Race with the Devil
Jeff Beck & the Big Town Playboys, 1993. Solo by Jeff Beck.
Beck's close tribute to his hero Cliff Gallup, from the Crazy Legs album.
Race with the Devil comes from Jeff Beck's loving tribute to Cliff Gallup and Gene Vincent's Blue Caps, and his playing here is a careful, respectful recreation. Beck captures Gallup's fluid runs, quick slides and swinging phrasing, playing with a clean, twangy tone that sounds true to the 1950s originals. It is a rare chance to hear one of rock's most original guitarists deliberately stepping into another player's shoes. The result shows how deeply Gallup influenced Beck's own sense of melody and invention. Listen for the fast, flowing runs that seem to glide over the rhythm, and compare them with the Blue Caps records to hear how closely Beck studied his hero's style.
Race with the Devil by Jeff Beck & the Big Town Playboys is featured in our Rockabilly (#23) list. The solo is played by Jeff Beck and the song was released in 1993.
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Who played the guitar solo on Race with the Devil?
Jeff Beck played the solo on Jeff Beck & the Big Town Playboys's Race with the Devil (1993).