Jeff Beck's 1975 album Blow By Blow, an instrumental record on which his guitar effectively became the lead vocal, has long been regarded by fans and critics as a landmark in his solo career and a key step towards his later reputation as one of rock's finest guitarists. Beck himself, however, repeatedly expressed regret over the record, telling Guitar Player magazine that he wished he had never released it, dismissing it and similar work as "mistakes on record" rather than the polished statement he felt he should have made.

The album followed Beck's departure from The Yardbirds and saw him move away from straightforward blues towards a freer, jazz-influenced style, with tracks such as 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers' showcasing his ability to convey emotion through phrasing alone. Beck's dissatisfaction reportedly stemmed from his perfectionism and desire for tighter, more "solidified" compositions rather than the loose, unedited mixes that ultimately gave the record its natural, live-in-a-jazz-club feel. Despite his misgivings, the album is widely credited with laying the groundwork for later work such as 1976's Wired.