Beck's Bolero: Lingering Resentment

[Chicago]

Simon Napier Bell was The Yardbirds manager prior to Peter Grant. When Grant assumed control of that band Napier Bell advised him to " Get rid of Jimmy Page ,he's a real troublemaker!" due to Jimmy's monetary concerns regarding their low wages. I n a recent letter to a Jeff Beck fansite Napier Bell rewrote his own take on Beck's Bolero.

Here's a bit of his commentary:

"You'll find all I can remember of the Roger the Engineer sessions in my book You Don't Have

To Say You Love Me - I can't think there's any more I can add to that.

The other three studio sessions I did with Jeff were - Happenings Ten Years Time Ago - But She's

Mine, for John's Children - and Beck's Bolero, which I produced, although Mickie Most later put

his name to it.

In all cases, as his wont, Jeff, quickly and brilliantly, played the solos required of him with

the minimum of fuss, and usually with a cup of tea at hand. Any problems with the sessions came

from the others - particularly Jimmy Page, with Beck's Bolero.

The making of Beck's Bolero was another matter altogether. It was done at IBC Studios in Portland

Place. I produced it - Jeff and Jimmy Page were on guitars, and Keith Moon on drums (I can't remember

who was on bass, but I would guess John Paul Jones, since I used him always on session work and he

was close with Jimmy.) Jeff as always played what he was meant to play well, and without any fuss.

Jimmy, as I recall, fussed a lot, though I can't remember what about, and anyway the record ended up

pretty good, so who cares."

Cheers

SIMON

Right. Sounds like a real cheery guy with a selective memory.

[Walter]

Yeah because if Jimmy was that difficult to deal with in the studio, how did he become the most sought after studio guitarist? Guy sounds like a creep and not just because it involves Jimmy.

[TheStairwayRemainsTheSame]

I don't understand what he's basing his point on

Edited June 16, 2011 by TheStairwayRemainsTheSame

[BIGDAN]

Something from Wiki that tells a good story.

Regards, Danny

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck%27s_Bolero

"Beck's Bolero" is a short, rock-based instrumental piece heavily influenced by Maurice Ravel's Boléro, recorded on 1966.05.16-17 by Jeff BeckJimmy Page (then a prolific session musician) on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Keith Moon on drums. Jeff had long been the lead guitarist with the Yardbirds, whose management was encouraging the individual band members to bring attention to the band through success in solo projects.^[2] The song wasn't released until 1967.03.24 (04.03 in the U.S.), though, by which time Jeff was long gone from the Yardbirds--and it was "hidden" as the B-side of the Beck single "Hi Ho Silver Lining," at that. (The single charted at Number 14 on the UK charts, 123 in the U.S.^[3]) "Beck's Bolero" was released much later on the Jeff Beck Group album Truth (1968.07.29 in the U.S., where the album reached #15; 1968.10.04 in Britain, where it failed to chart).^[4]

The song is roughly divided into three parts. The first part features two lead guitars playing separate melodies over a bolero rhythm modelled after Ravel's: the first a rock lead in a moderately overdriven tone, the other playing a slide piece in a cleaner tone resembling a steel guitar. A simultaneous drum break and vocal scream is heard roughly halfway through the recording (courtesy of Moon, who knocked over his recording mic in the process, resulting in his crash cymbal being heard over the other percussion for the rest of the piece), after which the band begins playing a powerful blues-rock section. The first fuzzbox-distorted lead guitar eventually emerges with the bolero rhythm, this time played with percussive flourishes. Shortly thereafter, another lead guitar emerges, playing its own melody. The song then comes to an abrupt end.

with "Beck's Bolero" was recorded at IBC Studios in London on 16 May 1966, and involved some controversy and secrecy among its performers.^[5] John Entwistle of The Who, originally scheduled to play bass, could not attend, so John Paul Jones (then a well-respected London session musician, later a member of Led Zeppelin with Page) was called in as a last-minute replacement.^[6] Beck, Page, fellow session player Hopkins, Jones, and Entwistle's bandmate Moon planned to record a whole album, but contractual obligations prevented them from recording together again. "Beck's Bolero" became the only recording from the session to be released.

Moon came to the session in disguise so no one would know he was playing with a band other than The Who.^[7] Beck later claimed that Pete Townshend "glared like daggers at me" after he found out about the recording sessions.^[8]

Beck claims that "Beck's Bolero" may contain the first heavy metal riff, probably referring to the aggressive guitar-bass line in the midsong break, played six times in the break's ascending keys. The May 1966 recording pre-dated by only weeks or months other 1966 landmarks in hard rock and protometal, including the formation of the Cream, Jimmy Page's formal joining with Beck as a member of the Yardbirds, and Jimi Hendrix's arrival in England to form the Experience.

"Beck's Bolero" also inspired to take up , later his signature style. In St. Louis, Allman's bandmate put "Beck's Bolero" on a record player for him, and Allman "'loved that slide part and told me he was going to learn to play it,' Paul said."

American rock group (who had also covered the Yardbirds' "") directly quoted the entire slide guitar passage of "Beck's Bolero" in their own multi-part suite, "" from their 1969 album , which ironically also included a rendition of Ravel's original Bolero.

claimed production credit on the song when it was released as a single even though he was not in the studio either at the recording or mixing stages.

Page is officially credited for the arrangement, although there is disagreement over creative input. Beck explained on how the tune was written:

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.

In a interview for magazine, Beck elaborated:

Me and Jim Page arranged a session with Keith Moon in secret, just to see what would happen. But we had to have something to play in the studio because Keith only had a limited time -- he could only give us like three hours before his roadies would start looking for him. So I went over to Jim's house a few days before the session, and he was strumming away on this 12-string Fender electric that had a really big sound. It was the sound of that Fender 12-string that really inspired the melody. And I don't care what he says, I invented that melody, such as it is. I know I'm going to get screamed at because in some articles he says he invented it, he wrote it. I say I invented it. This is what it was: He hit these Amaj7 chords and the Fm7 chords, and I just started playing over the top of it. We agreed that we would go in and get Moonie to play a bolero rhythm with it. That's where it came from, and in three or four takes it was down. John Paul Jones on the bass. In fact, that group could have been a new Led Zeppelin.

This has remained a point of contention between the two. In an interview he gave in 1977, Page contradicted Beck's version:

You see on the “Beck’s Bolero” ... thing I was working with that, the track was done and then the producer just disappeared. He was never seen again; he simply didn’t come back. [simon] Napier-Bell just sort of left me and Jeff to it. Jeff was playing, and I was in the box (recording booth). And even though it says he wrote it, I wrote it. I’m playing the electric 12-string on it. Beck’s doing the slide bits, and I’m basically playing around the chords. The idea was built around Maurice Ravel’s’ “Bolero.” It’s got a lot of drama to it; it came off right. It was a good lineup too, with Keith Moon and everything.

In a separate interview, also given in 1977, Page expressed his recollections more bluntly:

wrote it, played on it, produced it... and I don't give a damn what [beck] says. That's the truth.

Whatever disagreements they had in the past, they still appear to have remained as friends. Both Page and Beck have appeared together in magazine articles and photo shoots. Beck attended the at the London on 10 December 2007 and Page was in the audience at one of Beck's concerts at , London in November of the same year. On 4 April 2009, Page formally inducted Beck into the . Page and Beck were previously present and inducted as members of The Yardbirds in 1992. "Beck's Bolero" was performed by both Beck and Page together at the induction ceremony, with Page playing the original Fender XII guitar from the 1966 session.

[SuperDave]

Thanks for the info BigDan. Very interesting. I knew the origins of this song were something like this but not certain, with a bit more I didn't know. I suppose it really doesn't matter who originated the melody...as it's a great song regardless!

[BIGDAN]

Thanks for the info BigDan. Very interesting. I knew the origins of this song were something like this but not certain, with a bit more I didn't know. I suppose it really doesn't matter who originated the melody...as it's a great song regardless!

Hi Superdave,

If Jeff wrote it you can bet Jimmy lifted it, but my bet is that Jimmy wrote it and Jeff wished he lifted it.

Regards, Danny

[cookieshoes]

Actually, I'd be inclined to agree with Simon Napier-Bell on this one. He was the Manager/Producer of the Yardbirds at the time, so it's most likely that he produced the "Bolero" session. Napier-Bell's production of "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (which isn't disputed) was done the same year, in 1966, and was the true landmark work. So, no reason to expect that he didn't also produce "Bolero".

Besides, Beck has already contradicted Jimmy's claim to having written the song, which is enough to throw Page's other claims out the window. Because the reality is that Page took more from Beck (and others) than Jeff ever took from Jimmy. So, between the two, I'd side with Jeff. And, pre-Zeppelin, Page was not really a Producer in any sense. Which is why he was complaining about not getting paid enough to Napier-Bell. Like it or not, Simon Napier-Bell was Page's boss at the time. So, it's not really a question of needing to side with Jimmy on this one. There are only 3 people who could say who produced Bolero, and only one of them who's job it actually was to produce records and manage a band. Beck claims that he wrote the melody, and Napier-Bell says that he produced it. Given all of the contract arrangements at the time, I'd say that is the undeniable truth, no matter what Page says.

In any case, it's a silly song. A take-off of Ravel's Bolero with a lead melody and a breakdown thrown in. No innovation to speak of in there, nor anything worth those lads fighting over. They make it sound like it was a huge hit song. It wasn't.

[Yupter]

Hi Superdave,

If Jeff wrote it you can bet Jimmy lifted it, but my bet is that Jimmy wrote it and Jeff wished he lifted it.

Regards, Danny

The debate seems more about who should've taken the majority of the credit.

Jimmy wrote the Jimmy parts; Jeff wrote the Jeff parts. They both acknowledge each other's claims.

[swandown]

And, pre-Zeppelin, Page was not really a Producer in any sense.

More laughable misinformation from cookieshoes. I shouldn't be surprised.

Not only was Page experienced as a producer pre-Zep, but he was actually a Staff Producer for Immediate Records for a time in the '60s.

In fact, by the time Page joined The Yardbirds he had amassed more 45 production credits than Napier-Bell had.

Like it or not, Simon Napier-Bell was Page's boss at the time.

This statement shows a gross misunderstanding of the manager/artist relationship.

[SuperDave]

Don't really care who wrote what. Happened to long ago to even worry about.

Just wondering what direction this thread will take now?

[Chicago]

Some added detail for those who have a genuine curiosity about the topic and aren't bothered by the passage of time.

From a joint interview Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck gave to Guitar World in 1999.

GW: Jimmy, didn't you produce the Beck's Bolero session?

Page: Yeah, and I played rhythm guitar. I have to admit, it was pretty memorable. Keith Moon smashed a $250 microphone while we were recording, by just accidently hitting it with a stick. Halfway through " Bolero" you can hear him scream, then hit the mic, and from there on all you hear are cymbals. The song just continues. It was sorta funny.

Beck: I remember Jimmy at the studio yelling at us and calling us fucking hooligans!

[Bong-Man]

In any case, it's a silly song. A take-off of Ravel's Bolero with a lead melody and a breakdown thrown in. No innovation to speak of in there, nor anything worth those lads fighting over. They make it sound like it was a huge hit song. It wasn't.

If you want to lose any credibility you may have left, I suggest you make this your sig.

[BIGDAN]

The debate seems more about who should've taken the majority of the credit.

Jimmy wrote the Jimmy parts; Jeff wrote the Jeff parts. They both acknowledge each other's claims.

Hi Yupter,

According to my copy Page gets all the writing credits.

Regards, Danny

[hecube]

BMI lists the song as solely written by Jimmy Page.

[Deborah J]

From Beck Himself-(at 1:10)....I posted this a while back, but also IMHO fitting in this thread:-)

Jeff Beck-Beck's Bolero (With interviews,Tal Wilkenfeld at the end ,Jimmy Page is in the audience)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A04SOTneYWs

[Chicago]

From Beck Himself-(at 1:10)....I posted this a while back, but also IMHO fitting in this thread:-)

Jeff Beck-Beck's Bolero (With interviews,Tal Wilkenfeld at the end ,Jimmy Page is in the audience)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A04SOTneYWs

Thanks Deborah J. That was great to see and hear. You always add so much to the forum.

[SuperDave]

Great clip Debs! Thanks.

[Chicago]

From a Guitar World interview with Jeff Beck.

GW: Did Jimmy Page write Bolero as a vehicle for you?

Jeff Beck: No. It was my melody over his rhythm. He came up with the bolero rhythm on the 12-string. But it's my riff in the middle.I'd decided that the Yardbird's trademark was to stop in the middle of the song and come into a completely different rhythmic thing, like they did on For Your Love. A pop single that suddenly stopped and changed groove halfway through just broke all the rules. So with Beck's Bolero, we used that as a kind of signature, to continue that kind of raw break.

The next comment provides insight into the depth of Jimmy and Jeff's friendship. The topic is how Jeff's beautiful song Angel Footsteps came to be titled. In Jeff's own words.

Jeff Beck: That track was originally called " La Varonese,"but I really didn't like the title. It seemed a bit Victorian. Jimmy Page helped come up with the new name. I gave a copy of the CD to him for a 55th birthday present. It wasn't even finished yet- the titles and credits weren't on it- an he went absolutely apeshit over it. When he heard that song, he asked , "What's that called?" I didn't want to tell him La Varonese, so I said it didn't have a title yet. Page said, "Call it Angel Footsteps." Because he came up with it , I decided that's what it should be called. The sheer fact that it's Jim makes it special to me.

Edited June 24, 2011 by Chicago