The Yardbirds

[JakeK]

Can anyone shed some light on this band? I've only heard one song by them, "I'm a Man", and I really want to know some info about them, especially the original lineup (the "I'm a Man" period, really), and some good compilation albums.

[kenposurf]

Don't buy a comp...buy 3 Lp's/cd's...For Your Love, Roger The Engineer aka Over Under Sideways Down and Having A Rave Up..you NEED all three!

[lennon211]

Can anyone shed some light on this band? I've only heard one song by them, "I'm a Man", and I really want to know some info about them, especially the original lineup (the "I'm a Man" period, really), and some good compilation albums.

There is a lot to be said about this band. When they became famous as a blues combo, they were fronted by Keith Relf, who rivals both Eric Burdon, Mick Jagger, and Paul Jones for being able to deliver a song. Eric Clapton was the lead guitarist. When they began veering more into commercial territory, Clapton left to be replaced by Jeff Beck, beginning my favorite period with the band. In early '66, their bassist/producer Paul Samwell-Smith quit to be a full time producer. That left an opening and Jimmy Page came on first as bassist and then as co-lead guitar. Chris Dreja transitioned from rhythm guitar to bass. Jim McCarty stayed on drums. In mid '66, Beck quit the band leaving it a 4-piece. Continuing on and experiencing the winding down of the Brit Invasion, they decided to call it a day in late '67 with Page forming his own unit to fulfill outstanding gigs. Initially, Dreja was thought to be a part of this, but Page brought in others to perform as The New Yardbirds. They evolved into a new upstart band called Led Zeppelin.

I'd agree with George to a certain extent that For Your Love, Having a Rave-Up, and Over Under Sideways Down (aka Roger the Engineer) are the essential listening, but most of the highlights are readily available in the vastly superior The Yardbirds Ultimate! 2-disc comp. from Rhino. It has many great tracks on it from their early live recordings with Clapton to the very end with Page. There are around 50 tracks in the set spanning about 5 years.

Treat each of these lineups as their own unique band, as the sound evolved rapidly, being based around the lead guitarist's style. Under Clapton, they were a wailing blues band that ruled the clubs and shared management with the Stones briefly. Under Beck they became a (somewhat) commercially successful band that ushered in a whole sub-genre of fuzz-infused garage band rock. Page rode the band out, forging very little new territory, sticking with much the same formula as Beck but without the charm.

They are one of my all-time favorites. In fact, all of this talk that I've done is making me want to skip on grading papers and just go fire up the AC-30 with the Tonebender and Fender Esquire.

Essential tracks include: "Smokestack Lightning" (Clapton), "For Your Love" (end of Clapton era), "Heartful of Soul" (Beck's brilliant beginning), "I'm a Man", "The Train Kept A-Rollin'", "You're a Better Man Than I", "Shapes of Things", "Evil Hearted You", "Still I'm Sad", "Lost Woman", "Over Under Sideways Down", "Jeff's Boogie", "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (Beck and Page), "Puzzles" (excellent Vox 12 string work from Page), "White Summer" (proto-Zep track), "Ten Little Indians".

[JakeK]

Thanks guys, for your input on this.

Matt -- I think the Yardbirds' Ultimate! is what I'm gonna start out with. I thought Clapton used a Tele in the Yardbirds, not an Esquire...

[lennon211]

Thanks guys, for your input on this.

Matt -- I think the Yardbirds' Ultimate! is what I'm gonna start out with. I thought Clapton used a Tele in the Yardbirds, not an Esquire...

Clapton used a Tele...Beck used the Esquire!

[drumbob]

Lots of good information has already been mentioned. What I could say was that The Yardbirds were perhaps one of the most adventurous British bands of the sixties to have commercial success. They mixed blues with fuzz guitar, Gregorian Chant, psychedelia and much more, and the cool thing is, they are still together, with drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, plus three newer members. They released a good new studio album a couple of years ago on Steve Vai's record label, plus a live one last year. Live, they do all the old tunes and sound great. I'm so happy to have them back.

One of the real thrills of my life was jamming with The Yarbirds when they came back to play in NYC in September 1997. As a lifelong fan, I looked around from behind the drumset and said to myself, "I'm playing with the f****** Yardbirds!! My heroes!! My God! How cool is this!"

[lennon211]

Lots of good information has already been mentioned. What I could say was that The Yardbirds were perhaps one of the most adventurous British bands of the sixties to have commercial success. They mixed blues with fuzz guitar, Gregorian Chant, psychedelia and much more, and the cool thing is, they are still together, with drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, plus three newer members. They released a good new studio album a couple of years ago on Steve Vai's record label, plus a live one last year. Live, they do all the old tunes and sound great. I'm so happy to have them back.

One of the real thrills of my life was jamming with The Yarbirds when they came back to play in NYC in September 1997. As a lifelong fan, I looked around from behind the drumset and said to myself, "I'm playing with the f****** Yardbirds!! My heroes!! My God! How cool is this!"

That's awesome Bob. Being able to play with a group like that would be absolutely amazing.

[weemac]

The Yardbirds evolved into Renaissance.............

Eden.

[lennon211]

The Yardbirds evolved into Renaissance.............

Eden.

Yeah...Keith Relf and Jim McCarty helped found Renaissance when they left the Yardbirds to Jimmy Page.

[rickosound]

ALTHOUGH THEY NEVER ONCE PLAYED A RIC ( / ), the Yardbirds are one of my favorite bands. I like all of their eras, but the Beck and Beck/Page eras are my favorites. I got hooked by this song:


The Yardbirds' Ultimate looks like a good introduction. This is another good compilation: (I actually own this one!)
http://www.amazon.com/Happenings-Ten-Ye ... B0016GLZWY

Also, if you have iTunes, go on and buy "Original Man". This song is great, along with the rest of the Birdland album, which is what Bob mentioned above.

Matthew

[drumbob]

Lots of good information has already been mentioned. What I could say was that The Yardbirds were perhaps one of the most adventurous British bands of the sixties to have commercial success. They mixed blues with fuzz guitar, Gregorian Chant, psychedelia and much more, and the cool thing is, they are still together, with drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, plus three newer members. They released a good new studio album a couple of years ago on Steve Vai's record label, plus a live one last year. Live, they do all the old tunes and sound great. I'm so happy to have them back.

One of the real thrills of my life was jamming with The Yarbirds when they came back to play in NYC in September 1997. As a lifelong fan, I looked around from behind the drumset and said to myself, "I'm playing with the f****** Yardbirds!! My heroes!! My God! How cool is this!"

That's awesome Bob. Being able to play with a group like that would be absolutely amazing.

Matt...It was a once-in-lifetime experience that I will never forget. When we got done, their lead guitarist, Gypie Mayo, said to me, "Good drumming, mate!" That was the best compliment I could have ever heard.

[manta]

Train Kept A Rollin' is one of the best blues/rock pieces of the '60s. Page and Beck both took a shot at it but this '68 performance was just classic '60s Yardbirds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4UY8SAx ... re=related

Great harp work as well.

Timbo

[shamustwin]

And jake, for a laugh, go rent the '60's movie "Blow Up" and watch for the band.

[lennon211]

And jake, for a laugh, go rent the '60's movie "Blow Up" and watch for the band.

Might just save the money on the rental and catch the performance on Youtube. The movie isn't bad, but it tries to be a Hitchcock-styled film and it can be a bit boring from time to time.

[rick36]

The first time that I heard the Yardbirds was when "For Your Love" came out in '65. After that, all of the 45's were greatly anticipated and appreciated; especially "Happenings 10 Years Time Ago" b/w "The Nazz are Blue" (Jeff Beck at his best). These guys were touring the USA on a bus making about $ 40- 50 bucks (each) a week in those days (when they got paid at all) in ‘65-‘66.
Keith, the Lead Singer and Harp player - of all things, suffered from Asthma and a collapsed lung - he died a few years later, electrocuted from a bad ground while playing an electric guitar during the Renaissance period.
Obvioulsly, Clapton, Beck, and Page went on to great careers.
Me and my group of musician friends at that time were in awe of this band. I finally got to see Clapton (with Cream), Beck (with The Jeff Beck Group), and Page (with Led Zeppelin) a year or two later. You should have been there...
One of the other most influential bands of the '60's - period.

P.S. "Blow Up" is a great film by Michelangelo Antonioni, which was X rated in 1966!