Editing Jeff Beck (section)

=== Beginnings and Yardbirds: 1963–1967 ===

While attending [[Wimbledon College of Art]], Beck played in a succession of groups. In 1963, after [[Ian Stewart (musician)|Ian Stewart]] of [[the Rolling Stones]] introduced him to [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], he formed The Nightshift with whom he played at the [[100 Club]] in Oxford Street.<ref name="Rough" />{{sfn|Power|2012|p=}} Beck joined the Rumbles, a [[Croydon]] band, in 1963 for a short period as lead guitarist, playing [[Gene Vincent]] and [[Buddy Holly]] songs, displaying a talent for mimicking guitar styles. Later in 1963, he joined the Tridents, a band from the [[Chiswick]] area. "They were really my scene because they were playing flat-out R&B, like [[Jimmy Reed]] stuff, and we supercharged it all up and made it really rocky. I got off on that, even though it was only twelve-bar blues."{{sfn|Carson|2001|p=29}} He was a [[session musician|session guitarist]] on a 1964 Parlophone single by the Fitz and Startz titled "I'm Not Running Away", with B-side "So Sweet". Also in 1964, Beck was part of [[Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages]] when they recorded "Dracula's Daughter"/"Come Back Baby" for [[Oriole Records (UK)|Oriole Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ainian.com/disc.html|website=Ainian.com|title=Jeff Beck Discography|first=David |last=Terralavoro|author2=Dick Wyzanski|access-date=6 December 2016|archive-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418231748/http://www.ainian.com/disc.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Rough">{{cite book |last=Clayson |first=Alan |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&pg=PT86 |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |date=2003 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=9781843531050 |editor=Peter Buckley |page=79 |chapter=Jeff Beck}}</ref>

[[File:The Yardbirds in 1965 (true monochrome).jpg|thumb|left|Beck ''(top left)'' in 1965 with [[the Yardbirds]]]]

In March 1965, Beck was recruited by [[the Yardbirds]] to succeed [[Eric Clapton]] on the recommendation of fellow session musician Jimmy Page, who had been their initial choice.<ref name="HitParaderApr66">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ainian.com/HitParader_April66.pdf|title=Yardbird – How He Became England's|date=April 1966|magazine=Hit Parader|access-date=30 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917085935/http://ainian.com/HitParader_April66.pdf|archive-date=17 September 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Yardbirds recorded most of their [[Top 40]] hit songs during Beck's short but significant 20-month tenure with the band allowing him only one full album, which became known as ''[[Roger the Engineer]]'' (titled ''Over Under Sideways Down'' in the U.S.), released in 1966. In May 1966, Beck recorded an instrumental titled "[[Beck's Bolero]]". Rather than members of the Yardbirds, he was backed by Page on 12-string rhythm guitar, [[Keith Moon]] on drums, [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] on bass, and [[Nicky Hopkins]] on piano. In June, Page joined the Yardbirds, at first on bass and later on second lead guitar.<ref name="HitParaderApr66" /> This dual lead-guitar lineup was filmed performing an adaptation of "[[Train Kept A-Rollin'#The Yardbirds versions|Train Kept A-Rollin']]", titled "Stroll On", for the 1966 [[Michelangelo Antonioni]] film ''[[Blowup]]''.<ref>Platt, John; [[Chris Dreja|Dreja, Chris]]; [[Jim McCarty|McCarty, Jim]] (1983). ''Yardbirds''. [[Sidgwick and Jackson]] (London). {{ISBN|978-0-283-98982-7}}.</ref>

Beck was fired during a U.S. tour for being a consistent no-show and for difficulties caused by his perfectionism and explosive temper on stage.<ref name="SPI-Clapton-Beck">{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Eric-Clapton-And-Jeff-Beck-The-Death-of-a-886843.php|title=Eric Clapton And Jeff Beck: The Death of a Musical Revolution|date=26 April 2011|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|access-date=27 March 2012|archive-date=18 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918005755/https://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Eric-Clapton-And-Jeff-Beck-The-Death-of-a-886843.php|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Jeff Beck with the Yardbirds.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.7|Beck playing with the Yardbirds, early 1966]]