Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
The guitarist who destroyed Todd Rundgren’s first heroes: “A little bit wild and noisy”
Todd Rundgren recalls that seeing British guitarist Jeff Beck perform with The Yardbirds changed his musical outlook, displacing the polished pop idols he had previously admired. Beck’s aggressive, experimental style showed Rundgren that guitar playing could be louder, wilder and more expressive, influencing his approach as a musician and producer.
Rundgren had initially been drawn to mainstream acts such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but described Beck as a musician who made those earlier heroes seem less important. Beck joined The Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton, and helped steer the band towards a heavier, more adventurous sound before leaving in 1966 to form the Jeff Beck Group.
In short
- Jeff Beck transformed Todd Rundgren’s musical ambitions
- The Yardbirds guitarist embodied a louder, experimental style
- Beck replaced Eric Clapton in 1965
Explained simply
Todd Rundgren is an American musician and producer who built a significant career in rock music. Jeff Beck is a British guitarist known for pioneering experimental and aggressive approaches to electric guitar. Rundgren has described how witnessing Beck perform was transformative, fundamentally reshaping his musical ambitions.
Before discovering Beck, Rundgren admired mainstream pop acts like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Beck's approach was radically different—louder, wilder and far more experimental than the polished pop idols Rundgren had previously followed. This encounter showed Rundgren that guitar could be unconventional and expressive, influencing his approach as a musician and producer.