Adam writes… In the history of rock, so many roads lead back to The Yardbirds. The band crops up on almost every rock-themed tour, such is their influence. And so, in response to all the queries down through the years, here’s a Yardbirds For Beginners primer – map, playlist, trivia and short biog…
The Yardbirds were founded in southwest London in 1963. They had five consecutive UK Top 10 hits in 1965 and 1966. The band’s place in rock’n’roll legend is assured by the fact that it hot-housed the talents and visions of three guitar players central to the development of rock: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page.
The Hits
For beginners, here’s a playlist of their British singles. Although they never often considered themselves to be a hit singles band, their journey from R&B purists, through commercial pop to psychedelic rock pioneers is well represented in their 45s…
Blow-Up
In 1966 The Yardbirds appeared in Michelangelo Antonioni‘s enigmatic swinging 60s movie Blow-Up. The filming location features on the map below.
David Hemmings stars as a David Bailey-type photographer with The Yardbirds providing live music in a club scene. Antonioni originally wanted The Who to feature. Yardbirds’ manager Simon Napier-Bell heard of the opportunity and knew it would be good for his band. So he advised The Who’s management team to charge a huge fee for the appearance. When the director baulked at the cost, the cunning Napier-Bell offered the Yardbirds for free.
Sterling Morrison of the Velvet Underground once claimed that his band had also been approached to perform in the movie, but the cost of flying them over from the U.S was too great for the production.
Trivia buffs, take note… in the scenes immediately preceding the club performance by The Yardbirds, Thomas (played by David Hemmings) is cruising the London streets in his soft-top Rolls Royce. He catches a glimpse of Jane (Vanessa Redgrave) and in pursuing her into the Ricky-Tick Club, he first looks along Heddon Street, just off Regent Street. Heddon Street becomes the location of the sleeve for Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album six years later. We get a clear view of the phone box that features on the rear of that sleeve.
Bowie will go on to name-check the Ricky-Tick Club on the sleeve of Pin-Ups (1973) an album on which he will cover… Shapes Of Things by The Yardbirds. (We visit Heddon Street on the David Bowie in 1960s London tour.)
Map
Have a look for Yardbirds locations in London and beyond…
Any to add? Drop me a line using the form at the bottom of this page…
Cast List
Keith Relf
Lead singer and harmonica player. Very underrated blues harp man. Released a solo single in ’66 – Mr Zero – which charted at No.50 in the UK. Died in a tragic accident 1976, electrocuted by an unearthed electric guitar.
Chris Deja
Born in 1945, Dreja was originally rhythm guitarist in the band but moved over to bass with the arrival of Jimmy Page. Was offered role of bass player in Page’s new project Led Zeppelin but chose to follow a career in photography. It’s Dreja’s work on the back of Led Zeppelin’s debut album.
Jim McCarty
Drummer. At time of writing (April 2024) still touring with the Yardbirds. For details of Yardbirds gigs visit www.theyardbirds.com
Paul Samwell Smith
Bass player born 1943. Disillusioned with the touring life, left The Yardbirds in ’66 and became a respected producer.
Anthony “Top” Topham
3rd July 1947 – 23rd January 2023. Founder member of the Metropolitan Blues Band. Left the Yardbirds in ’63 to pursue his studies and recommended fellow art student Eric Clapton as his replacement.
Giorgio Gomelski
Their first manager and impresario behind the Crawdaddy in Richmond. (We visit the former Crawdaddy on the Rock’n’Roll Explorer Day.)
Simon Napier-Bell
Veteran music biz mover and shaker, managed the Yardbirds from 1966 to 1967. His autobiography Black Vinyl. White Power is essential reading.
Peter Grant
Took over management chores from Napier-Bell. Had worked alongside pop producer Mickie Most but was keen to become his own man. Oversees the transition from the last days of The Yardbirds into The New Yardbirds and on into Led Zeppelin. With London Music Tours, Grant’s legend often appears on the Rock’n’Roll London walk.
With Eric Clapton…
Jeff Beck Takes Over…
Beck & Jimmy Page…
With Jimmy Page…
Check out our Led Zeppelin map HERE.
