THE DAY I MET JEFF BECK

"Do you know who Jeff Beck is? Do you KNOW who Jeff Beck is?"
"Yes, of course I know who he is, he recorded 'Hi, Ho Silver Lining', I DO know my music you know"
"Not just 'Hi, Ho Silver Lining! He's only one of the best guitarists ever, you know"
"Really? I didn't know that, oh. " ************************************************************************

I'm afraid that when I was 23 I thought Jeff Beck was only famous for one thing and that thing was that song that we all high kicked to at school dances. A one hit wonder. Lucky I thought that then because impressionable person that I am, I might have made a right tit of myself on the day I met Jeff Beck.

Jeff Beck's house was in the Sussex countryside. More than a house, a mansion, ancient and rotting. Full of dogs, guitars, rugs, flagstones and dirt. The abiding memory of his house is one of filth, filth and guitars. The kitchen was full of dirty cups, stacked one on top of each other in the sink, on the drainer. And animals, animals everywhere. Luckily we ate out.

Jeff Beck was a vegetarian, so was I. We bonded over the vegetarian options on the menu. I had no idea I was having lunch with a living legend. We walked into the pub together and were treated with respect and deference. It felt special being in the pub with Jeff. They must have wondered who I was. I wish I'd known what I know today, I would have milked that moment....... (or made a tit of myself)

The boyfriend who had taken me to Jeff's house was his friend. This boyfriend was rich, very rich. We went to Jeff's house in his Range Rover. We could have gone in the Aston Martin, but there would have been no room for Jeff in the back of the Aston. There was room for Jeff in the back of the Range Rover, which is where I made him sit. My boyfriend was cross with me for making Jeff sit in the back. I didn't care...

I don't remember much else about my day with Jeff, I wish I did. Looking back on it now and knowing what a legend the man is I wish I'd paid more attention.

I met Jeff again a while later at the boyfriend's house. I was just passing, and said hello. Jeff must have wondered who I was.....


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Funny how life is full of coincidences. Many years later I got a cat from the mad lady who'd I'd caught a glimpse of at Jeff Beck's house. At the time I was told she was his mad, ex-wife, ex-model who lived in a house in the grounds and had millions of stray cats. She later began a cat charity in Lewisham and I got a cat off her. I could see how beautiful she was straight away even though she was scruffy and dirty, with long straggly hair, holes in her socks and grimy nails. I did refrain from telling her I'd seen her wandering bare footed in the grounds of Jeff's mansion some years back. She still writes to me to ask for donations and to ask after the cat. (The cat I'm afraid is long gone)