The Guitarist Billy Joel Considered Out of Everyone's League: "He Was a Monster!"

Billy Joel, legendary piano man, was full of praise when talking about Jeff Beck: "He was a natural freak, a phenomenal musician." For Joel, Beck was on another level, with an innovative technique, his own chord structure and a creativity that transcended conventionality. Beck, who was in the Yardbirds alongside Clapton and Page, created a unique sound mixing blues, rock and experimentation. Joel, who started out in heavy rock bands, saw in him the essence of instrumental genius. Even after Beck's death, Billy Joel continues to pay tribute to his idol. A lesson that great musicians recognize talent that goes beyond the norm.