At Last Rainbow (Beck, Bogert & Appice album)

Infobox Album |
Name = At Last Rainbow
Type = Live album
Artist = Beck, Bogert & Appice


Released = 1974
Recorded = 1973
Genre = Blues-rock, Hard rock
Length = 56:13 This Rainbow show is unique not only as the last recorded moment of the band but for previewing songs that were meant for BBA II. Tracks like Songs For Lovely Ladies [mistitled on this CD as Laughing Lady] , the instrumental Jizz Whizz and Solid Lifter. Also included are tracks from the first BBA album - Superstition, Lady and Livin' Alone.

It also captured the two sides of BBA's split personality. The opening half of the show is incendiary with Beck riffing through Satisfied, Livin' Alone and a mighty 12-min guitar and drum effort on Morning Dew, while previewing his taste for fusion with the guitar front and centre on Solid Lifter and Jizz Whizz.

But as the show progressed, ennui sets in. The Stevie Wonder song, Superstition comes across with no enthusiasm and the final three songs are long and boring jams finally arriving at the end with an 11-min jam called Rainbow Boogie. The band was bankrupt of ideas.

There's a footnote to this story. Two sets were played that night. The first was recorded for possible release. Before the second set began, Tim Bogert got into a fight with Jeff Beck and according to Carmine Appice, you can hear the anger when Beck played the second set. Appice also got the stage engineer to record the first four songs from the second show and he claims Beck played even better. Tim Bogert left London the next day and headed back to America.

All of the first show has been captured in excellent stereo quality, although the vocals are badly miked. Beck would go on to record the wordless classic, Blow By Blow, and maintain his reputation as a guitarists' guitarist. But the format of the power trio probably died on this night.

Track listing

# "Laughin' Lady" – 5:53
# "Lady" – 7:05
# "Morining Dew" – 12:22
# "Superstition" – 6:07
# "Get Ready Your Lovemake's Coming Home" – 7:40
# "Blues Deluxe - You Shook me" – 5:34
# "Rainbow Boogie" – 11:32

Personnel

*Jeff Beck: guitar
*Tim Bogert: bass
*Carmine Appice: drums