On October 1, 2025, Christopher Walenty Dreja died aged 79. He was musician (guitar, bass) and photographer, member of bands Metropolitan Blues Quartet and Box of Frogs, but was best known as the rhythm guitarist and bassist for The Yardbirds. In 1992, as a member of the Yardbirds he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.
Tag Archives: The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds: Five Live Yardbirds
On December 4, 1964, “Columbia” label released “Five Live Yardbirds”, the debut Yardbirds (The) album. It was recorded in March 1964, at “Marquee Club” in London, and was produced by Giorgio Gomelsky.
Personnel:
- Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica, maracas
- Eric “Slowhand” Clapton – co-led vocals, lead guitar
- Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar
- Paul “Sam” Samwell-Smith – co-lead vocals, bass guitar
- Jim McCarty – drums
- Phillip Wood – engineer, sound effects engineer
- Richard Rosser – photography
- Giorgio Gomelsky – liner notes
Track listing:
- Too Much Monkey Business – Chuck Berry
- I Got Love If You Want It – James Moore (a.k.a. Slim Harpo)
- Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl – Don Level, Bob Love
- Respectable – O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
- Five Long Years – Eddie Boyd
- Pretty Girl – Ellas McDaniel (a.k.a. Bo Didley)
- Louise – John Lee Hooker
- I’m a Man – Ellas McDaniel
- Here ‘Tis – Ellas McDaniel
Jeff Beck
On January 10, 2023, Geoffrey Arnold Beck aka Jeff Beck died aged 78. He was musician (guitar), in all lists of the 100 Greatest guitarists of all time, he was ranked in the top five. Beck’s innovative guitar sound spanned various styles ranging from blues rock, jazz fusion and guitar rock and influenced generations of young guitarists. He received “Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performances” six times, and “Best pop Instrumental Performance” once. In 1992, as member of The Yardbirds he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, and as solo artists in 2009. In 2014 he received the “British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award” for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Beck was member of the Yardbirds, founder and leader of Jeff Beck Group, and member of Beck, Bogert and Appice. As leader he released fourteen albums.
Peter Grant
On November 21, 1995, Peter James “G” Grant died aged 60. He was music manager, working with Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group, Terry Reid, The New Vaudeville Band, Bad Company, Maggie Bell, The Nashville Teens and Stone the Crows. He was known as “one of the most ruthless and successful managers in rock history”.
The Yardbirds: Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds
On November 15, 1965, “Epic” label released “Having a Rave Up with the Yardbirds” the second Yardbirds (The) album. It was recorded March 1964, April – September 1965, and was produced by Giorgio Gomelsky.
Personnel:
- Keith Relf– vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar, percussion
- Jeff Beck– lead guitar
- Eric Clapton– lead guitar
- Jimmy Page– second lead guitar
- Chris Dreja– rhythm guitar
- Paul Samwell-Smith– bass guitar, backing vocals, musical director
- Ron Prentice – bass
- Jim McCarty– drums, backing vocals
- Giorgio Gomelsky– backing bass vocal
Track listing:
- You’re a Better Man Than I – Mike Hugg, Brian Hugg
- Evil Hearted You – Graham Gouldman
- I’m Man – Bo Diddley
- Still I’m Sad – Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty
- Heart Full of Soul – Graham Gouldman
- The Train Kept A-Rollin – Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann
- Smokestack Lightning – Howlin’ Wolf
- Respectable – O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
- I’m Man – Bo Diddley
- Here ‘Tis – Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
On June 2, 2008, Ellas Otha Bates aka Bo Diddley, died aged 79. He was musician (guitar), singer, songwriter and music producer, played important role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. His original syncopated beat – three strokes /rest/ two strokes, became the core rhythm of rock ’n’ roll. His style influenced big number of music acts including The Animals, Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Parliament Funkadelic, The Velvet Underground, The Who, The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, and The Beatles.
Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham
On August 12, 1968, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham rehearsed for first time together at the studio in Gerrard Street in London’s West End. They played a version of “The Train Kept A-Rollin”, “Smokestack Lightning” and “I’m Confused” which later became “Dazed And Confused”. The first live dates they performed were by the name of “The Yardbirds”; it was the following month they changed the name to “Led Zeppelin”.
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