JUNE 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM BEHIND THE CLASSICS WRITTEN BY: RECORDED: MAY 16-17, 1966, IBC RECORDING STUDIOS, PRODUCED BY: GUITAR: JEFF , JIMMY PAGE BASS: JOHN PAUL JONES PIANO: DRUMS: FROM THE ALBUM: TRUTH (1968) Ross Halfi n Ross Halfi

“Beck’s Bolero”

WHEN BUDDING GUITAR HERO ERIC we would go in and get Moonie to play a When the players heard the completed Clapton left in the spring of bolero rhythm with it.” The two recruited “Beck’s Bolero,” it seemed obvious they had 1965, the group approached local London studio pianist Nicky Hopkins and Who bass the makings of an amazing new group. “It just session ace Jimmy Page to replace him. player to join them. sounded and felt like we shouldn’t go anywhere Page instead recommended his friend Jeff Moon didn’t want Who leader Pete else,” Beck said. “We should just get rehearsing Beck, a 20-year-old six-string slinger known Townshend to know what he was up to, so he and carry this band.” Moon joked that the for his dexterity and fl air for exotic scales. But arrived at London’s IBC Recording Studios group would go over “like a lead ,” just a little over a year after Beck joined the disguised in sunglasses and a Russian and the name stuck. After fi rst considering Yardbirds, he was feeling artistically antsy— Cossack hat. Entwistle pulled out of the , they approached the Small so manager Simon Napier-Bell suggested session at the last minute, so Page recruited Faces’ about becoming their he try laying down some solo material. Beck bass player John Paul Jones to take his place. lead singer. Page recalled receiving an set his sights on his favorite drummer, Keith Beck and Page began running the assembled unambiguous response from Marriott manager Moon of . “I didn’t really like the group through the song. “We didn’t have to Don Arden: “How would you like to play guitar Who then,” Beck later quipped. “They were play it more than twice before the others were with broken fi ngers? You will be if you don’t annoying me because they had my drummer.” onto it,” Beck marveled. “There was not an stay away from Stevie.” With no singer, the He didn’t expect Moon to be available, but ounce of work in it. We didn’t deliberate, we idea quickly ran out of steam. The Who and as it happened the drummer was feeling just played it through.” The band laid down the Yardbirds each had tour obligations, and disenchanted with his own band and said yes. several takes, each time letting the bolero “Beck’s Bolero” was quietly issued a year later With studio time booked for a few pattern build for the song’s simmering fi rst as the B-side of the Beck solo single “Hi Ho days later, Beck headed to Page’s house in minute and a half before breaking into a rock Silver Lining.” Page eventually replaced Beck search of song ideas. As they talked, Page ’n’ roll gallop—the rhythmic shift announced in the Yardbirds before assembling his own sat on the arm of a chair with his 12-string by a drum fi ll and audible scream from Moon, group—which he called, with Moon’s blessing, Fender electric guitar and strummed a who at that moment accidentally destroyed . Page once mused that the one- chord sequence reminiscent of Maurice an expensive . “He hit the mic off band could have been the fi rst of the great Ravel’s 1928 orchestral piece Boléro. and smashed it off,” Beck said, “so all you can rock supergroups. “Instead, it didn’t happen” “He hit these Amaj7 chords and the Fm7 hear from then on is cymbals.” Beck played he said. “Apart from the ‘Bolero.’ That’s the chords, and I just started playing over the the soaring lead licks on a , running closest it got.” top of it,” Beck recalled. “We agreed that through a AC30 amplifi er. –Chris Neal

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