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Classic Rock Instrumental Tracks: ‘Beck’s Bolero’ and 5 Other Essentials

Lyrics-shmyrics!  Who needs words to rock out anyway?!  In honor of Jeff Beck’s birthday (June 24), here is a handful of some of our favorite classic rock instrumental tracks. Jeff…

Jeff Beck
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Lyrics-shmyrics!  Who needs words to rock out anyway?!  In honor of Jeff Beck’s birthday (June 24), here is a handful of some of our favorite classic rock instrumental tracks.

Jeff Beck – “Beck’s Bolero”

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The b-side to Beck's first solo single, "Hi Ho Silver Lining," "Beck's Bolero" features a stacked lineup of musicians including Jimmy Page, Keith Moon, John Paul Jones, and Nicky Hopkins.


Edgar Winter Group – “Frankenstein”

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Released in February 1973, "Frankenstein" was the Edgar Winter Group's lone number one hit.


Black Sabbath – “Rat Salad”

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"Rat Salad" is featured on Sabbath's classic album 'Paranoid.' (Fun fact: Rat Salad was the name of an up-and-coming band out of California that would eventually become Van Halen.)


Van Halen – “Eruption”

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The second track off of Van Halen's self-titled debut, all it took was this epic 1:42 track to signal the arrival of Eddie Van Halen to Guitar God status.


Led Zeppelin – “Moby Dick”

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This drum-solo track from the late, great John Bonham only added to the greatness that was 'Led Zeppelin II.'


Rush – “La Villa Strangiato”

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"La Villa Strangiato" is the closing track on 1978's 'Hemispheres.' It clocks in at 9:35 and is somehow only the second-longest track on the album behind "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres," which takes up all of side 1 and is 18:08.

Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights