Genre:

British blues-rock

Formed:

1963

Where:

Kingston Art School in Surrey, England

Disbanded:

July 7, 1968

Reunited:

2003

The Players:

  • Keith Relf (v/harmonica: Metropolitan Blues Quartet; Yardbirds: 63-68; Renaissance: 69-72; Armageddon: 75-76)
  • Anthony "Top" Topham (g: 63)
  • Chris Dreja (g/b – Yardbirds: 63-68, 03; Box of Frogs: 84-86)
  • Paul “Sam” Samwell-Smith (b/k – Metropolitan Blues Quartet; Country Gentlemen: 62; Yardbirds: 63-66; Box of Frogs: 84-86)
  • Jim McCarty (d – Country Gentlemen: 62; Yardbirds: 63-68, 03; Renaissance: 69-77; Illusion: 77; Box of Frogs: 84-86; British Invasion All Stars: 89; Pretty Things/Yardbird Blues Band)
  • Eric Clapton (g/ v – The Roosters: 63; Yardbirds; 63-3/65; Powerhouse: 66; John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers: 65-66; Cream: 66-69; Blind Faith: 69; Delaney & Bonnie: 69; Plastic Ono Band: 70; Derek + the Dominos: 70; solo: 70-, Bunburys: 88)
  • Jeff Beck (g – Tridents; Yardbirds: 65-66; Jeff Beck Group: 67-69; solo; Honeydrippers: 84; Box of Frogs: 84)
  • Jimmy Page (g – sessions; Yardbirds: 66-68, Led Zeppelin: 68-79; Honeydrippers: 84; solo: 84, 88; The Firm: 84-86; Coverdale/Page: 93; with Robert Plant: 94-)
v = vocals; g = guitar; b = bass;
k = keyboards; d = drums

The Studio Albums:

Hover over an album cover for the name and year of release. Click on album to see album’s DMDB page.

Key Tracks:

  • Boom Boom (1963)
  • I Wish You Would (1963)
  • Good Morning Little School Girl (1964)
  • For Your Love (1965)
  • Heart Full of Soul (1965)
  • Evil Hearted You (1965)
  • I’m a Man (1965)
  • Shapes of Things (1966)
  • Over Under Sideways Down (1966)
  • Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (1966)
  • Little Games (1967)
  • Ha Ha Said the Clown (1967)
  • Ten Little Indians (1967)

Website(s):

Awards:

THE YARDBIRDS

Overview:

While short-lived, the Yardbirds made three of the most important contributions to the British blues scene of the ‘60s as the launching pad for three famed guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.

As a result of reteaming for a 1983 live date, Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, and Jim McCarty ended up reuniting for a project called Box of Frogs. Along with vocalist John Fiddler, they released two albums. The first included Jeff Beck as a guest artist and the second tapped Jimmy Page for a guest appearance.

In 2003, Deja and McCarty reunited again to record an album under the Yardbirds banner – more than 35 years after their last official studio release as a band.

Biography Source(s):

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Last updated July 4, 2011.