BECK'S BOLERO (1967) by the Jeff Beck Group - with backwards guitar ending

This instrumental track was recorded in 1966 by Jeff Beck (lead guitars), Jimmy Page (12 string rhythm), John Paul Jones (bass), Keith Moon (drums) and Nicky Hopkins (piano). I had the extended version of this with backwards guitar at the end as the flip side of Beck's single, Hi Ho Silver Lining (1967). However it is best known as a track on Beck's album Truth (1968), minus this end bit. Here is the complete track.

The following is paraphrased from Douglas J Noble's article written based on his interview with Beck: So how did Jimmy Page come to write 'Beck's Bolero'? 'Well, with some difficulty and largely without me! ..... I went over to Jim's house and he had this 12-string Fender and he loved the idea of using a bolero-type rhythm for a rock record. He was playing the bolero rhythm and I played the melody on top of it, but then I said, "Jim, you've got to break away from the bolero beat - you can't go on like that for ever!". So we stopped it dead in the middle of the song - like the Yardbirds would do on 'For Your Love' - then we stuck that riff into the middle......I was using a Les Paul for the lead guitar and for the backwards slide guitar through a Vox AC30 - it was the only amp I had and it was covered with beer! Actually, I think it was the beer that gave it it's sound! You can hear Moon screaming in the middle of the record over the drum break. If you listen after the drum break you can only hear the cymbal afterwards 'cause he knocked the mic over! Wonderful!'

As I understand it, the track was recorded with all musicians playing at the same time, as Beck is reported to have said there was 'leaking' into one another's microphones. He also suggested that there were 3 or 4 songs came out of it of which only Bolero saw the light of day and one other had a finished melody. No others were released.

Unfortunately there are no videos of the song, or photos of the session, so I have created a slide show for it. Comments are invited on this video but please no 'my guitarist is better than your guitarist'.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jeff
• beck
• beck's
• bolero
• nicky
• hopkins
• keith
• moon
• john
• paul
• jones
• jimmy
• page
• michaelbackhouse

[irvchad]

wrote it , produced it , played on it... that's the truth and i dont give a damn what jeff says! "Jimmy Page"

[mickeymousebiker1]

And to think, before I heard this one for the very first time in 1967, I was still listening to AM Top Forty. Thank you, Nolan, my great and wasted hippie brother, for turning me onto this fantastic tune! ALSO, thank you, Billy Bass and WMMS (Cleveland)-- back in 1968!

[jamirosmajicrocks]

Wow, wait this was going to be Led Zeppelin?

[theNAHband]

Now I see why Mick Mars cites Jeff Beck as a huge influence...

[Rags2RichesRacing]

Pat O Brien!!! (yes!!)

Steve Hartman!

and Vick "The Brick" Jacobs! (FEELING YOU!!!)

This is the Loose Cannons on Fox Sports Radio!!

[darnrabbits1]

@kcrossleKMC was the version you are talking about by SRC? They did bolero but was just a regional hit in michigan in 68 or 69

[Dani1love]

This song is way ahead of its time

[pulpgen]

Back when it came out in Engalnd in '67, we would all go down the pub each night and for months and months dissect the whole "Truth" album. It was truly seminal. When Zep 1 came out a few months later it seemed like top 40 rockpop by comparison. Beck is truly a wonderful musician who has reinvented himself over the years like no other. I had the privelege of sharing the stage with him on his US tours in the 70s and learned an awful lot. Thanks Jeff. You da man.

[bingoaustintexas]

I played this on the Brownsville, Texas TEEN HOUR back when it came out.... and they threw me out ;)

They said it was too suggestive....hmmm

[kcrossleKMC]

Thanks for the video and the interesting narrative. I saw Zep at the end of their first and second US tours (many tours ended in Hawaii in those days, where I happened to be) and on the second, at the HIC, the opening act (a local group which I loved but can't remember their name) did Beck's Bolero. I thought it was a bit cheeky at the time. But now I understand :-)

[mcul2112]

Wow...never heard the backwards guitar part before....thanks!