Jeff Beck, one of music’s great collaborators, has once-again found an unexpected co-conspirator in Johnny Depp. The musical soulmates have released their first single (4/16/2020) as a duo, a re-imagining of John Lennon’s classic track “Isolation,” available now. It is surprisingly not the first time the two entertainers have crossed paths. In fact, this is only part of a larger musical collaboration the two have been engaged in. They have even shared the stage together, notably at Eric Clapton‘s Crossroads Guitar Festival last September, and have played “Isolation” live before.
This rendition of “Isolation” finds Beck providing dreamy blues riffs over Depp’s vocals which sound more like narration half the time. Beck and Depp’s cover is decidedly different from Lennon’s original, somber cut of “Isolation”, which appeared on 1970’s Plastic Ono Band. Whereas Lennon’s tender piano playing created the soft confines of isolation, Beck and Depp scream into the void with blaring guitar licks and vocals that develop into a howl. By the end, the two versions are indistinguishable as being the same song as Beck goes off the deep end into a blistering solo that finally peaks and rolls back to the original delicacy of Depps’s vocals.
The song was originally recorded last year, but given the current state of quarantines in the United States and around the world, Beck said he and Depp felt this was as good a time as any to release it. Depp added, “Lennon’s poetry — ‘We’re afraid of everyone. Afraid of the Sun!’ — seemed to Jeff and me especially profound right now, this song about isolation, fear and existential risks to our world. So we wanted to give it to you, and hope it helps you make sense of the moment or just helps you pass the time as we endure isolation together.” -Rolling Stone
2022 UPDATE!! Here’s the summer 2022 second single, from their really upcoming album, 18. “Venus in Furs” was written by Lou Reed. It appeared on the 1967 album, The Velvet Underground & Nico.
Sacramento’s K-ZAP 93.3 FM plays Jeff Beck. All part of 50 years of Rock, Blues and More, 24-7 on our station’s stream at K-ZAP.ORG/LISTEN/Check out Jeff Beck & Johnny Depp:
