Blow by Blow

"THE BEST ROCK BOOK OF THE YEAR" ***** - THE TELEGRAPH“The book Jeff deserves. It’s honest, thoughtful, and true” - JOHNNY DEPP"Fine, fine work … told masterfully” - BILLY F. GIBBONS"Lays bare Beck's soul" - THE TELEGRAPH"Admiring but astute … meticulously probes the complicated interplay between reputation, legacy and commercial success" THE TIMES‘My friend and hero’ DAVID GILMOUR‘Inimitable, irreplaceable – the absolute pinnacle’ BRIAN MAY‘One of the all-time greats’ JOHNNY MARR‘His unique style was something no one could match’ PAUL MCCARTNEY‘Jeff Beck was on another planet’ ROD STEWART‘One of the greatest of all time’ NILE RODGERS‘The Salvador Dali of the guitar’ JOE PERRY‘A genius’ JOE SATRIANI‘The chosen one’ STEVE VAIA contender for the G.O.A.T. – the greatest of all time – Jeff Beck left an indelible mark on rock history. His sudden loss in 2023 prompted an outpouring of grief and respect from his peers that only underlined his place in the pantheon of legendary guitar slingers. Not many could have filled the shoes of Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, but for Beck it only marked the beginning of a trailblazing career that defied expectation and labels. From the wedding pop of Hi Ho Silver Lining through the ground-breaking proto-metal of the Jeff Beck Group, and from the landmark jazz rock recorded of the mid-seventies to the cutting-edge electronica of the 21st century Beck never stood still. Across it all, as he seemed to deliberately swerve the straitjacket of megastardom, his genius as an instrumentalist remained constant. In Blow by Blow, Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill provide fresh insight and understanding into life of one of rock’s most enigmatic heroes. Drawing on nearly thirty hours of interviews with Beck himself, numerous conversations with those closest to him, and extensive new research, they shed light on the man and musician Jimmy Page once said had “shifted the whole sound and face of electric guitar music.”_____________"I’ve read upwards of 20 music books so far this year, and Blow by Blow is by far the best: staggering in its breadth and detail . . . this superb book allows you to dive into history’s greatest rock and roll era . . . Tolinski and Gill have woven together more than 30 hours of interviews, conducted over multiple years, with Beck and his closest friends and collaborators, including Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and Johnny Depp, about his music and motivations. ""Fine, fine work … skilfully and artfully captures the story of one of the truly great heroes of the guitar: Jeff Beck. Jeff, in a very real way, stands as a gifted artist and innovator who refined his technical skills to a super-detailed, personal point. The same is true of this great book. It’s full of deep insights and takes one into Jeff Beck’s life, mind, and singular artistic brilliance … Beck’s story is the stuff of legends and is told masterfully in this high-volume volume”BILLY F. GIBBONS