Jeff Beck

The guitarist on his classic car obsession, jamming with Jimi Hendrix, and why he hasn’t reunited with Rod Stewart yet.

- David Fricke

In october 1966, guitarist JeffBeck suddenly quit the Yard-birds in the middle of a U.S. tour. “We were doing 600 miles a day in a bus choked with people,” Beck, 72, recalls with a bitter laugh. “And then we’d do three songs. I thought, ‘We’re being crushed.’ ” On August 10th, Beck – currently on the road with his blues hero Buddy Guy – marks his 50th anniversary as a solo artist with a retrospective concert at the Hollywood Bowl, complete with an orchestra. He also celebrates with a new book, BECK01 – a lavish pictorial account of his twin passions for guitars and restoring vintage automobiles – and a politically charged new album, Loud Hailer, made with new collaborators: guitarist Carmen Vandenberg and singer- lyricist Rosie Bones. Beck is writing an autobiography as well, which he hopes will become a feature film: “The fun that I’ve had needs to be seen on the screen.”

There is a surprising topical anger in new songs like “The Revolution Will Be Televised” and “Thugs Club.” Are you a news junkie?

It’s a recent thing. A lunatic lifestyle on the road doesn’t permit you to get as hip to stuffs as you should. I had a concept for the record. I would go online and find something disgusting that was going on in the world. I was feeding Rosie with the vibe, and she ran with it.