Jeff Beck never made it easy on anyone, including the people trying to write about him. That changes July 14 when ‘Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story’ arrives from Da Capo Press, a full narrative biography built from roughly 30 hours of interviews with the late guitarist himself, plus extensive conversations with collaborators, friends, and family.
Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill are the right people for this. Tolinski spent over 25 years as editor-in-chief of Guitar World, the best-selling musician’s magazine in the world, and previously co-wrote ‘Eruption,’ the critically acclaimed oral history on Eddie Van Halen. Gill worked alongside him. Together, they know how to get guitar legends talking.
Beck’s story is genuinely one of a kind. Six decades of music, zero compromises, and a career that somehow included Luciano Pavarotti, Kelly Clarkson, and Guns N’ Roses without ever feeling incoherent. Jimmy Page once said Beck “shifted the whole sound and face of electric guitar music.” This book finally gives that legacy the depth it’s earned.
Beck himself put it plainly: “I’m an awkward son of a bitch when it comes to doing the expected.” That quote alone tells you why a biography this thorough took this long, and why it’s worth the wait. The hardcover runs 400 pages and retails for $32.50, with ebook and audiobook editions also available.
‘Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story’ is available for preorder now at major retailers.