Jeff Beck quotes

Jeff Beck was an influential English rock guitarist, known for his innovative guitar playing and genre-blending style. His work with bands like The Yardbirds and as a solo artist earned him critical acclaim and multiple awards. He inspired generations of musicians with his technical skill and creative approach to music. Here are 12 of his quotes:

I play purely from the heart, y'know, and so if it doesn't work the first couple of hours, forget it.

Jeff Beck

I play the way I do cause it allows me to come up w/ the sickest sounds possible. That's the point now isn't it?

Jeff Beck

I don't care about the rules, if I don't break the rules at least 10x every song then I'm not doing my job.

Jeff Beck

I cherish my privacy, and woe betide anyone who tries to interfere with that.

Jeff Beck

I've got no particular desire to play ten minute solos. Those were never valid anyway in my book -- never. It was just a cheap way of building up a tension in the audience...A solo should do something; it shouldn't just be there as a cosmetic. It should have some aim, take the tune somewhere. I'm not saying I can do it, but I try and take the tune somewhere.

Jeff Beck

It's a diabolical business. I can't imagine how hellish it must be to be hounded like Amy Winehouse and people like that. I have a little peripheral place on the outskirts of celebrity, when I go to premieres and that sort of stuff, which is as close as I want to get.

Jeff Beck

I try to become a singer. The guitar has always been abused with distortion units and funny sorts of effects, but when you don't do that and just let the genuine sound come through, there's a whole magic there.

Jeff Beck

If you were to plot my success or failure, it goes, it very seldom stays on a high plateau.

Jeff Beck

I don't understand why some people will only accept a guitar if it has an instantly recognizable guitar sound. Finding ways to use the same guitar people have been using for 50 years to make sounds that no one has heard before is truly what gets me off.

Jeff Beck

Well, I play purely from the heart, y'know, and so if it doesn't work the first couple of hours, forget it. Unless we feel like we're somehow on the right track then I'll keep on going. That's it, really; I don't have any magic where I just press a button and it happens. It'll either happen or it won't.

Jeff Beck