The Unstoppable Power of Beck, Bogert & Appice
A fantastic new live box set cements the legacy of an unforgettable hard rock trio
Beck, Bogert & Appice were one of those so-called supergroups that drew attention in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s as rock music entered a more muscular and progressive phase.
Naturally, any band that found Jeff Beck at the fore was bound to make headlines, but the union with the rhythm section from veteran Vanilla Fudge and Cactus bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice still managed to raise some eyebrows when it was announced in September, 1969. It wasn’t that they were unacquainted; the three originally convened two years before deciding they’d make their union official.
Nevertheless, after Beck was involved in an auto accident, their plans were put on hold for another two years while Beck recovered and then resumed touring with the remnants of his reconfigured Jeff Beck Group. Bogert and Appice were eventually drafted into that band to fill out its waning roster, which lasted until an official name change took place towards the tail end of 1972. The band’s eponymous debut was released on Atlantic Records early the following year, but that was the last the public would hear from the trio save a live album recorded in Japan later the same year. Soon after, the trio announced they had split up, leaving only a brief legacy lingering in their wake.
That is until now. A new four CD box reprises the concert recorded on Osaka, Japan on May 18 and 19, and adds two CDs that capture a performance at the Rainbow Theatre in London on January 26, 1974. The set list from Osaka includes the majority of the trio’s eponymous debut, with a pair of Beck’s seminal songs thrown in for good measure — “Plynth” (part of a medley with the Jr. Walker standard “Shotgun,” and “Jeff’s Boogie,” a number that dates back to Beck’s tenure in the Yardbirds.
The Rainbow performances offer a much different set of songs, repeating only “Lady” and “Superstition” from the BB&A album and adding several choice chestnuts from Beck’s early catalog, including “Blues De Luxe” and “You Shook Me.” Likewise, a pair of group compositions that were apparently intended for a follow-up LP, “Solid Lifter” and “Jazz Whizz,” offer obvious examples of the trio’s instrumental acumen. Even the obligatory drum solo worked into the latter provides a compelling example of the band’s drive and dexterity, the lack of subtlety notwithstanding.
Each of the two dozen offerings spread over the span of the four discs, demonstrate the verve and virtuosity these three musicians delivered in common. Yet while Bogert and Appice provide powerful support, this is clearly another opportunity for Beck to shine in the spotlight courtesy of his blustery solos and his clearly commanding presence. Bogert and Appice take the lion’s share of the vocals, but Beck’s use of a talk box adds an intriguing element, given that its use here precedes Peter Frampton’s supposedly patented approach to the instrument on Frampton Comes Alive by at least two years.
Music aside, the packaging is impressive. Each of the four CDs replicate the classic Atco Records logo on the labels and are given the added benefit of being housed in sheer plastic sleeves. One of the booklets boasts a facsimile of the Japanese concert program, while the other comes in the form of a compact hardcover book containing news articles about the band’s formative beginnings. A fold-out poster adds to the enticement.
Granted, Beck, Bogert and Appice ultimately made for little more than a footnote in each of the member’s careers, but regardless, they still managed to demonstrate their desire and determination. Live in Japan 1973/Live in London 1974 proves that point.
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