far as stepping up to the plate and really putting it down, and saying how he plays the guitar to this day he’s a string contortionist👍🎸😜
Frank Richards
Yeah good call on Cozy he is so great here
Eric Kuritsky
When I first heard this record, I thought, nobody can possibly be this amazing. I am a life long Jeff fan. I don't think the playing on this record has been equaled or surpassed. Its a one off. Even Jeff doesn't play like this anymore. Its absolutely amazing!
William Walton
Yup. And interesting to hear that Mr Beck was not so thrilled with either this or The Orange, and thus, I guess, the disbanding. Well, those two albums are always close to cued up in this house (rap left home) and I will be playing Highways in the old folks home.
Mike R
Maybe my favorite Jeff Beck tune of all time. The way he attacks each note during a flurry of them is incredible. The whole album is great; the high water mark of his career, IMO.
izitmeorizitu Stark
+Mike R I agree. This is absolutely my favorite Jeff Beck tune and I appreciate all of his music over the years .
David Ringo
My favorite Beck song also........awesome
eightintheblock
i ve always been in love with this song .....damned !. this guitar is over the highways !
i d like to find a live version .
David Ringo
Guitar work on this is the best...Its Gold,Jerry...Gold......!!