Me and Jeff Beck

Earlier this year I had the honor of working with Jeff Beck. As you know from a previous post, I think that Jeff Beck is the greatest guitarist of all-time. We released his latest album, Emotion & Commotion, in April but back in February he came to Toronto for a tour date with Eric Clapton. Hours before the concert, following some interviews about the new record, I got to have a few minutes with Jeff, just shooting the shit. After the concert was over, in a room filled with gawkers, we finished out "talk." It went something like this:

Pre-concert

Me: "I don't want to embarrass you by gushing (Jeff smiles), but you're the reason I started playing guitar."

Jeff: "Really?"

Me: "Yeah. back when I was growing up they used to play Blow-Up on TV all of the time and, even though the movie scared the crap out of me, I would always watch it for that scene in the club where the Yardbirds played "Train Kept A Rollin'."

Jeff: "But all I do is break my guitar."

Me: "Yeah, but it's the way you break that guitar." (we both laugh)

Post-concert

Me: "That was really great."

Jeff: "Yeah. Thanks."

Me: "You know, I just wanted to mention that even though you were who inspired me to start playing guitar, I didn't dare try to learn how to play like you."

Jeff: (smiling broadly) "Yeah, well, what would have been the point, really."

Fuck yeah!! Jeff beck was exactly as I would have hoped he would be - charming, funny, willing to accept the compliment he's heard a million time before and, most importantly, slightly self-effacing. Good times.