Jeff Beck Talks "Very Important" New Album, Possibility of Working with Jimmy Page

Jeff Beck is readying what he feels is a "very important album."

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the 69-year-old guitarist discussed the timing of — and process of creating — his upcoming release.

“I think I’ve drawn attention. I’ve worked, worked, worked for the last three years. Now is the time really. My [70th] birthday is coming up [in June], if you get me. I thought it was time for a really good studio album I had control over and time to do properly instead of a budget problem. Even though I do have budget problems!”

In another interview with Rolling Stone last year, Beck said he was reluctant to release another album unless he found a new sound. “I've got it,” he said more recently. “I think I’d rather save the surprise. But it’s not Western style, if you know what I mean.

“We’ve done most of the track cutting in big studios. We’re now off mixing, overdubbing and aligning stuff — all the crap you have to do with Pro Tools. No one has tape anymore!"

Beck hopes to have the new album wrapped up by early April, when his upcoming tour starts. Beck also let it slip that he's not opposed to touring with his friend and former bandmate Jimmy Page (Below, check out two videos of Beck and Page in action together).

“If you could talk Jimmy into appearing somewhere," Beck said. "He appears at the most unlikely events and then disappears again. He’s a dark horse, there’s no doubt. He’s got a completely private side to him as I have. But we have such a great laugh when we’re together and if he ever comes up for grabs, then it’d make a good package. But one wonders what he’d play. What would he play? I don’t know. He’d have to have the music sorted out and then we’d work."