If you've spent almost any time at all immersed in guitar culture, you’ve undoubtedly realized that our guitar universe runs on idolatry. Guitarists need heroes. We crave inspiring figures to learn from — characters whose sounds and aesthetics we can analyze, fuse together and incorporate into our own identities as players. We’re a deeply reverent bunch that love signature-model gear, copping iconic licks as accurately as possible (Thank you, YouTube!) and partaking in the endless hunt for tones that recall the sounds of our favorite records. And while the concept of the guitar hero is as old as rock ‘n’ roll itself, new heroes arrive for each new generation — with only the most remarkable players earning an immunity to the sands of time, capable of wielding influence over generation after generation after generation. Among the proverbial High Court of Living Guitar Gods, Jeff Beck stands tall as the player other greats seem to most commonly point to when asked who they believe to be a truly worthy of the title. ¶ So we’re just gonna go ahead and say it: Jeff Beck is the guitar hero’s guitar hero.
This story is from the Holiday Special 2019 edition of Guitar World.
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This story is from the Holiday Special 2019 edition of Guitar World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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