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
New ways Train Train
Jeff Beck Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some folks think I'm just hanging around
They say I just don't care
I gotta get away from here
But I've been wrong I need some new ways
My friend we don't get along get along no more
Don't need nobody to tell me nothing
Been as free as a bird that flies
Ain't no difference in day or night
I wanna be lord I wanna be
No one with responsibilty
But I've been wrong I need some new ways
My friend we don't get any more
Don't need nobody to tell me nothing
I'm gonna live life the way I feel
Some say the train is full
My life's been a sucess
But stick around I've been a fool
I gotta make this trip my last
Oooo ooo yeah whoa whoa
Please please please go down the line
Never never never been on time
Take me down to the pit of dispear
Anywhere but away from here
Train train train your doing fine
Whoa whoa whoa
Rollin' down on that dusty train
Hope we found what we have no yet
You will see time goes by
Many have been this way
The lyrics of the song New Ways Train Train by Jeff Beck Group convey a message about the desire to find freedom and escape from the monotony and limitations of life. The singer is tired of being stuck in the same place for too long, and he believes that he needs to try new things and explore new ways of living. The lyrics express a sense of defiance towards those who criticize or try to discourage the singer's journey towards finding new paths in life. The idea of taking control of one's life and living it with passion and determination is a central theme of the song.
The lyrics also speak to a sense of confusion and uncertainty that can accompany the desire to change one's life. The singer acknowledges that he has made mistakes in the past, but he believes that he can find a way to move forward and find new directions. The train serves as a metaphor for the journey towards a better life, with the singer hoping to find a new sense of purpose and meaning through his travels. Despite the challenges and difficulties that may lie ahead, the lyrics express a sense of hope and determination to keep moving forward towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Been around this place for far too long
I have been in this location for an extended period.
Some folks think I'm just hanging around
There are people that believe I am idle and have no clear objective.
They say I just don't care
Some people assert that I have no motivation.
I gotta get away from here
I need to leave this place for my personal development.
But I've been wrong, I need some new ways
Despite my reservations, I must endeavor to diversify and acquire fresh perspectives.
My friend we don't get along get along no more
My associate and I are no longer compatible.
Don't need nobody to tell me nothing
There is no requirement for me to seek counsel from anybody.
Gonna live life the way that I feel
I shall perform actions in a manner that aligns with my intuition.
Been as free as a bird that flies
I have experienced unbounded independence.
Ain't no difference in day or night
There is no separation between day and night for me
I wanna be lord I wanna be
I aspire to posses enormous resources and authority.
No one with responsibility
I eschew accountability for directing my affairs.
Some say the train is full
Some contend that there is no more room on the train.
My life's been a success
Overall, I have had a prosperous existence.
But stick around I've been a fool
Despite my prosperity, my previous actions were not always wise.
I gotta make this trip my last
I must ensure that this is my last adventure of this sort.
Oooo ooo yeah whoa whoa
Expressive sounds made out of excitement.
Please please please go down the line
Please, continue speaking.
Never never never been on time
I have never been punctual.
Take me down to the pit of despair
Lead me to a place of hopelessness.
Anywhere but away from here
I crave a new locale aside from this one.
Train train train your doing fine
Your train is adequately performing.
Rollin' down on that dusty train
Traveling on the locomotive surrounded by dust.
Hope we found what we have not yet
Anticipating that we will find whatever we are seeking.
You will see time goes by
It will eventually become apparent that time has passed.
Many have been this way
Several individuals have traveled through similar experiences.
Writer(s): Jeff Beck
Contributed by Colton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.