The Jeff Beck Group

The Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Front: Jeff Beck. Rear (from left): Aynsley Dunbar, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood
Background information
Origin	London, England
Genres	Blues rock psychedelic rock hard rock jazz fusion
Years active	1967–69, 1970–72
Labels	Epic CBS
Associated acts	Beck, Bogert & Appice Faces Donovan Rod Stewart Hummingbird Steampacket
Past members	Jeff Beck Rod Stewart Ronnie Wood Jet Harris Dave Ambrose Clem Cattini Viv Prince Aynsley Dunbar Micky Waller Roy Cooke Nicky Hopkins Tony Newman Alex Ligertwood Max Middleton Clive Chaman Cozy Powell Bobby Tench

The Jeff Beck Group was an English rock band formed in London in January 1967 by former The Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck. Their innovative approach to heavy-sounding blues and rhythm and blues was a major influence on popular music.

The first Jeff Beck Group formed in London in early 1967 and included guitarist Jeff Beck, vocalist Rod Stewart, rhythm guitarist Ronnie Wood, with bass players and drummers changing regularly. Early bass players were Jet Harris and Dave Ambrose, with Clem Cattini and Viv Prince trying out on drums. The line-up went through months of personnel changes, notably no fewer than four drummers before settling on Aynsley Dunbar and switching Ron Wood to bass. This line up spent most of 1967 playing the UK club circuit and appeared several times on BBC Radio. Beck signed a personal management contract with record producer and manager Mickie Most who had no interest in the group, only Beck as a solo artist.

During 1967 the band released three singles in Europe and two in the United States, the first, "Hi Ho Silver Lining", being the most successful, reaching No. 14 on the UK singles chart; it included the instrumental "Beck's Bolero" as the B side, which had been recorded several months earlier. The line-up for that session included guitarist Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, Keith Moon on drums, and Nicky Hopkins on piano. Frustrated that the band was not playing a strict enough blues set for his taste, drummer Dunbar left and was replaced by Roy Cook for one show, before Stewart recommended Micky Waller, a bandmate of his from Steampacket. Waller went on to play with the band all through 1968 and early 1969, and was their longest-lasting drummer.