Beck’s Bolero (& The Birth of Led Zeppelin)
In May 1966, musicians and music lovers alike held their ears to the ground, listening for the rumblings of a new group that was set to take the world by storm. Something was coming — something big. In what would be the world’s very first supergroup, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker were teaming up to make history and form a yet unnamed band — soon to be called Cream.
Simultaneously, another supergroup was secretly brewing, one that would alter the course of music history and sow the seeds for some of the most successful acts in the world. Five musicians would silently slip into London’s IBC studios to record a single track: “Beck’s Bolero.”
The instrumental was named after Jeff Beck, who, together with Jimmy Page, had composed the piece. It had been inspired by “Bolero,” an orchestral piece composed by Maurice Ravel in 1928.
Beck had now been a member of The Yardbirds for a year and found himself dissatisfied. Musically, he differed vastly from the rest of The Yardbirds and felt that he could do so much more than he was allowed. “Beck’s Bolero” would grant Beck the chance to finally make a name for himself.
Beck would invite four other masterful musicians to help him, some of the best in the world. On May 16, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, and Nicky Hopkins would come together and record the song in just one day.
Moon, fearing the wrath of the rest of his band, The Who, had agreed only to do it incognito, arriving at the studio in sunglasses and a Russian cossack hat. He warned the others that he only had a few hours maximum to record the piece, or else the roadies would begin to look for him. Nonetheless, he did as Keith Moon always does and delivered a flawless performance — and provided the only vocal on the track: an impassioned scream as he kicked his drumming into high gear and subsequently broke his microphone in two.
In one session, this group of highly talented musicians had recorded perfectly a piece one might only describe as truly exhilarating. It is an absolute thriller, driven by Moon’s powerhouse drumming and carried by Beck and Page’s heavenly guitar riffs. Almost immediately, they knew that they’d created something extraordinary, and they were electrified. Riding the high of both their flowing creativity and seamless teamwork, they hatched the idea of solidifying this group and forming a band. It was Keith Moon who would jest, “That will go down like a lead zeppelin” — a response that would stick with Page for years to come.
Set on forming their supergroup, all they needed was a vocalist. Steve Marriott of The Small Faces was the penultimate goal, the last piece of the yet unnamed group. They attempted to pry Marriott away from his band, discreetly asking if he’d instead like to join theirs — to which he agreed, at least somewhat. He’d been excited by the prospect. This band would be a veritable force to be reckoned with, and he’d be at the forefront. The Small Faces’ manager Don Arden, however, was not exactly a fan of the idea. He would send a note to the group, stating, “How would you like to play guitar with broken fingers? You will be if you don’t stay away from Stevie.”
Ultimately, they realized this idea was more of a pipe dream, a fantasy that could never play out. Half of them already had contracts with other bands, contracts they couldn’t easily forsake. The idea was quickly abandoned as reality dawned on them, and the group would only ever release “Beck’s Bolero.”
Within the next six months, Jimmy Page would join Beck and the rest of The Yardbirds on tour, providing a second guitarist. The Who would also tour, and Beck would finally quit The Yardbirds to explore his own creative pursuits. He would form The Jeff Beck Group, recruiting Bolero alum Nicky Hopkins. Two years later, Page would once again attempt to create a band — this time, he was a little more successful. He and his group, named after a cheeky Keith Moon comment, would take over the world.
Although this unnamed supergroup never came to be, “Beck’s Bolero” has had a lasting impression, being both fondly remembered and revered. It has continually appeared on various “best of” lists, described by journalist Alan di Perna as “one of the great rock instrumentals, epic in scope, harmonically and rhythmically ambitious.” Bolero is a true rock symphony and was ahead of its time, predating nearly every other psychedelic rock milestone — including Cream’s Disraeli Gears, The Beatles’ Revolver, and the arrival of Jimi Hendrix onto the music scene entirely. Hendrix and Duane Allman have both credited the piece as being a significant inspiration for their playing.
“Beck’s Bolero” is a timeless masterpiece, infused with psychedelia and a distinct primal feeling that fills your stomach with butterflies and sends a shiver up your spine with every listen, and for that reason and more, is a personal favorite of mine.
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