Jeff Beck Book Biography Coming: ‘Blow by Blow’

The cover art of the U.S. edition of Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story.

Jeff Beck will be the subject of what is being described as “the first biography to fully capture the life, music, and mystery of this singular artist.” Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story, from authors Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill, via Da Capo publishing, arrives July 14, 2026, via Da Capo publishing. Drawing on more than 30 hours of original interviews with Beck, along with extensive conversations with friends and collaborators including Jimmy Page, Johnny Depp, Clive Davis, and many others, the 400-page book is said to offer the most complete portrait of Beck ever assembled. It’s available to order in the U.S. here, in Canada here and in the U.K. here (where it arrives on July 23).

From the publisher’s blurb: the book goes beyond the myth, revealing the restless creative force behind Beck’s constant reinvention—from his groundbreaking work with the Yardbirds and Rod Stewart to his genre-defying solo career.

Beck’s story is one of constant evolution, marked by bold risks, missed opportunities, and moments of staggering brilliance. He turned down superstardom with the Rolling Stones, briefly joined Elton John’s band before walking away, and helped fuel one of rock’s most enduring controversies around Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” His platinum-selling masterpiece Blow by Blow became his biggest commercial triumph.

At the same time, Beck remained deeply private. Through new reporting and firsthand accounts, Tolinski and Gill illuminate the man behind the music: fiercely independent, obsessively creative, and guided more by instinct than ambition. The book also explores Beck’s unexpected late-life friendship with Johnny Depp and the personal circumstances surrounding his final days.

“Fine, fine work… full of deep insights and takes one into Jeff Beck’s life, mind, and singular artistic brilliance… Beck’s story is the stuff of legends and is told masterfully in this high-volume volume”—Billy F. Gibbons

The cover art of the U.K. edition.

Timed to coincide with major milestones, including the 60th anniversary of the Yardbirds’ Roger the Engineer and the 50th anniversary of Wired, Blow by Blow reexamines Beck’s legacy not just as a guitar hero, but as a true musical innovator whose influence continues to reverberate across genres.

Tolinski was the editor-in-chief of Guitar World magazine for over twenty-five years. His is also the author of Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen, Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page and Play It Loud: An Epic History of the Style, Sound, and Revolution of the Electric Guitar. Tolinski has interviewed Beck multiple times, including historic joint conversations with Jimmy Page and Billy Gibbons.

Gill is a regular contributor to Guitar World. He is also the author of Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen and contributed extensive guitar background and historical text to Eric Clapton’s Six String Stories and Jeff Beck’s Beck 01: Hot Rods and Rock & Roll. Gill has also interviewed Beck on many occasions, including spending many hours with the guitarist at his home in England.

To celebrate the release of Blow by Blow, an all-star tribute concert, along with a live interview and book signing with the authors, is set for July 16 at the Cutting Room in New York City. Additionally, a book signing and Q&A with author Tolinski will take place on July 23 at Book Soup in Los Angeles.