For 75-year-old Unity MacLean, the death of guitar superstar Jeff Beck this week hit her hard. Unknown to many, Beck had helped her secure a job that many would die for. In particular, her memories persisted of the 1970s high-velocity music environment she was 'inadvertently' forced into in her 20s thanks to Beck.
After receiving the news of Beck's passing, MacLean told DailyMail.com that she was' "really heartbroken" and stated that the rock icon was the reason she was able to obtain a job as Led Zeppelin's publicist.
Beck died this week at the age of 78 from Bacterial meningitis, which requires prompt medical treatment with antibiotics and is fatal in approximately 10% of cases. The 78-year-old was a late-1960s rock guitarist alongside Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix, and had recently completed a transatlantic tour with Johnny Depp to promote their debut album '18.' MacLean was employed by CBS Records in 1975 when a fortuitous pint at the bar adjacent to the studio altered her destiny and led to her rubbing shoulders with some of music's greatest figures.
The 75-year-old currently operates a British Imports store in downtown Plymouth, but at the height of Zeppelin's popularity, she describes how she fell down the rabbit hole for five years - during a period when the band's prowess was beginning to be overshadowed by hedonism. MacLean, speaking to the Boston Globe, recalls the moment her life altered.
She stated that everyone from the studio came in for a drink, and Jeff Beck was there. It simply occurred her to mention that she was tired of working for CBS, and she was wondering if they were hiring.
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There was complete silence, but then Jeff turned back and said he'll let her know if she heard anything.
She suffered in silence at her job, telling Creem magazine that she had started at the record label as a temporary secretary before being promoted to a marketing position, believing she would never hear from Beck again.
A week after the pub encounter, the then-27-year-old woman was "amazed" to hear back from Beck's secretary, who informed her that she had heard she had been seeking employment.
Beck advised Zeppelin's notoriously demanding manager Peter Grant to be contacted.
MacLean stated that working with Grant, who died of a heart attack in 1995, was her next obstacle after obtaining the position but it was a great opportunity.
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