After a year off between albums, Jeff Beck is back with a new new studio album, dubbed You Had It Coming. The album is due on February 6th followed by a twenty-five city U.S. tour, which kicks off at Seattle Washington's Paramount on February 15th.

This time around Beck relinquished the controls and left the production duties to Massive Attack and Bon Jovi knob-twirler Andy Wright. Beck co-wrote seven new songs for the album that rivals anything on his Grammy-nominated Who Else!, his surprising fusion of hard rock and electronica.

Beck's sergeant-at arms, second guitarist Jennifer Batten penned "Earthquake," and Nitin Sawhney composed "Nadia," while the sardonic title track was collaboration between Beck, Aiden Love and Andy Wright. Of the album's covers, the guitar virtuoso chose wisely, turning edgy renditions of "Ditty Mind" and the Muddy Waters classic "Rollin' and Tumblin," both of which feature vocals by Imogen Heep. Unfortunately Heep won't be joining Beck on the road; instead his touring band will include Batten, Bassist Randy Hope-Taylor and former Spice Girls drummer Andy Gangadeen.

Jeff Beck tour dates:

2/15: Seattle, WA, The Paramount
2/16: Portland, OR, Schnitzer Concert Hall
2/17: Vancouver, BC, Commodore Ballroom
2/19: Santa Rosa, CA, Luther Burbank Center
2/20-21: San Francisco, CA, The Warfield
2/23: Los Angeles, CA, Universal Amphitheater
2/24: Phoenix, AZ, Webster Theater
2/25: Las Vegas, NV, The Joint
2/28: Austin, TX, Austin Music Hall
3/1: Houston, TX, Aerial Theater
3/2: Dallas, TX, Majestic Theater
3/3: New Orleans, LA, House of Blues
3/5: Atlanta, GA, Tabernacle
3/6: Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium
3/7: St. Louis, MO, The Pageant
3/9: Minneapolis, MN, State Theater
3/10: Chicago, IL, Chicago Theater
3/11: Milwaukee, WI, Eagles Ballroom
3/13: Detroit, MI, Fox Theater
3/14: Cleveland, OH, Lakewood Civic Center
3/16: Toronto, ONT, Massey Hall
3/17: Philadelphia, PA, Tower Theater
3/18: Washington, DC, 9:30 Club
3/20: Boston, MA, Orpheum Theater
3/22-23: New York, NY, Roseland

JAAN UHELSZKI
(January 12, 2001)