For many years leading up to 1985, I was always intending to explore the work of Jeff Beck. One guy I knew from high school was heavily into him and when I was in the service, one of my fellow marines remarked, “That white boy can really play a guitar.” However for some reason, I never got around to listening to him. At least until 1985 when I heard about this album.
Jeff Beck’s “Flash” album was one of the very few albums I bought because of MTV. The single, “People Get Ready,” which featured Rod Stewart on the vocals got considerable airplay. What I liked about the song was the fact that Rod’s vocals went very well with Jeff’s guitar work although I knew that from Rod’s album from the previous year. However, in this video, Jeff doesn’t pop up in a hotel room to play his guitar solo.
Most of the album does conform to what was then a more commercial 1980’s sound although I won’t go as far as to call any track here synth pop. The closest tracks to that are the opener, “Ambitious” but I hear a hint of reggae in that song and the instrumental, “Escape.” One reason I wouldn’t call the latter song synth pop is because Jan Hammer assumes the keyboards duties on that track and he and Jeff make some interesting music. In each of those songs though, he does with a guitar what he does best and flails away with some great licks. The remainder of the album, bar one song, goes more funk. “Stop Look and Listen” and “Get Workin'” are prime examples here and while good, Jeff’s guitar solos make them sound even better.
Now let’s talk about my favourite track on the album. The second track, “Gets Us All in the End” is a true rocker in every sense of the word. When I first heard the song, the vocals sounded so familiar that I thought Jeff used a metal singer for the track. In actuality, the vocals are done by Wet Willie singer, Jimmy Hall, who also sings on three other tracks as well. While this is an excellent album, imagine what it could have been if there were more tracks like this one.
Track Listing:
- Ambitious
- Gets Us All in the End
- Escape
- People Get Ready
- Stop Look and Listen
- Get Workin’
- Ecstasy
- Night After Night
- You Know, We Know
Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck- guitars, lead vocals tracks 6 and 8
Jimmy Hall- lead vocals tracks 1,2,5 and 7
Rod Stewart- lead vocals, track 4
Jan Hammer- keyboards, track 3
Tony Hymas- keyboards, track 9
Dave Hitchings- keyboards
Robert Sabino- keyboards
Carmine Appice- drums
Jay Burnett- drums
Jimmy Bralower- drums
Barry DeSouza- drums
Tony ‘Thunder’ Smith- drums
Doug Wimbish- bass
Tina B- backing vocals
Curtis King- backing vocals
David Simms- backing vocals
Frank Simms- backing vocals
George Simms- backing vocals
David Spinner- backing vocals
Maybe this single will bring back memories:
And of course my favorite track:
I wonder how many people remember that Jeff Beck/Rod Stewart collaboration on “People Get Ready.” It was the song which turned my eye to this album and I’m glad it did. Jeff put out a great album here with “Flash.”
Next post: INXS- Listen Like Thieves
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