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Crawdaddy Club
The Crawdaddy Club was a 1960s music venue in Richmond, Surrey, England, famous for being the location of the Rolling Stones' first ever gig in 1962. Several other seminal British blues and rhythm and blues acts also played there.
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Richmond, London
{{Infobox UK place
http://wn.com/Richmond_London -
Vancouver
Vancouver () is a coastal city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is named for British Captain George Vancouver, who explored the area in the 1790s. The name Vancouver itself originates from the Dutch "van Coevorden", denoting somebody from Coevorden, a city in the Netherlands.
http://wn.com/Vancouver
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Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "'''America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band'''". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many subsequent rock artists. The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. Guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarist Ray Tabano, and formed Aerosmith. In 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, and the band began developing a following in Boston.
http://wn.com/Aerosmith -
Alan Glen
Alan Glen (born 1951, Wuppertal, Germany) is a British blues harmonica player, best known for his work with The Yardbirds, Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, and his own bands, The Barcodes and The Incredible Blues Puppies.
http://wn.com/Alan_Glen -
Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner (19 April 1928 — 1 January 1984) was a pioneering blues musician and broadcaster who has sometimes been referred to as "the Founding Father of British Blues". A major influence on the sound of the British music scene in the 1960s, Korner was instrumental in bringing together various English blues musicians.
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Ben King (guitarist)
Ben King is a British-American professional guitarist, who is currently touring with English blues-rock band The Yardbirds. He has gained popularity as a musician owing to his extensive technical ability of the guitar coupled with his young age.
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Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008) was the stage name for Ellas Otha Bates, an American rock and roll vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and inventor. He was known as "The Originator" because of his key role in the transition from the blues to rock & roll, influencing a host of legendary acts including Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, The Yardbirds, and Eric Clapton. He introduced more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard-edged guitar sound on a wide-ranging catalog of songs. Accordingly, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and a Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He was known in particular for his technical innovations, including his trademark rectangular guitar.
http://wn.com/Bo_Diddley -
Bob Brunning
'''Robert 'Bob' Brunning''' (born 29 June 1943 in Bournemouth, then in Hampshire) is a British musician best known for his role as original bass guitar player with the blues rock band Fleetwood Mac.
http://wn.com/Bob_Brunning -
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen. As a guitarist he uses his home-built guitar, "Red Special", and has composed hits such as "Keep Yourself Alive", "Now I'm Here", "Tie Your Mother Down", "We Will Rock You", "Who Wants to Live Forever", "Hammer to Fall", "Save Me", "Fat Bottomed Girls", "I Want It All" and "Too Much Love Will Kill You". May earned a PhD in astrophysics in 2007 and is currently the Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University. May lives in Surrey.
http://wn.com/Brian_May -
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), famously called Bird, or Yardbird was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.
http://wn.com/Charlie_Parker -
Chris Dreja
Chris Dreja (born 11 November 1945, Surbiton, England) was the rhythm guitarist, and later bassist, when he switched with Jimmy Page to the 1960s British band, The Yardbirds.
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Clem Cattini
Clem Cattini (born 28 August 1937, Stoke Newington, North London, England), is an English rock and roll drummer who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician. He is one of the most prolific drummers in UK recording history, appearing on hundreds of recordings by artists as diverse as Engelbert Humperdinck and Lou Reed, and has featured on a record 44 different UK number one singles.
http://wn.com/Clem_Cattini -
Cyril Davies
Cyril Davies (23 January 1932 - 7 January 1964) was one of the first British blues harmonica players and blues musician.
http://wn.com/Cyril_Davies -
Dick Heckstall-Smith
Dick Heckstall-Smith (16 September 1934 – 17 December 2004) was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most important English blues-rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.
http://wn.com/Dick_Heckstall-Smith -
Dick Taylor
'''Richard Clifford 'Dick' Taylor''' (born 28 January 1943, Dartford, Kent, England) is an English musician who was once an early bass guitarist for The Rolling Stones. He left to become an art student at Sidcup Art College and while there formed The Pretty Things in September 1963. Taylor now lives on the Isle of Wight, England.
http://wn.com/Dick_Taylor -
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945) is an English blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only person who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times; as a solo performer, as well as a member of rock bands the Yardbirds and Cream. Throughout his career, Clapton has been viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, Clapton was ranked fourth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #53 on their list of the "Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time". In 2010, Clapton was ranked #4 on ''Gibson's'' Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.
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George Paulus
George Paulus (April 23, 1948 in Chicago) is an American record producer, founder and owner of Barrelhouse Records, Negro Rhythm Records, and St. George Records.
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Giorgio Gomelsky
Giorgio Gomelsky (born February 28, 1934) is a filmmaker, impresario, music manager and record producer. He owned the Crawdaddy Club where The Rolling Stones were house band, and he was involved with their early management. He hired The Yardbirds as a replacement and managed them. He was also their producer from the beginning through 1966. In 1967, he started Marmalade Records (distributed by Polydor), which featured "Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and The Trinity", The Blossom Toes, and early recordings by Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who became 10cc. The label closed in 1969.
http://wn.com/Giorgio_Gomelsky -
Graham Gouldman
Graham Keith Gouldman (born 10 May 1946) is an English songwriter and musician who is a long-time member of British band 10cc.
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Gypie Mayo
Gypie Mayo (born John Phillip Cawthra, 24 July 1951, Hammersmith, London, England) is an English guitarist, playing in Dr. Feelgood from 1977 to 1981, and from 1996 to 2004 in the re-born The Yardbirds with Alan Glen.
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Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), who sometimes went by the stage name Nilsson, was an American songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success as a singer in the mid 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings, he is credited as 'Nilsson' and is known for the hit singles "Without You", "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City", "Everybody's Talkin'," "Coconut" and "Jump into the Fire". Nilsson's songs 'One' and 'Cuddly Toy' have been covered by artists including the Monkees, Three Dog Night and Aimee Mann. He was awarded Grammy Awards for two of his recordings.
http://wn.com/Harry_Nilsson -
Jake Holmes
Jake Grier Holmes, Jr. (born December 28, 1939 in San Francisco, California) is an American folk-pop singer/songwriter and jingle writer who began a recording career in the 1960s. Holmes, who has a particular talent for writing clever, perceptive lyrics, is perhaps best known as the original author of the song "Dazed and Confused", later popularized by Led Zeppelin, and for composing the US Army recruitment jingle "Be All That You Can Be" in the late 1970s. The jingle and subsequent advertising campaign was used extensively by the US government throughout the 1980s. Holmes also co-wrote the famous "Be a Pepper" for soft drink multinational corporation Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
http://wn.com/Jake_Holmes -
Jane Relf
Jane Relf (born 7 March 1947) is the younger sister of Keith Relf of the Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds disbanded, Keith formed Renaissance and Jane joined on vocals. After Keith's death the surviving members of Renaissance reformed as Illusion, under which name they recorded two albums with Jane's vocals to the fore. Since Illusion dissolved Jane has sung on various Jim McCarty projects including Stairway and Renaissance Illusion.
http://wn.com/Jane_Relf -
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He is one of the three noted guitarists, along with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, to have played with The Yardbirds. Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group, and Beck, Bogert & Appice, besides his successful solo career.
http://wn.com/Jeff_Beck -
Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue (born September 24, 1946, Manhattan, New York City) is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of the rock guitar trio The Hellecasters.
http://wn.com/Jerry_Donahue -
Jim McCarty
:For the guitarist, see Jim McCarty (guitarist), for people named Jim McCarthy, see James McCarthy
http://wn.com/Jim_McCarty -
Jimmy Page
James Patrick Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.
http://wn.com/Jimmy_Page -
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani (born July 15, 1956 in Westbury, New York) is an Italian American multi-instrumentalist, known primarily for his work as an instrumental rock guitarist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations. Early in his career, Satriani worked as a guitar instructor, and some of his former students have achieved fame with their guitar skills (Steve Vai, Larry LaLonde, Kirk Hammett, Andy Timmons, Charlie Hunter, Kevin Cadogan, Alex Skolnick). Satriani has been a driving force in the music credited to other musicians throughout his career, as a founder of the ever-changing touring trio, G3, as well as performing in various positions with other musicians.
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John Idan
John Idan is the former lead vocalist, guitarist, and bass guitarist for the reformed version of The Yardbirds. He resigned from the band in 2008 to promote his solo album The Folly with his new band The John Idan Group.
http://wn.com/John_Idan -
John Rzeznik
John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik (born December 5, 1965), also known as Johnny Rzeznik, is an American songwriter, lead guitarist, vocalist and producer. He is best known as the frontman of rock band the Goo Goo Dolls, of whom he is a founding member and with whom he has recorded nine studio albums.
http://wn.com/John_Rzeznik -
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 – 7 September 1978) was the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon." Moon joined The Who in 1964. He played on all albums and singles from their debut, 1964's "Zoot Suit", to 1978's Who Are You, which was released three weeks before his death.
http://wn.com/Keith_Moon -
Keith Relf
Keith William Relf (22 March 1943 - 14 May 1976), was best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo, Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock group Armageddon. Relf also produced tracks for artists such as folk-rock band Hunter Muskett, the acoustic, world music, group Amber, Saturnalia and Medicine Head, with whom he played bass guitar.
http://wn.com/Keith_Relf -
Long John Baldry
John "Long John" William Baldry (12 January 1941 – 21 July 2005) was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where "Let the Heartaches Begin" reached No. 1 in 1967 and in Australia where his duet with Kathi McDonald "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" reached No. 2 in 1980. Baldry lived in Canada from the late 1970s until his death. There he continued to make records and do voiceover work. He was the voice of Dr. Robotnik in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
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Louis Cennamo
Louis David Cennamo (born 5 March 1946, London) was bass guitarist with an early line up of The Herd, the original line-up of Renaissance and later Colosseum, Steamhammer, Armageddon and Illusion (the reformed Renaissance). He also worked with Jim McCarty in Stairway. The song "Bullet", on the first Renaissance album, includes an extended unaccompanied bass solo by Cennamo. For a number of years Louis has played jazz with a variety of line-ups, most recently with Special Edition.
http://wn.com/Louis_Cennamo -
Lucio Dalla
Lucio Dalla (born March 4, 1943 in Bologna) is a popular Italian singer-songwriter and musician. He also plays clarinet and keyboards.
http://wn.com/Lucio_Dalla -
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875December 28, 1937) was a French composer of Impressionist music known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects. Much of his piano music, chamber music, vocal music and orchestral music has entered the standard concert repertoire.
http://wn.com/Maurice_Ravel -
Mickie Most
Mickie Most (20 June 1938 — 30 May 2003) was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with his own RAK Records, and with acts such as The Animals, The Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group.
http://wn.com/Mickie_Most -
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915April 30, 1983), known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered "the Father of blues". Blues musicians Big Bill Morganfield and Larry "Mud Morganfield" Williams are his sons. A major inspiration for the British blues explosion in the 1960s, Muddy was ranked #17 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
http://wn.com/Muddy_Waters -
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist.
http://wn.com/Nicky_Hopkins -
Paul Samwell-Smith
Paul Samwell-Smith (born Paul Smith, 8 May 1943, in Richmond, Surrey) is best known as a founding member and bassist of the 1960s English band, The Yardbirds, a group that spawned such noteworthy musicians as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page, and as a youth, attended Hampton Grammar School with The Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty.
http://wn.com/Paul_Samwell-Smith -
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for The Who, as well as for his own solo career. His career with The Who spans more than forty years, during which time the band grew to be considered one of the most influential bands of the 60s and 70s, and, according to Eddie Vedder, "possibly the greatest live band ever."
http://wn.com/Pete_Townshend -
Phil May (singer)
Phil May (born Phillip Arthur Dennis Wadey, 9 November 1944, Dartford, Kent, England) is an English vocalist. He is best known for being the lead singer of The Pretty Things, of whom he was a founding member.
http://wn.com/Phil_May_(singer) -
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE (born 20 August 1948), is an English rock singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career. In 2007, Plant released Raising Sand, an album produced by T-Bone Burnett with American bluegrass soprano Alison Krauss, which won the 2009 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
http://wn.com/Robert_Plant -
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson (born July 23, 1965), better known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician. He is the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he performed and recorded between 1985 and 1996. He later formed Slash's Snakepit and co-founded Velvet Revolver with his former bandmates Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, and his debut solo album, Slash, was released in April 2010.
http://wn.com/Slash_(musician) -
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather (born October 21, 1957, San Fernando Valley, California) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with countless artists, released several solo albums and, as a studio session guitarist, has been involved with arranging, composing, and recording on over 1,000 albums. He is also a member of jazz fusion bands El Grupo and Los Lobotomys, both collaborations of notable sessions musicians. While his work with Toto was predominantly based on pop rock music, Lukather's solo and side-project work spans many genres including rock, prog, jazz and funk.
http://wn.com/Steve_Lukather -
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai (born June 6, 1960) is a three time Grammy Award-winning Italian-American rock guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and producer. After starting his professional career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. The guitarist began a solo career in 1983 and has released 13 solo albums as of 2008. Apart from his work with Frank Zappa, Vai has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd., Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label, Favored Nations, intending to showcase, as Vai describes, "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."
http://wn.com/Steve_Vai -
Steven Tyler
Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), better known as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, songwriter, and judge who is the frontman and lead singer for the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is well-known for his stage acrobatics. During his high-energy performances, he usually dresses in bright, colorful outfits with his trademark scarves hanging from his microphone stand.
http://wn.com/Steven_Tyler -
Terry Reid
Terry Reid (born 13 November 1949, Huntingdon, England) is an English rock vocalist and guitarist. He has performed with high profile musicians, as a supporting act, a session musician, and sideman.
http://wn.com/Terry_Reid -
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful period was the mid 1960s, although they continue to perform to this day. David Bowie covered two of their songs on his album Pin Ups.
http://wn.com/The_Pretty_Things -
Tomorrow (band)
Tomorrow (previously known as The In Crowd and before that as Four Plus One) were a 1960s psychedelic rock band. Despite critical acclaim and support from DJ John Peel who featured them on his "Perfumed Garden" radio show, the band was not a great success in commercial terms. They were among the first psychedelic bands in England along with Pink Floyd and Soft Machine. Tomorrow recorded the first ever John Peel show session on BBC Radio 1 on 21 September 1967.
http://wn.com/Tomorrow_(band) -
Tony Hazzard
Tony Hazzard (born Anthony Hazzard, 31 October 1943, Liverpool) is an English singer and songwriter. He has written songs for The Hollies ("Listen to Me"), Manfred Mann ("Ha! Ha! Said The Clown" and "Fox on the Run"), "Me, The Peaceful Heart" for Lulu, The Yardbirds ("Goodnight Sweet Josephine"), Herman's Hermits ("You Won't Be Leaving"), Peter Noone ("(I Think I'm Over) Getting Over You"), The Tremeloes ("Hello World"), Gene Pitney ("Maria Elena"), Richard Barnes ("Take to the Mountains"), Cherry Smash ("Fade Away Maureen") and Andy Williams among others.
http://wn.com/Tony_Hazzard -
Top Topham
Anthony "Top" Topham (born 3 July 1947, Southall,Middlesex), is an English musician, and artist. He is best known for as a blues guitarist, and also for being the first lead guitarist of The Yardbirds. Topham left the band before they achieved mainstream popularity, and was replaced by Eric Clapton, the first of three lead guitarists from the Yardbirds to gain an international reputation (the other two being Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page).
http://wn.com/Top_Topham
RELEASE
ALBUMS
The Very Best of the Yardbirds
(Released 2008)
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- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Still I'm Sad
- Evil Hearted You
- A Certain Girl
- Jeff's Blues
- I Wish You Would
- New York City
- I'm Not Talking
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Shapes of Things
- I'm a Man
- Boom Boom
- Smokestack Lightning (live)
- Let It Rock (live)
- You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover
- Who Do You Love (live)
- Too Much Monkey Business (live)
- Respectable (live)
- Pretty Girl (live)
- Stroll On
London 1963: The First Recordings!
(Released 2007)
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- Smokestack Lightinin'
- You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover
- Take It Easy Baby
- Talkin' About You
- Let It Rock
- I Wish You Would
- Boom Boom
- Honey in Your Hips
- Who Do You Love
- For Your Love
- Shapes of Things
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- I'm a Man
- Little Games
- Ha Ha Said the Clown
- Ten Little Indians
- Gooodnight Sweet Josephine (US version)
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Still I'm Sad
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Boom Boom
- I Ain't Done No Wrong
- I Ain't Got You
- I'm Not Talking
- Stroll On
- A Certain Girl
- Honey in Your Hips
- Got to Hurry
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- Paff...Bum
- Sweet Music
Rave Up With The Yardbirds
(Released 2004)
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- Heart Full of Soul
- Steeled Blues
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Shapes of Things
- You're a Better Man Than I
- The Train Kept A Rollin' (from the film "Blow Up")
- Jeff's Blues
- What Do You Want (instrumental version)
- Boom Boom
- Talkin' 'Bout You
- I Ain't Done No Wrong
- You Can't Judge a Book by It's Cover
- Who Do You Love (live)
Shapes of Things: The Very Best Of
(Released 2004)
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- Shapes of Things
- Evil Hearted You
- Heart Full of Soul
- Still I'm Sad
- Stroll On
- I'm a Man
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Train Kept a Rollin'
- I'm Not Talkin'
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- For Your Love
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- Got to Hurry
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- Let It Rock
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Smokestack Lightning
- Five Long Years
- Here 'Tis
- I'm Not Talking
- Crying Out for Love
- The Nazz Are Blue (feat. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter)
- For Your Love (feat. Johnny Rzeznik)
- Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout the News
- Train Kept a Rollin' (feat. Joe Satriani)
- Mr Saboteur
- Shapes of Things (feat. Steve Vai)
- My Blind Life (feat. Jeff Beck)
- Over, Under, Sideways, Down (feat. Slash)
- Mr. You're a Better Man Than I (feat. Brian May)
- The Mystery of Being
- Dream Within a Dream
- Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (feat. Steve Lukather)
- An Original Man (A Song for Keith)
The Ultimate Collection
(Released 2002)
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- For Your Love
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- i Ain't Got You
- Got To Hurry
- Heart Full Of Soul
- Steeled Blues
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Shapes Of Things
- Mister, You're A Better Man Than I
- I'm A Man
- New York City Blues
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- Sweet Music
- Someone To Love (Parts 1 & 2)
- Stroll On
The Yardbirds Story
(Released 2002)
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- Smokestack Lightning
- You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover
- Let It Rock
- I Wish You Would
- Who Do You Love?
- Honey in Your Hips
- Bye Bye Bird
- Mister Downchild
- The River Rhine
- 23 Hours Too Long
- A Lost Care
- Pontiac Blues
- Take It Easy Baby
- Out on the Water Coast
- Western Arizona
- Take It Easy Baby
- Do the Weston
- Baby What's Wrong
Eric Clapton & The Yardbirds
(Released 2002)
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- For Your Love
- Boom Boom
- A Certain Girl
- I'm a Man
- Talkin' Bout You
- Highway 69
- My Little Cabin
- Got to Hurry (Take 4)
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- Louise (live)
- Five Long Years (live)
- Smokestack Lightning (live)
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (live)
- Got Love If You Want It (live)
- Respectable (live)
- I Wish You Would (live)
- Who Do You Love
- Boom Boom
- Honey in Your Hips
- Talkin Bout You
- Let It Rock
- I Wish You Would
- For Your Love
- I Ain't Got You
- Take It Easy Baby
- Train Kept on Rollin
- Smoke Stack Lightning
- A Certain Girl
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul
- Got to Hurry
- Like Jimmy Reed Again
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- Talkin' Bout You
- Pounds and Stomps
- Paff... Bum
- Baby What's Wrong
- Jeff's Blues
- Mr. Zero
- She's So Respectable
- Slow Walk
- Without You
- My Little Cabin
- Knowing
- Louise
- Five Years Long
- Early in the Morning
- Pounds and Stomps
- They Call It Stormy Monday
- Big Boss Man
- Choker
- Eric's Blues
- First Time I Met the Blues
- She's So Respectable
- West Coast Idea
- Got to Hurry
- Freight Loader
- Draggin' My Tail
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Snake Drive
- For Your Love
Midnite Jazz & Blues: Tribute to Elmore
(Released 2001)
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- Choker
- Draggin' My Tail
- Freight Loader
- Miles Road
- Snake Drive
- Tribute to Elmore
- West Coast Idea
- Boom Boom
- Got to Hurry (take 4)
- Got Love If You Want It
- Smokestack Lightning
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Five Long Years
- Louise
- Boom Boom
- Honey in Your Hips
- A Certain Girl
- I Wish You Would
- Too Much Monkey Business (live)
- I Got Love If You Want It (live)
- Smokestack Lightning (live)
- Here 'Tis (live)
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Got to Hurry
- I Ain't Got You
- For Your Love
- I'm Not Talking
- Steeled Blues
- Heart Full of Soul
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Shapes of Things
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- New York City Blues
- Evil Hearted You
- I'm a Man
- Still I'm Sad
- Questa Volta
- Pafff... Bum
The Very Best of the Yardbirds
(Released 2000)
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- Talkin’ ‘Bout You
- Let It Rock (live)
- Pontiac Blues (live)
- I Wish You Would
- Too Much Monkey Business (live)
- Smokestack Lightning (live)
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Got to Hurry
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul (Sitar version)
- I Ain’t Done Wrong
- My Girl Sloopy
- Still I’m Sad
- I’m A Man
- Train Kept A Rollin’
- Shapes of Things
- Jeff’s Blues
- Like Jimmy Reed Again
- Stroll On (from the film ‘Blow Up’)
- Heart Full of Soul
- Still I'm Sad
- For Your Love
- Putty
- Evil Hearted You
- I'm a Man
- I'm Not Talking
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Shapes of Things
- Goodnight Sweet Josephine
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- I Wish You Would
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- A Certain Girl
- Got to Hurry
- Honey in Your Hips
- Mr. You're a Better Man Than I
- Evil Hearted You
- I'm a Man
- Still I'm Sad
- Heart Full of Soul
- Train Kept a Rollin'
- Heart Full of Soul (Sitar version)
- Steeled Blues
- Shapes of Things
- New York City Blues
- Questa Volta
- Paff... Bum (Italian Issue)
- Paff... Bum (German Issue)
- What Do You Want
- Jeff's Blues
- Someone to Love, Part 1
- Someone to Love, Part 2
- For R.S.G.
- Like Jimmy Reed Again
- Chris' Number
- Pounds and Stomps
- Stroll On
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I Ain't Got You
- Boom Boom
- For Your Love
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Pontiac Blues
- Let It Rock
- Honey in Your Hips
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- I'm a Man
- Shapes of Things
- Little Games
- Ha Ha Said the Clown
- Ten Little Indians
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor
- Puzzles
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor (alternate version)
- Shapes of Things
- Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
- Over, Under, Sideways, Down
- I'm a Man
- White Summer (alternate version)
- Ten Little Indians
- Glimpses (alternate version)
- You Stole My Love
- Avron Knows
- Spanish Blood
- My Baby
- Taking a Hold on Me
- Dazed and Confused / De Lane Lea Lee (alternate version)
- Heart Full Of Soul
- Mr. You Are A Better Man Than I
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Jeff's Blues (Take 2)
- Like Jimmy Reed Again
- Chris' Number
- Pounds And Stomps
- Shapes Of Things
- I'm A Man
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- Here 'Tis
- Steeled Blues
- New York City Blues
- What Do You Want (take 4)
- Stroll On
The Ultimate Collection
(Released 1999)
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- Baby What's Wrong
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Good Morning Little School Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- For Your Love
- Got to Hurry
- My Girl Sloopy
- I'm Not Talking
- Heart Full of Soul
- Steeled Blues
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- I'm a Man
- New York City Blues
- Shapes of Things
- Mister You're a Better Man Than I
- Train Kept A-Rollin'
- For Your Love
- I'm Not Talking
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- I Ain't Got You
- Got to Hurry
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Sweet Music (take 3)
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- My Girl Sloopy
- Baby What's Wrong
- Boom Boom
- Honey in Your Hips
- Talkin' 'Bout You
- I Wish You Would (long version)
- A Certain Girl (alternate take)
- Got to Hurry (take 4)
- Sweet Music (take 4)
- Heart Full of Soul (Sitar version)
- Steeled Blues
- Paff Bumm (German Issue)
- Questa Volta
- Paff Bumm (Italian Issue)
- Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (Mono)
- Psycho Daisies (Mono)
- Lost Women (Mono)
- Over Under Sideways Down (Mono)
- The Nazz Are Blue (Mono)
- I Can't Make Your Way (Mono)
- Rack My Mind (Mono)
- Farewell (Mono)
- Hot House of Omagararshid (Mono)
- Jeff's Boogie (Mono)
- He's Always There (Mono)
- Turn Into Earth (Mono)
- What Do You Want (Mono)
- Ever Since the World Began (Mono)
- Lost Women (Stereo)
- Over Under Sideways Down (Stereo)
- The Nazz Are Blue (Stereo)
- I Can't Make Your Way (Stereo)
- Rack My Mind (Stereo)
- Farewell (Stereo)
- Hot House of Omagararshid (Stereo)
- Jeff's Boogie (Stereo)
- He's Always There (Stereo)
- Turn Into Earth (Stereo)
- What Do You Want (Stereo)
- Ever Since the World Began (Stereo)
- Mr. Zero
- Knowing
- Shapes in My Mind (version 1)
- Shapes in My Mind (version 2)
- Blue Sands (excerpt)
The Best of the Yardbirds
(Released 1998)
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- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- For Your Love
- A Certain Girl
- Got Love If You Want It
- I Wish You Would
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- I'm a Man
- I Ain't Got You
- I'm Not Talking
- Still I'm Sad
- Shape of Things
- Baby What's Wrong
- You're a Better Man Than I
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
Over Under Sideways Down
(Released 1998)
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- Lost Woman
- Over Under Sideways Down
- The Nazz Are Blue
- I Can't Make Your Way
- Rack My Mind
- Farewell
- Hot House of Omagararshid
- Jeff's Boogie
- He's Always There
- Turn Into Earth
- What Do You Want
- Ever Since the World Began
- Over Under Sideways Down (single version)
- Jeff's Boogie (single version)
- Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
- Psycho Daisies
- Hot House of Omagararshid (alternate take)
- Mr Zero (Keith Relf Solo)
- Knowing (Keith Relf Solo)
- Shapes in My Mind (Keith Relf Solo)
- Blue Sands (Keith Relf Solo)
- Shapes in My Mind (Keith Relf Solo) (alternate version)
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- Shapes of Things
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- Smokestack Lightning
- Let It Rock
- Honey in Your Hips
- Talkin' About You
- Got to Hurry
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Highway 69
- I Got Love If You Want It
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Pretty Girl
- Five Long Years
- I'm a Man
- 23 Hours Too Long
- Little Games
- Smile On Me
- White Summer
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor
- Glimpses (Version 1)
- Drinking Muddy Water (Stereo Mix)
- No Excess Baggage
- Stealing Stealing
- Only The Black Rose
- Little Soldier Boy
- Puzzles
- I Remember The Night
- Ha Ha Said The Clown
- Ten Little Indians (Vocal)
- Goodnight Sweet Josephine (Version 1)
- Think About It
- You Stole My Love
- L.S.D.
- Drinking Muddy Water (Mono Mix)
- De Lane Lea Lee
- Glimpses (Version 2)
- Never Mind
- Ten Little Indians (Instrumental)
- Goodnight Seet Josephine (Version 2)
- Together Now (by TOGETHER)
- "Great Shakes" Commercial Spot
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul
- Shape of Things
- Still I'm Sad
- Evil Hearted You
- Boom Boom
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I'm a Man
- Putty
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- Too Much Monkey Business
- I Ain't Got You
- A Certain Girl
- I Wish You Would
- Got to Hurry
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- 23 Hours Too Long
- Out on the Water Coast
- Five Long Years
- I Ain't Got You
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Little Red Rooster (rehearsal)
- Little Red Rooster
- Highway 49
- Wang-Dang-Doodle
- I'm a Man
- The Train Kept a Rolling
- Jeff's Blues
- Steeled Blues
- New York City Blues
- It's a Bloody Life
- I See a Man Downstairs
The Blues Collection 14: Eric Clapton and The Yardbirds
(Released 1994)
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- For Your Love
- Putty in Your Hands
- Got to Hurry
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Heart Full of Soul
- Jeff's Blues
- Shapes of Things
- Steeled Blues
- Stroll On
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- Train Kept a Rolling
- I'm a Man
The Blues Collection 11: Soaring Sounds
(Released 1993)
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- For Your Love
- Putty in Your Hands
- Got to Hurry
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Heart Full of Soul
- Jeff's Blues
- Shapes of Things
- Steeled Blues
- Stroll On
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- Train Kept a Rolling
- I'm a Man
The Yardbirds Greatest Hits
(Released 1991)
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- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- For Your Love
- Heartful Of Soul
- Still I'm Sad
- Evil Hearted You
- I'm A Man
- Shapes Of Things
- Smokestack Lightnin'
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- Got To Hurry
- I Ain't Got You
- Train Kept A Rolling
- I'm Not Talking
- Steeled Blues
- A Certain Girl
The Yardbirds, Volume 1: Smokestack Lightning
(Released 1991)
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- For Your Love
- I'm Not Talking
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- I Ain't Got You
- Got to Hurry
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Sweet Music
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- My Girl Sloopy
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (live)
- I'm Talking About You
- Got to Hurry (alternate version)
- I Wish You Would
- Draggin' My Tail
- Freight Loader
- Go to Hurry
- West Coast Idea
- A Certain Girl
- Choker
- Snake Drive
- For Your Love
- For Your Love
- I'm a Man
- Pretty Girl
- Five Long Years
- Jeff's Blues
- Shapes of Things
- Steeled Blues
- The Train Kept a Rolling
- Boom Boom
- Got Love if You Want It
- Evil Hearted You
- I Ain't Got You
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- My Girl Sloopy
- A Certain Girl
- Here 't is
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Got to Hurry
- Still I'm Sad
- New York City Blues
The Best of British Rock
(Released 1987)
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- For Your Love
- I Ain't Got You
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- My Girl Sloopy
- I'm a Man
- Mister, You're a Better Man Than I
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Heart Full of Soul
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- Shapes of Things
- Jeff's Blues
- New York City Blues
- For RSG
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I Ain't Got You
- Boom Boom
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (backing track)
- Got to Hurry
- For Your Love
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Got Love If You Want It
- Here 'Tis
- Pontiac Blues (feat. Sonny Boy Williamson)
- 23 Hours Too Long (feat. Sonny Boy Williamson)
- Let It Rock
- Smokestack Lightning
- Honey in Your Hips
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- Heart Full of Soul (Sitar version)
- Still I'm Sad
- I'm a Man
- Jeff's Blues
- Mister, You're a Better Man Than I
- Shapes of Things
- Stroll On
- Smokestack Lightning
- New York City Blues
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirls
- I'm a Man
- Here 'Tis
- Evil Hearted You
- Putty (In Your Hands)
- A Certain Girl
- Got to Hurry
- You're a Better Man Than I
Shapes of Things: A Collection of Classic Yardbirds Recordings, 1964-1966
(Released 1977)
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- Introduction: Hamish Grimes / Too Much Monkey Business
- I Wish You Would
- Goodmorning Little School Girl
- For Your Love
- A Certain Girl
- Got to Hurry
- Smokestack Lightning
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Steeled Blues
- Train Kept a Rolling
- Here 'Tis
The Yardbirds: Featuring Performances by Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page
(Released 1970)
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- Drinking Muddy Water
- Hot House of Omagarashid
- I Wish You Would
- The Train Kept a-Rollin'
- Smile on Me
- Jeff's Boogie
- I Ain't Got You
- What Do You Want
- White Summer
- Got to Hurry
Studio Sessions 1964-67
(Released 1967)
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- I Wish You Would
- Putty In Your Hands
- Sweet Music
- Got To Hurry
- For Your Love
- Heartful Of Soul (Master)
- Heartful Of Soul (Sitar)
- Steeled Blues
- Still I'm Sad
- I'm Not Talking
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- My Girl Sloopy
- Evil Hearted You
- You're A Better Man Than I
- Train Kept A Rolling
- Shapes Of Things
- New York City
- I'm A Man
- Stroll On
- Lost Woman
- Over, Under, Sideways, Down
- The Nazz Are Blue
- I Can't Make Your Way
- Rack My Mind
- Farewell
- Hot House of Omagararshid
- Jeff's Boogie
- He's Always There
- Turn Into Earth
- What Do You Want
- Ever Since the World Began
- For Your Love
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I'm a Man
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Got to Hurry
- Heartful of Soul
- Shapes of Things
- Steeled Blues
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Someone to Love, Part 1
- Someone to Love, Part 2
- I'm a Man
- Jeff's Blues
- Shapes of Things
- The Train Kept a Rolling
- Boom Boom
- I Ain't Got You
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Still I'm Sad
- For Your Love
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Lost Woman
- Over, Under, Sideways, Down
- The Nazz Are Blue
- I Can't Make Your Way
- Rack My Mind
- Farewell
- Hot House of Omagarashid
- Jeff's Boogie
- He's Always There
- Turn Into Earth
- What Do You Want
- Ever Since the World Began
- Psycho Daisies
- Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
The Blues Collection 14: Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds
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- For Your Love
- Putty in Your Hands
- Got to Hurry
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Heart Full of Soul
- Jeff's Blues
- Shapes of Things
- Steeled Blues
- Stroll On
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- Train Kept a Rolling
- I'm a Man
- Bye Bye Bird
- Mister Downchild
- The River Rhine
- Twenty Three Hours Too Long
- Lost Care
- Take It Easy
- Out Of The Water Coast
- Western Arizona
- Slow Walk
- Highway 69
- My Little Cabin
- Sonny's Slow Walk
- Pontiac Blues
- My Babe
- I Don't Care No More
- Baby Don't You Worry
- Night Time Is The Right Time
- I'm Gonna Put You Down
- Fattenin' Frogs For Snakes
- Nobody But You
- Bye Bye Sonny Bye Bye
- Little Games (stereo mix)
- Smile on Me
- White Summer
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor (vocal)
- Glimpses (version 1)
- Drinking Muddy Water (stereo mix)
- No Excess Baggage
- Stealing Stealing
- Only the Black Rose
- Little Soldier Boy
- Puzzles
- I Remember the Night
- Ha Ha Said the Clown
- Ten Little Indians (vocal)
- Goodnight Sweet Josephine (version 1)
- Think About It
- Louise
- Five Long Years
- Early in the Morning
- Pounds and Stomps
- First Time I Met the Blues
- They Call It Stormy Monday
- Big Boss Man
- She's So Respectable
- Choker
- Snake Drive
- West Coast Idea
- Eric's Blues
- Got to Hurry
- Freightloader
- A Certain Girl
- Draggin' My Tail
- For Your Love
- I Wish You Would
- Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I Ain't Got You
- For Your Love
- Got to Hurry
- Heart Full of Soul
- Steeled Blues
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Shapes of Things
- Mister, You're a Better Man Than I
- I'm a Man
- New York City Blues
- Train Kept a Rollin'
- Paff... Bum
- Mr. Zero
- Sweet Music
- Someone to Love, Parts 1 & 2
- Stroll On
- I Wish You Would
- A Certain Girl
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I Ain't Got You
- Putty in Your Hands
- Sweet Music
- Got to Hurry
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul (master)
- Heart Full of Soul (Sitar version)
- Steeled Blues
- Still I'm Sad
- I'm Not Talking
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- My Girl Sloopy
- Evil Hearted You
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Train Kept a Rolling
- Shapes of Things
- New York City
- I'm a Man
- Stroll On
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul
- Shapes of Things
- Still I'm Sad
- Evil Hearted You
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Got Love If You Want
- Boom, Boom
- Smokestack Lightning
- I'm a Man
- Too Much Monkey Business
- A Certain Girl
- Mister, You're a Better Man Than I
- Honey in Your Hips
- Train Kept A-Rollin'
- Five Long Years
- Louise
- Baby, What's Wrong?
- Take It Easy Baby
- Highway 69
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Smokestack Lightning
- I'm a Man (live)
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- I Wish You Would
- For Your Love
- I Got Love If You Want It
- Take It Easy Baby (live)
- Pretty Girl (live)
- Here 'Tis (live)
- Let It Rock (live)
- Got to Hurry
- Out on the Water Coast (live)
- For Your Love
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Heart Full of Soul
- Shapes of Things
- Still I'm Sad
- Evil Hearted You
- Steeled Blues
- The Train Kept a-Rollin'
- Jeff's Blues
- I Wish You Would
- Talkin' About You
- New York City Blues
- Let it Rock
- Who Do You Love
- Boom Boom
- Pontiac Blues (Highway 69)
- Got to Hurry
- Pontiac Blues
- Smokestack Lighting
- Like Jimmy Reed Again
- For Your Love
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Shape of Things
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Baby What's Wrong
- You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover
- I'm a Man
- Steeled Blues
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- You're a Better Man Than I
- My Girl Sloopy
- The Train Kept a Rollin'
- Jeff's Blues
- Take It Easy Baby
Greatest Hits, Volume One (1964-1966)
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- For Your Love
- Putty (in Your Hands)
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- You're a Better Man Than I
- Shapes of Things
- Heart Full of Soul
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- I'm a Man
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- I'm Not Talking
- I Wish You Would
- Too Much Monkey Business (live)
- Got Love If You Want It (live)
- Smokestack Lightning (live)
The Yardbirds (feat. Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck)
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- For Your Love
- I Ain't Got You
- Putty in Your Hands
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- My Girl Sloopy
- I'm a Man
- Evil Hearted You
- Heart Full of Soul
- Shapes of Things
- Jeff's Blues
- New York City Blues
Blues, Backtracks and Shapes of Things
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- Smokestack Lightning
- Let It Rock
- Honey in Your Hips
- I Wish You Would
- You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover
- Who Do You Love
- I'm Talking About You
- Bye Bye Bird
- Mr. Downchild
- The River Rhine
- Twenty Three Hours Too Long
- A Lost Care
- Pontiac Blues
- Take It Easy Baby
- Out on the Water Coast
- I Don't Care No More
- Western Arizona
- Boom Boom
Psycho Blues: The Best Collection of the Yardbirds 1963-1966
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- Honey in Your Hips
- A Certain Girl
- I Wish You Would (long version)
- Sweet Music
- Putty (in Your Hands)
- Slow Walk
- Highway 69
- My Little Cabin
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (live)
- I Ain't Got You
- For Your Love
- I'm Not Talking
- I Ain't Done Wrong
- My Girl Sloopy
- Heart Full of Soul
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Shapes of Things
- Mr, You're a Better Man Than I
- The Train Kept A-Rollin'
- I'm a Man
- Paff... Bum (Version 2)
- Here 'tis
- Jeff's Blues
- Stroll On
- Questa Volta
- 23 Hours Too Long
- Out on the Water Coast
- Five Long Years
- I Ain't Got You
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Little Red Rooster (rehearsal)
- Little Red Rooster
- Highway 49
- Wang-Dang-Doodle
- I'm a Man
- Jeff's Blues
- I See a Man Downstairs
- For Your Love
- Putty in Your Hands
- Got to Hurry
- I Wish You Would
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Evil Hearted You
- Still I'm Sad
- Heartful of Soul
- Jeff's Blues
- Shapes of Things
- Steeled Blues
- Stroll On
- A Certain Girl
- I Ain't Got You
- Train Kept a Rolling
- I'm a Man
- Draggin' My Tail
- Freight Loader
- For Your Love
- Tribute to Elmore
- Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
- Snake Drive
- I Ain't Got You
- Miles Road
- Train Kept a Rollin'
- West Coast Idea
- A Certain Girl
- Got to Hurry
- I Wish You Could
- Choker
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The Yardbirds - Dazed And Confused (1968)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:46
- Published: 03 Aug 2008
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
This video seems to be from a different source. H.264 www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Dazed_And_Confused_1968
The Yardbirds - For Your Love (1965) (Full version)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:12
- Published: 08 Aug 2008
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
Live H.264 www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_For_Your_Love_1965_Full_version
The Yardbirds-Shapes of things
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:35
- Published: 09 Apr 2006
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
Jimmy page when he was in the Yardbirds, not the best quality, but the authenticity is there. Kinda wonky solo by Zoso, but still a great song.
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds-Shapes_of_things
The Yardbirds - Heart Full Of Soul
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:22
- Published: 05 Nov 2007
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
yardbirds
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Heart_Full_Of_Soul
The Yardbirds - Train Kept A Rollin' (1968)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:20
- Published: 03 Aug 2008
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
This video seems to be from a different source. H.264 www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Train_Kept_A_Rollin'_1968
THE YARDBIRDS -"Evil Hearted You" (1965)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:27
- Published: 28 Apr 2008
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
The Pop legacy of Enio Morricone!: Sharp ears will notice that this classic track by the legendary Yardbirds has the hallmarks of Ennio's 'spaghetti' western style. Hard ringing guitar chords, building chorales, and a brilliant Spanish-style slide guitar solo by Jeff Beck. Later, the Pixies took it even further by recording it in Spanish!See more here: MORRICONE: Influences www.youtube.com MORRICONE: Disciples www.youtube.com Resources: www.enniomorricone.com www.chimai.com www.myspace.com www.myspace.com www.myspace.com www.myspace.com (All rights reserved by the copyright owners. This nonprofit fan-made video is solely to promote awareness and interest in the artists, the music, and the films.)
http://wn.com/THE_YARDBIRDS_-Evil_Hearted_You_1965
The Yardbirds - I Wish You Would (1965)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:27
- Published: 26 Jul 2008
- Updated: 01 Jun 2012
Live H.264 www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_I_Wish_You_Would_1965
The Yardbirds - Stroll On (Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page 1966)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:00
- Published: 09 Apr 2009
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds - Videoclip in 1966 Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Stroll_On_Jeff_Beck_Jimmy_Page_1966
The Yardbirds - For Your Love (Shindig 1965)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:30
- Published: 25 Aug 2008
- Updated: 01 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds - For Your Love (Shindig 1965)live
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_For_Your_Love_Shindig_1965
The Yardbirds - Shapes Of Things
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:27
- Published: 07 Apr 2010
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds - Shapes Of Things
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Shapes_Of_Things
Yardbirds - "Shape of things"
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:32
- Published: 26 Jan 2008
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
French TV
http://wn.com/Yardbirds_Shape_of_things
The Yardbirds - I'm Not Talking
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:32
- Published: 01 Jan 2008
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
One of my favorite songs by the Yardbirds, featuring Jeff Beck on guitar! Written by Mose Allison.
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_I'm_Not_Talking
The Yardbirds - Heart Full Of Soul (With Jeff Beck)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:48
- Published: 21 Jan 2008
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
1965
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Heart_Full_Of_Soul_With_Jeff_Beck
Jimmy Page & the Yardbirds doing "Heart full of Soul"
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:15
- Published: 26 Sep 2007
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
Jimmy Page & the Yardbirds doing "Heart full of Soul" in 1966 just after Jeff Beck left the group www.prankcallradio.com www.myspace.com/daleinsales
http://wn.com/Jimmy_Page_the_Yardbirds_doing_Heart_full_of_Soul
The Yardbirds - Great Shakes
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:02
- Published: 31 Jul 2008
- Updated: 08 May 2012
Commercial spot H.264 www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Great_Shakes
The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul (1968) With Jimmy Page
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:24
- Published: 25 Jun 2010
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds performing "Heart Full of Soul" in 1968 Credits: Keith Relf - vocals Jim McCarty - drums Jimmy Page - guitar Chris Dreja - bass Graham Gouldman -songwriter All rights recording rights belong to EMI Records No copyright infringement intended Enjoy!
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Heart_Full_of_Soul_1968_With_Jimmy_Page
The Yardbirds With Eric Clapton Louise 1963
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:11
- Published: 11 Mar 2009
- Updated: 31 May 2012
The Yardbirds With Eric Clapton Louise 1963
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_With_Eric_Clapton_Louise_1963
Little Games-The Yardbirds
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:25
- Published: 30 May 2008
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
From the Little Games album with Jimmy Page. Visit www.yardbirds.us for cool CDs and more.
http://wn.com/Little_Games-The_Yardbirds
The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:32
- Published: 09 May 2010
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul (1965)
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Heart_Full_of_Soul
THE YARDBIRDS 'Stroll on'
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:38
- Published: 08 Feb 2011
- Updated: 20 May 2012
The Yardbirds performed 'Stroll on' 1966 Video taken from italian movie 'Blow Up' 1966 Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
http://wn.com/THE_YARDBIRDS_'Stroll_on'
Good morning Little school girl - The Yardbirds
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:48
- Published: 19 Feb 2008
- Updated: 02 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds - Good Morning little school girl. Eric Clapton plays Lead Guitar on this one.
http://wn.com/Good_morning_Little_school_girl_The_Yardbirds
Blow-up - Antonioni (Yardbirds Scene)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:58
- Published: 26 Apr 2009
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
Directed By Michelangelo Antonioni in (1966) The Yardbirds (with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck) playing Stroll On
http://wn.com/Blow-up_Antonioni_Yardbirds_Scene
The Yardbirds - Train Kept A Rollin'
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:27
- Published: 31 Mar 2010
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
The Yardbirds - Train Kept A Rollin'
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds_Train_Kept_A_Rollin'
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| The Yardbirds | |
|---|---|
| The Yardbirds, 1966. Clockwise from left: Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, and Chris Dreja. The Yardbirds, 1966. Clockwise from left: Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, and Chris Dreja. |
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues |
| Years active | 1963–1968, 1992–present |
| Labels | Columbia, Capitol, Epic |
| Associated acts | The Jeff Beck Group, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Renaissance, Box of Frogs, Band of Joy |
| Website | www.theyardbirds.com |
| Members | |
| Chris Dreja Jim McCarty Ben King David Smale Andy Mitchell |
|
| Past members | |
| See: Members section for detailed list | |
 |
20 second sample of the song "Got Love if You Want It" as performed by The Yardbirds
|
| Problems listening to this file? See media help. | |
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 five of Rolling Stone's 100 Top Guitarists list (Clapton as #2, Page as #3, and Beck at #5).[1] A blues-based band that broadened its range into pop and rock, The Yardbirds were pioneers in guitar innovations of the 1960s: 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".[2] 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.[3] They were included in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", and VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".[4][5]
Contents |
History[link]
Beginnings[link]
The 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 the "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[link]
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.[6] Clapton, at the time a blues purist, left the group in protest[7] 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.[8] Beck played his first gig with the Yardbirds only two days after Clapton's departure in May 1965.
Jeff Beck's tenure[link]
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 U.S. 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 U.S. tours during Beck's time with the group. A brief European tour took place in April 1966.
On 1966 Yarbirds participated in the Sanremo Music Festival with song Paf...Bum!, with Italian songwriter Lucio Dalla.
The Beck/Page line-up[link]
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).
File:The Yardbirds 1966.png
The Yardbirds featuring both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, taken from the Michelangelo Antonioni film Blowup, c 1966.
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.[9] Director Michelangelo Antonioni instructed Beck to smash his guitar in emulation of The Who's Pete Townshend:[10] 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 era[link]
Beck was fired from the group for being a consistent no-show -- as well as for difficulties caused by his perfectionism and explosive temper[11], 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.[12]) 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" (later covered by Aerosmith on their Night in the Ruts album), 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").[13] 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.[14]
The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin[link]
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.[15][16] Plant, in turn, recommended his childhood friend John Bonham on drums.[17] 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.[18] 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;[19] other reports indicate it was Page's desire to wipe the slate clean.[citation needed] 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.[20]
After the Yardbirds[link]
Vocalist 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[link]
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 1960s, 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,[21] 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.
Members[link]
Further information: List of The Yardbirds members
Discography[link]
References[link]
Bibliography[link]
- Bob Brunning (1986) Blues: The British Connection, London: Helter Skelter, 2002, ISBN 1-900924-41-2
- Dick Heckstall-Smith (2004) The safest place in the world: A personal history of British Rhythm and blues, Clear Books, ISBN 0-7043-2696-5 - First Edition : Blowing The Blues - Fifty Years Playing The British Blues
- Christopher Hjort Strange brew: Eric Clapton and the British blues boom, 1965-1970, foreword by John Mayall,Jawbone (2007)ISBN 1-906002002
- Paul Myers: Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues, Vancouver 2007 - GreyStone Books
- Harry Shapiro Alexis Korner: The Biography, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London 1997, Discography by Mark Troster
- Yardbirds (John Platt, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty) Sidgwick & Jackson, 1983. ISBN 0-283-98982-3.
- Yardbirds : The Ultimate Rave-Up (Greg Russo) Crossfire Publications, 1997. ISBN 0-9648157-8-8.
- The Yardbirds (Alan Clayson) Backbeat Books, 2002. ISBN 0-87930-724-2
Notes[link]
- ^ "100 Greatest Guitarists | Rolling Stone Music | Lists". Rollingstone.com. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
- ^ Pat Pemberton. Yardbirds Bassist Recalls Photographing Early Days of Led Zeppelin. Spinner. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ^ "The Yardbirds: inducted in 1992". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 26 April 2012
- ^ VH1: '100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists': 1-50. VH1:Rock On The Net. Retrieved 16 April 2012
- ^ Tyler, Steven. "The Yardbirds: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 April 2012
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 199. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ Schumacher, Michael (2003). Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton, pp. 44-45. Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2466-9.
- ^ Jeff Beck Interview April 1966: Hit Parader
- ^ Bockris, Victor; Malanga, Gerard. Up-Tight: The Velvet Underground Story (2002): 107
- ^ Anyway Anyhow Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of The Who. http://books.google.com/books?id=e1a1C_somjIC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=michaelangelo+antonioni+%22the+who%22#PPA67,M1. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ "Eric Clapton And Jeff Beck: The Death of a Musical Revolution". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. April 26, 2011. http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Eric-Clapton-And-Jeff-Beck-The-Death-of-a-886843.php. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ Fricke, David. "Secrets of the Guitar Heroes: Jimmy Page" Rolling Stone 12 June 2008
- ^ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
- ^ Buckley, Peter (ed.) (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock, p. 1198. ISBN 1-84353-105-4.
- ^ Billboard. "Led Zeppelin Biography". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=5047&cr=artist&or=ASCENDING&sf=length&kw=Led%20Zeppelin.
- ^ Dave Schulps, Interview with Jimmy Page, Trouser Press, October 1977.
- ^ Digital Graffiti. "Led Zeppelin FAQ". http://home.mchsi.com/~night_flight/led_zeppelin_faq.htm.
- ^ Dominick A. Miserandino, Led Zeppelin - John Paul Jones, TheCelebrityCafe.com.
- ^ Wall, Mick. When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin (2009): 72
- ^ "Jimmy Page Online". Jimmy Page Online. http://www.jimmypageonline.com/11318/42826.html. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ "The Yardbirds had introduced a new era of experimental rock music in the 1960s John Idan's official website". Johnidan.com. http://www.johnidan.com/news.html. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
External links[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Yardbirds |
- Official website
- Yardbirds American website
- Favored Nations Yardbirds web page
- Yardbirds at Silverstone 2010
http://wn.com/The_Yardbirds
| Jeff Beck | |
|---|---|
 Jeff Beck at the Palais, Melbourne, Australia 26 January 2009 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Geoffrey Arnold Beck |
| Also known as | A.N. Other |
| Born | (1944-06-24) 24 June 1944 (age 68) Wallington, Surrey England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Blues rock, jazz fusion, instrumental rock, hard rock, electronica, progressive rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, actor |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass, backing vocals, contrabass |
| Years active | 1964-present |
| Labels | EMI, Epic |
| Associated acts | The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group, The Honeydrippers, Beck, Bogert & Appice, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Big Town Playboys, Upp, Eric Clapton, Suzi Quatro, Duff McKagan, Tal Wilkenfeld |
| Website | www.jeffbeck.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Fender Jeff Beck Signature Model Stratocaster Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood |
|
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds (Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page are the other two). Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice.
Much of Beck's recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues-rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion and an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Although he recorded two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained the sustained commercial success of many of his contemporaries and bandmates.[1][2] Beck appears on albums by Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, Donovan, Stevie Wonder, Les Paul, Zucchero, Cyndi Lauper, Brian May and ZZ Top. In 1988, he made a cameo appearance in the movie Twins.
He was ranked 5th in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"[3] and the magazine has described him as "one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock".[4] MSNBC has called him a "guitarist's guitarist".[1] Beck has earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance once. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of The Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009).[5]
Contents |
Biography[link]
Early life[link]
"I was interested in the electric guitar even before I knew the difference between electric and acoustic. The electric guitar seemed to be a totally fascinating plank of wood with knobs and switches on it. I just had to have one."
Beck[6]
Beck was born in 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck at 206 Demesne Road, Wallington, England. As a ten year old Beck sang in a church choir. As a teenager he learned to play a borrowed guitar and made several attempts to build his own instrument, first by gluing and bolting together cigar boxes for the body and an unsanded fence-post for the neck with model aircraft control-lines and frets simply painted on. When fabricating a neck for his next try he attempted to use measurements for a bass guitar.
Beck has cited Les Paul as the first electric guitar player who impressed him.[6] Beck has said that he first heard an electric guitar when he was six years old and heard Paul playing "How High the Moon" on the radio. He asked his mother what it was and after she replied it was an electric guitar and was all tricks, he said, "That's for me".[7] Cliff Gallup, lead guitarist with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps was also an early musical influence, followed by B.B. King and Steve Cropper.[8]
Upon leaving school he attended Wimbledon College of Art, after which he was briefly employed as a painter and decorator, a groundsman on a golf course and a car paint-sprayer. Beck's sister Annetta introduced him to Jimmy Page when both were teenagers.
Early career[link]
Beck began his career in the 1960s. He joined The Rumbles, a Croydon band, in 1963 for a short period as lead guitarist, playing Gene Vincent and Buddy Holly songs, displaying a talent for mimicking guitar styles. His first appearance on vinyl was as a session guitarist on a 1964 Parlophone single by The Fitz and Startz entitled "I'm Not Running Away", with B-side "So Sweet".
In March 1965, Beck was recruited by The Yardbirds to replace Eric Clapton on the recommendation of fellow session man Jimmy Page, who had been their initial choice.[9] The Yardbirds recorded most of their Top 40 hit songs during Beck's short but significant 20-month tenure with the band allowing him only one full album which became known as Roger the Engineer (titled Over Under Sideways Down in the U.S.), released in 1966. Beck was actually pictured on the cover of For Your Love which was released by the Yardbirds' American label in June 1965, however Clapton played guitar on most of the songs. From September to November 1966, Beck shared lead guitar duties with Page in the Yardbirds, who initially joined as bass player[9] in June of that year. A clip of this iteration of the band can be seen in the 1966 British film Blow Up.
Beck was fired in the middle of a US tour for being a consistent no-show -- as well as difficulties caused by his perfectionism and explosive temper.[10] After leaving the Yardbirds, Beck recorded the one-off "Beck's Bolero" (with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins and Keith Moon) and two solo hit singles in the UK, "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and "Tallyman". He then formed The Jeff Beck Group, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals, Ronnie Wood on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano and, after a series of drummers, eventually Micky Waller in early 1967.
The group produced two albums for Columbia Records (Epic in the US): Truth (August 1968) and Beck-Ola (July 1969). Truth, released five months before the first Led Zeppelin album, features "You Shook Me", a song written and first recorded by Willie Dixon that was also covered on the Led Zeppelin debut. It sold well (reaching number 15 on the Billboard charts). Beck-Ola saw drummer Micky Waller replaced by Tony Newman, and, while well-received, was less successful both commercially and critically. Resentment, coupled with touring incidents, led the group to dissolve in July 1969.
Nick Mason recalls in his autobiography that during 1967 Pink Floyd had wanted to recruit Beck to be their guitarist after the departure of Syd Barrett[11] but "None of us had the nerve to ask him".[12] In 1969, following the death of Brian Jones, Beck was approached about joining the Rolling Stones.[10]
After the break-up of his group, Beck took part in the Music from Free Creek "super session" project, billed as "A.N. Other" and contributed lead guitar on four songs, including one co-written by him. Next he teamed with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, the rhythm section of Vanilla Fudge, in September 1969, when Bogert and Appice came to England to resolve contractual issues, but when Beck fractured his skull in a car accident near Maidstone in December the plan was postponed for two-and-a-half years, during which time Bogert and Appice formed Cactus. Beck later remarked on the 1960s period of his life: "Everyone thinks of the 1960s as something they really weren't. It was the frustration period of my life. The electronic equipment just wasn't up to the sounds I had in my head."[13]
In 1970, when Beck had regained his health, he set about forming a band with drummer Cozy Powell. Beck, Powell and producer Mickie Most flew to the US and recorded several tracks at Motown's famed Studio A in Hitsville U.S.A. with The Funk Brothers, Motown's in-house band, but the results remained unreleased. By April 1971 Beck had completed the line-up of this new group with guitarist/vocalist Bobby Tench, keyboard player Max Middleton and bassist Clive Chaman. The new band performed as the "Jeff Beck Group" but had a substantially different sound from the first line-up. Rough and Ready (October 1971), the first album they recorded, on which Beck wrote or co-wrote six of the album's seven tracks (the exception being written by Middleton), included elements of soul, rhythm-and-blues and jazz, foreshadowing the direction Beck's music would take later in the decade.
A second album Jeff Beck Group (July 1972) was recorded at TMI studios in Memphis, Tennessee with the same personnel.[14] Beck employed Steve Cropper as producer[15] and the album displayed a strong soul influence, five of the nine tracks being covers of songs by American artists. One, "I Got To Have A Song", was the first of four Stevie Wonder compositions covered by Beck. Shortly after the release of the Jeff Beck Group album the band was dissolved and Beck's management put out the statement that: "The fusion of the musical styles of the various members has been successful within the terms of individual musicians, but they didn't feel it had led to the creation of a new musical style with the strength they had originally sought."[16]
Beck then started collaborating with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, who became available following the demise of Cactus but continued touring as Jeff Beck Group in August 1972, to fulfil contractual obligations with his promoter, with a line-up including Bogert, Appice, Max Middleton and vocalist Kim Milford. After six appearances Milford was replaced by Bobby Tench, who was flown in from the UK[17] for the Arie Crown Theatre Chicago performance and the rest of the tour,[18] which concluded at the Paramount North West Theatre, Seattle.[19] After the tour Tench and Middleton left the band and the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice appeared: Appice took on the role of vocalist with Bogert and Beck contributing occasionally.[19] They were included on the bill for Rock at The Oval in September 1972, still as the "Jeff Beck Group", which marked the start of a tour schedule of UK, the Netherlands and Germany. Another US tour began in October 1972, starting at the Hollywood Sportatorium Florida and concluding on 11 November 1972 at The Warehouse, New Orleans.[20] In April 1973 the album Beck, Bogert & Appice was released (on Epic Records). While critics acknowledged the band's instrumental prowess the album was not commercially well received except for its cover of Stevie Wonder's hit "Superstition".
On 3 July 1973 Beck joined David Bowie on-stage to perform "The Jean Genie"/"Love Me Do" and "Around and Around". The show was recorded and filmed but none of the released editions included Beck. During October 1973 Beck recorded tracks for Michael Fennelly's[21] album Lane Changer and attended sessions with Hummingbird, a band derived from The Jeff Beck Group, but did not to contribute to their eponymous first album.[22]
Early in January 1974 the band played at the Rainbow Theatre, as part of a European tour. The concert was broadcast in full on the US show Rock Around the World in September of the same year. This last recorded work by the band previewed material intended for a second studio album, included on the bootleg At Last Rainbow. The tracks Blues Deluxe and BBA Boogie from this concert were later included on the Jeff Beck compilation Beckology (1991).[23] Beck, Bogert & Appice dissolved in April 1974 before their second studio album (produced by Jimmy Miller) was finished. Their live album Beck, Bogert & Appice Live in Japan, recorded during their 1973 tour of Japan, was not released until February 1975 by Epic/Sony.
After a few months Beck entered Underhill Studio and met with the group Upp, whom he recruited as backing band for his appearance on the BBC TV programme Guitar Workshop in August 1974. Beck produced and played on their self-titled debut album and their second album This Way Upp, though his contributions to the second album went uncredited. In October Beck began to record instrumentals at AIR Studios with Max Middleton, bassist Phil Chen and drummer Richard Bailey, using George Martin as producer and arranger. Blow by Blow (March 1975) evolved from these sessions and showcased Beck's technical prowess in jazz-rock. The album reached number four in the charts and is Beck's most commercially-successful release. Beck, fastidious about overdubs and often dissatisfied with his solos, often returned to AIR Studios until he was satisfied. A couple of months after the sessions had finished Martin received a telephone call from Beck, who wanted to record a solo section again. Bemused, Martin replied: "I'm sorry, Jeff, but the record is in the shops!"[6]
Beck put together a live band for a US tour, preceded by a small and unannounced gig at The Newlands Tavern in Peckham, London. He toured through April and May 1975, mostly supporting the Mahavishnu Orchestra, retaining Max Middleton on keyboards but with a new rhythm section of bassist Wilbur Bascomb and noted session drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. In a May 1975 show in Cleveland, Ohio (Music Hall), he became frustrated with an early version of a talk box he used on his arrangement of The Beatles' "She's a Woman," and after breaking a string, tossed his legendary Yardbirds-era Stratocaster off the stage. He did the same with the talk box and finished the show playing a Les Paul and without the box. During this tour he performed at Yuya Uchida's "World Rock Festival," playing a total of eight songs with Purdie. In addition he performed a guitar and drum instrumental with Johnny Yoshinaga and, at the end of the festival, joined in a live jam with bassist Felix Pappalardi of Mountain and vocalist Akira "Joe" Yamanaka from the Flower Travellin' Band. Only his set with Purdie was recorded and released.
He returned to the studio and recorded Wired (1976), which paired drummer and composer Narada Michael Walden and keyboardist Jan Hammer. The album used a jazz-rock fusion style which sounded similar to the work of his two collaborators. To promote the album, Beck joined forces with the Jan Hammer Group, playing a show supporting Alvin Lee at The Roundhouse in May 1976, before embarking on a seven-month long world tour. This resulted in the live album Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live (1977).
At this point, Beck was a tax exile and took up residency in the US, remaining there until his return to the UK in the autumn of 1977. In the spring of 1978, he began rehearsing with bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Gerry Brown towards a projected appearance at the Knebworth Festival, but this was cancelled after Brown dropped out. Beck toured Japan for three weeks in November 1978 with an ad-hoc group consisting of Clarke and newcomers Tony Hymas (keyboards) and Simon Phillips (drums) from Jack Bruce's band. Work then began on a new studio album at The Who's Ramport Studios in London and continued sporadically throughout 1979, resulting in There and Back in June 1980. It featured three tracks composed and recorded with Jan Hammer, while five were written with Hymas. Stanley Clarke was replaced by Mo Foster on bass, both on the album and the subsequent tours. Its release was followed by extensive touring in the USA, Japan and the UK.
1980s[link]
In 1981 Beck made a series of historic live appearances with his Yardbirds predecessor Eric Clapton at the Amnesty International-sponsored benefit concerts dubbed The Secret Policeman's Other Ball shows. He appeared with Clapton on "Crossroads", "Further On Up The Road", and his own arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers". Beck also featured prominently in an all-star band finale performance of "I Shall Be Released" with Clapton, Sting, Phil Collins, Donovan and Bob Geldof. Beck's contributions were seen and heard in the resulting album and film, both of which achieved worldwide success in 1982. Another benefit show, the ARMS Concert for Multiple Sclerosis featured a jam with Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. They performed "Tulsa Time" and "Layla". This is the only time all of the Yardbirds lead guitarists appeared on stage together.[citation needed]
In 1985 Beck released Flash, featurng a variety of vocalists, but most notably former bandmate Rod Stewart on a rendition of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".
After a four year break, Jeff made a return to instrumental music with the album Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989), the first album to feature Beck as a fingerstyle guitarist, leaving the plectrum playing style. It was only his 3rd album to be released in the 1980s. Much of Beck's sparse and sporadic recording schedule was due in part to a long battle with noise-induced tinnitus.
1990s[link]
In the 1990s, Beck had a higher musical output. He is featured on lead guitar on Roger Waters' 1992 concept album Amused to Death, and on Kate Bush's 1993 album The Red Shoes.
He recorded the instrumental soundtrack album Frankie's House (1992), as well as Crazy Legs (1993), a tribute album to 50's rockabilly group Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps and their influential guitarist Cliff Gallup.
Beck rehearsed with Guns N' Roses for their concert in Paris in 1992, but did not play in the actual concert due to ear damage caused by a Matt Sorum cymbal crash, causing Beck to become temporarily deaf.[24] The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. In Beck's acceptance speech he humorously noted that:
| “ | Someone told me I should be proud tonight... But I'm not, because they kicked me out. ...They did... Fuck them![25] | ” |
He accompanied Paul Rodgers of Bad Company on the album Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters in 1993. Jeff's next release would not be until 1999, his first foray into guitar based electronica, Who Else! The album also marked Beck's first collaboration with a female musician, Jennifer Batten, in touring, writing, and recording as well as the first time he had worked with another guitarist on his own material since playing in The Yardbirds. Beck continued to work with Batten through the post-release tour of You Had It Coming in 2001.[26]
2000s[link]
Jeff Beck won his third Grammy Award, this one for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance' for the track "Dirty Mind" from You Had It Coming (2001).
The song "Plan B," from the 2003 release Jeff, earned Beck his fourth Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, and was proof that the new electro-guitar style he used for the two earlier albums would continue to dominate. Jeff Beck was the opening act for B.B. King in the summer of 2003 and appeared at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2004.
In 2007, he accompanied Kelly Clarkson for her cover of Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)", during the Idol Gives Back episode of American Idol. The performance was recorded live and afterwards was immediately released for sale. In the same year, he appeared once again at Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, performing with Vinnie Colaiuta, Jason Rebello, and the then 21-year-old bassist Tal Wilkenfeld.
Beck announced a world tour in early 2009 and remained faithful to the same lineup of musicians as in his tour two years before, playing and recording at Ronnie Scott's in London to a sold out audience. Beck played on the song "Black Cloud" on the 2009 Morrissey album Years of Refusal and later that year, Harvey Goldsmith became Beck's Manager.[27]
Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 4 April 2009, as a solo artist.[28] The award was presented by Jimmy Page.[29] On 4 July 2009, David Gilmour joined Beck onstage at the Albert Hall. Beck and Gilmour traded solos on "Jerusalem" and closed the show with "Hi Ho Silver Lining".
2010s[link]
Beck's latest album, Emotion & Commotion, was released in April 2010. It features a mixture of original songs and covers such as "Over the Rainbow" and "Nessun Dorma". Joss Stone provides some of the guest vocals.[30] Two tracks from Emotion & Commotion won Grammys in 2011: "Nessun Dorma" won the Best Pop Instrumental Performance and "Hammerhead" won the Best Rock Instrumental Performance".[31] Beck collaborated on "Imagine" for the 2010 Herbie Hancock album, The Imagine Project along with Seal, P!nk, India.Arie, Konono N°1, Oumou Sangare and others and received a third Grammy in 2011 for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for this track.[32][33]
Beck's 2010 World Tour band featured Grammy winning musician Narada Michael Walden on drums, Rhonda Smith on bass and Jason Rebello on keyboards. He has also released a live album titled Live and Exclusive from the Grammy Museum on October 25, 2010.
In 2011, Beck received two honorary degrees from British universities. On 18 July 2011, he was honoured with a fellowship from University of the Arts London in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to the field of Music".[34] He was also presented with an honorary doctorate from University of Sussex by Sanjeev Bhaskar, the university's chancellor for “an outstanding musical career and celebrated the relationship between the university and the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM)" on 21 July 2011.[35][36]
Influences[link]
One of the most influential guitarists in the history of rock music,[4][37][38] Jeff Beck has cited his major influences as Les Paul,[6] The Shadows, Cliff Gallup, Ravi Shankar, Roy Buchanan,[39] Chet Atkins, Django Reinhardt, Steve Cropper and Lonnie Mack.[40] Of John McLaughlin, he said: "he has given us so many different facets of the guitar and introduced thousands of us to world music, by blending Indian music with jazz and classical. I'd say he was the best guitarist alive."[41]
While Beck was not the first rock guitarist to experiment with electronic distortion, he nonetheless helped to redefine the sound and role of the electric guitar in rock music. Beck's work with The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group's 1968 album Truth were seminal influences on heavy metal music, which emerged in full force in the early 1970s.[42]
Technique and equipment[link]
"...we shared a dressing room with the Yardbirds. At that point, it was kind of a peak period, Jimmy Page was playing bass; he had just joined the band. Chris Dreja was still playing rhythm guitar, Jeff Beck was playing lead through a Super Beatle and using banjo strings for the unwound G, 'cos they didn't make sets with an unwound G at that point. So he used banjo strings to complete his set. When he was in the dressing room, our guitar player went into his guitar case trying to find out his secrets and found a banjo string. I think he actually took one."
Beck stopped regular use of a pick (plectrum) in the 1980s. He produces a wide variety of sounds by using his fingers and the vibrato bar on his signature Fender Stratocaster, and he frequently uses a wah-wah pedal both live and in the studio. As Eric Clapton once said, "With Jeff, it’s all in his hands".[43] Along with Fender Stratocasters, Beck occasionally plays Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul models as well. His amplifiers are primarily Fender and Marshall. In his earlier days with the Yardbirds, Beck also used a 1954 Fender Esquire guitar (now owned by Seymour W. Duncan, and housed in the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame[44]) through Vox AC30s. He has also played through a variety of fuzz pedals and echo-units along with this set-up and has used the Pro Co RAT distortion pedal. The Seymour Duncan JB model's name is an acronym for both Jazz & Blues and Jeff Beck, as it was designed in conjunction with the guitarist.
During the ARMS Charity Concerts in 1983 Beck used his battered Fender Esquire along with a 1954 Fender Stratocaster and a Jackson Soloist. On the Crazy Legs (1993) he played a Gretsch Duo Jet, his signature Fender Stratocaster and various other guitars. Recently[when?] Fender created a Custom Shop Tribute series version of his beat-up Fender Esquire as well as his Artist Signature series Stratocaster.
Personal life[link]
Beck has been married to Sandra Cash since 2005.[45] Beck describes himself as a vegetarian. He has an interest in classic Ford hot rods, performing much of the work on the exteriors and engines of the cars by himself.[46]
Discography[link]
Main article: Jeff Beck discography
See also[link]
Bibliography[link]
- Carson, Annette. Jeff Beck: Crazy Fingers. Backbeat books (2002). ISBN 0-87930-632-7
- Horjt, Chris and Hinman, Doug. Jeff's book : A chronology of Jeff Beck's career 1965-1980 : from the Yardbirds to Jazz-Rock. Rock 'n' Roll Research Press, (2000). ISBN 0-9641005-3-3
- Foster, Mo.17 watts?: The Birth of British Rock Guitar. Sanctuary (1997 and 2000). ISBN 978-1-86074-267-5
References[link]
- ^ a b "The guitarist's player". Top Ten Rock Guitarists. MSNBC. 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15425867/displaymode/1107/s/1/framenumber/6/. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Jeff Beck". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-beck-p3650/biography. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. 30 November 2011. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/jeff-beck-19691231.
- ^ a b "Jeff Beck Biography". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/jeff-beck/biography. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ^ "Jeff Beck biography". Rock and roll Hall of Fame Jeff Bedk 2009 induction. Rock and roll Hall of Fame. 2009. http://rockhall.com/inductees/jeff-beck/. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ^ a b c d Foster, Mo. 17 Watts? The Birth of British Rock Guitar. Sanctuary Publishing. pp. 13, 119, 120, 315.
- ^ Ventre, Michael (7 February 2011). "Jeff Beck still rocks — and rolls in his hot rods". msnbc.com. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41375957/ns/today-entertainment/t/jeff-beck-still-rocks-rolls-his-hot-rods/#.TwIAWJi6SrI. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ Interview with Vh1 History of Rock and Roll.
- ^ a b "Yardbird - How He Became England's". Hit Parader. April 1966. http://www.ainian.com/HitParader_April66.pdf. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ a b "Eric Clapton And Jeff Beck: The Death of a Musical Revolution". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. April 26, 2011. http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Eric-Clapton-And-Jeff-Beck-The-Death-of-a-886843.php. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ K Whitlock. "Record Collector Interview". Pink Floyd & Co fan website. http://www.pinkfloyd-co.com/band/interviews/rww/rwwcollector.html. Retrieved 15 December 2007.
- ^ Mason, Nick and Dodd, Philip. Inside out: A personal history of Pink Floyd. Chronicle Books (2005).
- ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 292. CN 5585.
- ^ Graves, Tom. "Jeff Beck Group (album)". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1569. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ^ Hjort and Hinman. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980. p. 115.
- ^ Hjort and Hinman. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980. p. 122.
- ^ Hjort and Hinman. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965–1980. p. 123.
- ^ Joynson, Vernon. The Tapestry of Delights-The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras. Borderline. p. 415.
- ^ a b Hjort and Hinman. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965–1980. p. 124.
- ^ Hjort and Hinman. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965–1980. pp. 125–131.
- ^ Thomas, Bryan. "Michael Fennelly". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p17485. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
- ^ Hjort and Hinman. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980. p. 146.
- ^ Bruce Eder. "Beckology". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1580. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
- ^ I went over to Paris to do a show with Guns 'N' Roses. We'd rehearsed in the dressing room and went out to do a sound check. Matt hit one bass drum and it was like forty million watts going through me, and I had to walk away. <http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/jeff-becks-music-business-lessons>
- ^ "Jeff Beck-Hall of Fame Speech". YouTube. 23 March 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPiln7t58ls. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ^ Blackett, Matt. "Rock: Riffs-Jennifer Batten." Guitar Player. Vol. 42.9. Sept. 2008
- ^ BBC Desert Island Discs Harvey Goldsmith
- ^ Run-D.M.C., Metallica nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Associated Press 22 September 2008
- ^ "The Associated Press: Run-DMC, Metallica lead list of 2009 Rock Hall". google.com (News). http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hREPMeeR5GfDTBELMODMLmXmjLWgD95N3FTO1. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
- ^ "Jeff beck, Emotion & Commotion". Rolling Stone. 13 April 2009. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/01/19/jeff-beck-blends-classical-with-rock-on-april-13th-album-emotion-commotion/. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
- ^ "The 2011 Grammy winners list: Who took home the gold?". USA Today. 2011-02-14. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/grammys/2011-02-10-grammy-winners_N.htm. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
- ^ "The Imagine Project". All About Jazz. 2010-06-21. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36827. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ^ "Jeff Beck ties Lady Gaga with three Grammys". dailyrecord.com. 14 February 2011. http://blogs.dailyrecord.com/sixstrings/2011/02/14/jeff-beck-nabs-three-grammy-awards/. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
- ^ "Jeff Beck receives an Honorary Fellowship from University of the Arts London and University of Sussex". imaguitarist. 2011-07-19. http://imaguitarist.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/jeff-beck-receives-an-honorary-fellowship-from-university-of-the-arts-london/. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
- ^ "Guitarist Jeff Beck receives honorary degree in Sussex". BBC. 2011-07-21. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-14232193. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
- ^ "Sussex University graduation ceremonies begin". The Argus. 2011-07-21. http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9153272.Sussex_University_graduation_ceremonies_begin/. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
- ^ "Jeff Beck Interview". thehighwaystar.com. http://www.thehighwaystar.com/interviews/blackmore/rb1973xxxx.html. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ a b Shimamoto, Ken. "Jeff Beck interview". scottmorganmusic.com. http://www.scottmorganmusic.com/scott_rationals.html. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Noble, Douglas. "Jeff Beck Interview taken from The Guitar Magazine' Vol 3 No 4, June 1993". djnoble.demon.co.uk. http://www.djnoble.demon.co.uk/ints/JEFFBEC.KIN.html. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Interview with Mojo magazine, June 2009
- ^ Interview with Uncut magazine, March 2010.
- ^ Truth Jeff Beck: Review. Allmusic
- ^ "Jeff Beck". jeffbeck.com. http://www.jeffbeck.com/jeffbeck_bio.html. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Blackett, Matt (December 2000). "Pure Genius: Guitar's Magnificent Rebel Puts a Twist on Techno". Guitar Player: pp. 98–106.
- ^ "Jeff Back Marries Wife Number Six - Contactmusic News". Contactmusic.com. http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/story/jeff-back-marries-wife-number-six. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- ^ Douglas J Noble (June 1993). "Interview outtakes". Guitar Magazine Vol 3 No 5 / The Jeff Beck Bulletin issue 3, Fall 1994. Guitar Magazine. http://www.djnoble.demon.co.uk/ints/JEFFBEC.KOU.html. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jeff Beck |
- Official website
- Press conference and master class by Jeff Beck in Moscow 2010
- Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame: Jeff Beck FuseTV
- Jeff Beck at Epic Records
- Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood
- Jeff Beck unofficial website
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Beck, Jeff |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | |
| Date of birth | 24 June 1944 |
| Place of birth | Wallington, Surrey England, United Kingdom |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Jeff_Beck
| Jimmy Page | |
|---|---|
 Jimmy Page onstage in Chicago in 1977 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Patrick Page |
| Born | (1944-01-09) 9 January 1944 (age 68) Heston, Middlesex, England |
| Genres | Hard rock, heavy metal, blues rock, rock and roll, folk rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, theremin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica, dobro, sitar, keyboards, tambourine, tambura, hurdy gurdy, pedal steel guitar, synthesizer, vocals, guitar synthesizer, lap steel guitar, slide guitar |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Labels | Swan Song, Atlantic, Geffen, Fontana, Mercury |
| Associated acts | The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, The Honeydrippers, The Firm, Coverdale and Page, Page and Plant, Herman's Hermits, XYZ, Joe Cocker, The Edge, Jack White, Donovan, The Black Crowes |
| Website | Official website |
| Notable instruments | |
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.
Jimmy Page is viewed by critics, fans and fellow musicians alike as one of the most influential and important guitarists and songwriters in rock music.[3][4][5] Rolling Stone magazine has described him as "the pontiff of power riffing & probably the most digitally sampled artist in pop today after James Brown."[6] In 2010, Jimmy Page was ranked No.2 in Gibson's list of "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time"[7] and, in 2007, No.4 on Classic Rock Magazine's "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes".[8] Page was ranked third in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2011.[9] He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of The Yardbirds (1992),[10] and once as a member of Led Zeppelin (1995).[11]
Contents |
Early years[link]
Jimmy Page was born to James Patrick Page and Patricia Elizabeth Page (née Gaffikin)[12][13] in the West London suburb of Heston, which today forms part of the London Borough of Hounslow. His father was an industrial personnel manager and his mother was a doctor's secretary. In 1952 they moved to Feltham, and later again to Miles Road, Epsom in Surrey, which is where Page came across his first guitar. "I don't know whether [the guitar] was left behind by the people [in the house] before [us], or whether it was a friend of the family's — nobody seemed to know why it was there."[14] First playing the instrument at the age of twelve years,[15] he took a few lessons in nearby Kingston, but was largely self-taught:
When I grew up there weren't many other guitarists ... There was one other guitarist in my school who actually showed me the first chords that I learned, and I went on from there. I was bored so I taught myself the guitar from listening to records. So obviously it was a very personal thing.[16]
Among Page's early influences were rockabilly guitarists Scotty Moore and James Burton, who both played on recordings made by Elvis Presley. Hearing the Elvis Presley song "Baby Let's Play House" is cited by Page as being his inspiration to take up playing the guitar.[17] Although he appears on BBC1 in 1957 with another guitar, Page states that his first guitar was a second-hand 1959 Futurama Grazioso, which was later replaced by a Telecaster.[17][18]
Page's musical tastes included skiffle (a popular English music genre of the time) and acoustic folk playing, particularly that of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, and the blues sounds of Elmore James, B.B. King, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Freddie King and Hubert Sumlin.[19] "Basically, that was the start: a mixture between rock and blues."[17]
At the age of 13, Page appeared on Huw Wheldon's All Your Own talent quest programme in a skiffle quartet, one performance of which aired on BBC TV in 1957. The group played "Mama Don't Want To Skiffle Anymore" and another very American-flavoured song, "In Them Ol' Cottonfields Back Home". When asked by Wheldon what he wanted to do after schooling, Page said, "I want to do biological research" to find a cure for "cancer, if it isn't discovered by then".
In an interview with Guitar Player magazine, Page stated that "there was a lot of busking in the early days, but as they say, I had to come to grips with it, and it was a good schooling."[17] Page would take a guitar to school each day and have it confiscated and handed back to him at 4:00 pm[20] Although he had an interview for a job as a laboratory assistant, he ultimately chose to leave Danetree Secondary School, West Ewell, to pursue music instead.[20]
Initially, Page had difficulty finding other musicians with whom he could play on a regular basis. "It wasn't as though there was an abundance. I used to play in many groups... anyone who could get a gig together, really."[18] Following stints backing recitals by Beat poet Royston Ellis at the Mermaid Theatre between 1960–61,[21] and singer Red E. Lewis, he was asked by singer Neil Christian to join his band, The Crusaders, after Christian had seen a fifteen-year-old Page playing in a local hall.[18] Page toured with Christian for approximately two years and later played on several of his records, including the November 1962 single, "The Road to Love".
During his stint with Christian, Page fell seriously ill with glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) and couldn't continue touring.[18] While recovering, he decided to put his musical career on hold and concentrate on his other love, painting, and enrolled at Sutton Art College in Surrey.[5] As he explained in 1975:
[I was] travelling around all the time in a bus. I did that for two years after I left school, to the point where I was starting to get really good bread. But I was getting ill. So I went back to art college. And that was a total change in direction. That's why I say it's possible to do. As dedicated as I was to playing the guitar, I knew doing it that way was doing me in forever. Every two months I had glandular fever. So for the next 18 months I was living on ten dollars a week and getting my strength up. But I was still playing.[15]
Session musician[link]
While still a student, Page would often perform on stage at The Marquee with bands such as Cyril Davies' All Stars, Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated and with guitarists Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. He was spotted one night by John Gibb of Brian Howard & The Silhouettes, who asked him to help record a number of singles for Columbia Graphophone Company, including "The Worrying Kind". Mike Leander of Decca Records first offered Page regular studio work. His first session for the label was the recording "Diamonds" by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, which went to Number 1 on the singles chart in early 1963.[18]
After brief stints with Carter-Lewis and the Southerners, Mike Hurst and the Method, and Mickey Finn and the Blue Men, Page committed himself to full-time session work. As a session guitarist he was known as 'Little Jim' so there was no confusion with other noted British session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan. Page was mainly called in to sessions as "insurance" in instances when a replacement or second guitarist was required by the recording artist. "It was usually myself and a drummer", he explained, "though they never mention the drummer these days, just me ... Anyone needing a guitarist either went to Big Jim [Sullivan] or myself."[18] He has also stated that "In the initial stages they just said, play what you want, cos at that time I couldn't read music or anything."[22]
Page was the favoured session guitarist of producer Shel Talmy. As a result, he secured session work on songs for The Who and The Kinks.[23] Page is credited with playing acoustic twelve string guitar on two tracks on The Kinks' debut album "I'm a Lover Not a Fighter" and "I've Been Driving On Bald Mountain"[24] and possibly on the b-side "I Gotta Move".[25] He played six-string rhythm guitar on the sessions for The Who's first single "I Can't Explain"[22] (although Pete Townshend was reluctant to allow Page's contribution on the final recording, Page also played lead guitar on the B-side "Bald Headed Woman").[26] Page's studio output in 1964 included Marianne Faithfull's "As Tears Go By", The Nashville Teens' "Tobacco Road", The Rolling Stones' "Heart of Stone" (released on Metamorphosis), Van Morrison & Them's "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Here Comes the Night", Dave Berry's "The Crying Game" and "My Baby Left Me", Brenda Lee's "Is It True," and Petula Clark's "Downtown".
In 1965 Page was hired by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham to act as house producer and A&R man for the newly formed Immediate Records label, which also allowed him to play on and/or produce tracks by John Mayall, Nico, Chris Farlowe, Twice as Much and Eric Clapton. Page also formed a brief songwriting partnership with then romantic interest, Jackie DeShannon. He also composed and recorded songs for the John Williams[27] album The Maureeny Wishful Album with Big Jim Sullivan. Page worked as session musician on Donovan Leitch's Sunshine Superman (1966) and the Johnny Hallyday albums Jeune Homme (1968) and Je Suis Né Dans La Rue (1969), the Al Stewart album Love Chronicles (1969), and played guitar on five tracks of Joe Cocker's debut album, With a Little Help from My Friends. Over the years since 1970 Page has played lead guitar on 10 Roy Harper tracks, comprising 81 minutes of music.
When questioned about which songs he played on, especially ones where there exists some controversy as to what his exact role was, Page often points out that it is hard to remember exactly what he did given the enormous number of sessions he was playing at the time.[22][23] In a radio interview he explained that "I was doing three sessions a day, fifteen sessions a week. Sometimes I would be playing with a group, sometimes I could be doing film music, it could be a folk session ... I was able to fit all these different roles."[16]
Although Page recorded with many notable musicians, many of these early tracks are only available as bootleg recordings, several of which were released by the Led Zeppelin fan club in the late 1970s. One of the rarest of these is the early jam session featuring Jimmy Page and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards covering Robert Johnson's "Little Queen of Spades". Several early tracks with Page were compiled on the twin album release, Jimmy Page: Session Man.
Page decided to leave studio work when the increasing influence of Stax Records on popular music led to the greater incorporation of brass and orchestral arrangements into recordings at the expense of guitars.[17] However, he has stated that his time as a session player served as extremely good schooling for his development as a musician:
My session work was invaluable. At one point I was playing at least three sessions a day, six days a week! And I rarely ever knew in advance what I was going to be playing. But I learned things even on my worst sessions – and believe me, I played on some horrendous things. I finally called it quits after I started getting calls to do Muzak. I decided I couldn't live that life any more; it was getting too silly. I guess it was destiny that a week after I quit doing sessions Paul Samwell-Smith left The Yardbirds, and I was able to take his place. But being a session musician was good fun in the beginning – the studio discipline was great. They'd just count the song off, and you couldn't make any mistakes.[19]
The Yardbirds[link]
Main article: The Yardbirds
File:Yardbirds including Page.JPG
The Yardbirds, 1966. Clockwise from left: Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, and Chris Dreja.
In late 1964, Page was approached about the possibility of replacing Eric Clapton in The Yardbirds, but he declined the offer out of loyalty to his friend.[18] In February 1965 Clapton quit the Yardbirds, and Page was formally offered Clapton's spot, but because he was unwilling to give up his lucrative career as a session musician, and because he was still worried about his health under touring conditions, he suggested his friend, Jeff Beck.[28] On 16 May 1966, drummer Keith Moon, bass player John Paul Jones, keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, Jeff Beck and Page recorded "Beck's Bolero" in London's IBC Studios. The experience gave Page an idea to form a new supergroup featuring Beck, along with The Who's John Entwistle on bass and Keith Moon on drums.[18] However, the lack of a quality vocalist and contractual problems prevented the project from getting off the ground. During this time, Moon suggested the name "Lead Zeppelin" for the first time, after Entwistle commented that the proceedings would take to the air like a lead balloon.
Within weeks, Page attended a Yardbirds concert at Oxford. After the show he went backstage where Paul Samwell-Smith announced that he was leaving the group.[17] Page offered to replace Samwell-Smith and this was accepted by the group. He initially played electric bass with the Yardbirds before finally switching to twin lead guitar with Beck when Chris Dreja moved to bass. The musical potential of the line-up was scuttled, however, by interpersonal conflicts caused by constant touring and a lack of commercial success, although they released one single, "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago". (While Page and Jeff Beck played together in The Yardbirds, the trio of Page, Beck and Clapton never played in the original group at the same time. The three guitarists did appear on stage together at the ARMS charity concerts in 1983.)
After Beck's departure, the Yardbirds remained a quartet. They recorded one album with Page on lead guitar, Little Games. The album received indifferent reviews and was not a commercial success, peaking at only number 80 on the Billboard Music Charts. Though their studio sound was fairly commercial at the time, the band's live performances were just the opposite, becoming heavier and more experimental. These concerts featured musical aspects that Page would later perfect with Led Zeppelin, most notably performances of "Dazed and Confused".
After the departure of Keith Relf and Jim McCarty in 1968, Page reconfigured the group with a new line-up to fulfil unfinished tour dates in Scandinavia. As he said:
Once [the other Yardbirds] decided not to continue, then I was going to continue. And shift the whole thing up a notch ... The whole thing was putting a group together and actually being able to play together. There were a lot of virtuoso musicians around at the time who didn't gel as a band. That was the key: to find a band that was going to fire on all cylinders.[29]
To this end, Page recruited vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham, and he was also contacted by John Paul Jones who asked to join.[30] During the Scandinavian tour the new group appeared as "The New Yardbirds", but soon recalled the old joke by Keith Moon and John Entwistle. Page stuck with that name to use for his new band. Peter Grant changed it to "Led Zeppelin", to avoid a mispronunciation of "Leed Zeppelin."[31]
Led Zeppelin[link]
Main article: Led Zeppelin
Page has explained that he had a very specific idea in mind as to what he wanted Led Zeppelin to be, from the very beginning:
I had a lot of ideas from my days with The Yardbirds. The Yardbirds allowed me to improvise a lot in live performance and I started building a textbook of ideas that I eventually used in Zeppelin. In addition to those ideas, I wanted to add acoustic textures. Ultimately, I wanted Zeppelin to be a marriage of blues, hard rock and acoustic music topped with heavy choruses – a combination that had never been done before. Lots of light and shade in the music.[19]
Post-Led Zeppelin career[link]
Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham at Page's home, The Old Mill House at Clewer in Berkshire. Page refused to touch a guitar out of sadness for the loss of his friend Bonham,[22][32] but made a return to the stage at a Jeff Beck show in March 1981 at the Hammersmith Odeon.[33] Also in 1981 Page joined with Yes bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White to form a supergroup called XYZ (for ex-Yes-Zeppelin). They rehearsed several times, but the project was shelved. Demos of these sessions have turned up on bootleg and they reveal that some of the material emerged on later projects, notably The Firm's "Fortune Hunter" and Yes songs "Mind Drive" and "Can You Imagine?". Page would later join Yes on stage in 1984 at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, playing "I'm Down".
In 1982 Page collaborated with director Michael Winner to record the Death Wish II soundtrack. This, and several subsequent Page recordings including Death Wish III soundtrack (1985), were recorded and produced at his own recording studio, The Sol in Cookham, which he had purchased from Gus Dudgeon in the early 1980s.
In 1983 Page appeared with the A.R.M.S. (Action Research for Multiple Sclerosis) charity series of concerts which honoured Small Faces bass player Ronnie Lane, who suffered from the disease. For the first shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Page's set consisted of songs from the Death Wish II soundtrack (with Steve Winwood on vocals) and an instrumental version of "Stairway to Heaven". A four-city tour of the United States followed, with Paul Rodgers of Bad Company replacing Winwood as vocalist. During the US tour, Page and Rodgers also performed "Midnight Moonlight" which would later be recorded for The Firm's first album. All of the shows featured an on stage jam of "Layla" that reunited Page with Yardbirds guitarists Beck and Eric Clapton. According to the book Hammer of the Gods, it was reportedly around this time that Page told friends that he'd just given up heroin after seven years of use. On 13 December 1983, Page joined Robert Plant on-stage for one encore at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.
Page next linked up with Roy Harper for the 1984 album (Whatever Happened to Jugula?) and occasional concerts, performing a predominantly acoustic set at folk festivals under various guises such as the MacGregors, and Themselves. Also in 1984 Page recorded with former Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant as The Honeydrippers on the albumThe Honeydrippers: Volume 1, and with John Paul Jones on the film soundtrack Scream for Help.
Page subsequently collaborated with Paul Rodgers to record two albums under the name The Firm. The first album, released in 1985, was the self-titled The Firm. Popular songs included "Radioactive" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed". The album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard pop albums chart and went gold in the US. It was followed by Mean Business in 1986. The band toured in support of both albums, but soon split up.
Various other projects followed, such as session work for Graham Nash, Stephen Stills and The Rolling Stones (on their 1986 single "One Hit (to the Body)"). In 1986, Page reunited temporarily with his ex-Yardbirds band members to play on several tracks of the Box of Frogs album Strange Land.[34] Page released a solo album entitled Outrider in 1988 which featured contributions from Robert Plant, with Page contributing in turn to Plant's solo album Now and Zen, which was released the same year. Page also embarked on a collaboration with David Coverdale in 1993 entitled Coverdale Page.
Throughout these years Page also reunited with the other former members of Led Zeppelin to perform live on a few occasions, most notably in 1985 for the Live Aid concert with both Phil Collins and Tony Thompson filling drum duties. However, the band members considered this performance to be sub-standard, with Page having been let down by a poorly tuned Les Paul.[35] Page, Plant and Jones, as well as John Bonham's son Jason, performed at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary show on 14 May 1988, closing the 12-hour show.[35] In 1990, a Knebworth concert to aid the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre and the British School for Performing Arts and Technology saw Plant unexpectedly joined by Page to perform "Misty Mountain Hop", "Wearing and Tearing" and "Rock and Roll". Page also performed with the band's former members at various private family functions.
In 1994, Page reunited with Plant for the penultimate performance in MTV's "Unplugged" series. The 90-minute special, dubbed Unledded, premiered to the highest ratings in MTV's history. In October of the same year, the session was released as the CD No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded, and in 2004 as the DVD No Quarter Unledded. Following a highly successful mid-90s tour to support No Quarter, Page and Plant recorded 1998's Walking into Clarksdale.
Since 1990, Page has been heavily involved in remastering the entire Led Zeppelin back catalogue and is currently participating in various charity concerts and charity work, particularly the Action for Brazil's Children Trust (ABC Trust), founded by his wife Jimena Gomez-Paratcha in 1998. In the same year, Page played guitar for rap singer/producer Puff Daddy's song "Come with Me", which heavily samples Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and was included in the soundtrack of Godzilla. The two later performed the song on Saturday Night Live.
In October 1999, Page teamed up with The Black Crowes for a two-night performance of material from the Led Zeppelin catalogue and old blues and rock standards. The concert was recorded and released as a double live album, Live at the Greek in 2000. In 2001 he made an appearance on stage with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst and Wes Scantlin of Puddle of Mudd at the MTV Europe Video Music Awards in Frankfurt, where they performed a version of Led Zeppelin's "Thank You".[36]
In 2005, Page was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of his Brazilian charity work for Task Brazil and Action For Brazil's Children's Trust,[37] made an honorary citizen of Rio de Janeiro later that year, and was awarded a Grammy award.[38]
In November 2006, Led Zeppelin was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. The television broadcasting of the event consisted of an introduction to the band by various famous admirers (including Roger Taylor, Slash, Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, Jack White and Tony Iommi), a presentation of an award to Jimmy Page, and then a short speech by the guitarist. After this, rock group Wolfmother played a tribute to Led Zeppelin, playing the song "Communication Breakdown".[39][40]
In 2006, Page attended the induction of Led Zeppelin to the UK Music Hall of Fame. During an interview for the BBC for said event, he expressed plans to record new material in 2007, saying "It's an album that I really need to get out of my system... there's a good album in there and it's ready to come out" and "Also there will be some Zeppelin things on the horizon".[41]
On 10 December 2007, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, as well as John Bonham's son, Jason Bonham played a charity concert at the O2 Arena London.
For the 2008 Olympics, Jimmy Page, David Beckham and Leona Lewis represented Britain during the closing ceremonies on 24 August 2008. Beckham rode a double-decker bus into the stadium, and Page and Lewis performed "Whole Lotta Love".[42]
In 2008 Page co-produced a documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim entitled It Might Get Loud. The film examines the history of the electric guitar, focusing on the careers and styles of Page, The Edge, and Jack White. The film premiered on 5 September 2008 at the Toronto Film Festival.[43] Page also participated in the 3 part BBC documentary London Calling: The making of the Olympic handover ceremony on 4 March 2009.[44] On 4 April 2009, Page inducted Jeff Beck into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[45] Page has announced his 2010 solo tour while talking to the Sky News on 16 December 2009.[46][47]
On 7 June 2008, Page and John Paul Jones appeared with the Foo Fighters to close out the band's concert at Wembley Stadium, performing "Rock and Roll" and "Ramble On."
In January 2010, Jimmy Page announced he is publishing an autobiography through Genesis Publications, in a hand-crafted, limited edition of 2,500 copies.[48] Page has also been honoured with a first-ever Global Peace Award by the United Nations' Pathways to Peace organisation after confirming reports that he would be among the headliners at a planned Show of Peace Concert in Beijing, China on 10 October 2010.[49][50]
On 3 June 2011, Jimmy Page played with Donovan "Mellow Yellow" and "Sunshine Superman" twice, live at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert was filmed. Page made an unannounced appearance with The Black Crowes at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on 13 July 2011. He also played alongside Roy Harper at Harper's 70th birthday celebratory concert, in London's Royal Festival Hall on 13 July 2011.
In November 2011, Conservative MP Louise Mensch launched a campaign to have Page knighted for his contributions to the music industry.[51]
Legacy and influence[link]
"Along with a highly original and well-rounded guitar style, influenced by blues, country and international folk music, Jimmy Page has the grand distinction of being one of the most respected and influential songwriters in the history of rock music."
—Real Rock Guitar: A Classic Rock Bible of the '60s and '70s.[52]
Page's past experiences both in the studio and with the Yardbirds were very influential in contributing to the success of Led Zeppelin in the 1970s. As a producer, composer, and guitarist he helped make Led Zeppelin a prototype for countless future rock bands, and was one of the major driving forces behind the rock sound of that era, influencing a host of other guitarists.[53] Allmusic states that "just about every rock guitarist from the late '60s/early '70s to the present day has been influenced by Page's work with Led Zeppelin".[5] For example, Dictators bassist Andy Shernoff states that Jimmy Page's sped up, downstroke guitar riff in "Communication Breakdown", an influential song that contained elements of protopunk,[54][55] was an inspiration for The Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone's downstroke guitar style.[56] Ramone, who has described Page as "probably the greatest guitarist who ever lived",[57] stated in the documentary "Ramones:The True Story" that he improved at his down-stroke picking style by playing the song over and over again for the bulk of his early career.[58] Brian May of Queen, who was also influenced by Page,[59] has said "I don't think anyone has epitomised riff writing better than Jimmy Page – he's one of the great brains of rock music".[60] Tom Scholz of Boston was heavily influenced by Jimmy Page and credits the dual guitar harmonies in Led Zeppelin's "How Many More Times" as the inspiration for Boston's distinctive sound.[61] Page's guitar solo from the song "Heartbreaker" has been credited by Eddie Van Halen as being the inspiration for his two-hand tapping technique after he had seen Led Zeppelin perform in 1971.[62] Similarly, Steve Vai has also commented about the song in a September 1998 Guitar World interview: "This one [Heartbreaker] had the biggest impact on me as a youth. It was defiant, bold, and edgier than hell. It really is the definitive rock guitar solo."[63]
Many other rock guitarists were also influenced by Jimmy Page, such as Ace Frehley,[64] Joe Satriani,[65] John Frusciante,[66] James Hetfield,[67] Kirk Hammett,[68] Zakk Wylde,[69] Yngwie Malmsteen,[70] Tony Iommi,[71] Joe Perry,[72] Richie Sambora,[73] Angus Young,[74] Slash,[75] Dave Mustaine,[76] Mike McCready,[77] Jerry Cantrell,[78] Stone Gossard,[79] Mick Mars,[80] Paul Stanley,[81] Alex Lifeson,[82] and Dan Hawkins.[83]
Page has been described by Uncut as the "rock's greatest and most mysterious guitar hero".[84] According to msnbc.com Jimmy Page "played some of the most fundamental and memorable guitar in rock history—from the heaviest crunch to the most delicate acoustic finger picking."[85] Page's solo in the famous epic "Stairway to Heaven" has been voted by readers of Guitar World[86] and Total Guitar as the greatest guitar solo of all time, and he was named 'Guitarist of the Year' five times during the 1970s in Creem magazine's annual reader poll. Guitar World wrote: "Truly a guitar god, Jimmy Page is one of the most captivating soloists the rock world has ever known."[87] In 1996 Mojo Magazine ranked him number 7 on their list of "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time".[88] In 2002 he was voted the second greatest guitarist of all time in a Total Guitar magazine reader poll.[89] In 2007, Classic Rock Magazine ranked him No. 4 on their list of the "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes".[90] Gigwise.com, an online music magazine, ranked Page No. 2 on their list of the "50 greatest guitarists ever" in 2008.[91] In August 2009, Time Magazine ranked him the 6th greatest electric-guitar player of all time.[92] In 2010, Jimmy Page was ranked No. 2 on Gibson's "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time".[7] In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine named him number three on their list of the "100 greatest guitarists of all time".[9]
David Fricke, a senior editor at Rolling Stone magazine, described Jimmy Page in 1988 as "probably the most digitally sampled artist in pop today after James Brown."[6] Roger Daltrey of The Who has been a longtime fan of Page[93] and expressed his desire to form a supergroup with Page in 2010 saying: "I’d love to do something, I’d love to do an album with Jimmy Page."[94] Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones has described Jimmy Page as "one of the best guitar players I've ever known."[95][96] Jimmy Page was the first inductee onto the British Walk of Fame in August 2004.[97] Page was awarded "Living Legend Award" at Classic Rock Magazine Roll of Honour 2007.[98] In June 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Surrey for his services to the music industry.[99][100] Page was inducted into Mojo Hall Of Fame at the magazine's award ceremony on 11 June 2010.[101]
In August 2010, Auburn University graduate student Justin Havird named a new species of fish "Lepidocephalichthys zeppelini" after Led Zeppelin, because the fish's pectoral fin reminded him of the double-neck guitar used by Jimmy Page.[102][103]
Equipment and recording techniques[link]
Guitars[link]
For the recording of most of Led Zeppelin material from Led Zeppelin's second album onwards, Page used a Gibson Les Paul guitar (sold to him by Joe Walsh) with Marshall amplification. A Harmony Sovereign H-1260 was used in-studio on Led Zeppelin III and Led Zeppelin IV and on-stage from 5 March 1971 to 28 June 1972. During the studio sessions for Led Zeppelin, and later for recording the guitar solo in "Stairway to Heaven", he used a Fender Telecaster (a gift from Jeff Beck).[104] He also used a Danelectro 3021, tuned to DADGAD, most notably on live performances of "Kashmir".
Page also plays his guitar with a cello bow,[105][106][107][108] as on the live versions of the songs "Dazed and Confused" and "How Many More Times". This was a technique he developed during his session days.[23] On MTV's Led Zeppelin Rockumentary, Page said that he obtained the idea of playing the guitar with a bow from David McCallum, Sr. who was also a session musician. Page used his Fender Telecaster and later his Gibson Les Paul for his bow solos.[citation needed]
Notable guitars[link]
- 1959 Fender Telecaster (given to Page by Jeff Beck and repainted with a psychedelic dragon design by Page) played with the Yardbirds. Used to record the first Led Zeppelin album and used on the early tours during 1968–1969. In 1971, it was used for recording the "Stairway to Heaven" solo.
- 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (No. 1) (Given as a gift to Page by Joe Walsh) modified with a shaved neck. This guitar was also used by Gibson as the model for the company's second run of Page signature models in 2004. Produced by Gibson and aged by luthier Tom Murphy, this second generation of Page tribute models was limited to 25 guitars signed by Page himself; and only 150 guitars in total for the aged model issue.[109][110]
- 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (No. 2) with a shaved down neck to match the profile on his No.1; He added four push/pull pots to coil split the humbuckers as well as phase and series switches which were added under the pick guard after the break-up of Led Zeppelin.
- 1991 English luthier Roger Giffin built a guitar for Page based loosely on Page's #2. Giffin's work was later copied for Gibson's original run of Jimmy Page Signature model Les Pauls in the mid-1990s.[109][111][112]
- 1971 Gibson EDS-1275 (used for playing "Stairway to Heaven", "The Song Remains the Same", "The Rain Song", "Celebration Day" during live concerts and the Knebworth, "Tangerine" at the 1975 Earls Court shows, and "Sick Again" throughout the 1977 North American tour)
- 1959 Danelectro 59-DC (tuned to DADGAD and used live for "White Summer", "Black Mountain Side", "Kashmir" and "Midnight Moonlight" with The Firm).
- Danelectro 3021 (tuned to open G and used on the Outrider tour for "In My Time Of Dying". This one has a smaller pickguard, as opposed to the large "seal" pickguard on his first Danelectro.
- 1967 Vox 12-String used during the recording for the Yardbirds Little Games album and for on-stage appearances.
- 1960 Black Gibson Les Paul Custom (with Bigsby Tremolo) – stolen in 1970. An ad was placed by Page for the return of this highly modified instrument but the guitar was never recovered. In 2008 the Gibson Custom Shop produced a limited run of 25 re-creations of the guitar, each with a Bigsby Tremolo and a new custom 6-way toggle switch.[113]
- Because the guitar was too heavy, one of Jimmy Page's Les Paul Custom Black Beauty guitars is now owned by Dan Hawkins of The Darkness.[114]
- 1969 Gibson Les Paul Standard (seen in "The Song Remains The Same" during the theremin/solo section of "Whole Lotta Love" and for "Kashmir" at the O2 reunion concert. This guitar was later fitted with a Parsons-White B-string bender and used extensively by Page from the mid-to-late 1980s onward, including the Outrider tour, and the Page/Plant "Unledded" special on MTV.
- 1964 Lake Placid Blue Fender Stratocaster (Used during recording sessions for In Through the Out Door at Earls Court 1975 and in 1979 at Knebworth for In the Evening).
- 1966 Cream Fender Telecaster (Used on Physical Graffiti and on All My Love during the Tour Over Europe 1980).
- 1953 Brown Fender Telecaster featuring a Parsons and White B-string bender, and neck salvaged from the "Dragon Telecaster". Seen primarily during the 1980s The Firm and Outrider era. Also used at Knebworth in 1979, notably on "Ten Years Gone" and "Hot Dog".
- 1965 Fender Electric XII (12-String) used to record Thank You and Stairway to Heaven.
- 1972 Martin D28 used to record acoustic songs after Led Zeppelin IV, used live at Earls Court 1975
- In 1994 Andy Manson was commissioned to make another triple neck guitar for Page. It was used during the Unledded performances with Robert Plant. [115]
Strings[link]
- Ernie Ball Super Slinky electric guitar strings .009s-.042s[116]
Signature models[link]
Gibson released Jimmy Page Signature Les Paul which was discontinued in 1999, then released another version in 2004, which has also been discontinued. The 2004 version included 25 guitars signed by Page, 150 aged by a former Gibson employee (an acknowledged ageing 'master'), and 840 'unlimited' production guitars. The Jimmy Page Signature EDS-1275 has been produced by Gibson. Recently, Gibson reproduced Page's 1960 Les Paul Black Beauty, the one stolen from him in 1970, with modern modifications. This guitar was sold in 2008 with a run of 25, again signed by Page, plus an additional 500 unsigned guitars.
In December 2009, Gibson released the 'Jimmy Page "Number Two" Les Paul'.[117] This is a re-creation of Page's famous number 2 Les Paul used by him since about 1974 until present. The model includes the same pick-up switching setup as devised by Page, shaved-down neck profile, Burstbucker pick-up at neck and 'Pagebucker' at the bridge. A total of 325 were made in three finishes: 25 Aged by Gibson's Tom Murphy, signed and played by Page ($26,000), 100 aged ($16,000) and 200 with VOS finish ($12,000).
Amplifiers and effects[link]
He usually recorded in studio with a Vox AC30, Fender, and Orange amplification. The first Led Zeppelin album and the solo on "Stairway to Heaven" were played on a Fender Telecaster through a Supro amplifier.[118]
Page used a limited number of effects, including a Maestro Echoplex,[118][119][120] a Dunlop Cry Baby, an MXR Phase 90, a Vox Cry Baby Wah, a Boss CE-2 Chorus, a Yamaha CH-10Mk II Chorus, a Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional Mk II, an MXR Blue Box (distortion/octaver) and a DigiTech Whammy.[118] Page also played a theremin.[118]
Music production techniques[link]
Jimmy Page is credited for the innovations in sound recording he brought to the studio during the years he was a member of Led Zeppelin,[121][122] many of which he had initially developed as a session musician:[123]
This apprenticeship ... became a part of [learning] how things were recorded. I started to learn microphone placements and things like that, what did and what didn't work. I certainly knew what did and didn't work with drummers because they put drummers in these little sound booths that had no sound deflection at all, and the drums would just sound awful. The reality of it is the drum is a musical instrument, it relies on having a bright room and a live room ... And so bit by bit I was learning really how not to record.[16]
He developed a reputation for employing effects in new ways and trying out different methods of using microphones and amplification. During the late 1960s, most British music producers placed microphones directly in front of amplifiers and drums, resulting in the sometimes "tinny" sound of the recordings of the era. Page commented to Guitar World magazine that he felt the drum sounds of the day in particular "sounded like cardboard boxes."[121] Instead, Page was a fan of 1950s recording techniques, Sun Studios being a particular favourite. In the same Guitar World interview, Page remarked, "Recording used to be a science", and "[engineers] used to have a maxim: distance equals depth." Taking this maxim to heart, Page developed the idea of placing an additional microphone some distance from the amplifier (as much as twenty feet) and then recording the balance between the two. By adopting this technique, Page became one of the first British producers to record a band's "ambient sound" – the distance of a note's time-lag from one end of the room to the other.[124]
For the recording of several Led Zeppelin tracks, such as "Whole Lotta Love" and "You Shook Me", Page additionally utilised "reverse echo" – a technique which he claims to have invented himself while with The Yardbirds (he had originally developed the method when recording the 1967 single "Ten Little Indians").[121] This production technique involved hearing the echo before the main sound instead of after it, achieved by turning the tape over and employing the echo on a spare track, then turning the tape back over again to get the echo preceding the signal.
Page has stated that, as producer, he deliberately changed the audio engineers on Led Zeppelin albums, from Glyn Johns for the first album, to Eddie Kramer for Led Zeppelin II, to Andy Johns for Led Zeppelin III and later albums. He explained that "I consciously kept changing engineers because I didn't want people to think that they were responsible for our sound. I wanted people to know it was me."[121]
John Paul Jones acknowledged that Page's production techniques were a key component of the success of Led Zeppelin:
The backwards echo stuff [and] a lot of the microphone techniques were just inspired. Using distance-miking... and small amplifiers. Everybody thinks we go in the studio with huge walls of amplifiers, but Page doesn’t. He uses a really small amplifier and he just mikes it up really well, so that it fits into a sonic picture.[32]
In an interview that Page himself gave to Guitar World magazine in 1993, he remarked on his work as a producer:
Many people think of me as just a riff guitarist, but I think of myself in broader terms... As a producer I would like to be remembered as someone who was able to sustain a band of unquestionable individual talent, and push it to the forefront during its working career. I think I really captured the best of our output, growth, change and maturity on tape – the multifaceted gem that is Led Zeppelin.[19]
Personal life[link]
French model Charlotte Martin was Page's partner from 1970 to about 1982 or 1983. Page called her 'My Lady'.Today he calls her 'my ex-wife' too.(from Guitar World magazine November issue 2010) Together they have a daughter, Scarlet Page (born in 1971), who is a photographer.
From 1986 to 1995 Page was married to Patricia Ecker, a model and waitress. They have a son, James Patrick Page III (born April 1988). Page later married Jimena Gómez-Paratcha, whom he met in Brazil on the No Quarter tour.[125] He adopted her oldest daughter Jana (born 1994), and they have two children together: Zofia Jade (born 1997) and Ashen Josan (born 1999).[126]
In 1972 Page bought, from Richard Harris, the home which William Burges (1827–1881) designed for himself in London, The Tower House. "I had an interest going back to my teens in the pre-Raphaelite movement and the architecture of Burges", he said. "What a wonderful world to discover." The reputation of Burges rests on his extravagant designs and his contribution to the Gothic revival in architecture in the nineteenth century.[127]
From 1980 to 2004 Page owned The Mill House, Mill Lane, Windsor, which was formerly the home of actor Michael Caine. Fellow Led Zeppelin band member John Bonham died at the house in 1980.
From the early 1970s to the early 1990s,[128] Page owned the Boleskine House, the former residence of occultist Aleister Crowley.[128][129] Sections of Page's fantasy sequence in the film The Song Remains the Same were filmed at night on the mountain side directly behind Boleskine House.
According to The Sunday Times Rich List, Page's assets are worth £75 million as of 2009.[130] He resides in Sonning, Berkshire in Deanery Garden, a house designed by Edwin Lutyens for the owner of Country Life magazine, William Hudson deanery Garden. Page also previously owned Plumpton Place, Sussex also owned by William Hudson with certain parts of the house also designed by Edwin Lutyens. This house features in the Zeppelin film "The Song Remains The Same" where Jimmy is seen sitting on the lawn playing a hurdy gurdy.
Recreational drug use[link]
Page has acknowledged heavy recreational drug use throughout the 1970s. In an interview with Guitar World magazine in 2003, he stated, "I can't speak for the [other members of the band], but for me drugs were an integral part of the whole thing, right from the beginning, right to the end."[131] After the band's 1973 concert tour of the United States, Page told Nick Kent, "Oh, everyone went over the top a few times. I know I did and, to be honest with you, I don't really remember much of what happened."[132]
In 1975, Page began to use heroin, a fact attributed to Richard Cole, who stated that Page (in addition to himself) was taking the drug during the recording sessions of the album Presence in that year, and that Page admitted to him shortly afterwards that he was addicted to the drug.[133]
By Led Zeppelin's 1977 tour of the United States, Page's heroin addiction was beginning to hamper his guitar playing performances.[5][124][134] By this time the guitarist had lost a noticeable amount of weight. His onstage appearance was not the only obvious change; his addiction caused Page to become so inward and isolated it altered the dynamic between him and Plant considerably.[135] During the recording sessions for In Through the Out Door in 1978, Page's diminished influence on the album (relative to bassist John Paul Jones) is partly attributed to his heroin addiction, which resulted in his absence from the studio for long periods of time.[136]
Page reportedly kicked his heroin habit in the early 1980s.[137] In a 1988 interview with Musician magazine, Page took offence when the interviewer noted that heroin had been associated with his name, and insisted "Do I look as if I'm a smack addict? Well, I'm not. Thank you very much."[138]
In an interview he gave to Q magazine in 2003, Page responded to a question as to whether he regrets getting so involved in heroin and cocaine:
I don't regret it at all because when I needed to be really focused, I was really focused. That's it. Both Presence and In Through the Out Door were only recorded in three weeks: that's really going some. You've got to be on top of it.[139]
Interest in the occult[link]
The appearance of four symbols on the jacket of Led Zeppelin's fourth album has been linked to Page's interest in the occult.[140] The four symbols represented each member of the band. Page's own so-called "Zoso" symbol originated in 'Ars Magica Arteficii' (1557) by Gerolamo Cardano, an old alchemical grimoire, where it has been identified as a sigil consisting of zodiac signs. The sigil is reproduced in "Dictionary of Occult, Hermetic and Alchemical Sigils" by Fred Gettings.[141][142]
During tours and performances after the release of the fourth album, Page often had the "Zoso" symbol embroidered on his clothes, along with zodiac symbols. These were visible most notably on his "Dragon Suit", which included the signs for Capricorn, Scorpio and Cancer which are Page's Sun, Ascendant, and Moon signs, respectively.
The artwork inside the album cover of Led Zeppelin IV is from a painting by William Holman Hunt, influenced by the traditional Rider/Waite Tarot card design for the card called "The Hermit".[140] Page transforms into this character during his fantasy sequence in Led Zeppelin's concert film The Song Remains the Same.
In the early 1970s Page owned an occult bookshop and publishing house, "The Equinox Booksellers and Publishers" in Kensington High Street, London, eventually closing it as the increasing success of Led Zeppelin resulted in his having insufficient time to devote to it. The company published a facsimile of English occultist's Aleister Crowley's 1904 edition of The Goetia.[143] Page has maintained a strong interest in Crowley for many years. In 1978, he explained:
I feel Aleister Crowley is a misunderstood genius of the 20th century. Because his whole thing was liberation of the person, of the entity, and that restrictions would foul you up, lead to frustration which leads to violence, crime, mental breakdown, depending on what sort of makeup you have underneath. The further this age we're in now gets into technology and alienation, a lot of the points he's made seem to manifest themselves all down the line.[144]
Page was commissioned to write the soundtrack music for the film Lucifer Rising by another occultist and Crowley admirer, underground movie director Kenneth Anger. Page ultimately produced 23 minutes of music which Anger felt was insufficient because the film ran for 28 minutes and Anger wanted the film to have a full soundtrack. Anger claimed Page took three years to deliver the music, and the final product was only 23 minutes of droning. The director also slammed the guitarist in the press by calling him a "dabbler" in the occult and an addict, and being too strung out on drugs to complete the project. Page countered that he had fulfilled all his obligations, even going so far as to lend Anger his own film editing equipment to help him finish the project.[145]
Although Page collected works by Crowley, he has never described himself as a Thelemite nor was he ever initiated into the O.T.O. The Equinox Bookstore and Boleskine House were both sold off during the 1980s, as Page settled into family life and participated in charity work.
Discography[link]
See also: Led Zeppelin discography
Single[link]
- "She Just Satisfies"/"Keep Moving" (February 1965)
Albums[link]
Pre-Led Zeppelin (1963–1969)[link]
Many pre-Led Zeppelin session recordings have been released on various labels and compilation packages, including:
- Mannish Boys 1965 recordings with David Bowie (then Davy Jones) & 'The Lower 3rd' group. Page was a session guitarrist for the side A of the EP, titled 'The Manish Boys'. They just recorded two tracks, 'I Pity the Fool' and 'Take my Tip'. [146]
- Blues Anytime 1, 2, 3 series on Immediate Records featuring the Immediate All-Stars, mid 1960s
- No Introduction Necessary (1968), Recordings feat. John Paul Jones, Albert Lee, Nicky Hopkins, Clem Cattini and Keith de Groot
- Jimmy Page and Friends – Wailing Sounds (2006). Includes Lord Sutch & Heavy Friends album (1970) + six tracks from the 1968 sessions for Keith De Groot's debut album.
- Guitar Boogie (1971) Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton compilation album from the recordings on the Blues Anytime series on Immediate Records.
- Special Early Works (1972), 1965 session recordings with Sonny Boy Williamson
- Smoke and Fire (1984), session recordings with Jeff Beck, Noel Redding and Nicky Hopkins
- Jimmy Page: Session Man Vol. 1 (1989)
- Jimmy Page: Session Man Vol. 2 (1990)
- Jimmy's Back Pages...The Early Years (1992)
- Jimmy Page and His Heavy Friends: Hip Young Guitar Slinger (2000, double cd)
- This Guitar Kills: More 60s Groups & Sessions – remastered by Jimmy Page (2007, the 2003 ed. is not remastered) (double cd)
- Jimmy Page and Friends (2006, double cd)
Please note that there are several duplicates amongst all these albums.
Post-Led Zeppelin[link]
Main article: Jimmy Page discography
References[link]
- ^ Andy Manson. "Fine instrument luthier". Andy Manson. http://andymanson.com/index. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ "It Might Get Loud: Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge's First Guitars". Guitar World. 2009-08-13. http://www.guitarworld.com/it-might-get-loud-jimmy-page-jack-white-and-edges-first-guitars. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
- ^ Holly George-Warren, Patricia Romanowski, Patricia Romanowski Bashe & Jon Pareles (2001), The Rolling stone encyclopedia of rock & roll, Fireside Publishing House, ISBN 0-7432-0120-5, p.773. One of rock's most important and influential guitar players, writers, and producers, Jimmy Page has alternated between solo projects and collaborations with other superstars since the demise of Led Zeppelin in 1980.
- ^ Bob Gulla (2009), Guitar Gods : The 25 Players Who Made Rock History, Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 0-313-35806-0, p.151.
- ^ a b c d Prato, Greg. "Jimmy Page Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5091. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
- ^ a b "Outrider Review". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jimmypage/albums/album/209425/review/5944964/outrider. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ a b Top 50 Guitarists of All Time. Gibson
- ^ "JIMI HENDRIX, DIMEBAG, TONY IOMMI, EDDIE VAN HALEN Are Among 'Wildest Guitar Heroes'". Blabbermouth.net. 6 Mar. 2007. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=68274.
- ^ a b "100 Greatest Guitarists | Rolling Stone Music | Lists". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/jimmy-page-19691231. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum: Inductee Biography: The Yardbirds (1992)". Rockhall.com. http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-yardbirds. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum: Inductee Biography: Led Zeppelin (1995)". Rockhall.com. http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/led-zeppelin. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ http://www.led-zeppelin.org/joomla/biographies/87
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- ^ a b "Crowe, Cameron. "The Durable Led Zeppelin" ''Rolling Stone'' 13 March 1975". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17448380/cover_story_the_durable_led_zeppelin/1. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
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- ^ a b c d e f Steven Rosen, 1977 Jimmy Page Interview, Modern Guitars, 25 May 2007 (originally published in the July 1977, issue of Guitar Player magazine).
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dave Schulps, Interview with Jimmy Page, Trouser Press, October 1977.
- ^ a b c d Interview with Jimmy Page, Guitar World magazine, 1993
- ^ a b Led Zeppelin In Their Own Words compiled by Paul Kendall (1981), London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-86001-932-2, p. 11.
- ^ Case, George (2007). Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man – An Unauthorised Biography (1st ed.). New York: Hal Leonard. p. 294. ISBN 978-1-4234-0407-1.
- ^ a b c d Du Noyer, Paul. “Who the hell does Jimmy Page think he is?”, Q magazine, August 1988, pp.5–7.
- ^ a b c Led Zeppelin Triple J Music Specials, Australian Broadcasting Corporation; first broadcast 12 July 2000.
- ^ Booklet of the The Kinks (album) Deluxe Edition Sanctuary Records 2011
- ^ Booklet of the Kinks' Picture Book boxset Sanctuary Records 2008
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- ^ Not the classical guitarist John Williams
- ^ http://www.ainian.com/HitParader_April66.pdf Hit Parader April 1966: Jeff Beck Interview
- ^ “I first met Jimmy on Tolworth Broadway, holding a bag of exotic fish...”, Uncut, January 2009, pp. 40–41.
- ^ Dominick A. Miserandino, Led Zeppelin – John Paul Jones, TheCelebrityCafe.com.
- ^ "(unofficial website)". Jimmy Page Online. http://www.jimmypageonline.com/11318/42826.html. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ a b David Cavanagh, "Interview with John Paul Jones", Uncut.
- ^ Case, George (2007). Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man – An Unauthorised Biography (1st ed.). New York: Hal Leonard. p. 164. ISBN 978-1-4234-0407-1.
- ^ "Report". BBC News. 4 August 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3534576.stm. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ a b Lewis, Dave and Pallett, Simon (1997) Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, London: Omnibus Press, p. 139.
- ^ "Led Zep's Page Joins Limp Bizkit's Durst And Puddle of Mudd's Scantlin On Stage". Yahoo. 11 October 2001. http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12051457. Retrieved 17 February 2007. "Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page made a surprise appearance on stage with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst and Puddle of Mudd leader Wes Scantlin at the MTV Europe Video Music Awards in Frankfurt, Germany on Thursday (8 November). The trio performed Zeppelin's classic tune, "Thank You.""
- ^ "Jimmy Page given OBE for charity work". CBC.ca Arts (CBC). 14 December 2005. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2005/12/14/page-obe.html. Retrieved 6 January 2007. "Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, but not for his music.... The Queen bestowed the OBE on the 61-year-old rocker at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to recognise his work with poor children in Brazil." [dead link]
- ^ "Zeppelin's Page made Rio citizen". BBC News (BBC). 22 September 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4271212.stm. Retrieved 6 January 2007. "Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has been made an honorary citizen of Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro for his work helping its street children."
- ^ Hans Werksman (21 September 2006). "Wolfmother live at Led Zep's induction" (weblog). Here Comes The Flood. Hans Werksman. http://blogger.xs4all.nl/werksman/archive/2006/09/21/124425.aspx. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
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- ^ Knight, Tom. London rap troupe fly flag at Beijing Olympics The Telegraph. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
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- ^ "Olympic Documentary London Calling – screens this week". Thi Is London. Radio Movies. 28 February 2009. http://radiomovies.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/this-is-london/. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
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- ^ Jimmy Makes It Celebration Day For Fans, Sky News
- ^ Jimmy Page Announces Free Concert, Wins U.N. Peace Award, Plots Solo Tour, Gibson.
- ^ "Forthcoming books- Jimmy Page". Genesis Publications. http://www.genesis-publications.com/Press-Office/Forthcoming-Books/Jimmy-Page. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
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- ^ Page lands Peace Prize, Contact Music.
- ^ Craig Dunning (16 November 2011). "British MP lobbying for Knighthood for Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page". DailyTelegraph. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/music/british-mp-lobbying-for-knighthood-for-led-zeppelin-guitarist-jimmy-page/story-e6frexl9-1226197192247. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ^ Kenn Chipkin (2003), Real Rock Guitar: A Classic Rock Bible of the '60s and '70s, Alfred Music Publishing, ISBN 0-7579-0987-6, p. 85.
- ^ "Their Time is Gonna Come", Classic Rock Magazine, December 2007
- ^ Greg Kot. Led Zeppelin: Album Guide. Rolling Stone.
- ^ Barney Hoskyns (2006), Led Zeppelin IV: Rock of Ages, Rodale, Inc., ISBN 1-59486-370-9.
- ^ Everett, True, Hey Ho Let's Go: The Story of The Ramones (2002): 13
- ^ Conservative Punk's Interview with Johnny Ramone, conducted 2 April 2003 by telephone. Interviewer, Sgt. Robert Jones, U.S. Army, Fort Dix, New Jersey, with Johnny Ramone, at his home in Los Angeles. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ Ramones:The True Story. Classic Rock Legends. B000CRSF6W.
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- ^ Cocks, Jay. Time "Music: Boston's Sonic Mystery Tour" 25 September 1978
- ^ Chilvers, C.J. The Van Halen Encyclopedia (2001): 6
- ^ Jeff Kitts and Brad Tolinski. Guitar World presents one hundred greatest guitarists of all time
- ^ "Ace Frehley Interview". Modernguitars.com. http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/005087.html. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Joe Satriani Interview". Metal-rules.com. http://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/SatrianiInterview.htm. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Mucchio Selvaggio 2004 interview. Wikiquote. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
- ^ Prato, Greg (3 August 1963). "James Hetfield". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p86404. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Official Biography
- ^ Ankeny, Jason (14 January 1967). "Zakk Wylde". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p140046. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Yngwie Malmsteen at Allmusic,
- ^ Prato, Greg (19 February 1948). "Tony Iommi". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p89318. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Joe Perry Interviewed by Paul Elliott. Mojo. August 2004.
- ^ [www.musicpubco.net/richie_sambora_bio.html]
- ^ Prato, Greg (31 March 1955). "Angus Young at Allmusic". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p140456. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Slash Interview". Snakepit.org. http://www.snakepit.org/answers03.html. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ^ DAVE MUSTAINE: 'My Life Isn't About Name-Calling And Mud-Slinging' – 5 Apr. 2010. Blabbermouth.net
- ^ Prato, Greg (5 April 1966). "Mike McCready at Allmusic". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p103683. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Prato, Greg (18 March 1966). "Jerry Cantrell at Allmusic". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p62226. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Prato, Greg (20 July 1966). "Stone Gossard at Allmusic". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p81262. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Mick Mars Interview[dead link]
- ^ Prato, Greg (20 January 1952). "Paul Stanley at Allmusic". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5517. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Alex Lifeson Interview. Guitar Player Magazine. March 2006.
- ^ Farley, Mike (6 June 2007). "Dan Hawkins Interview". Bullz-eye.com. http://www.bullz-eye.com/music/interviews/the_darkness.htm. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Nick Hasted. THE REAL JIMMY PAGE – PART 2. Uncut. Retrieved 30 May 2010
- ^ The 10 best rock bands ever. msnbc.com
- ^ "100 Greatest Guitar Solos". About:Guitar. The New York Times Company. http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm. Retrieved 6 January 2007. "1. song: Stairway to Heaven / guitarist: Jimmy Page"
- ^ SOLOING STRATEGIES: Jimmy Page. Guitar World
- ^ "Mojo – 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo.html#guitar. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Hendrix tops guitar greats poll". BBC News. 7 August 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2177791.stm. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ JIMI HENDRIX, DIMEBAG, TONY IOMMI, EDDIE VAN HALEN Are Among 'Wildest Guitar Heroes', Blabbermouth.net
- ^ "The 50 Greatest Guitarists... Ever!". Gigwise.com. http://www.gigwise.com/news/40852/The-50-Greatest-Guitarists-Ever. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
- ^ The 10 Greatest Electric-Guitar Players TIME
- ^ Daltrey eyes Page collaboration. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
- ^ Roger Daltrey Wants To Form Band With Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. Gigwise.com. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
- ^ "Ask Keith: Official Website". Keithrichards.com. http://www.keithrichards.com/high/ask_keith.swf. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Keith Richards – About Led Zeppelin". Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-mIpRfm0EA. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Page gets first star on British Walk of Fame. USA Today. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ "Jimmy Page Awarded Living Legend Award at Classic Rock Magazine Roll of Honour 2007". Gibson. 24 June 2008. http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/ArtistsAndEvents/Stories/Jimmy%20Page%20Awarded%20Living%20Lege/. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ United Kingdom. "University of Surrey awards honorary doctorate to Jimmy Page". .surrey.ac.uk. http://www2.surrey.ac.uk/mediacentre/press/2008/1512_university_of_surrey_awards_honorary_doctorate_to_jimmy_page.htm. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page awarded honorary doctorate". NME. UK. 26 June 2008. http://www.nme.com/news/led-zeppelin/37637. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page celebrated at Mojo Awards. BBC News
- ^ Leeann Bright. Museum receives $2.7 million to study largest group of freshwater fish. Florida Museum of Natural History.
- ^ Andrew Vaughan. Hammer of the Cods: Led Zeppelin’s Fishy Tale. Gibson.
- ^ Charles Shaar Murray, "21st century digital man", Classic Rock Magazine: Classic Rock Presents Led Zeppelin, 2008, p. 56.
- ^ Case, George (2007). Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man – An Unauthorized Biography (1st ed.). New York, NY: Hal Leonard. p. 294. ISBN 978-1-4234-0407-1.
- ^ Lewis, Dave & Kendall, Paul (2004). Led Zeppelin 'Talking': Led Zeppelin in Their Own Words. London: Omnibus Press. p. 67. ISBN 1-84449-100-5.
- ^ Fast, Susan (2001). In the Houses of the Holy: Led Zeppelin and the Power of Rock Music (1st ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University. p. 210. ISBN 0-19-511756-5.
- ^ Coelho, Victor (2003). The Cambridge Companion to the Guitar (1st ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University. p. 119. ISBN 0-521-00040-8.
- ^ a b Bacon, Tony (2000). Electric Guitars:The Illustrated Encyclopedia. Thunder Bay Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-59223-053-2.
- ^ Case Study: Page's Prototype Les Paul by Simon Higgs
- ^ Case, George (2007). Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man – An Unauthorized Biography (1st ed.). New York: Hal Leonard. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-4234-0407-1.
- ^ "Luthier Roger Giffin with Jimmy Page's 1959 Les Paul No. 2". Giffinguitars.com. http://www.giffinguitars.com/jimmy_page_pics.htm. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ News article from the Ottawa Citizen
- ^ Molenda, Michael (January 2004). "Lords of the Prance". Guitar Player. http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/lords-prance/jan-04/928. Retrieved 9 December 2007.
- ^ "Manson Triple Neck Acoustic Instrument". www.led-zeppelin.org. http://www.led-zeppelin.org/joomla/studio-and-live-gear/241. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ http://www.ernieball.com/artists.php[dead link]
- ^ "9.6 Rating Jimmy Page "Number Two" Les Paul". Gibson. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Jimmy-Page-Number-Two-Les-Paul.aspx. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ a b c d Gress, Jesse (July 2011). "10 Things You Gotta Do To Play Like Jimmy Page". Guitar Player: pp. 74–88.
- ^ Cleveland, Barry (August 2008). "Passing Notes: Mike Battle". Guitar Player 42 (8): 60.
- ^ Campion, Chris (2009). Walking on the Moon: The Untold Story of the Police and the Rise of New Wave Rock. John Wiley and Sons. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-470-28240-3. http://books.google.com/?id=ODs8IEzC4Z0C&pg=PA62.
- ^ a b c d Tolinski, Brad; Greg Di Bendetto (January 1998). "Light and Shade" (– Scholar search). Guitar World. Archived from the original on 15 September 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070915171903/http://trublukris.tripod.com/inter/jp-history.html. Retrieved 10 December 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "Rock’s sonic architect", Classic Rock Magazine, December 2007
- ^ Ian Fortnam, "Dazed & confused", Classic Rock Magazine: Classic Rock Presents Led Zeppelin, 2008, p. 41.
- ^ a b Gilmore, Mikal (10 August 2006). "The Long Shadow of Led Zeppelin". Rolling Stone (1006). http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11027261/the_long_shadow_of_led_zeppelin/print. Retrieved 9 December 2007.
- ^ "ABC Trust History: Who We Are". Abctrust.org.uk. http://www.abctrust.org.uk/whoweare.html. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ George (2007). Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man – An Unauthorized Biography (1st ed.). New York: Hal Leonard. p. 227. ISBN 978-1-4234-0407-1.
- ^ "Rock legend's pilgrimage to castle". BBC News (BBC). 20 May 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/3730777.stm. Retrieved 17 February 2007. "A fan of the Victorian architect's work, Page lives in the house which Burges designed for himself in London and allowed it to be featured in a new book on Burges."
- ^ a b James Jackson, Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin's good times, bad times and reunion rumours, The Times, 8 January 2010 .
- ^ "Led Zeppelin Biography". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ledzeppelin/biography. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
- ^ The Times (London). http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/rich_list_search/?l=17&list_name=Rich+List+2009&advsearch=1&t=1&x=33&y=3&i=Music. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ Tolinski, Brad. "The Greatest Show On Earth, Guitar World, July 2003; re-published in Guitar Legends Magazine, Winter 2004, p. 72.
- ^ Case, George, "Jimmy Page: Magnus, Musician, Man", Hal Leonard Books 2007; excerpt printed in Guitar World, May 2007, p. 52.
- ^ Cole, Richard (1992) Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored, New York: HarperCollins, ISBN 0-06-018323-3, pp. 322–326.
- ^ Davis, Stephen (4 July 1985). "Power, Mystery And The Hammer Of The Gods: The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin". Rolling Stone (451). http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ledzeppelin/articles/story/17537975/power_mystery_and_the_hammer_of_the_gods. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
- ^ Fast, Susan (2001). In the Houses of the Holy: Led Zeppelin and the Power of Rock Music. Oxford University Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-19-514723-0.
- ^ Aizelwood, John. "Closing Time", Q Magazine Special Led Zeppelin edition, 2003, p. 94.
- ^ Davis, Stephen (1995). Hammer of the Gods (LPC). pp. 316–317. ISBN 0-330-43859-X.
- ^ Du Noyer, Paul. “Who the hell does Jimmy Page think he is?”, Q magazine, August 1988, p. 6.
- ^ Kent, Nick. "Bring It On Home", Q Magazine, Special Led Zeppelin edition, 2003
- ^ a b Jimmy Page interview, Guitar World magazine, January 2008
- ^ Gettings, Fred (1981). The Dictionary of Occult, Hermetic, and Alchemical Sigils and Symbols. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. p. 201. ISBN 0-7100-0095-2. http://books.google.com/?id=W-E9AAAAIAAJ. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
- ^ "Jimmy Page's symbol". 17 September 2009. http://www.inthelight.co.nz/ledzep/zososymbol.htm. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
- ^ Crowley, Aleister The Goetia. London, 1976 Equinox (Booksellers and Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-905841-00-7
- ^ Sounds, 13 March1978.
- ^ The Story Behind The Lost Lucifer Rising Soundtrack, Guitar World, October 2006.
- ^ http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Albums/TMB/Title.html Mannish Boys / Davy Jones and the Lower 3rd album details
Published sources[link]
- Case, George (2007). Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man. Hal Leonard books. ISBN 1-4234-0407-6.
- Mylett, Howard (1984) Jimmy Page: Tangents Within a Framework, London: Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-0265-8.
- Welch, Chris (1985) Power & Glory: Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, London: Zomba Books, ISBN 0-946391-74-2.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jimmy Page |
- Official Jimmy Page site
- Official Led Zeppelin site
- Jimmy Page at the Internet Movie Database
- Jimmy Page discography at Discogs
- ASCAP titles
- Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page – Genesis Publications Limited Edition Book
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Page, Jimmy |
| Alternative names | Page, James Patrick |
| Short description | Guitarist, Songwriter, Producer |
| Date of birth | 9 January 1944 |
| Place of birth | Heston, Middlesex, England |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Jimmy_Page
| Eric Clapton CBE |
|
|---|---|
 Clapton on stage at the Hard Rock Calling concert, Hyde Park, London on 28 June 2008. |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Patrick Clapton |
| Also known as | Slowhand |
| Born | (1945-03-30) 30 March 1945 (age 67) Ripley, Surrey, England |
| Genres | Rock, blues rock, blues, psychedelic rock, hard rock |
| Occupations | Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, artist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Reprise, Polydor, RSO, Atco, Apple, Deram[1] |
| Associated acts | The Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Powerhouse, Cream, Free Creek, The Dirty Mac, Blind Faith, J.J. Cale, The Plastic Ono Band, Delaney, Bonnie & Friends, Derek and the Dominos, Sheryl Crow, The Beatles, Phil Collins, The Rolling Stones, Luciano Pavarotti, The Band, Freddie King, B.B. King, Mark Knopfler, Brian Wilson, John Mayer, Roger Waters, Dire Straits |
| Website | www.ericclapton.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| See: Guitars section "Blackie": Fender Stratocaster "Brownie": Fender Stratocaster |
|
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, (born 30 March 1945) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.[2] Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"[3] and fourth in Gibson's Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.[4]
In the mid 1960s, Clapton departed from the Yardbirds to play blues with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. In his one-year stay with Mayall, Clapton gained the nickname "Slowhand". Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton formed Cream, a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and "arty, blues-based psychedelic pop." For most of the 1970s, Clapton's output bore the influence of the mellow style of J.J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley. His version of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" helped reggae reach a mass market.[5] Two of his most popular recordings were "Layla", recorded by Derek and the Dominos, another band he formed and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", recorded by Cream. A recipient of seventeen Grammy Awards,[6] in 2004 Clapton was awarded a CBE for services to music.[7] In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.[8]
Contents |
Early life[link]
Eric Patrick Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, the son of 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton (b. 7 January 1929 d. March 1999) and Edward Walter Fryer (21 March 1920 – 15 May 1985), a 25-year-old soldier from Montreal, Quebec.[9] Fryer shipped off to war prior to Clapton's birth and then returned to Canada. Clapton grew up with his grandmother, Rose, and her second husband, Jack Clapp, who was stepfather to Patricia Clapton and her brother Adrian, believing they were his parents and that his mother was actually his older sister. The similarity in surnames gave rise to the erroneous belief that Clapton's real surname is Clapp (Reginald Cecil Clapton was the name of Rose's first husband, Eric Clapton's maternal grandfather).[10] Years later, his mother married another Canadian soldier and moved to Germany,[11] leaving young Eric with his grandparents in Surrey.[12]
Clapton received an acoustic Hoyer guitar, made in Germany, for his thirteenth birthday, but the inexpensive steel-stringed instrument was difficult to play and he briefly lost interest.[12] Two years later Clapton picked it up again and started playing consistently.[12] Clapton was influenced by the blues from an early age, and practised long hours to learn the chords of blues music by playing along to the records.[13] He preserved his practice sessions using his portable Grundig reel-to-reel tape recorder, listening to them over and over until he felt he'd got it right.[13][14]
After leaving Hollyfield School, in Surbiton, in 1961, Clapton studied at the Kingston College of Art but was dismissed at the end of the academic year because his focus remained on music rather than art. His guitar playing was so advanced that by the age of 16 he was getting noticed.[14] Around this time Clapton began busking around Kingston, Richmond, and the West End.[15] In 1962, Clapton started performing as a duo with fellow blues enthusiast David Brock in pubs around Surrey.[14] When he was seventeen years old Clapton joined his first band, an early British R&B group, "The Roosters", whose other guitarist was Tom McGuinness. He stayed with this band from January through August 1963.[16] In October of that year, Clapton did a seven-gig stint with Casey Jones & The Engineers.[16]
Career[link]
1960s[link]
The Yardbirds and the Bluesbreakers[link]
Main articles: The Yardbirds and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
In October 1963 Clapton joined The Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock and roll band, and stayed with them until March 1965. Synthesising influences from Chicago blues and leading blues guitarists such as Buddy Guy, Freddie King, and B. B. King, Clapton forged a distinctive style and rapidly became one of the most talked-about guitarists in the British music scene.[17] The band initially played Chess/Checker/Vee-Jay blues numbers and began to attract a large cult following when they took over the Rolling Stones' residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond. They toured England with American bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson II; a joint LP album, recorded in December 1963, was issued in 1965.
It was during this time period that Clapton's Yardbirds rhythm guitarist, Chris Dreja, recalled that whenever Clapton broke a guitar string during a concert, he would stay on stage and replace it. The English audiences would wait out the delay by doing what is called a "slow handclap". Clapton told his official biographer, Ray Coleman, that, "My nickname of 'Slowhand' came from Giorgio Gomelsky. He coined it as a good pun. He kept saying I was a fast player, so he put together the slow handclap phrase into Slowhand as a play on words".[18]
In March 1965 the Yardbirds had their first major hit, "For Your Love", on which Clapton played guitar. The Yardbirds elected to move toward a pop-oriented sound, in part because of the success of "For Your Love", written by pop songwriter-for-hire Graham Gouldman, who had also written hit songs for Herman's Hermits and The Hollies. Still musically devoted to the blues, Clapton was opposed to the move, and left the band. He recommended fellow guitarist Jimmy Page as his replacement, but Page was at that time unwilling to relinquish his lucrative career as a freelance studio musician, so Page in turn recommended Clapton's successor, Jeff Beck.[17] While Beck and Page played together in the Yardbirds, the trio of Beck, Page, and Clapton were never in the group together. However, the trio did appear on the 12-date benefit tour for Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis in 1983, as well as on the album Guitar Boogie.
Clapton joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in April 1965, only to quit a few months later. In the summer of 1965 he left for Greece with a band called The Glands, which included his old friend Ben Palmer on piano. In November 1965 he rejoined John Mayall. During his second Bluesbreakers stint, Clapton gained a reputation as the best blues guitarist on the club circuit. Although Clapton gained world fame for his playing on the influential album, Blues Breakers – John Mayall – With Eric Clapton, this album was not released until Clapton had left the Bluesbreakers for the last time. Having swapped his Fender Telecaster and Vox AC30 amplifier for a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar and Marshall amplifier, Clapton's sound and playing inspired a well-publicised graffiti that deified him with the famous slogan "Clapton is God". The phrase was spray-painted by an admirer on a wall in an Islington Underground station in the autumn of 1967. The graffiti was captured in a now-famous photograph, in which a dog is urinating on the wall. Clapton is reported to have been embarrassed by the slogan, saying in his The South Bank Show profile in 1987, "I never accepted that I was the greatest guitar player in the world. I always wanted to be the greatest guitar player in the world, but that's an ideal, and I accept it as an ideal". The phrase began to appear in other areas of Islington throughout the mid 1960s.[19]
Cream[link]
Main article: Cream (band)
Clapton left the Bluesbreakers in July 1966 (to be replaced by Peter Green) and formed Cream, one of the earliest supergroups, with Jack Bruce on bass (also of Manfred Mann, the Bluesbreakers, and the Graham Bond Organisation) and Ginger Baker on drums (another member of the Graham Bond Organisation). Before the formation of Cream, Clapton was not well known in the United States; he left the Yardbirds before "For Your Love" hit the American Top Ten, and had yet to perform there.[20] During his time with Cream, Clapton began to develop as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, though Bruce took most of the lead vocals and wrote the majority of the material with lyricist Pete Brown.[17] Cream's first gig was an unofficial performance at the Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester on 29 July 1966 before their full debut two nights later at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. Cream established its enduring legend with the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their live shows.
In early 1967 Clapton's status as Britain's top guitarist was rivalled by the emergence of Jimi Hendrix, an acid rock-infused guitarist who used wailing feedback and effects pedals to create new sounds for the instrument. Hendrix attended a performance of the newly-formed Cream at the Central London Polytechnic on 1 October 1966, during which Hendrix sat in on a double-timed version of "Killing Floor". Top UK stars including Clapton, Pete Townshend, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles avidly attended Hendrix's early club performances. Hendrix's arrival had an immediate and major effect on the next phase of Clapton's career, although Clapton continued to be recognised in UK music polls as the premier guitarist.
Clapton first visited the United States while touring with Cream. In March 1967, Cream performed a nine-show stand at the RKO Theater in New York. They recorded Disraeli Gears in New York from 11–15 May 1967. Cream's repertoire varied from hard rock ("I Feel Free") to lengthy blues-based instrumental jams ("Spoonful"). Disraeli Gears featured Clapton's searing guitar lines, Bruce's soaring vocals and prominent, fluid bass playing, and Baker's powerful, polyrhythmic jazz-influenced drumming. Together, Cream's talents secured them as an influential power trio.
In 28 months, Cream had become a commercial success, selling millions of records and playing throughout the U.S. and Europe. They redefined the instrumentalist's role in rock and were one of the first blues-rock bands to emphasise musical virtuosity and lengthy jazz-style improvisation sessions. Their U.S. hit singles include "Sunshine of Your Love" (#5, 1968), "White Room" (#6, 1968) and "Crossroads" (#28, 1969) – a live version of Robert Johnson's "Cross Road Blues". Though Cream was hailed as one of the greatest groups of its day, and the adulation of Clapton as a guitar hero reached new heights, the supergroup was short-lived. Drug and alcohol use escalated tension between the three members, and conflicts between Bruce and Baker eventually led to Cream's demise. A strongly critical Rolling Stone review of a concert of the group's second headlining U.S. tour was another significant factor in the trio's demise, and it affected Clapton profoundly.[21]
Cream's farewell album, Goodbye, featuring live performances recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, 19 October 1968, was released shortly after Cream disbanded; it also featured the studio single "Badge", co-written by Clapton and George Harrison. Clapton met Harrison and became friends with him after the Beatles shared a bill with the Clapton-era Yardbirds at the London Palladium. The close friendship between Clapton and Harrison resulted in Clapton's playing on Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album (1968). Harrison also released his solo debut album, Wonderwall Music, in 1968. It became the first of many Harrison solo records to feature Clapton on guitar. Clapton would go largely uncredited for his contributions to Harrison's albums due to contractual restraints. The pair would often play live together as each other's guest. A year after Harrison's death in 2001, Clapton helped organise a tribute concert, for which he was musical director.[22]
Cream briefly reunited in 1993 to perform at the ceremony inducting them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; a full reunion took place in May 2005, with Clapton, Bruce, and Baker playing four sold-out concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall,[23] and three shows at New York's Madison Square Garden that October.[24] Recordings from the London shows, Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005, were released on CD, LP, and DVD in September/December 2005.[25]
Blind Faith and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends[link]
Main articles: Blind Faith and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
Clapton's next group, Blind Faith (1969), was composed of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic, and Ric Grech of Family, and yielded one LP and one arena-circuit tour. The supergroup debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on 7 June 1969. They performed several dates in Scandinavia and began a sold-out American tour in July before their only album was released. The LP Blind Faith consisted of just six songs, one of them a 15-minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". The album's jacket image of a topless pubescent girl was deemed controversial in the United States and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after less than seven months.
Clapton subsequently toured as a sideman for an act that had opened for Blind Faith, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. He also played two dates as a member of The Plastic Ono Band that autumn, including a recorded performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival in September 1969 released as the album Live Peace in Toronto 1969.[26] On 15 December 1969 Clapton performed with John Lennon, George Harrison, and others as the Plastic Ono Band at a fundraiser for UNICEF in London.[26]
Delaney Bramlett encouraged Clapton in his singing and writing. During the summer of 1969, Clapton and Bramlett contributed to the Music From Free Creek "supersession" project. Clapton, appearing as "King Cool" for contractual reasons, played with Dr. John on three songs, joined by Bramlett on two tracks.
Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players (including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills), Clapton recorded his first solo album during two brief tour hiatuses, fittingly named Eric Clapton. Delaney Bramlett co-wrote six of the songs with Clapton,[27] and Bonnie Bramlett co-wrote "Let It Rain".[28] The album yielded the unexpected U.S. #18 hit, J. J. Cale's "After Midnight". Clapton went with Delaney and Bonnie from the stage to the studio with the Dominos to record George Harrison's All Things Must Pass in spring 1970. During this busy period, Clapton also recorded with other artists including Dr. John, Leon Russell, Plastic Ono Band, Billy Preston, and Ringo Starr.
1970s[link]
Derek and the Dominos[link]
Main article: Derek and the Dominos
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With the intention to counteract the "star" cult faction that had begun to form around him, Clapton assembled a new band composed of Delaney and Bonnie's former rhythm section, Bobby Whitlock as keyboardist and vocalist, Carl Radle as the bassist, and drummer Jim Gordon, with Clapton playing guitar. It was his intention to show that he need not fill a starring role, and functioned well as a member of an ensemble.[29] Naming the band, "Eric Clapton and Friends" at first, the name "Derek and the Dominos" was a fluke. It occurred when the band's provisional name of "Del and the Dynamos" was misread as Derek and the Dominos.[30] Clapton's biography states that Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke told Clapton to call the band "Del and the Dominos", since "Del" was his nickname for Eric Clapton. Del and Eric were combined and the final name became "Derek and the Dominos".[31]
Clapton's close friendship with George Harrison brought him into contact with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, with whom he became deeply infatuated. When she spurned his advances, Clapton's unrequited affections prompted most of the material for the Dominos' album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970). Heavily blues-influenced, the album features the twin lead guitars of Duane Allman and Clapton, with Allman's slide guitar as a key ingredient of the sound. Working at Criteria Studios in Miami with Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, who had worked with Clapton on Cream's Disraeli Gears, the band recorded a double album.
The album features the hit love song "Layla", inspired by the classical poet of Persian literature, Nizami Ganjavi's The Story of Layla and Majnun, a copy of which Ian Dallas had given to Clapton. The book moved Clapton profoundly, as it was the tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful, unavailable woman and who went crazy because he could not marry her.[32][33] The two parts of "Layla" were recorded in separate sessions: the opening guitar section was recorded first, and for the second section, laid down several months later, drummer Jim Gordon composed and played the piano part.[31]
The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of guitarist Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. A few days into the Layla sessions, Dowd—who was also producing the Allmans—invited Clapton to an Allman Brothers outdoor concert in Miami. The two guitarists met first on stage, then played all night in the studio, and became friends. Duane first added his slide guitar to "Tell the Truth" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". In four days, the five-piece Dominos recorded "Key to the Highway", "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" (a blues standard popularised by Freddie King and others), and "Why Does Love Got to be So Sad". In September, Duane briefly left the sessions for gigs with his own band, and the four-piece Dominos recorded "I Looked Away", "Bell Bottom Blues", and "Keep on Growing". Duane returned to record "I am Yours", "Anyday", and "It's Too Late". On 9 September, they recorded Hendrix's "Little Wing" and the title track. The following day, the final track, "It's Too Late", was recorded.[34]
Tragedy dogged the group throughout its brief career. During the sessions, Clapton was devastated by news of the death of Jimi Hendrix; eight days previously the band had cut a cover of "Little Wing" as a tribute to Hendrix. On 17 September 1970, one day before Hendrix's death, Clapton had purchased a left-handed Fender Stratocaster that he had planned to give to Hendrix as a birthday gift. Adding to Clapton's woes, the Layla album received only lukewarm reviews upon release. The shaken group undertook a U.S. tour without Allman, who had returned to the Allman Brothers Band. Despite Clapton's later admission that the tour took place amidst a veritable blizzard of drugs and alcohol, it resulted in the live double album In Concert.[35] The band had recorded several tracks for a second album in London during the spring of 1971 (five of which were released on the Eric Clapton box-set Crossroads), but the results were mediocre.
A second record was in the works when a clashing of egos took place and Clapton walked, thus disbanding the group. Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident on 29 October 1971. Although Radle would remain Clapton's bass player until the summer of 1979 (Radle died in May 1980 from the effects of alcohol and narcotics), it would be 2003 before Clapton and Whitlock appeared together again (Clapton guested on Whitlock's appearance on the Later with Jools Holland show). Another tragic footnote to the Dominos story was the fate of drummer Jim Gordon, who was an undiagnosed schizophrenic and years later murdered his mother during a psychotic episode. Gordon was confined to 16-years-to-life imprisonment, later being moved to a mental institution, where he remains today.[17]
Solo career[link]
Clapton's career successes in the 1970s were in stark contrast with his personal life, which was troubled by romantic longings and drug and alcohol addiction.[36] While suffering his (temporarily) unrequited and intense attraction to Pattie Boyd, he withdrew from recording and touring to isolation in his Surrey, England, residence. There he nursed his heroin addiction, which resulted in a career hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 (where he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued his performance).[17] In January 1973, The Who's Pete Townshend organised a comeback concert for Clapton at London's Rainbow Theatre, aptly titled the "Rainbow Concert", to help Clapton kick his addiction. Clapton would return the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the film (performing "Eyesight to the Blind") is notable as he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after the initial takes in an attempt to force the director to remove his earlier scene from the movie and leave the set.[31]
In 1974, now partnered with Pattie (they would not actually marry until 1979) and no longer using heroin (although starting to drink heavily), Clapton put together a more low-key touring band that included Radle, Miami guitarist George Terry, keyboardist Dick Sims (who died in 2011 [37]), drummer Jamie Oldaker, and vocalists Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy (also known as Marcella Detroit). With this band Clapton recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), an album with an emphasis on more compact songs and fewer guitar solos; the cover version of "I Shot The Sheriff" was Clapton's first #1 hit and was important in bringing reggae and the music of Bob Marley to a wider audience. The 1975 album There's One in Every Crowd continued this trend. The album's original title, The World's Greatest Guitar Player (There's One In Every Crowd), was changed before pressing, as it was felt its ironic intention would be misunderstood. The band toured the world and subsequently released the 1975 live LP, E.C. Was Here.[38] Clapton continued to release albums and toured regularly. Highlights of the period include No Reason to Cry (a collaboration with Bob Dylan and The Band); Slowhand, which featured "Wonderful Tonight" (another song inspired by Boyd);[39] and a second J.J. Cale cover, "Cocaine". In 1976 he performed, alongside a string of notable guests, to pay tribute to the farewell performance of The Band, filmed in a Martin Scorsese documentary called the Last Waltz.
1980s[link]
In 1981 Clapton was invited by producer Martin Lewis to appear at the Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. Clapton accepted the invitation and teamed up with Jeff Beck to perform a series of duets—reportedly their first-ever billed stage collaboration. Three of the performances were released on the album of the show, and one of the songs was featured in the film. The performances heralded a return to form and prominence for Clapton in the new decade. Many factors had influenced Clapton's comeback, including his "deepening commitment to Christianity", to which he had converted prior to his heroin addiction.[40][41]
After an embarrassing fishing incident, Clapton finally called his manager and admitted he was an alcoholic. In January 1982 Roger and Clapton flew to Minneapolis – St. Paul; Clapton would be checked in at Hazelden Treatment Center, located in Center City, Minnesota. On the flight over, Clapton indulged in a large number of drinks, for fear he would never be able to drink again. Clapton is quoted as saying from his autobiography, "In the lowest moments of my life, the only reason I didn't commit suicide was that I knew I wouldn't be able to drink any more if I was dead. It was the only thing I thought was worth living for, and the idea that people were about to try and remove me from alcohol was so terrible that I drank and drank and drank, and they had to practically carry me into the clinic."[42]
After being discharged, it was recommended by doctors of Hazelden that Clapton not partake in any activities that would act as triggers for his alcoholism or stress, until he was fully situated back at Hurtwood. A few months after his discharge, Clapton began working on his next album, against the Hazelden doctors' orders. Working with Tom Dowd, Clapton produced what he thought as his "most forced" album to date, Money and Cigarettes.
In 1984 he performed on Pink Floyd member Roger Waters' solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, and went on tour with Waters following the release of the album. Since then Waters and Clapton have had a close relationship. In 2005 they performed together for the Tsunami Relief Fund. In 2006 they performed at the Highclere Castle, in aid of the Countryside Alliance, playing two set pieces of "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb". Clapton, now a seasoned charity performer, played at the Live Aid concert on 13 July 1985.[43] When offered a slot close to peak viewing hours, he was apparently flattered. As Clapton recovered from his addictions, his album output continued in the 1980s, including two produced with Phil Collins, 1985's Behind the Sun, which produced the hits "Forever Man" and "She's Waiting", and 1986's August.
August was suffused with Collins's trademark drum and horn sound, and became Clapton's biggest seller in the UK to date, matching his highest chart position, number 3. The album's first track, the hit "It's In The Way That You Use It", was featured in the Tom Cruise – Paul Newman movie The Color of Money. The horn-peppered "Run" echoed Collins' "Sussudio" and rest of the producer's Genesis/solo output, while "Tearing Us Apart" (with Tina Turner) and the unimpressed "Miss You" echoed Clapton's angry sound. This rebound kicked off Clapton's two-year period of touring with Collins and their August collaborates, bassist Nathan East and keyboard player/songwriter Greg Phillinganes. While on tour for August, two concert videos were recorded of the four-man band, Eric Clapton Live from Montreux and Eric Clapton and Friends. Clapton later remade "After Midnight" as a single and a promotional track for the Michelob beer brand, which had also marketed earlier songs by Collins and Steve Winwood. Clapton won a British Academy Television Award for his collaboration with Michael Kamen on the score for the 1985 BBC Television thriller serial Edge of Darkness. In 1989, Clapton released Journeyman, an album which covered a wide range of styles including blues, jazz, soul and pop. Collaborators included George Harrison, Phil Collins, Daryl Hall, Chaka Khan, Mick Jones, David Sanborn and Robert Cray.
In 1984, while still married to Pattie Boyd, Clapton began a year-long relationship with Yvonne Kelly. The two had a daughter, Ruth, who was born in January 1985, but her existence was kept a secret by her parents. She was not publicly revealed as his child until 1991.[44] Boyd criticised Clapton because he had not revealed the child's existence.[45]
At the 1987 Brit Awards in London, Clapton picked up the prize for Outstanding Contribution to Music.[46] Hurricane Hugo hit Montserrat in 1989, and this resulted in the closure of Sir George Martin and John Burgess's recording studio AIR Montserrat, where Kelly was Managing Director. Kelly and Ruth moved back to England, and stories about Eric's secret daughter began as a result of newspaper articles published at the time.[44] Clapton and Boyd divorced in 1988 following his affair with Italian model Lory Del Santo, who gave birth to their son, Conor, on 21 August 1986.[47] Boyd was never able to conceive children, despite attempts at in vitro fertilisation.[45][47] Their divorce was granted on grounds of "infidelity and unreasonable behaviour."[45]
Clapton was known to date a host of beautiful women, including Krissy Wood (ex-wife of Ron Wood), actress Charlotte Martin, socialite Alice Ormsby-Gore, Paula Boyd (the younger sister of his future wife Pattie), singer Janis Joplin, singer Marianne Faithfull, rock muses Catherine James, Cyrinda Fox, and Geraldine Edwards, the inspiration for Penny Lane in Almost Famous, singer Rosanne Cash, the First Lady of France and former model Carla Bruni, and actresses Patsy Kensit, Sharon Stone, and Alicia Witt.[48]
1990s[link]
The 1990s brought a series of 32 concerts to the Royal Albert Hall, such as the 24 Nights series of concerts that took place around January through February 1990, and February through March 1991. On 27 August 1990, fellow blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was touring with Clapton, and three members of their road crew were killed in a helicopter crash between concerts. Then, on 20 March 1991, Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of his mother's friend's New York City apartment at 117 East 57th Street. He landed on the roof of an adjacent four-story building. Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "Tears in Heaven", which was co-written by Will Jennings. At the 35th Grammy Awards, Clapton received six Grammy Awards for the single "Tears in Heaven" and his Unplugged album.[49] The album reached number one on the Billboard 200, and has since been certified Diamond by the RIAA for selling over 10 million copies in the United States.[50] On 9 September 1992, Clapton performed "Tears in Heaven" at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, and won the award for Best Male Video.[51][52]
In October 1992 Clapton was among the dozens of artists performing at Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration. Recorded at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the live two-disk CD/DVD captured a show full of celebrities performing classic Dylan songs, before ending with a few performances from Dylan himself. Despite the presence of 10 other guitarists on stage, including George Harrison, Neil Young, Roger McGuinn, Steve Cropper, Tom Petty, and Dylan, Clapton played the lead on a nearly 7-minute version of Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" as part of the finale.
While Unplugged featured Clapton playing acoustic guitar, his 1994 album From the Cradle contained new versions of old blues standards, highlighted by his electric guitar playing.[53] Clapton's 1996 recording of the Wayne Kirkpatrick/Gordon Kennedy/Tommy Sims tune "Change the World" (featured in the soundtrack of the movie Phenomenon) won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1997, the same year he recorded Retail Therapy (an album of electronic music with Simon Climie under the pseudonym TDF). The following year, Clapton released the album Pilgrim, the first record featuring new material for almost a decade.[41] Clapton finished the twentieth century with collaborations with Carlos Santana and B. B. King.
In 1996 Clapton had a relationship with singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow. They remain friends, and Clapton appeared as a guest on Crow's Central Park Concert. The duo performed a Cream hit single, "White Room". Later, Clapton and Crow performed an alternate version of "Tulsa Time" with other guitar legends at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in June 2007.
In 1998 Clapton, then 53, met 22-year-old administrative assistant Melia McEnery in Columbus, Ohio, at a party given for him after a performance. He quietly dated her for a year, and went public with the relationship in 1999. They married on 1 January 2002 at St Mary Magdalene church in Clapton's birthplace, Ripley. As of 2005 they have three daughters, Julie Rose (13 June 2001), Ella May (14 January 2003), and Sophie Belle (1 February 2005).
At the 41st Grammy Awards on 24 February 1999, Clapton received his third Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, for his song "My Father's Eyes".[54] In October 1999, the compilation album, Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton, was released, which contained a new song, "Blue Eyes Blue", that also appears in soundtrack for the film, Runaway Bride.[55][56]
2000s[link]
Following the release of the 2001 record Reptile, in June 2002, Clapton performed "Layla" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Party at the Palace concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.[57] On 29 November 2002, the Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall, a tribute to George Harrison, who had died a year earlier of cancer.[58] Clapton was a performer and the musical director. The concert featured Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Ravi Shankar, Gary Brooker, Billy Preston, Joe Brown and Dhani Harrison.[58] In 2004, Clapton released two albums of covers of songs by bluesman Robert Johnson, Me and Mr. Johnson and Sessions for Robert J. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Clapton #53 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[59]
On 22 January 2005, Clapton performed in the Tsunami Relief Concert held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in aid of the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In May 2005 Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker reunited as Cream for a series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Concert recordings were released on CD and DVD. Later, Cream performed in New York at Madison Square Garden. Back Home, Clapton's first album of new original material in nearly five years, was released on Reprise Records on 30 August. In 2006 he invited Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II to join his band for his 2006–2007 world tour. Trucks is the third member of the Allman Brothers Band to tour supporting Clapton, the second being pianist/keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who appeared on the MTV Unplugged album and the 24 Nights performances at the Royal Albert Hall theatre of London in 1990 and 1991, as well as Clapton's 1992 U.S. tour.
On 20 May 2006, Clapton performed with Queen drummer Roger Taylor and former Pink Floyd bassist/songwriter Roger Waters at the Highclere Castle, Hampshire, in support of the Countryside Alliance.[60] On 13 August 2006, Clapton made a guest appearance at the Bob Dylan concert in Columbus, Ohio, playing guitar on three songs in Jimmie Vaughan's opening act.[61] A collaboration with guitarist J. J. Cale, titled The Road to Escondido, was released on 7 November 2006, featuring Derek Trucks and Billy Preston. The 14-track CD was produced and recorded by the duo in August 2005 in California. The chemistry between Trucks and Clapton convinced him to invite The Derek Trucks Band to open for Clapton's set at his 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Trucks remained on set afterward, performed with Clapton's band throughout his performances, and later embarked on a world tour with him.
The rights to Clapton's official memoirs, written by Christopher Simon Sykes and published in 2007, were sold at the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair for US$4 million.[62]
On 26 February 2008, it was reported that North Korean officials had invited Clapton to play a concert in the communist state.[63] Clapton's management received the invitation and passed it on to the singer, who agreed in principle and suggested it take place sometime in 2009.[64] Kristen Foster, a spokesperson, said, "Eric Clapton receives numerous offers to play in countries around the world," and "[t]here is no agreement whatsoever for him to play in North Korea."[65]
In 2007 Clapton learned more about his father, a Canadian soldier who left the UK after the war. Although Clapton's grandparents eventually told him the truth about his parentage, he only knew that his father's name was Edward Fryer. This was a source of disquiet for Clapton, as witnessed by his 1998 song "My Father's Eyes". A Montreal journalist named Michael Woloschuk researched Canadian Armed Forces service records and tracked down members of Fryer's family, and finally pieced together the story. He learned that Clapton's father was Edward Walter Fryer, born 21 March 1920, in Montreal and died 15 May 1985 in Newmarket, Ontario. Fryer was a musician (piano and saxophone) and a lifelong drifter who was married several times, had several children, and apparently never knew that he was the father of Eric Clapton.[66] Clapton thanked Woloschuk in an encounter at Macdonald Cartier Airport, in Ottawa, Canada.[67]
In February 2008 Clapton performed with his long-time friend Steve Winwood at Madison Square Garden and guested on his recorded single, "Dirty City", on Winwood's album Nine Lives. The two former Blind Faith bandmates met again for a series of 14 concerts throughout the United States in June 2009.
Clapton's 2008 Summer Tour began on 3 May at the Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa Bay, Florida, and then moved to Canada, Ireland, England, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Poland, Germany, and Monaco. On 28 June 2008, he headlined Saturday night for Hard Rock Calling 2008 in London's Hyde Park (previously Hyde Park Calling) with support from Sheryl Crow and John Mayer.[68][69] In September 2008 Clapton performed at a private charity fundraiser for The Countryside Alliance at Floridita in Soho, London, that included such guests as the London Mayor Boris Johnson.
In March 2009, the Allman Brothers Band (amongst many notable guests) celebrated their 40th year, dedicating their string of concerts to the late Duane Allman on their annual run at the Beacon Theatre. Eric Clapton was one of the performers, with drummer Butch Trucks remarking that the performance was not the typical Allman Brothers experience, given the number and musical styles of the guests who were invited to perform. Songs like "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" were punctuated with others, including "The Weight", with Levon Helm; Johnny Winter sitting in on Hendrix's "Red House"; and "Layla". On 4 May 2009 Clapton appeared as a featured guest at the Royal Albert Hall, playing "Further on Up the Road" with Joe Bonamassa.
Clapton was scheduled to be one of the performers at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert in Madison Square Garden on 30 October 2009, but cancelled due to gallstone surgery.[70] Van Morrison (who also cancelled)[71] said in an interview that he and Clapton were to do a "couple of songs", but that they would do something else together at "some other stage of the game".[72]
2010s[link]
Clapton performed a two-night show with Jeff Beck at London's O2 Arena on 13–14 February 2010.[73] The two former Yardbirds extended their 2010 tour with stops at Madison Square Garden,[74] the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and the Bell Centre in Montreal.[75] Clapton performed a series of concerts in 11 cities throughout the United States from 25 February to 13 March 2010, including Roger Daltrey as opening act. His third European tour with Steve Winwood began on 18 May and ended 13 June, including Tom Norris as opening act. He then began a short North American tour lasting from 26 June to 3 July, starting with his third Crossroads Guitar Festival on 26 June at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. Clapton released a new studio album, Clapton, on 27 September 2010 in the United Kingdom and 28 September 2010 in the United States. On 17 November 2010, Clapton performed as guest on the Prince's Trust rock gala held at the Royal Albert Hall, supported by the house band for the evening, which included Jools Holland, Midge Ure and Mark King.[76]
On 24 June 2011 Clapton was in concert with Pino Daniele in Cava de' Tirreni stadium, Italy, with an audience of 15,000 people before performing a series of concerts in South America from 6 to 16 October 2011. He spent the November and December 2011 touring Japan with Steve Winwood, playing 13 shows in various cities throughout the country. On 24 February 2012 Clapton, Keith Richards, Gary Clark Jr., Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, Kim Wilson and other artists performed together in the Howlin' For Hubert Tribute concert held at the Apollo Theater of NYC honoring blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin who died at age 80 in 4 December.
Influences[link]
Clapton cites Freddie King, B.B. King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Hubert Sumlin as guitar playing influences. Clapton stated blues musician Robert Johnson to be his single most important influence. In 2004 Clapton released CDs and DVDs entitled Sessions for Robert Johnson, featuring Clapton covering Robert Johnson songs using electric and acoustic guitars.[77]
Clapton co-authored with others the book Discovering Robert Johnson, in which Clapton said Johnson was[78]
"...the most important blues musician who ever lived. He was true, absolutely, to his own vision, and as deep as I have gotten into the music over the last 30 years, I have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice, really. ... it seemed to echo something I had always felt."
Legacy[link]
Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.[2][79][80][81] Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream.[82] He ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"[3] and fourth in Gibson's Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.[4]
Guitarists influenced by Clapton include Richie Sambora, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Duane Allman, Derek Trucks,[83] Eddie Van Halen, Brian May, Tony Iommi, Lenny Kravitz, Slash, Orianthi,Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Jonny Buckland, Joe Don Rooney, Alex Lifeson, Jonny Lang, John Mayer, Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa, Davy Knowles, and George Harrison.
Guitars[link]
Clapton's choice of electric guitars has been as notable as the man himself; alongside Hank Marvin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, Clapton exerted a crucial and widespread influence in popularising particular models of electric guitar.[84] With the Yardbirds, Clapton played a Fender Telecaster, a Fender Jazzmaster, a double-cutaway Gretsch 6120, and a 1964 Cherry-Red Gibson ES-335. He became exclusively a Gibson player for a period beginning in mid-1965, when he purchased a used sunburst Gibson Les Paul guitar from a guitar store in London. Clapton commented on the slim profile of the neck, which would indicate it was a 1960 model.[85]
Early during his stint in Cream, Clapton's first Les Paul Standard was stolen. He continued to play Les Pauls exclusively with Cream (one bought from Andy Summers was almost identical to the stolen guitar)[86] until 1967, when he acquired his most famous guitar in this period, a 1964 Gibson SG.[87] Just before Cream's first U.S. appearance in 1967, Clapton's SG, Bruce's Fender VI, and Baker's drum head were all repainted in psychedelic designs created by the visual art collective known as The Fool. In 1968 Clapton bought a Gibson Firebird and started using the 1964 Cherry-Red Gibson ES-335 again.[87] The aforementioned 1964 ES-335 had a storied career. Clapton used it at the last Cream show in November 1968 as well as with Blind Faith, played it sparingly for slide pieces in the 1970s, used it on "Hard Times" from Journeyman, the Hyde Park live concert of 1996, and the From the Cradle sessions and tour of 1994–95. It was sold for US$847,500 at a 2004 auction.[88] Gibson produced a limited run of 250 "Crossroads 335" replicas. The 335 was only the second electric guitar Clapton bought.[89]
In July 1968 Clapton gave George Harrison a 1957 'goldtop' Gibson Les Paul that been refinished with a red colour. The following September, Clapton played the guitar on the Beatles' studio recording of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". His SG found its way into the hands of George Harrison's friend Jackie Lomax, who subsequently sold it to musician Todd Rundgren for US$500 in 1972. Rundgren restored the guitar and nicknamed it "Sunny", after "Sunshine of Your Love". He retained it until 2000, when he sold it at an auction for US$150,000.[87] At the 1969 Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park, London Clapton played a Fender Custom Telecaster, which was fitted with "Brownie"'s neck.
In late 1969 Clapton made the switch to the Fender Stratocaster. "I had a lot of influences when I took up the Strat. First there was Buddy Holly, and Buddy Guy. Hank Marvin was the first well known person over here in England who was using one, but that wasn't really my kind of music. Steve Winwood had so much credibility, and when he started playing one, I thought, oh, if he can do it, I can do it."[90] The first—used during the recording of Eric Clapton—was "Brownie", which in 1974 became the backup to the most famous of all Clapton's guitars, "Blackie". In November 1970 Eric bought six Fender Stratocasters from the Sho-bud guitar shop in Nashville, Tennessee while on tour with the Dominos. He gave one each to George Harrison, Steve Winwood, and Pete Townshend.
Clapton assembled the best components of the remaining three to create "Blackie", which was his favourite stage guitar until its retirement in 1985. It was first played live 13 January 1973 at the Rainbow Concert.[91] Clapton called the 1956/57 Strat a "mongrel".[92] On 24 June 2004, Clapton sold "Blackie" at Christie's Auction House, New York, for US$959,500 to raise funds for his Crossroads Centre for drug and alcohol addictions. "Brownie" is now on display at the Experience Music Project.[93] The Fender Custom Shop has since produced a limited run of 275 'Blackie' replicas, correct in every detail right down to the 'Duck Brothers' flight case, and artificially aged using Fender's 'Relic' process to simulate years of hard wear. One was presented to Eric upon the model's release and was used for three numbers during a concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 17 May 2006.[94]
In 1981 Clapton gave his signed Fender Lead II guitar to the Hard Rock Cafe to designate his favourite bar stool. Pete Townshend also donated his own Gibson Les Paul guitar, with a note attached: "Mine's as good as his! Love, Pete."[95]
In 1988 Fender honoured Clapton with the introduction of his signature Eric Clapton Stratocaster.[96] These were the first two artist models in the Stratocaster range. Since then, the artist series has grown to include models inspired by Clapton's contemporaries such as Rory Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and by those who have influenced him, such as Buddy Guy. Clapton uses Ernie Ball Slinky and Super Slinky strings, gauge .10 to.46.[97] Clapton has been honoured with several signature-model 000-sized acoustic guitars made by the American firm of C.F. Martin & Company. The first, of these, introduced in 1995, was a limited edition 000-42EC Eric Clapton signature model with a production run of 461. As of December 2007, Martin had produced seven EC signature models.[98] His 1939 000-42 Martin that he played on the Unplugged album sold for US$791,500 at auction.[88] Clapton plays a custom 000-ECHF Martin these days.
In 1999, Clapton auctioned off some of his guitar collection to raise more than US$5 million for continuing support of the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, which he founded in 1997.[99] The Crossroads Centre is a treatment base for addictive disorders such as drugs and alcohol. In 2004 Clapton organised and participated in the Crossroads Guitar Festival to benefit the Centre. A second guitar auction, including the "Cream" of Clapton's collection – as well as guitars donated by famous friends – was held on 24 June 2004. His Lowden acoustic guitar sold for US$41,825. The revenue garnered by this auction at Christie's was US$7,438,624.[88]
In 2010 Eric Clapton announced that he would be auctioning off over 150 items at a New York auction in 2011. Proceeds will benefit his Crossroads Centre in Antigua. Items include Clapton's guitar from the Cream reunion tour in 2005, speaker cabinets used in the early 1970s from his days with Derek and the Dominoes, and some guitars from Jeff Beck, J.J. Cale, and Joe Bonamassa.[100] In March 2011 Clapton raised more than US$2.15 million when he auctioned off key items, including a 1984 Gibson hollow body guitar, a Gianni Versace suit from his 1990 concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and a replica of the famous Fender Stratocaster known as "Blackie", which fetched more than $30,000. All proceeds from the auction were donated to Clapton's Crossroads drug and rehabilitation centre in Antigua.
The "woman tone" is the informal term used by Clapton to refer to his distinctive mid- to late-1960s electric guitar sound, created using his Gibson SG solid body guitar (with Humbucker pick-ups) and a Marshall tube amplifier.[101] It is an overdriven sound that is articulate yet thick. It is characterised by being quite distorted (or even achieved with a fuzz) but muted, in contrast to the bright and twangy distortion that most guitarists were using at the time. Many players have tried to duplicate it, usually without success, in part because Clapton's playing technique had a lot to do with the tone.
Among the techniques used to replicate Clapton's sound is a technique by which the amplifier's volume is turned up to full, while the guitar's tone knob is turned down to zero or one.[102]
Perhaps the best example of the "woman tone" is Clapton's famous riff and solo from Cream's 1967 hit "Sunshine of Your Love". Clapton has explained that he obtained the tone with his Gibson's tone control rolled all the way down, switching to the neck pick-up (closest to the fretboard) and the volume all the way up, with his distortion turned all the way up. The treble, mids and bass controls on the amplifier were also maxed out. Some versions of the "woman tone" may also have involved strategic positioning of Clapton's wah-wah pedal.
Other media appearances[link]
Clapton frequently appears as a guest on the albums of other musicians. For example, he is credited on Dire Straits's Brothers in Arms album, as he lent Mark Knopfler one of his guitars. He played lead guitar and synthesiser on The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Roger Waters' debut solo album. Other media appearances include the Toots & the Maytals album True Love, where he played guitar on the track "Pressure Drop". He can also be heard at the beginning of Frank Zappa's album, We're Only in It for the Money, repeating the phrase, "Are you hung up?" over and over again. In 1985, Clapton appeared on the charity concert Live Aid in Philadelphia with Phil Collins, Tim Renwick, Chris Stainton, Jamie Oldaker, Marcy Levy, Shaun Murphy, and Donald 'Duck' Dunn. In 1988 he played with Dire Straits and Elton John at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium and the Prince's Trust rock gala at the Royal Albert Hall. On 30 June 1990, Dire Straits, Clapton, and Elton John made a guest appearance in the Nordoff-Robbins charity show held at Knebworth.[103] In 1991 Clapton was featured on Richie Sambora's album, Stranger In This Town, in a song dedicated to him, called "Mr. Bluesman". He contributed guitar and vocals to "Runaway Train", a duet with Elton John on the latter's The One album the following year.
On 12 September 1996 Clapton played a party for Armani at New York City's Lexington Armory with Greg Phillinganes, Nathan East, and Steve Gadd. Sheryl Crow appeared on one number, performing "Tearing Us Apart", a track from August, which was first performed by Tina Turner during the Prince's Trust All-Star Rock show in 1986. It was Clapton's sole US appearance that year, following the open-air concert held at Hyde Park.[104] The concert was taped and the footage was released both on VHS video cassette and later, on DVD.[104]
Clapton was featured in the movie version of Tommy, the first full length rock opera, written by The Who. The movie version gave Clapton a cameo appearance as The Preacher, performing Sonny Boy Williamson's song, "Eyesight to the Blind". He appeared in Blues Brothers 2000 as one of the Louisiana Gator Boys. In addition to being in the band, he had a small speaking role. Clapton has appeared in an advertisement for the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. In March 2007 Clapton appeared in an advertisement[105] for RealNetwork's Rhapsody online music service. In 2010 Clapton started appearing as a spokesman for T-Mobile, advertising their MyTouch Fender cell phone.
Eric Clapton was compared to God's image in the episode "Holy Crap!" of season two of That '70s Show when characters Eric Forman and Steven Hyde are asked by their minister to draw a picture of God.
Political views and advocacy[link]
Clapton is a supporter of the Countryside Alliance, he has played in concerts to raise funds for the organisation and he publicly opposed the Labour Party’s ban on fox hunting. A spokesperson for Clapton said, "Eric supports the Countryside Alliance. He doesn't hunt himself, but does enjoy rural pursuits such as fishing and shooting. He supports the Alliance's pursuit to scrap the ban on the basis that he doesn't agree with the state's interference with people's private pursuits."[106]
In 2008, he donated a song to Aid Still Required's CD to assist with the restoration of the devastation done to Southeast Asia from the 2004 Tsunami.
Controversy over remarks on immigration[link]
On 5 August 1976 Clapton provoked an uproar and lingering controversy when he spoke out against increasing immigration during a concert in Birmingham. Visibly intoxicated, Clapton voiced his support of controversial political candidate Enoch Powell, and announced on stage that Britain was in danger of becoming a "black colony". Clapton was quoted as saying, "I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"[107] The latter phrase was at the time a British National Front slogan.[108] Clapton continued:
"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking [indecipherable] don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"[109]
This incident, along with some explicitly pro-fascism remarks made around the same time by David Bowie as well as uses of Nazi-related imagery by Sid Vicious and Siouxsie Sioux, were the main catalysts for the creation of Rock Against Racism, which occurred on 30 April 1978.[110]
In response to the comments, rock photographer Red Saunders and others published an open letter in NME, Melody Maker, Sounds, and the Socialist Worker. It read "Come on Eric... Own up. Half your music is black. You're rock music's biggest colonist". It concluded, "P.S. Who shot the Sheriff, Eric? It sure as hell wasn't you!"[110]
In an interview from October 1976 with Sounds magazine, Clapton remarked, "I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."[111]
In a 2004 interview with Uncut, Clapton referred to Powell as "outrageously brave", and stated that his "feeling about this has not changed", because the UK is still "... inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos." In 2004 Clapton told an interviewer for Scotland on Sunday, "There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense".[112] In his 2007 autobiography, Clapton called himself "deliberately oblivious to it all" and wrote, "I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict ... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist ... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."[113] In a December 2007 interview with Melvyn Bragg on The South Bank Show, Clapton reiterated his support for Enoch Powell and again denied that Powell's views were "racist".[114]
Wealth and assets[link]
In 2009 Surrey Life Magazine ranked Eric Clapton as number 17 in their list of richest Surrey residents, estimating Clapton's fortune at £120 million in assets. This was a compilation of property and income which include a £9 million yacht, "Va Bene" (previously owned by Bernie Ecclestone), his back music catalogue, his touring income, and his Marshbrook holding company, which had earned him £110 million since 1989.[115] In 2003, he purchased a 50 per cent share of gentleman's outfitters Cordings Piccadilly.[116] At the time, owner Noll Uloth was trying to save the shop from closure and thought 'I will go and talk to my best client". He is reported to have contacted Eric and within five minutes he had a reply saying 'I can't let this happen."[116]
Awards and honours[link]
| Year | Award / Recognition |
|---|---|
| 1983 |
|
| 1985 |
|
| 1993 |
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| 1994 | |
| 2000 |
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| 2004 |
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| 2006 |
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Football[link]
In 1982 he performed a concert before West Bromwich Albion player John Wile's testimonial game at the Hawthorns, and it is often reported by various sources that Clapton is an Albion supporter. Credence for this notion can be taken from the cover pictures to the "Backless" solo album, where he is seen on the front cover to be wearing a football scarf; the rear cover photograph reveals the slogan "ALBION" on the scarf. It has been reported that the club rejected his offer to invest cash in the club around this time, and that he has since expressed more of an interest in Chelsea.[124]
Clapton's music in film and TV[link]
- Mean Streets (1973) – "I Looked Away"
- Private Lessons (1981 film) (1981) – Next Time You See Her
- Purple Haze (1983) – "I Feel Free"
- The Hit (1984) – Score
- Miami Vice (1984–1989) – Four songs over the course of the show's five seasons: "Wonderful Tonight", "Knock On Wood", "She's Waiting", and "Layla"
- Back to the Future (1985) – "Heaven Is One Step Away"
- Edge of Darkness (1985) – Soundtrack
- The Color of Money (1986) – "It's In The Way That You Use It"
- SpaceCamp (1986 film) – "Forever Man" plays when Tate Donovan's character arrives at the Space Camp
- The German car manufacturer Opel and Vauxhall in the UK used the guitar riff of Clapton's "Layla" in its advertising campaign throughout in 1987–95.
- Lethal Weapon (1987) – Soundtrack with Michael Kamen
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) – "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
- Goodfellas (1990) – "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love"[125]
- Rush (1991) – Clapton wrote the score
- Wayne's World (1992) – "Loving your Loving"
- Peter's Friends (1992) – "Give Me Strength"
- Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) – Clapton contributed to the score and co-wrote and co-performed the song "It's Probably Me" with Sting and "Runaway Train" with Elton John.
- True Lies (1994) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- The Simpsons episode "Mother Simpson" (1995) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- Twister (1996) – "Motherless Child"
- Phenomenon (1996) – "Change the World"
- The Van (1996) – Soundtrack
- Happy Gilmore (1996) – "Wonderful Tonight"
- Patch Adams (1998) – "Let It Rain"
- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) – "Pilgrim"
- City of Angels (1998) – "Further On Up The Road"
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes "Band Candy" and "Forever" (1998) – "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
- Runaway Bride (1999) – "Blue Eyes Blue"
- The Story of Us (1999) – "(I) Get Lost" (featured multiple times)
- Friends episode "The One with the Proposal, Part 2" (2000) – "Wonderful Tonight"
- Dancing At The Blue Iguana (2000) – "River of Tears"
- A Knight's Tale (2001) – "Further On Up The Road"
- Blow (2001) – "Strange Brew"
- Friends episode "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part Two" (2002) – "River of Tears"
- Futurama episode "The 30% Iron Chef" (2002) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- The Sopranos episode "Whitecaps" (2002) – Tony Soprano is seen listening to "Layla" in his Suburban.
- School Of Rock (2003) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- Starsky & Hutch (2004) – "Cocaine"
- Anger Management (2004) – "Strange Brew"
- Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) – "Cocaine"
- Bad News Bears (2005) – "Cocaine"
- Lords of Dogtown (2005) – "Strange Brew"
- Lord of War (2005) – "Cocaine"
- United States of Tara episode – "Cocaine"
- Community episode – "Layla"
- The Good Guys Episode Silvio's Way – "Layla"
- Due Date (2010) – "White Room"
- Shameless (U.S. TV series) (2011) – "White Room"
Discography[link]
Main article: Eric Clapton discography
References[link]
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- ^ Gene Santoro, "Dancing in Your Head: Jazz, Blues, Rock, and Beyond", Published by Oxford University Press US, 1995. Excerpt page 62: "At the time, he started to read The story of Layla and Majnun by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi
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- ^ a b Live in Hyde Park (Video/DVD) All music. Retrieved 29 December 2011
- ^ "Rhapsody.com Eric Clapton advert". 2007. http://play.rbn.com/?url=realguide/music/ads/clapton.smi. Retrieved 23 March 2007.
- ^ "Clapton headlines pro-hunt concert". http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/story/clapton-headlines-pro-hunt-concert_30_04_2006.
- ^ Bainbridge, Luke (14 October 2007). "The ten right-wing rockers". The Guardian (London). http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,330925087-111639,00.html. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ Hall, John (19 August 2009). "Dabbling in right wing politics – David Bowie, Brian Ferry and Eric Clapton". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-ten-worst-rocknroll-career-moves-1774270.html?action=Popup&ino=3. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ Rebel Rock by J. Street. First Edition (1986).Oxford Press Basil Blackwell.pp.74–75.
- ^ a b Manzoor, Sarfraz (20 April 2008). "The year rock found the power to unite". The Observer (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/apr/20/popandrock.race. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ Charone, Barbara (October 1976, (again, 1996)). "Eric Clapton: Farther On Up The Road". Reprint for the web, article from Sounds Magazine. Sounds Magazine. http://theband.hiof.no/articles/clapton_interview_sounds_oct_1976.html. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "dead link". Scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/review.cfm?id=408192004. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "The gospel according to God". The Guardian (London). 21 October 2007. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2195792,00.html. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Eric Clapton". The South Bank Show. 2 December 2007. ITV.
- ^ Beresford, Philip (June 2009). "Surrey's Richest 50; The Top Ten". Rank of the wealthiest residents of Surrey, England. Surrey Life Magazine. http://surrey.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/surreys-richest-50-the-top-ten-2497/. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ a b "Clapton rescues gentlemen's shop". BBC. 2 August 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3528296.stm.
- ^ Michael Schumacher, Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton. Consulted on 12 August 2007.
- ^ "Awards Database – The BAFTA site". BAFTA. http://www.bafta.org/awards-database.html?year=1985&category=Television&award=Original+Television+Music. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "1993 Grammy Winners". Newspaper Article (New York Times). 26 February 1993. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3DB133CF935A15751C0A965958260. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
- ^ "Eric Clapton: Blues guitar legend". BBC News. 31 December 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3356959.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "Clapton's Hall of Fame hat-trick". BBC News. 8 December 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/555396.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "CBEs – full list". BBC News. 31 December 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3357011.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "Musician Clapton delighted by CBE". BBC News. 3 November 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3977571.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "BOING: The rich and famous celebrities who support West Bromwich Albion FC". Baggies.com. 12 June 2005. http://www.baggies.com/celebrities/. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "Soundtracks for Goodfellas". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/soundtrack. Retrieved 17 February 2007.
Further reading[link]
- On Eric Clapton's career:
-
- Robin Bextor, Eric Clapton: Now & Then, Carlton Books, 2006, 144 pp.
- Eric Clapton, Clapton, The Autobiography, 2007 and 2008, Broadway Books, 352 pp. / Arrow, 400 pages / Century, 384 pp.
- Eric Clapton, Derek Taylor and Peter Blake, 24 Nights, Genesis Publications, 2 volumes, 1992, 198 and 64 pp. Eric Clapton's signed limited edition books, in a Solander box with 2 live CD
- Ray Coleman, Clapton!: The Authorized Biography, Warner Books, 368 pp, or Futura, 336 pages, 1986; originally publ. as "Survivor: The Authorized Biography", Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985, 300 pp.
- Geoffrey Giuliano, Brenda Giuliano and Deborah Lynn Black, The Illustrated Eric Clapton, Sunburst Books, 1994, 96 pp.
- George Harrison, Eric Clapton & al, Live in Japan: A celebration of George Harrison’s ‘Rock Legends’ Tour with Eric Clapton Band, Genesis Publications, 1993, 274 pp. George Harrison's signed limited black leather edition book, in a box with 2 live CD.
- Christopher Hjort w/ a foreword by John Mayall, Strange brew: Eric Clapton and the British Blues Boom, 1965–1970, Jawbone, 2007, 352 pp.
- John Pidgeon, Eric Clapton: A Biography, Panther, 1976, ... pages; rev. & upd. Vermilion, 1985 or 1987, 123 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton: The Complete Recording Sessions 1963–1992, Blandford or St. Martin’s Press, 1993, 192 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Slowhand: The Life & Music of Eric Clapton, Octopus or Harmony, 1991, 176 pp; upd. ed. Crown, 1993, 192 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton in His Own Words, Omnibus Press, 1993, 96 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton: The New Visual Documentary, Omnibus Press, 1990, 128 pp.; rev. ed., 1994, ...pp.; originally publ. as Eric Clapton: A Visual Documentary, 1986, ... pp.
- Marc Roberty, Clapton: The Complete Chronicle, Pyramid, 1991, 176 pp. / Mitchell Beazley 1993, 192 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton: The Man, the Music and the Memorabilia, Paper Tiger-Dragon’s World, 1994, 226 pp.
- Marc Roberty, The Complete Guide to the Music of Eric Clapton, Omnibus Press, 1995, 152 pp. CD format; rev. ed., 2005, 128 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton, CD Books, Orion, 1994, ...pp or MBS (Miami), 1996, 120 pp. CD format
- Marc Roberty and Chris Welch, Eric Clapton: The Illustrated Disco/Biography, Omnibus Press, 1984, 80 pp. or Beekman (New York), 1990, ...pp.
- Christopher Sandford, Clapton: Edge of Darkness, Victor Gollancz, 1994, 322 pp.
- Michael Schumacher, Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton, Hyperion, 1995, 388 pp.; rev. ed, Time Warner p'backs, 1998, 411 pp.; new ed. titled Eric Clapton, Sphere, 2008, 432 pp.
- Harry Shapiro, Eric Clapton: Lost in The Blues, Guinness Books or Muze, 1992, 256 pp.; rev. ed. Da Capo press, 1193, 225 pp.; originally publ. as Slowhand: The Story of Eric Clapton, Proteus Books, 1985, 160 pp.
- Dave Thompson, Cream: The World's First Supergroup, Virgin Books, 2005, 256 pp.; rev., upd. & illustr. ed. titled Cream: How Eric Clapton Took the World By Storm, 2006, 320 pp.
- Steve Turner, Conversations with Eric Clapton, London: Abacus, 1976, 116 pp.
- Fred Weiler, Eric Clapton, Smithmark-Penguin or Bison Books, 1992, ... pp.
- Chris Welch, Cream: Stange Brew, Castle Communications or Sanctuary or Penguin, 1994, 176 pp.; Backbeat Books, 2000, 192 pp.
- About Clapton's playing and sound:
-
- David M. Brewster (2003). "Eric Clapton". Introduction to Guitar Tone & Effects. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-634-06046-5.
- H. P. Newquist and Richard Maloof (2003). "Eric Clapton". The Blues-Rock Masters. Backbeat Books. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-87930-735-6.
- Pete Prown and Lisa Sharken (2003). "Eric Clapton". Gear Secrets of the Guitar Legends. Backbeat Books. p. 6. ISBN 0-87930-751-X.
External links[link]
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eric Clapton |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Eric Clapton |
- Official website
- Eric Clapton discography at MusicBrainz
- Eric Clapton at the Internet Movie Database
- Works by or about Eric Clapton in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Eric Clapton collected news and commentary at The Guardian
- Eric Clapton collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at Bucharest (review)
- An Interview with Eric Clapton guitar technician Lee Dickson
- Article on Bluesbreakers Les Paul[dead link]
- Gibson article on obtaining the "Woman Tone"
- Review: Eric Clapton at Floridita
- Eric Clapton FAQ[dead link]
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clapton, Eric |
| Alternative names | Clapton, Eric Patrick; Slowhand |
| Short description | guitarist, singer, and composer |
| Date of birth | 30 March 1945 |
| Place of birth | Ripley, Surrey, England |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Eric_Clapton
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The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul (1968) With Jimmy Page
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The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul (1968) With Jimmy Page
The Yardbirds performing "Heart Full of Soul" in 1968 Credits: Keith Relf - vocals Jim McCarty - drums Jimmy Page - guitar Chris Dreja - bass Graham Gouldman -songwriter All rights recording rights belong to EMI Records No copyright infringement intended Enjoy!
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