Jeff Beck

Beck's work with the Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group's 1968 album Truth were seminal influences on heavy metal music, which emerged in full force in the early 1970s. After 20 years, and 100,000,000 albums sold, Bon Jovi continues to record and tour. Beck was one of the first electric guitarists in the 1960s to experiment with electronic distortion (most notably in the Yardbirds 1966 album, Roger The Engineer), redefining the sound and role of the electric guitar in rock music and anticipating what Jimi Hendrix shortly thereafter took further. The band continues to re-invent itself, and a new album is due for release in spring 2005. The song "Plan B" from this release earned him his fourth Grammy Award, again, for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance'. Successful albums since then have included "New Jersey" (1988), "Keep the Faith" (1992), "Crossroads" (1994), "These Days" (1995), "Crush" (2000), "Bounce" (2002), "This Left Feels Right" (2003) and "100,000,000 Fans Can't Be Wrong" (2004). The 2003 release of Jeff showed that the new electro-guitar style he used for the two earlier albums would continue to dominate. While he has not been officially replaced, Hugh McDonald has handled studio and live bass duties since then.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Jeff Beck recorded sporadically: Flash (1985, including performances with Rod Stewart and Jan Hammer), Guitar Shop (1989), Crazy Legs (1993), Who Else (1999), and You Had It Coming (2001). Jeff Beck won his third Grammy Award, this one for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance' for the track "Dirty Mind" from You Had It Coming. Alec John Such left the band in the early 1990s. It was followed up by a collaborative effort with keyboardist Jan Hammer on the 1976 Wired album, which also received critical acclaim. Jon has tended to sing slightly lower since then. charts. With the help of a vocal coach, he made it through the tour. In 1975, Beck did a solo, all-instrumental jazz fusion album entitled Blow by Blow which received unexpectedly positive critical reviews and substantial sales, reaching number 4 in the U.S. The extreme high notes and unrelenting schedule threatened to damage his voice permanently.

This group, too, failed to attract much critical attention and soon split up, although they did have a minor hit with a version of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" (Beck later played lead guitar on Wonder's Talking Book album). On the tour that followed, Jon began having vocal difficulties. After the failure of the second Jeff Beck Group (it disbanded in 1972), Beck formed the power trio Beck, Bogert, and Appice, with Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass. Their third album, Slippery When Wet, shot the band to superstar status around the world with hits such as "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". The album has sold in excess of twelve million copies since its release in late 1986. Wood later joined The Rolling Stones. The guys found themselves opening for ZZ Top at the Madison Square Garden (before their first album had been released), Scorpions and KISS (in Europe). Owing to friction within the band, Stewart and Wood left the group in 1969 to form The Faces. The album went gold (sales of over 500,000) and was also released in the UK.

The group produced two albums, Truth in 1968 and Cosa Nostra Beck-Ola the following year. The debut album came out on January 21, 1984. The following year, Beck formed a new band, Jeff Beck Group, which featured him on lead guitar, Rod Stewart on vocals, Ron Wood on bass, Mick Waller on drums, and Nicky Hopkins on piano. At one show, where they opened for Scandal, the band caught the attention of record exec Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram. Beck's tenure in the Yardbirds was a short one; he left after 18 months, partly for health reasons. He had quit the band he and Jon founded to go to college, then quit college to go to Juilliard School, the famous classical music school. In 1966, Jeff shared the dual-lead guitar role with Jimmy Page. David Bryan was a natural recruit.

In 1965, Beck joined the Yardbirds (after Eric Clapton left the group for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers). It was during Jeff's tenure with the Yardbirds that they recorded most of their hits. He had played on about 26 records and had just recorded his third album with Frankie and the Knockouts (a Jersey band with hit singles in the early 1980s). Like many rock musicians in the early 1960s, he began his career working as a session guitarist. He had jammed with Miles Davis and played live with the Marvelettes and Chuck Berry. Beck was born Jeffrey Arnold Beck in Wallington. Tico Torres was also an experienced musician by then. The electric guitarist Jeff Beck (born June 24, 1944) is a British rock musician who played in a number of influential bands in the 1960s. He also played in the album "Lessons" with the band Message, that has been recently rereleased in CD through Long Island Records.

Jeff (2003). Before joining Bon Jovi, Richie had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had just been called up to audition for KISS. You Had It Coming (2001). Alec talked Jon into letting Richie show what he could do, and Jon loved it. Who Else! (1999). A succession of guitarists (including Dave Sabo, who went on to Skid Row) followed, until Richie Sambora signed on. Crazy Legs (1993). Jon gave Dave a call, who in turn called Alec John Such and Tico Torres.

Frankie's House (1992). The members of Bon Jovi had crossed paths in these early days, but the current lineup didn't come together until March of 1983 after "Runaway" which hit No.39 on the singles chart. Beckology (1991 anthology). Jon desperately needed a band. Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989). The studio musicians who helped Jon to record "Runaway" were known as "The All Star Review" and they were Tim Pierce (guitar), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Frankie LaRocka (drums) and Hugh McDonald (bass). Flash (1985). After it won the contest, it quickly became a popular song in the New York City area in the summer of 1983.

There And Back (1980). Jon used studio musicians to play on the track "Runaway" (which was written in 1980). Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group Live (1977). In 1983, a local radio station, WAPT, had a contest to search for the best unsigned band. Wired (1976). At nineteen, Jon had his first recording experience, singing the song "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" on a Star Wars Christmas album, "Christmas With the Stars", with music by John Williams, produced by Tony Bongiovi at the Power Station and released on the RSO label. Blow by Blow (1975). Jon made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier) and sent them out to many record companies - but failed to make an impact.

Live In Japan (1974 - Japan only). By the summer of 1982, out of school and working part-time - including in a shoe store - Jon finally got a job at the Power Station Studios, a New York recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was the co-owner. Beck Bogert Appice (1973). Still in his teens, Jon played in the band Jon Bon Jovi and the Wild Ones, playing New Jersey clubs like the Fast Lane and opening for known acts in the area. Jeff Beck Group (1972). They played at New Jersey clubs, even though they were minors. Rough And Ready (1971). At 16 Jon met David Bryan (David Bryan Rashbaum) in high school (Sayreville War Memorial High School ) and founded an R&B cover band with him named Atlantic City Expressway.

Beck-Ola (Cosa Nostra) (1969). At that same age, Bongiovi founded his first band, called Raze. Truth (1968). Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (John Bongiovi) began to play piano and guitar at thirteen, using Elton John songs. It has been a band which inspired lots of today's bands, and also created the "Unplugged" style of performing on a MTV award show. Bon Jovi have sometimes been classified as Hair metal - sometimes even regarded as the form's prime shapers - but have proved much more durable than most groups so labeled.

Bon Jovi is a rock band from New Jersey, USA that sold more than 100 million albums in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and played live concerts in major cities in Asia, Europe, Australia, Canada and South America, in addition to a large number of cities in the USA. 2003 "All About Lovin' You" #9 UK, #31 AU. 2002 "Misunderstood" #21 UK, #33 AU. 2002 "Everyday" #5 UK, #5 AU.

2001 "One Wild Night" #10 UK, #35 AU. 2000 "Thank You for Loving Me" #12 UK, #34 AU. 2000 "Say It Isn't So" #10 UK, #9 AU. 2000 "It's My Life" #33 US, #3 UK, #5 AU.

1999 "Real Life" #21 UK, #52 AU. 1996 "Hey God" #13 UK. 1996 "These Days" #7 UK, #38 AU. 1995 "Lie to Me" #10 UK, #20 AU.

1995 "Something for the Pain" #8 UK, #14 AU. 1995 "This Ain't a Love Song" #14 US, #6 UK, #4 AU. 1995 "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" #7 UK, #10 AU. 1994 "Please Come Home for Christmas" #7 UK.

1994 "Always" #4 US, #2 UK, #2 AU. 1994 "Dry County" #9 UK, #31 AU. 1993 "I Believe" #11 UK, #40 AU. 1993 "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" #17 UK, #24 AU.

1993 "In These Arms" #27 US, #9 UK, #10 AU. 1993 "Bed of Roses" #10 US, #13 UK, #10 AU. 1992 "Keep the Faith" #28 US, #5 UK, #10 AU. 1989 "Living in Sin" #9 US, #35 UK.

1989 "Lay Your Hands on Me" #7 US, #18 UK, #23 AU. 1989 "I'll Be There for You" #1 US, #18 UK, #23 AU. 1988 "Born to Be My Baby" #3 US, #22 UK, #30 AU. 1988 "Bad Medicine" #1 US, #17 UK, #15 AU.

1987 "Never Say Goodbye" #21 UK. 1987 "Wanted Dead or Alive" #7 US, #13 UK. 1986 "Livin' on a Prayer" #1 US, #4 UK. 1986 "You Give Love a Bad Name" #1 US, #14 UK.

1984 "Runaway" #39 US. 100 Million Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong (Box Set) (Nov 2004). This Left Feels Right (2003); #14 US, #4 UK. Bounce (October 2002); #2 US, #2 UK, US sales: 500,000.

One Wild Night Live 1985-2001 (May 2001); #20 US, #2 UK. Crush (June 2000); #9 US, #1 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. These Days (July 1995); #9 US, #1 UK, US sales: 1,000,000. Crossroad (October 1994); #8 US, #1 UK, US sales: 4,000,000.

Keep the Faith (November 1992); #5 US, #1 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. New Jersey (September 1988); #1 US, #1 UK, US sales: 7,000,000. Slippery When Wet (August 1986); #1 US, #6 UK, US sales: 12,000,000. 7800 Fahrenheit (April 1985); #37 US, #28 UK, US sales: 1,000,000.

Bon Jovi (January 1984); #43 US, US sales: 2,000,000. David Bryan - keyboards. Tico Torres - drums. Richie Sambora - lead guitar.

Jon Bon Jovi - vocals/guitar.