Rock’ n’ roll fans, we’re about to dive into an alternate universe where two legends, Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, could have become the next big thing! Def Leppard’s very own Phil Collen explores what might have been in his latest interview with Guitar World regarding the two legends, and he said that Jeff Beck missed a chance to work with Rod Stewart.
When we talk about guitar wizards, Jeff Beck undoubtedly comes to mind. With his incredible talent and versatility, he has been captivating audiences since his days with The Yardbirds. On the other side of the spectrum, we have the raspy-voiced Rod Stewart, who has won hearts and awards alike with his soulful singing. Def Leppard’s Phil Collen recently sat down to reminisce about these two icons, and the story he shared was nothing short of fascinating.
Collen believes that had Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart performed together at Woodstock as planned, they could have been as massive as Led Zeppelin. He painted a picture of a missed opportunity that could have changed the course of rock history. While recounting his love for Beck’s music, he discussed how he thought the Jeff Beck Group, featuring Rod Stewart on vocals, had the potential to be a huge band. Unfortunately, that never happened because Jeff had to fly home the day he was supposed to play with Stewart.
Phil Collen said:
“I’ve been listening to Beck since the ’60s. I’m from London, and he was always floating around. First, it was The Yardbirds, then later on, he went off on a tangent like no one else. I love all the fusion stuff with Stanley Clarke, all of his solo albums, especially ‘Blow By Blow’ and ‘There & Back,’ which is just amazing.
I always thought that the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart on vocals could have been a huge band. They were supposed to play Woodstock, but Jeff had to fly home, so they never got to do it.
Then Jeff launched a solo career. It was all instrumental, which was way better. It highlighted his guitar playing. And then we got Rod Stewart in the Faces, so everyone gained from them not doing Woodstock, even though if they’d done it they could’ve been as big as Led Zeppelin.”
What a tantalizing glimpse into what might have been had Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart took the stage at Woodstock. While it’s fun to imagine the epic heights they could have reached, let’s not forget that their individual careers have been nothing short of legendary. Jeff Beck continued to mesmerize with his guitar wizardry, and Rod Stewart found his own path to stardom in the Faces. In the end, everyone gained from that missed opportunity, leaving us with a musical legacy.
