The Yardbirds

British band that included three major influential guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.  Originally called The Most Blueswailing Yardbirds.

The Yardbirds I (1963)
  • Keith Relf - vocals/harmonica - b. March 22, 1943, London, England; d. May 14, 1976, England (from electric shock).
  • Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar - b. November 11, 1946, London, England.
  • Jim McCarty - drums - b. July 25, 1943, Liverpool, England.
  • Paul Samwell-Smith - bass - b. May 8, 1943, England
  • Anthony "Top" Topham - guitar - b. England.

The Yardbirds II (1963 - 1965)
  • Keith Relf - vocals/harmonica
  • Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar
  • Jim McCarty - drums
  • Paul Samwell-Smith - bass
  • Eric Clapton - guitar - b. March 30, 1945, Ripley, England; formerly with The Roosters and Casey Jones and the Engineers.
Album:
  1. "For Your Love" (1965) - Single: "For Your Love"
  2. "Five Live Yardbirds" (1988)
  3. "Clapton's Cradle: The Early Yardbirds Recordings" (1995)
Eric Clapton becomes dissatisfied with pop trend of band, and joins John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

The Yardbirds III (1965 - 1966)
  • Keith Relf - vocals/harmonica
  • Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar
  • Jim McCarty - drums
  • Paul Samwell-Smith - bass
  • Jeff Beck - guitar - b. June 24, 1944, Surrey, England; formerly with Lord Sutch.
Albums:
  1. "Having a Rave Up with the Yardbirds" (1965)
  2. "Over Under Sideways Down" (aka, "Roger the Engineer") (1966)
  3. "The Yardbirds with Sonny Boy Williamson" (1966) (collaboration with Sonny Boy Williamson).

The Yardbirds IV (1966)
  • Keith Relf - vocals/harmonica
  • Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar
  • Jim McCarty - drums
  • Jimmy Page - bass - b. James Patrick Page, January 9, 1944, Heston, England.
  • Jeff Beck - guitar
Jimmy Page switches to guitar after Chris Dreja learns bass.

The Yardbirds V (1966)
  • Keith Relf - vocals/harmonica
  • Chris Dreja - bass
  • Jim McCarty - drums
  • Jimmy Page - guitar
  • Jeff Beck - guitar
Jeff Beck leaves to form The Jeff Beck Group (with vocalist Rod Stewart).

The Yardbirds VI (1966 - 1968)
  • Keith Relf - vocals/harmonica
  • Chris Dreja - bass
  • Jim McCarty - drums
  • Jimmy Page - guitar
Albums:
  1. "Little Games" (1967)
  2. "Live Yardbirds!" (1968)
  3. "The Complete Little Games Sessions" (1997)
Keith Relf and Jim McCarty form Together (folk duo), then Renaissance, and later Armageddon. Chris Dreja goes into photography.  Jimmy Page forms Led Zeppelin (originally called The New Yardbirds) and, later, The Firm.

Compilations:
  1. "The Yardbirds' Greatest Hits" (1967)
  2. "The Yardbirds: Featuring Performances by Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page" (1970)
  3. "Live Yardbirds" (1971)
  4. "Greatest Hits, vol. 1 (1964-1966)" (1986)
  5. "Vol. 1: Smokestack Lightning" (1991)
  6. "Vol. 2: Blues, Backtracks and Shapes of Things" (1991)
  7. "Little Games Sessions and More" (2-CDs) (1992)
  8. "BBC Sessions" (1997)
  9. "Live Reunion" (1997)
  10. "Where the Action Is!" (2-CDs) (1997)
  11. "The Masters" (1998)

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Last Revised: March 30, 1999