Jeff Beck Eric Clapton Rivalry
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Topic: Jeff Beck Eric Clapton Rivalry
Posted By: GeekGirlsRock
Subject: Jeff Beck Eric Clapton Rivalry
Date Posted: March 24 2010 at 01:36
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http://blogcritics.org/music/article/eric-clapton-and-jeff-beck-the/ -
Eric Clapton And Jeff Beck: The Death of a Musical Revolution
http://blogcritics.org/music/article/eric-clapton-and-jeff-beck-the/
A dirge, without music, for the last of the piss and spit, rock and roll rivalries.
Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden
"Jeff Beck's re-emergence into the spotlight is introducing his music, and his unique approach to guitar playing, to a new generation of fans. His determination to dissect every chord and note, to move it, bend it and stretch it until it holds no secrets from him. He knows his instrument intimately. He has explored it like a lover. But it is the precision of his fretwork that still impresses most. His fingers seem to fly in a blur, yet he hits every note distinctly."
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Replies:
Posted By: KyleSchmidlin
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 19:06
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I love Jeff Beck but there is clearly no comparison between him and Eric Clapton. Clapton is an artist whose good name was sullied by 40 years of rubbish. But his stuff on the John Mayall album and the Cream stuff is without parallel. Beck, for all his tricks and gimmicks and talent and flourishes and innovations, simply doesn't get to the heart as directly - and certainly nowhere near as frequently - as Eric Clapton. I merely choose to ignore trash like "Lay Down Sally" and "It's In The Way That You Use It" - listen to the John Mayall album and listen to some of Clapton's newer stuff, like his Robert Johnson tribute album. |
Posted By: lvblvb
Date Posted: December 02 2013 at 16:31
| I agree. I was familiar with Clapton's work, but not so much Jeff Beck. Since I've heard of this rivalry, I decided to check out Beck's recordings. I was disappointed with what I heard, I mean I can play this stuff. I'll never in a hundred years be able to play Clapton's solos with Cream, such as "Crossroads. " Is there really a rivalry? I have to go along with "Clapton is God" if this is his competition. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: December 02 2013 at 20:21
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Interesting comments on the 'rivalry' which imho doesn't really exist except in the minds of some critics and fans.
You might as well throw Page into the rivalry as well since they all emerged from the Brit scene via The Yardbirds.
For me Beck is a better 'technical player' and can play more styles and has a larger variety of techniques he can create. Clapton and Page are feel players or emotional players who are excellent at blues rock and blues in general...but I do not think they can do the things Beck can do when he does fusion and related styles. Could they learn? Probably ,but it's a moot point since they don't play in that style and never will and stick to what they do best.
It's also kind of silly to say who's better since they are different players doing different things...and besides we all know Jimi was the best and even Clapton said so several times in interviews.
 ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: December 02 2013 at 20:37
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Mad respect for Jeff Beck, his jazzy, funky, bluesy playing is really good. But I hear a lot of the same from others....When Clapton plays you know its him and only him. I never got the rivalry thing.... -------------   
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Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: December 02 2013 at 20:39
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Clapton is boring as hell.
------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 02 2013 at 21:21
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^ He sure is. Anyone who thinks Jeff Beck is not distinctive, that his stuff is easy to play, or that his tricks, gimmicks and innovations don't add up to much, has never seen him live. Actually Beck is not the better technical palyer, Clapton is. But it's Beck who still has the soul, the feeling, and the magic. Yes, magic. |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: December 02 2013 at 21:30
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There coming over Charaton Bridge... ------------- |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: December 03 2013 at 01:22
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(Page & Plant were in the audience looking on)
------------- What? |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 03 2013 at 01:42
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Anyone catch the Ronnie Lane Appeal shows in '82? Beck, Clapton, Page, Cocker, quite a night. |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: December 03 2013 at 15:39
| Beck by miles, Clapton was a promise when young but he chose the lazy path and remain stuck in his comfort zone of the 4 chord blues (as a matter of speaking, someone will quickly jump on me taking me literally). |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: December 03 2013 at 18:43
I think Clapton started out so amazingly and peaked in Cream. He was an electric blues player without peer (except Jimi of course). It seemed after the Derek stuff he just crashed and never lived up to his earlier accomplishments. I never understood critics raving about such watered down unexciting pop as "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Cocaine" 
------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: December 03 2013 at 22:28
------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Atavachron wrote:Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 03 2013 at 22:48
| That's fine-- to me Clapton has always been a craftsman, a traditionalist of electric guitar, and has simplified and polished his sound as he's matured. Sloppy? I don't think I've ever seen Clapton be sloppy. Maybe not always very interesting, but never sloppy. I think we can give that award to one James Patrick Page (whom I adore), Mr. Stumblefingers himself. What I like about Beck is that he seems to always be pushing at himself and his ax, still hungry to pull out new sounds and ideas. Eddie Van Halen always credited Clapton as being his main influence but I've always heard more Beck in his playing. |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 00:37
Left Sir, please. ------------- |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 02:02
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I like Claptons take on Confortubly Numb, he deos a good solo on that track, almost Gilmour class -------------  
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Posted By: Polymorphia
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 17:42
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I certainly prefer Beck. Can't stand most of Clapton's stuff. I don't really care enough about either to pit them against each other in a discography-digging brawl. I'll just sit back with some Led Zep records and revel in those beautifully messy guitar adventures. |
Posted By: mot
Date Posted: January 11 2014 at 04:57
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Slowhand by far... |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 11 2014 at 10:39
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Clapton 'was a great player' but I don't listen to anything he's done post Layla.....while he still is one of the greatest guitar players , he's not done anything original with it in over 35 years.....imho. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: January 13 2014 at 05:27
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I doubt the rivalry thing. Sounds a tad manufactured. I'm not keen on EC albums that are not live since 1975 (although most of the ones before then. Odd, that. (except for 461 Ocean Boulevard, 1974 but close to the edge there). But in concert I find his playing riveting (except for that Rainbow concert shambles). Of course he has bands that are superbly accomplished musos and you'd be hard put not to sound good around players like Radle, Oldaker and Terry. I have seen Beck a few times and he is all everyone says he is. I also recall a comment somewhere saying that Beck is one of the most talented rock guitarists - with absolutely nothing to say but a great way of saying it. Still, Wired and Blow By Blow are essential and the records with Rod are just fine. But Rough And Ready is my favourite - because when Beck has something to say it's worth hearing and he wrote most of that ... vocal... album. Jimmy Page created Led Zeppelin.         Jimi Hendrix is unmatched largely because by playing upside down and backwards and not being Albert King (one of the few others of that funny handed ilk) makes him as innovator peerless for eternity. The guy who invented serious rock as we know it today. As a bonus (!) we could think of Townshend who I've seen and heard him do everything on a guitar - except the amazing lead stuff. Classical (with John Williams), jazz (in his own way), great classical / rock compositions, unique rhythm, dynamics, but not the blues. Interesting. Not to worry, they're all mates. Except their friend Hendrix who, contrary to current hipster belief, will not be playing is a town near you very soon. Mind you neither is is Page and he has no excuse. cheers |