In a recent interview with USA TODAY, Rod Stewart reminisced about the Jeff Beck Group days. However, Stewart admitted that Jeff Beck kept his distance. He recalled:
“Me and [Ronnie] Wood weren’t that close to him; he had his demons and could be a bit distant. But the love was there. He loved me for my voice, and I love him for his guitar playing. He listened when I sang and reacted. Most guitar players don’t listen.”
Rod shared that he couldn’t get close to Jeff; however, he also mentioned his gratitude for the guitarist taking them under his wing. The singer continued:
“Ronnie and I were talking about him during the recent tribute concert in London, and I told the audience, ‘Ronnie and I might not have been known if it wasn’t for Jeff taking us to the United States and showing us the ropes. We owe him a lot.’”
Even though Rod wasn’t in the Jeff Beck Group for very long, they respected one another. In 1985, the pair reunited on ‘People Get Ready,’ which became a hit and charted in the U.S., Australia, and Europe.
Besides their collaboration, Rod also paid homage to the late guitarist, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 78. The rocker wrote on Instagram:
“Jeff Beck was on another planet. He took me and Ronnie Wood to the USA in the late 60s in his band, the Jeff Beck Group, and we haven’t looked back since. He was one of the few guitarists that, when playing live, would actually listen to me sing and respond. Jeff, you were the greatest, my man. Thank you for everything. RIP”
