Rough and Ready (album)

For other uses see Rough and Ready (disambiguation)

Rough and Ready
Studio album by The Jeff Beck Group
Released	25 October 1971 (US) 9 January 1972 (UK) February 1972 (US Qsound)
Recorded	April–July 1971
Genre	Hard rock, blues-rock, jazz fusion
Length	36:48
Label	Epic
Producer	Jeff Beck
The Jeff Beck Group chronology
Beck-Ola (1969) Rough and Ready (1971) Jeff Beck Group (1972)

Rough and Ready is the third album by The Jeff Beck Group and the first of two by the second Jeff Beck Group. Released in 1971, it featured more of a jazz, soul and R&B edge to counter Beck's lead guitar. As a songwriter, Beck contributed more pieces to Rough and Ready than he had before, or ever would again. Beck enlisted Bobby Tench as vocalist and it is also the first time keyboardist Max Middleton is heard. Other members of this line up are drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Clive Chaman.

History

In early April and still signed to RAK, Jeff Beck reformed The Jeff Beck Group group with keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Clive Chaman and vocalist Alex Ligertwood. Later in April that year the new band began recording sessions at Island Studios, London. They worked on songs by Beck and focused on Situation, which had lyrics by Ligertwood. Other songs such as Morning Dew were given attention, with the help of producer Jimmy Miller, who had worked with Traffic and with The Rolling Stones. During May 1971, after a week of recording sessions, Beck left RAK and signed a new record deal with CBS. Epic, a subsidiary of CBS, was assigned to release Beck's work, and having heard the Island studio tapes were not happy with the vocals. During May, Beck started looking for a new vocalist. In late May, after hearing Bobby Tench perform with his band Gass, he employed him as vocalist for the band. Tench was given only a few weeks to write new lyrics and add his vocals to the album, before mixing resumed on tracks previously recorded by Beck and the other band members. During early July 1971 the band returned to Island Studios to finish the album and Beck took over as producer. Rough and Ready was released in UK on 25 October 1971 with the US release following during February 1972, a sixteen day promotional tour in USA followed and the album eventually reached #46 in the album charts.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone

On 25 November 1971 Stephen Davis wrote in Rolling Stone magazine; "A surprisingly, fine piece of work from a man who wasn't really expected to come back. Beck is back, and in pretty good shape too." Rough and Ready album review. On 25 November 1971 Roy Carr from The New Musical Express wrote, "The album falls into that trap whereby the performance far exceeds the material. Beck hasn't lost any of his fire as he rips off solo after solo with flashy confidence"

About the single "Got the feeling", Derek Johnson wrote in the New Musical Express; "An excellent disc combining a strong commercial element with an altogether more progressive approach"

Track listing

Side one

1. "Got the Feeling" (Beck) - 4:46
2. "Situation" (Beck) - 5:26
3. "Short Business" (Beck) - 2:34
4. "Max's Tune" (Max Middleton) - 8:24
   • On original United States releases this track is titled "Raynes Park Blues" and credited to Beck; subsequent pressings are titled/credited as above.

Side two

1. "I've Been Used" (Beck) - 3:40
2. "New Ways/Train Train" (Beck) - 5:52
3. "Jody" (Beck, Brian Short) - 6:06

Band members

• Jeff Beck: guitars, bass and production
• Bobby Tench: vocals and rhythm guitar
• Max Middleton: piano and keyboards
• Clive Chaman: bass
• Cozy Powell: drums

Discography

Original release

• Epic EQ-30973 1972

Reissues

• Epic EK-30973 (1990)
• Epic PET-30973 (1990)
• Epic MHCP583 (2005)
• Sony 4710472 (2006)
• Sony Japan 960 (2007)
• Epic EPC40-64619 Cassette (US)

Singles

• "Got that Feeling/Situation" Epic(US) 5-10814 (6 December 1971), Epic (UK) 7720 (7 January 1972)

Further reading

• Carson, Annette (2002). Jeff Beck: Crazy Fingers. Backbeat books. ISBN 0-87930-632-7.