“The way he’s passionate”: The artist Jeff Beck was proud to be snubbed by
Rock and roll is a movement built upon rebellion, experimentation, and musical mastery rather than high-profile award ceremonies and congratulatory remarks. If you are entering the world of rock with the aim of picking up accolades, you are doing it wrong. Take Jeff Beck, for instance. The former Yardbirds guitarist devoted his existence to creating expansive, experimental jazz-influenced riffs, and he never did so with the expectation of being given an award at the end of it.
Beck certainly had a taste of widespread success and acclaim during his early days back in the 1960s. After performing in the background of multiple recordings as a session musician, the guitarist was recruited by The Yardbirds in 1965 as a replacement for Eric Clapton, who had left to form Cream. Almost immediately, Beck established his revolutionary playing style, creating the pioneering psychedelic riff behind the band’s defining track ‘Heart Full of Soul’ which became a top ten hit in both the UK and the US.
The guitarist certainly could have stuck with The Yardbirds and built upon this success, but he desired something more expansive and diverse instead. So, forming The Jeff Beck Group with now-legendary artists like Rod Stewart and Ron Wood, the guitarist set about crafting his own unique sound. However, he was never particularly satisfied with the results of that short-lived outfit. At the same time, he was approached to replace Brian Jones in The Rolling Stones and, according to Nick Mason, was even in the running to replace Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd.
These colossal opportunities seemed to present themselves to Beck on a regular basis, but he rarely took advantage of them. Instead, the songwriter was keen to continue marching to the beat of his own drum. Embarking upon an individualistic solo career, the musician refused to follow trends or adhere to the conventions of the crowd. Instead, he dedicated himself to exploring the world of instrumental jazz riffs.
Inevitably, this niche approach to guitar music did not afford Beck too many commercial hits or moments of mainstream appreciation. While this was clearly frustrating for the musician, particularly following the early successes of his work during the 1960s, he remained fairly grounded about his solo work and its level of appreciation.
Still, Beck amassed a cult audience and regularly found himself nominated for prestigious awards, including multiple Grammy Awards. However, Beck was routinely snubbed for these accolades. In 2000, he was nominated for ‘Best Rock Instrumental Performance’, pitched against the likes of Moby, Green Day, Steve Vai, and Carlos Santana. In the end, it was Santana who ended up winning the award for his track ‘The Calling’, featuring fellow Yardbirds alumni Eric Clapton.
Still, Beck was not bitter about losing out to Santana. During a 2001 interview, he said, “It went to the best. I mean, Carlos, just for his longevity and the way he’s stayed loyal to everybody in music.” A
dding, “And the way he’s passionate, deserves a Grammy just for that alone.”
It is fair to say that Santana was as deserving of the award as any of the other nominees, but the fact that Beck seemed proud to be snubbed by the legendary figure reflects Beck’s unique and music-focused approach to music-making. He was never chasing awards; he was just pleased to be supporting groundbreaking music.
