Friday Is Always Coming In Athens! Welcomes The Yardbirds

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For Your Love

For your love

(For your love)

I'd give you everything and more

And that's for sure

(For your love)

I'd bring you diamond rings

And things right to your door

(For your love)

To thrill you with delight

I'd give you diamonds bright

Lovely things that will excite

And make you dream of me at night

For your love

For your love, for your love

I would give the stars above

For your love, for your love

I would give you all I could

For your love

I'd give the moon

If it were mine to give

(For your love)

I'd give the stars

And the sun for I live

(For your love)

To thrill you with delight

I'd give you diamonds bright

Lovely things that will excite

And make you dream of me at night

For your love

For Your Love

1965

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED

Email Address

friday archives | visit athens | friday five o'clock whistle | It's Friday In Athens!!!

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

Ya gotta love Robert Palmer. 'Was a very talented man. I really enjoy some of his music. Thanks Larry.

Barry H. 2/18/11

Love the voice of Teddy Pendergrass! Becky T. 2/4/11

I love the Philly soul sound of Blue Magic! Keep 'em coming, Larry.

BB 1/28/11

Amy Pritchett & Avery Dylan. Two stories long overdue. As these two rise up in the Athens Music scene, they want their voices heard. The Obama Blues does just that. If you ever get the chance to see these two in concert...from experience,you won't be disappointed. JWP 1/7/11

Sweet! What a GREAT song! Keep the hits comin' Mr. Freeman! You're the BEST! Amy P. 10/15/10

Wow! Who turned on the time machine. Many great nights at Frog Pond, Terry's, Old College, the Sigma Chi house or wherever Dirk & Tony were playing. Good fun, Great music!! Still love seeing Dirk around A town. Fred L. 8/5/10

Nice! Amy P. 8/5/10

Just discovered this site! What an enjoyable trip down the musical memory lane. Thanks, D. Buck

3/26/10

Wow, what a great "blast from the past" to hear "Lost Between Two Worlds"! Saw Tony here in Columbia TN last summer and Dirk will always be a brother to me!

Peggy J. 2/13/10

Love this web site! B. Free turned me on to it and now I can't wait to log in on Friday morning!

M. Small 11/06/09

Congratulations for all for work! I love the music of Dione Warwick ... A hug. Later. Felipe C. 10/21/09

Just found out about your web-site, it's wonderful! I'll be watching for my friday e-mails, thanks Freddy Seagraves (The Jesters Band) 9/22/09

Just found this website - WOW!! AJ 8/08/09

Great song! "Wildflower" Brings back a flood of memories!! Thanks for all the time you put into this fun site!

7/23/09

I remember listening to Skylark on a Mini Radio walking to Burney Harris Middle School from Normal Town

8th grade !!! R.Free 7/17/09

"Three Dog Night was my first "rock" concert at the Coliseum at UGA when I was in 7th grade! I wonder if the lead singer can still fit into that tight white fringed jacket?" L.N. 7/3/09

First date with my wife, Three Dog Night, Omni in Atlanta, July 29, 1973....seems like yesterday.

Thanks Larry! C.A. 7/3/09

Hey Larry. Love Robert Palmer and I Loooove that smooth sound. How about some Lionel Richie.

Thanks. Mom. 6/26/09

Randy and Tina Raburn turned me

on to this (Robert Palmer) and I

love it. Out in Oregon.

Thanks. V.T. 6/26/09

LOVE the stories behind the performers and their songs.

Robbie 5/24/09

Ain"t heard that one "Brother Louie" in a while. hoss858 5/24/09

You (Dirk and Tony) are one of my fondest memories of UGA!!!!! My best friend and I STILL sing, "Silly Little Girl" when we are on road trips together! Deb Mc. 6/23/09

Larry, thanks for turning me on to this album (Yesterday & Today - The Beatles) way back in 19XX! It's remained one of my favorite Beatles albums of all time.

Dennis M. 6/19/09

Thanks for the lyrics to Louie Louie. I've always thought that they were the Kingsmen's lyrics recorded under the influence of Jack Daniel. Now we know it was rum. A great tune. I've never heard anybody say that they didn't like it. rjenkins 5/29/09

Love the site! Sheree 5/8/09

Have never seen a female lead singer play the guitar like that--Go Larry,thanks for your efforts to entertain your classmates! tbirdamf 5/8/09

OMG, I didn't recognize this one (39-21-40 Shape) till it started playing! Love it.

Dale 4/19/09

Larry, I just had to get up and move with (Shake A Tail Feather) that one! Keep it up!

Jeff 4/3/09

That really was a blast from the past! The last time I saw Dirk and Tony perform was at Jon Tuck’s graduation party in the mid seventies. What a party! Love the photo. And we all thought we looked so cute back then – foolish folks! Thanks for the memory. Leslie P. 3/20/09

I have the songs on my Ipod now in the car...............cruisin' in the afternoon just got better!

L.D. 3/20/09

Great site!! I really appreciate Dirk and Tony spotlight.They've entertained multitudes when they worked together and still are today on their own.

R. Jenkins 3/20/09

Thank you, thank you, Larry! I always enjoy the music you select but this (Dirk and Tony) is the best yet!! Talk about memories!

Melody P. 3/20/09

"Oh yeah - played this many times today. I sent it on to a few folks who are not on the list. The pictures almost made me sad - too much time has flown by. Loved hearing the song again. So glad you were able to get it on there. I think I played it 3 times at least." Betsy K. 3/20/09

Dirk, Looking GOOD my brutha!! I love the earlier pics of you and Tony. I hope to get to Athens again one of these days, soon, and hear you sing. You are a treasure! Bobby D.

3/20/09

Awesome!! Debbie G. 3/20/09

Loved hearing this song again!!! When will y'all be playing together again? Gilbert M. 3/20/09

Good morning & Happy first day of Spring!!!! What a great way to start my morning, Dirk and Tony!

Patti W. 3/20/09

You did a wonderful job on this week!!!! Dirk and Tony takes ya back a long way to some good times!!!

Thanks, Rhonda T. 3/20/09

Tina R. shared this and it was great fun. Thanks from Oregon. 03/13/09

Great to see you bashing the drums in the group video that your mum sent, we spotted her dancing. Also enjoyed the music played by the group. Uncle Jack & Aunt Carole in the U.K. 02/19/09

Thanks bsh69r, I missed that. Two heads or more are better than one.

02/17/09 friday@fridayinathens.com

Correction: The song that's played here was done by Scott McKenzie and is called "San Francisco". The MP3 is mistitled. Aside from that, I love your site...absolutely a great site and will keep revisiting it. :-) bsh69r 02/16/09

Really enjoying the site. Love the featured act (The Zombies) and their music. Great work you do.

A service. Barry H. 02/06/09

This ("Ain't That Peculiar") used to be the song back then! Heidi R. 01/29/09

One of my all time favorite groups "The Intruders", doing one of their best! I play this one on my home system at least once a week. Your buddy, Dirk H. 12/05/08

You’ve created something wonderful with your Friday website. Something positive to look forward to each week. Can’t wait to see what’s on the plate for this week. Leslie P. 11/17/08

Thanks for the wonderful music I enjoy it... Great site Connie 9/11/08

Larry, Live for "Fridays"....I even get up and put on my tornado red shoes and tap along to the songs!!!

A.P. 7/11/2008

Growing up as an "old school" listener, I love this kind of music. Thanks so much for putting real music on so we all can hear what it was like back then. This music is NOT DEAD, it's still alive; and people like "us", the listeners keep it alive!

Babedoll 7/9/2008

This "Private Number" was always a great song. Too bad they did not have more hits. I loved this song. Harper 7/9/2008

Don and Juan were one of the great Doo-Wop singing Duo's out there. Love 'em! "All That's Missing Is You" is one of their rarest records! Northern Soul! Brian Y. 7/2/2008

Larry; What would Friday's be without you and Friday is Always coming in Athens? Jimmy J 6/30/2008

Thank you for this site, I'm french and

I have 40 years. I am a collector of

vinyl and American music oldies, soul,

funk. Il are very few in my french

cas.Je this site is fantastic because I

found some artist American and that

I discovered the other, bravo and

keep this site. 5/20/2008

Hey! I haven't heard this song since I was visiting LLC in the summer of 1972. I was crazy about her... wow! Thanks for sharing this song with the public! MSH 5/19/2008

The words to this song (Expressway to Your Heart) are quite interesting. Larry keep the tunes coming.

TC jJ 5/19/2008

First timer for me. I love your terrific format and exciting info. I feel like I'm back in Athens. ES 5/14/2008

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS----THIS IS THE BEST!!!! Unknown 5/9/2008

I love it. I am learning about all of these singers and I'm only

16 years old. Unknown 5/8/2008

Hey you,

I LOVE that song by the Casinos

this week. I think it's

one of the prettiest "pop" songs ever

written and a great slow dance song.

:) I keep getting a flash back of a

girl/boy party in 6th or 7th grade.

I remember slow dancing with

someone - maybe Kevin. I can

almost see the room (someone's

basement/ rumpus room) and I

know the guy had on a sweater but I

can't quite see the

face. I'll keep you posted. Anyway -

thanks for playing it for me.

Take care. B. - 4/25/2008

Larry - Thanks so much for Otis!

Can you find "Then You Can Say

Goodbye" by The Casino's? Thanks!

Betsy 4/18/2008

Thanks for sharing the one hit wonder.

I'm surprised this only made it to #7

as its played quite often as an oldie.

Keep the sounds coming.

JJ 4/13/2008

Lovin the tunes, Larry.See ya in June. Randy R. 3/21/2008

Mr. Larry; Thanks for all you do for us little people.

Sincerely JJ 3/7/2008

Thanks Larry! Nothing like a Dirty Old Woman! Betsy

3/3/2008

This is very cool.My kind of music. Thanks. George S.

2/29/2008

Larry, Does anyone remember the days at Legion Field with POCO & Pure Prairie League and the music park behind the pool and all the good times concerts concerts?

Bill M. 2/29/2008

Mr. Green sure does have a smooth voice. I'm surprised he didn't do even better. JJ 2/18/2008

Hey Larry - Ever heard of "Dirty Old Woman" by Denise La Salle? You make my Fridays. Betsy

2/15/2008

Enjoyed Joe Cocker. Thanks folks. - Jim 2/8/2008

This is a great song. Larry keep the tunes coming.

TC YF JJ 2/8/2008

A WONDERFUL site- Thanks for keeping GOOD MUSIC- Alive. - Big Doc-Bdge, GA 2/8/2008

Greetings to all at FIA!

I've been longing to hear "The Bus' by

the late, great Billy Preston. Any

chance you got that in your vaults?

Here's to a soulful 2008!

Carlos - Cleveland, OH 1/29/2008

Hey Larry, I just read about Miles and Jimi being friends. How about some Hendrix soon.

Love the website, Joy 1/18/2008

Great to get the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Thanks, Pat M. 12/28/07

A great way to enjoy the history of music and the beautiful sounds of the blues. Robert B. 12/7/2007

Enjoyed your special on the Rolling Stones. I would like to see more on Blues Artist old and young. Keep it Groovin. Robert B. 11/28/2007

Larry, Johnny Guitar Watson really brings back some wasted brain cells! Wore out the grooves in that album the year it came out. Thanks David L. 11/9/07

Watson is the man!!! Your Bro. Young Robert! 11/9/07

OMG, This song (Humble Pie - Thirty Days In The Hole) so reminds me of you Larry and 1972! LOL Andrie - 10/5/07

I love this website, I have to listen to this each and every day. Thank you very much. I will share this with all my

co-workers and friends. Nate 9/30/07

Love this site! I call it "Continuing Music Education"! I know the songs, but I didn't know all the stories behind the people who performed them. Andrie - 9/23/07

Can you dig up Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel by Tavares? Thanks! D. - Cleveland OH 8/17/07

The site is wonderful Larry and the music is just awesome!!! I love visiting It's Friday In Athens!!!! Please keep this going forever!!!! - Dierdra L. - President/CEO, Getan Records, THE LIGHTHOUSE GOSPELETTES!!! Athens, GA 7/29/07

It's Friday? How about "Don't Roll Your Bloodshot Eyes at Me" for a little local flavor? Mark B. 7/27/07

Consider the Manhattans on Friday’s! Frank P. 7/27/07

Larry!!!! You MADE my day with "Build Me Up"! I'm on vacation in Santa Barbara and sent it to my co-workers with the threat that I can now play it anytime I want! Psych! Hello Don M in the bay area and to Betsy! Everyone raves about your site, Larry! It's awesome! Gratefully yours, Scotty 7/20/07

Hey Larry, Before the summer's over we need something from the summer of love for its 40th anniversary. It's for us in the bay area. Don M. 7/13/07

Hey Larry The music is just great.Would also like to hear'The Horse' by Cliff Nobles. Thanks. Double Divine 7/6/07

Hey Larry, Remember those instrumentals that played before the top of the hour on AM Radio? How about "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles or "Soul Finger".

Thanks! Betsy K. 6/30/07

Larry, If I ever need a D.J. Guess what,You The Man!!! Thanx: Corndog 6/22/07

Yes! it's Friday and I'm up here jammin' in Cleveland, OH. How about some Soul Generation - Body & Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be) Ya'll remember that one? Have a great weekend! losplus 6/22/07

How about Earth, Wind and Fire? Angie G. 6/6/07

Hooray for Friday!! Mary A. 6/1/07

This group (The Four Tops) is great. Thanks VM Jimmy J. - 5/25/07

Thanks for a Friday of Dusty Springfield, The Look of Love. Erica from Red Lobster, thanks for the look. - F.L. 4/5/07

I love this site! Any chance I could hear "Coldest Days Of My Life" by the Chi-Lites? - 4/4/07

I would love to hear "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous

Brothers or "Fats" Domino's

"Ain't That a Shame" or

"Blueberry Hill." Thanks,

Patrick - 3/30/07

Hey Larry! You are amazing! I have my whole office dancing to these! Just great! Can you do a BeeGees for my boss and slip in Build Me Up Buttercup? I sing it anyway at work, may as well have the music to go along with it (the more to torture my co-workers with! Looking forward to all the Fridays-with-Larry! :) Scotty - 3/30/07

Oh, my goodness, you found "Black Pearl." I nearly fainted this am, when I opened the site. Thank you sooooo much. Blessings P.W. Smith - 3/30/07

Please add "Black Pearl" by The Checkmates...not sure what year, but thinking mid 60's. Thanks sooooooo much.

P. Smith - 3/23/07

This is a great website. My mom always listened to the "Oldies" station here, and I wanted to be just like my Mom, so I started listening to it and I loved it, and this website has some of my favorites. M. Pierce - 3/22/07

Hey, I love the t-shirt. I have had it on

since I got home from Arizona. You

did a good job. That was a great

song last Friday (Wang Dang Doodle)

- didn't know it but who ever

requested it is someone I

would like to hang with. And then

today we had

The Zombies....that took me back to

8th grade and one of my first boy/girl

parties. They were always held in

someone's basement and the lights

would go off by 9:00.

That song always seem to bring on

lots of smooching. I will

not be naming names.... ;)

Thanks again,

Betsy

This is awesome!!! Thanks for the great site and fabulous music!! WooHoo!! Jen B. - 2/18/07

I could not have picked a better artist. Thanks, Pat M.

Thank you Larry - You have made my day! Betsy K.

Mr. Larry, I really enjoyed Roy Head-Hey Hey. YF

Jim J. - 2/5/07

This always gets my Friday off to a great start! Love it!

Debbie - 1/26/07

Every once in a while my mornings are worth rising for, this has been one of them with Tina Turner.

Thanks Bill S. - 1/19/07

Keep up the good work. JJ - 1/19/07

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2007! I remember at this time in 1969 we were really gettng into Abbey Road! But oh, how I love the sweet soul music of the 60's and 70's as well. Thanks for your work in keeping this music alive. And keep on sending it, Brother! Dennis M. - 12/29/06

Moonchild Diva in Motown - found the site by looking for Billy Stewart! I think you answered my question...who played bass on Billy's recordings? SO THANK YOU for clearing up the mystery! - 12/11/06

Billy Stewart , alright, one of my favorites. Also, Jerry Butler, Major Lance, Willy Tee....

Your friend, Dirk H.

Thanks for Billy Stewart Larry - You have made

my day! Betsy K. - 12/8/07

I look forward to Friday's email. This is great.

Linda L. - 12/8/07

Wow! From your personal E-Mail account. I forward "Its Friday in Athens!!!" on to my friends often. The folks here at work are trying to figure me out. Their 56 year old C.E.O. sits in his office every Friday morning booming out R&B. Though it works for me, its not the type of behavior they expect from someone in my position. BLUES BANKER!

T. Turgeon -

Thanks for Joe T. Luv'd it! Roy Head and the Traits?

Hope you had a good Turkey Day.

T. Turgeon - 11/27/07

I keep waiting for Jackie Wilson and Billy Stewart....I have

decided that like me, you have an

older brother or sister who had you

listening to this music as a kid.

Hope all is well your way.

Betsy K. - 11/25/06

How about a little Joe Tex? T. Turgeon

Thanks, "I LOVE IT! Makes my day! M.N. - 9/29/06

WOW WOW WOW AN OUTSTANDING REVIEW OF THE real STYLE OF MUSIC - Atlanta Cooking - 9/23/06

In my time, this is the most fascinating music I have ever heard. **86 - 8/17/06

Keep up the great and extremely important work. We met I believe at Michael Guthrie's house a few weeks ago at the HVARII Reunion. I am a great lover of our R&B and it's great to see someone who truly cares about it. Ole!

T. Turgeon - 8/2/06

Again, the "It's Friday" series is great - I love it every week and have sent it on to so many folks -

thanks again. Betsy K.

Aretha is my personal favorite so far! Peggy M.

LOVE THIS...I NEED SOMETHNG TO GET ME THROUGH THE DAY !!!! C. Lady - 6/3/07

Great! Perfect! Dance Music I Love It!!! Laine L.

I think you missed your calling as a DJ! Nicki S.

Keep 'em coming!! I really enjoy listening to "my kind of music". Thank you. Mary M.

I like getting your email every Friday, keep it coming!

Carlas A.

DON'T FORGET THE 'QUEEN OF SOUL'........ ARETHA!!!!! YOUR MAKING MY FRIDAYS. RONK

MY FRIENDS REALLY LIKE FRIDAY IN ATHENS! ONE IS SENDING EVERYONE AT THE COURTHOUSE AN EMAIL. Ron H.

THANKS SO MUCH EACH WEEK! Nancy W.

This makes me smile! Ray C.

Great job, keep up the good work. Terry T.

I SAVE UNTIL FRI AFTERNOON, BY 5:00 P.M. I'M REVVVVED!!! RONK - 5/19/06

Thanks for this humanitarian service to get us crunk for district wide planning. Wilson Pickett reminds us to put a “spotlight on Otis Redding y’all”. Yeah,yeah, oh yeah. Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-Faaa! Karl S.

Thanks. What a pleasant surprise to get to work and open this e-mail- glad I started with yours first. Melanie B.

Thanks for the Friday emails Larry!! I really enjoy them.

Kim S.

Thanks for the sound of good music. I really do love my oldies but goodies. E. Luke - 5/19/06

Thanks!!! This is great! Jane B.

Great site! How about some Sam Cooke??? - 5/19/06

Thanks for the music! Steve P.

I love this! Thanks. Dianne M.

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your Friday emails. Thanks for including me! Betsy K.

I appreciate the link – good stuff!

Jon W.

I LIKE IT!!!!!! Thanks and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Barbara S.

THIS IS GREAT!!!!!! Susan R.

So in your spare time you try to cheer up everyone? Thanks, Lori R.

I love these songs. Thanks. Terri S.

Awesome……Thanks for doing this, we all look forward to it every week. I’ve sent it to everyone I know!

Debi D.

I needed this today! Thanks. Susan S.

Good selection for this fabulous

Friday!!!!!

Thanks for the Music this morning. I think I could listen to this all day, if people didn't think I was crazy for MOVING in my chair. Have a great weekend. Joyce G.

This is awesome! Thanks, Debi D.

since March 24, 2006

Site Visitors

About The Artist

The Yardbirds are an English rock band that had a string of hits in the mid 1960s, including "For Your Love", "Over Under Sideways Down" and "Heart Full of Soul". The group is notable for having started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, all of whom were in the top fifteen of Rolling Stone's 100 Top Guitarists list (Clapton as #4, Page as #9, and Beck as #14). A blues-based band that broadened its range into pop and rock, The Yardbirds were pioneers in guitar innovations of the '60s: fuzz tone, feedback, distortion, backwards echo, improved amplification, etc. Pat Pemberton, writing for Spinner, holds that the Yardbirds were "the most impressive guitar band in rock music". After the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, their current lead guitarist Jimmy Page founded what became Led Zeppelin.

The bulk of the band's most successful self-written songs came from bassist/producer Paul Samwell-Smith who, with singer/harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist/bassist Chris Dreja, constituted the core of the group. The band reformed in the 1990s, featuring McCarty, Dreja and new members. The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

History

BeginningsThe band formed in the south-west London suburbs. Relf and Samwell-Smith were originally in a band named the Metropolitan Blues Quartet. After being joined by Dreja, McCarty and Topham in late May 1963, they decided to change the name, and after a couple of gigs in September 1963 as the Blue-Sounds, they settled on The Yardbirds, which was both an expression for hobos hanging around rail yards waiting for a train and also a reference to the jazz saxophonist Charlie "Yardbird" Parker.

At Kingston Art School in late May 1963 they first performed as a backup band for Cyril Davies, and achieved notice on the burgeoning British rhythm and blues scene in September 1963 when they took over as the house band at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, succeeding The Rolling Stones. They drew their repertoire from the Chicago blues of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James, including "Smokestack Lightning", "Good Morning Little School Girl", "Boom Boom", "I Wish You Would", "Rollin' and Tumblin'", and "I'm a Man".

Original lead guitarist (Anthony) Top Topham left and was replaced by Eric Clapton in October 1963. Crawdaddy Club impresario Giorgio Gomelsky became the Yardbirds' manager and first record producer. Under Gomelsky's guidance the Yardbirds signed to EMI's Columbia label in February 1964. Their first album was "live", Five Live Yardbirds, recorded at the legendary Marquee Club in London. Blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson II invited the group to tour England and Germany with him, a union that later engendered another live album.

Breakthrough success and Clapton departure

The quintet cut two singles, "I Wish You Would" and "Good Morning, School Girl", before their third, "For Your Love", a Graham Gouldman composition, provided their first major hit. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Clapton, at the time a blues purist, left the group in protest to join John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Clapton recommended Jimmy Page, a prominent young studio session guitarist, as his replacement. Page, uncertain about giving up his lucrative studio work and worried about his health, recommended in turn his friend Jeff Beck. He played his first gig with the Yardbirds only two days after Clapton's departure in May 1965.

Jeff Beck's tenure

Beck's experiments with fuzz tone, feedback, and distortion fit well into the increasingly raw style of British beat music and the Yardbirds began to experiment, producing arrangements reminiscent of Gregorian chant and various European and Asian styles ("Still I'm Sad", "Turn Into Earth", "Hot House of Omagarashid", "Farewell", "Ever Since The World Began") though their commercial appeal began to wane. Beck was voted #1 lead guitarist of 1966 in the British music magazine Beat Instrumental.

The Beck-era Yardbirds produced a number of memorable recordings, single hits like "Heart Full of Soul", Bo Diddley's "I'm A Man", and "Shapes of Things" and the Yardbirds album (known popularly as Roger the Engineer and first issued in the U.S. in an abridged version called Over Under Sideways Down).

The Yardbirds embarked on their first US tour in late August, 1965. A pair of albums was put together for the U.S. market; For Your Love (which included an early take of "My Girl Sloopy"), and Havin' A Rave Up With The Yardbirds, half of which came from Five Live Yardbirds. There were three more US tours during Beck's time with the group. A brief European tour took place in April 1966.

The Beck/Page line-up In June 1966, shortly after the sessions that produced Yardbirds (aka, Roger The Engineer), Samwell-Smith decided to leave the group and work as a record producer. Jimmy Page agreed to play bass until rhythm guitarist Dreja had rehearsed on that instrument. The Beck-Page tandem is heard on the single "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (a psychedelic rock highlight), though this featured Beck and Page on twin lead guitar, with John Paul Jones on bass: it was backed with "Psycho Daisies", which featured Beck on lead guitar and Page on bass (the B-side of the U.S. single, "The Nazz Are Blue", features a rare lead vocal by Beck).

The Beck-Page era Yardbirds also recorded "Stroll On", a rendering of "Train Kept A-Rollin'" recorded for the Michelangelo Antonioni film Blowup, though Relf changed the lyrics and title to avoid seeking permission from the copyright holder. "Stroll On" features a twin lead-guitar break by Beck and Page. Their appearance in Blowup came after The Who declined and The In-Crowd were unable to attend the filming. The Velvet Underground were also considered for the part but were unable to acquire UK work permits. Director Michelangelo Antonioni instructed Beck to smash his guitar in emulation of The Who's Pete Townshend: the guitar that Beck smashes at the end of their set is a cheap German-made Hofner instrument.

The Beck-Page lineup recorded little else in the studio and no live recordings of the dual-lead guitar lineup have surfaced (save a scratchy cover of the Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man"). The Beck-Page Yardbirds recorded a commercial for a milkshake product "Great Shakes" using the opening riff of "Over Under Sideways Down", featured on 1992's Little Games Sessions & More compilation.

There was also one recording made by Beck and Page with John Paul Jones on bass, Keith Moon on drums and Nicky Hopkins on piano — "Beck's Bolero", a piece inspired by Ravel's "Bolero", credited to Page (Beck also claims to have written the song). "Beck's Bolero" was first released as the B-side of Beck's first solo single, "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and was included on his first album, Truth.

The Yardbirds' final days: the Page eraBeck was fired from the group after a tour stop in Texas in late October 1966; as such, the Yardbirds continued as a quartet for the remainder of their career. Page became the new lead guitarist and introduced his technique of playing with a cello bow (suggested to him by session musician David McCallum, Sr.) and the use of a wah-wah pedal.

Meanwhile, the Yardbirds' commercial fortunes were declining. "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" had only reached No. 30 on the U.S. Hot 100 and had fared even worse in Britain. A partnership with Columbia's hit-making producer, Mickie Most, failed to reignite their commercial success. The "Little Games" single released in spring 1967 flopped so badly in the UK that EMI did not release another Yardbirds record there until after the band broke up (a UK release of the "Goodnight Sweet Josephine" single was planned the following year, but was eventually cancelled). A version of Tony Hazzard's "Ha Ha Said the Clown" — on which only one band member, Relf, actually performed — was the band's last single to crack the U.S. Top 50, peaking at No. 44 in Billboard in the summer of 1967. Their final album, Little Games, released in America in July, was a commercial and critical non-entity. A cover of Harry Nilsson's "Ten Little Indians" hit the U.S. in the fall of 1967 and quickly sank.

The Yardbirds spent most of the rest of that year touring in the States with new manager Peter Grant, their live shows becoming heavier and more experimental. The band rarely played their 1967 singles on stage, preferring to mix the Beck-era hits with blues standards and covers from groups such as The Velvet Underground and American folk singer Jake Holmes, whose "Dazed and Confused", with lyrics rewritten by Relf, was a live staple of the Yardbirds' last two American tours. The latter went down so well that Page selected it for the first Led Zeppelin record, on which it appears with Page credited as writer.

By 1968 Relf and McCarty wished to pursue a style influenced by folk and classical music while Page, at a time when the psychedelic blues-rock of Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience was enormously popular, wanted to continue with the kind of "heavy" music for which Led Zeppelin would become famous. Dreja was developing an interest in photography. By March, Relf and McCarty had decided to leave, though the other two managed to persuade them to stay at least for one more American tour. The Yardbirds' final single, recorded in January and released two months later, reflected these divergences. The A-side, "Goodnight Sweet Josephine", was in the same vein as their Mickie Most-produced singles of the previous year, while its B-side, "Think About It", featured a proto-Zeppelin Page riff and snippets of the "Dazed" guitar solo. This last single did not even crack the Hot 100.

A concert and some album tracks were recorded in New York City in March (including the currently unreleased song "Knowing That I'm Losing You", an early version of a track that would be re-recorded by Led Zeppelin as "Tangerine"). All were shelved at the band's request, although once Led Zeppelin were successful Epic tried to release the concert material as Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page. The album was quickly withdrawn after Page's lawyers filed an injunction.

On 7 July 1968, the Yardbirds played their final gig at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire, England. Twelve years later to the day Led Zeppelin would play their final concert in their original line-up in Berlin.

The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page and Chris Dreja, with a tour slated for the fall in Scandinavia, saw the break-up as an opportunity to put a new lineup together with Page as producer and Grant as manager. Procol Harum's B.J. Wilson, Paul Francis, and session man Clem Cattini, who'd guested on more than a few Yardbirds tracks under Most's supervision, were considered as drummers. Young vocalist and composer Terry Reid was asked to replace Relf but declined because of a new recording contract with Most and recommended the then-unknown Robert Plant. Plant, in turn, recommended his childhood friend John Bonham on drums. Dreja bowed out to pursue a career as a rock photographer and bassist/keyboardist/arranger John Paul Jones — who, like Cattini, had worked with Page on countless sessions, including several with the Yardbirds — was recruited. Rehearsals began in August; in early September, Page's revised Yardbirds embarked on the Scandinavian tour after which the group returned to England to produce an album, still billed as The Yardbirds as late as October 1968.

While Page's new roster still played a few songs from the Yardbirds' canon—usually "Train Kept A-Rollin'," "Dazed and Confused," or "For Your Love" — a name (and identity) change was in order as the fall of 1968 drew to a close. This may have been motivated, at least in part, by a cease-and-desist order from Dreja, who claimed that he maintained legal rights to the "Yardbirds" name; other reports indicate it was Page's desire to wipe the slate clean. Whatever the reason, the band restyled itself "Led Zeppelin", a term believed to have been coined, originally, by Keith Moon in reference to the "supergroup" that had performed on "Beck's Bolero." Moon had quipped that a Page/Beck/Moon/Jones/Hopkins lineup would go down "like a "lead zeppelin." The spelling of "lead" was changed to avoid confusion over its pronunciation. This effectively closed the books on the Yardbirds — at least by name — for the next 24 years.

After the Yardbirds

Jim McCarty drums The Yardbirds 1963-PresentVocalist Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty formed an acoustic rock group called Together and then Renaissance, which recorded two albums for Island Records over a two-year period. McCarty formed the group Shoot in 1973. Keith Relf, after producing albums for Medicine Head (with whom he also played bass) and Saturnalia, resurfaced in 1975 with a new quartet, Armageddon; a hybrid of heavy metal, hard rock and folk influences, which now included former Renaissance bandmate Louis Cennamo. They recorded one promising album before Relf died in an electrical accident in his home studio on 14 May 1976. In 1977, Illusion was formed, featuring a reunited lineup of the original Renaissance, including drummer Jim McCarty and Keith's sister Jane Relf.

In the 1980s Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja and Paul Samwell-Smith formed a short-lived but fun Yardbirds semi-reunion called Box of Frogs, which occasionally included Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page plus various friends with whom they had all recorded over the years. Jim McCarty was also part of 'The British Invasion All-Stars' with members of Procol Harum, Creation, Nashville Teens, The Downliners Sect and The Pretty Things. Phil May and Dick Taylor of The Pretty Things, together with drummer Jim McCarty, recorded 2 albums in Chicago as The Pretty Things-Yardbirds Blues Band "The Chicago Blues Tapes 1991" and "Wine, Women, Whiskey", both produced by George Paulus.

The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. Nearly all the original surviving musicians who had been part of the group's heyday, including Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, appeared at the ceremony. Eric Clapton, whose Hall Of Fame induction here was the first of three, was unable to attend because of his obligations while recording and working on a show for the MTV Unplugged series. Accepting the induction on behalf of the late Keith Relf were his wife April and son Danny.

Reformation

The Yardbirds at Langueux (France) 9 September 2006, left to right: John Idan, Jim McCarty (behind the drums) and Chris Dreja. Photo: Corentin Lamy.In 1992 Peter Barton from Rock Artist Management contacted Jim McCarty about the prospect of reforming The Yardbirds. Jim was interested but only if Chris Dreja would agree, but at the time Jim thought it highly unlikely that Chris would want to tour again. Peter Barton then contacted Chris Dreja, who after some gentle persuasion agreed to give it a try. Their debut gig was booked at The Marquee club in London along with the newly reformed Animals. It was a great success.The lineup featured John Idan handling bass and lead vocals. Peter Barton managed the band and booked all their dates for over a decade. Peter still works with the band on occasion.

In 2003, a new album, Birdland, was released under the Yardbirds name on the Favored Nations label by a lineup including Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, and new members Gypie Mayo (lead guitar, backing vocals), John Idan (bass, lead vocals) and Alan Glen (harmonica, backing vocals), which consisted of a mixture of new material mostly penned by McCarty and re-recordings of some of their greatest hits, with guest appearances by Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Slash, Brian May, Steve Lukather, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, John Rzeznik, Martin Ditchum and Simon McCarty. Also, Jeff Beck reunited with his former bandmates on the song "My Blind Life". And then there was the rare and improbable guest appearance on stage in 2005 by their first guitarist from the sixties, Top Topham.

Since the release of Birdland, Gypie Mayo has been briefly replaced by Jerry Donahue, and subsequently in 2005 by the then 22-year-old Ben King, while Alan Glen has been replaced by Billy Boy Miskimmin from Nine Below Zero fame.

In 2007 the Yardbirds released a live CD, recorded on July 19, 2006, entitled Live At B.B. King Blues Club (Favored Nations), featuring the McCarty, Dreja, Idan, King and Miskimmin line-up.

The first episode of the 2007/2008 season for The Simpsons featured The Yardbirds' "I'm A Man" from the CD "Live At B.B. King Blues Club" (Favored Nations).

According to his website, John Idan resigned from the Yardbirds in August 2008, although his last gig with them was on Friday 24 April 2009, when they headlined the first concert in the new Live Room venue at Twickenham rugby stadium. This was also Alan Glen's last gig with the band after temporarily standing in when Billy Boy Miskimmin was unavailable.

Idan and Glen were replaced by Andy Mitchell (lead vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar) and David Smale (bass, backing vocals), brother of the virtuoso guitarist Jonathan Smale.

Info courtesy of Wikipedia.org

The Yardbirds