Jeff Beck: Crazy Fingers (Reference Book) Softcover (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The definitive, unauthorized biography of Jeff Beck! This well-researched, enlightening book positions Jeff Beck's astonishing achievements - like the pioneering of feedback - within the musical climate of the times. Chronicling his incarnations before and with the Yardbirds, the Jeff Beck Group and beyond, the book describes in detail: Beck's favored Fender guitars; passion for hot rods; relationships with Rod Stewart, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy and other artists; love of rockabilly; recording collaborations ranging from Donovan to Tina Turner; landmark solo and instrumental work; and much more. Includes a wealth of personal, musical and historical detail, great photos, and a comprehensive discography.

About the Author

Annette Carson was a booking agent in London during Beck's rise to frame with the Yardbirds. She later worked as a program manager for Thames TV, and has written three books on aviation. Carson currently freelances as an author and advertising copywriter, for which she has won 18 awards.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat (March 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879306327
• ISBN-13: 978-0879306328
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #298,737 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Original Beck, September 16, 2004

By	SirGeorgeMartini "ElDorado" (Chihuahua Legs, Wyoming) - See all my reviews

If you want to read about drugs, groupies and gossip, don't buy this book. Although Jeff Beck has influenced countless guitarists for the last 40 years, the average person doesn't recognize his name. He always preferred to restore his collection of antique cars, instead of recording new albums or touring. In my opinion, he is probably the most versatile and innovative electric guitarist ever recorded. Beck has played on sessions for artists including Tina Turner, Stanley Clark, Mick Jagger, Paul Rodgers, Jon Bon Jovi, Wynonna Judd, Chrissie Hynde, Donovan, and Stevie Wonder. His solo albums have always broken new ground and his playing has never gotten stagnant. Beck's only weakness has been choosing inferior songs to fill out his albums. Carson describes one incident when Beck seriously injured his thumb while working on one of his cars. Instead of immediately going to a doctor, he fell asleep and was fortunate not have had any permanent damage done to his hand.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crazy, Man, Crazy!!!, March 10, 2004

By	chris meesey Food Czar (The Colony, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Crazy Fingers, Annette Carson's outstanding book about that guitar icon known as Jeff Beck, is not filled with stories of sex and drugs, debauchery, or other tabloid trash. Instead, the author focuses her energy on the man and his music. Gearheads will love this book because she includes lots of talk about GUITARS (Mr. Beck plays the git fiddle, doncher know?): How Jeff acquired them, modified them to suit his taste, which guitar he uses on which numbers, and some general discussion about how he gets his different effects. But make no mistake. If you do not actually play guitar or indeed any musical instrument, you will still be pleased by Carson's breezy, very readable writing style (sometimes including her own wry commentary on certain albums; for example, she ranks Paul Rodgers seminal classic roots album Muddy Water BLues, a disc where Beck guested on three tracks, much higher than the original newspaper reviewer.). Plenty of information is also included about Jeff's formative years, his relationships and family life, and most important, his career from Yardbird demigod to jazz-rock heavy, and his relations with peers and backup musicians (including several discussions on his hot/cold friendship with fellow Jeff Beck Group alum Rod Stewart.) Jeff even finally answers the lingering "Spinal Tap" question himself: Is he or is he not the model for Nigel Tufnel, wildman guitarist extraordinaire in the cult classic movie This Is Spinal Tap? (Hint: Jeff LOVES classic cars, and Nigel is seen during one scene in the film reading a hot rod magazine. Hmmmmm!) In short, an excellent, informative read, great for musicians and non-musicians alike, and one which will deepen your understanding of the crazy man that is guitar legend Jeff Beck. As Bill Haley once said: "Crazy, Man, Crazy!!!"

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A well balanced history of the Guv'nor, May 1, 2003

By	Colin Hansford (Rochester, New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having been a massive fan of the great one since 1965, I was pleasantly suprised to read the many stories behind his more published achievements and musical milestones. A nicely assembled biography with a good balance of interview clips (many humorous), technical guitar talk and tons of tales surrounding sessions, performances, misunderstandings, artistic dilemas and so on. Annette has done a good job of focusing on what's important about this treasure of a guitarist. A discography and many good photos round out the book. What came over most strongly was just how much this man is respected and how he has largely avoided compromise. Most fans will find new and little known facts in this book.