Yardbirds "Jeff's Boogie"

Jeff Beck joined the Yardbirds in March of 1965. Over the next 21 months he recorded a scant two dozen released tracks. Nevertheless, that was enough to turn the Yardbirds into one of the most important bands of the 60’s. The period with Clapton established the group as a great live act. With a substantial hit on the charts and the more cooperative Beck in the lineup, the Yardbirds embarked on a two year run of hits which did much to turn the music world on its ear. The effects are still felt today.

Heart Full Of Soul/Steeled Blues
Columbia DB 7594 Released June 4, 1965

A single and an EP were recorded in quick succession during the first weeks after Beck joined. The Yardbirds again tapped the song writing talents of Graham Gouldman for the A-side, Heart Full Of Soul. The original idea was to have a sitar play the main riff, but this was quickly abandon, and Beck reminded them why he was hired. The intro riff sizzles in Beck’s hands, and the slide guitar solo shows his keen sense of melody. The flip, Steeled Blues, shows how advanced Beck’s playing was when he joined the band. He’d already made a name as a guitar slinger, fronting the popular live act, The Tridents.

The Crescents with Jeff Beck "Pink Dominoes"

Five Yardbirds EP
Columbia SEG 8421 Released August 6, 1965

More Jeff Beck flash is heard on the Five Yardbirds EP. My Girl Sloopy seems like an odd choice, but it was a proven hit in the States, so it probably seemed like a good idea. Mose Allison’s I’m Not Talking is taken at breakneck speed. The mad solo is light years beyond anything Clapton had done to that point. There is probably more than a little bit of Les Paul influence, but it’s cranked up to 11. Ain’t Done Wrong is a Keith Relf rewrite of the Elmore James number Done Nobody Wrong. The song is played with a bit of aggression, and then it gets to the machine gun middle section. They change gears again for a stunning solo. Beck has already been pealing off blues licks through the verses. He switches to a moody slide figure as the song winds down. These three songs would appear on the US only album, For Your Love.

Evil Hearted You/Still I'm Sad
Columbia DB 7706 Released October 1, 1965

Once again, the Yardbirds recorded a Graham Gouldman song for the A side of the new single. An innovative original, Still I’m Sad graces the B-side, though it receives plenty of airplay. Evil Hearted You doesn’t stray too far from the formula. A good riff a double time bridge and a hot guitar solo. Listen for the lick Beck plays midway through the bridge. Where did that come from? The Gregorian Chant influenced Still I’m Sad was often copied, but never equaled. These two sides lay the cornerstone for everything psychedelic that would follow. In the States, 100,000 garage bands would attempt to capture the fuzzed out eastern sounds of the Yardbirds.

I'm A Man/Still I'm Sad
Epic 5-9857 Released October 11, 1965

A studio version of I’m A Man replaces Evil Hearted You as the A-side of the fall release for the US market. The basic track had been recorded a month earlier at the famous Chess Studio. A live version with Clapton had appeared on the Five Live album. The single version frees Beck from any “pop song” limitations. Any sense of melody is replaced by aggression and violence. It’s easy to see why the Yardbirds were big favorites of the Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol. The San Jose band Count V would borrow most of the arrangement for their own hit single Psychotic Reaction. 1966 was a banner year for the Yardbirds.



Shapes Of Things/You're A Better Man Than I
Columbia DB 7848 Released February 25, 1966

 The release of Shapes Of Things in February was the first shot in what would become a devastating barrage by the end of the year. For the first time, the A-side was a band original. The strong “state of the world” lyrics probably owed a little to Bob Dylan. The previous singles were far heavier than their pop tunesmith origins, but this one was downright brutal. When the guitar solo kicks in, all bets are off. The UK B-side, You’re A Better Man Than I had already been released in the US three months earlier on the Having A Rave Up album. This American only release gathered together four UK single sides, four Clapton era recordings from Five Live, a killer version of Train Kept A Rolling and the studio version of I’m A Man. The last two never got an official UK release during the bands existence.



Shapes Of Things/New York City Blues
Epic 5-10006 Released March 28, 1966

 Again in the US we got an exclusive track for the single B-side. New York City Blues is a rewrite of Eddie Boyd’s Five Long Years, which had was also on Five Live. One only has to compare this blistering performance with the more subdued live recording to see how far they’d come with Jeff Beck in the band.

Over Under Sideways Down/Jeff's Boogie
Columbia DB 7928 Released May 27, 1966

The follow up was released just three months later. A reminder of how productive bands were expected to be in the 60’s. Over Under Sideways Down wasn’t as revolutionary as Shapes, but it was plenty exciting and keep the band on the charts. Over Under is in fact based on the rock classic Rock Around The Clock. The album track, Jeff’s Boogie was picked for the B-side in both the UK and US. This is an amped up version of Arthur Smith’s Guitar Boogie and something Beck probably still plays live.

The second Yardbirds album, and the only one Beck was involved in, was released shortly after. In the US the single became the title track. It wasn’t included on the UK release, simply title “Yardbirds”. Epic saw fit to drop two songs along the way; a Slim Harpo rewrite, Rack My Mind and the Elmore James inspired Jeff Beck feature, The Nazz Are Blue.

The Yardbirds - "Dust My Broom" Live On The BBC

Historical Note: On August 30th, 1966, just four weeks after the Over Under Sideways Down album was released in the US, I went to see the Yardbirds for the first time. Before the tour started, it was announced that Paul Samwell-Smith had left the band and session guitarist Jimmy Page would be stepping in as bassist. Just before the curtains parted at the San Jose Civic Auditorium, the promoter came out and announced “Jeff Beck, the bass player is ill, but the band will perform as a four piece”. We’d heard a few warm up notes from an unseen guitar that had sounded an awful lot like Beck. There wasn’t time for disappointment as the curtains parted and we were hit with the most amazing sounds I’d ever heard. The look of the band was unlike anything I’d seen on stage up to this point. It was a 22 year old Jimmy Page armed with Beck’s sunburst Les Paul and a double stack of Jordan amps that was responsible for the incredible guitar. I seem to remember a fair number of the hits being played, including some from the new album. Lost Woman was a highlight. Also played were Scratch My Back and The Stumble. Opening the show were the E-Types and Chocolate Watchband. When I saw the Watchband a few months later, they played the Stumble, and Dave Aquilar quoted Keith Relf as he introduced Mark Loomis as “Jimmy Page”. Several years ago, Sundaze released a live E-Types album. The photo on the front cover was taken at the Yardbirds show. If you look close, you can clearly see the back of my head, and my groovy checked mod shirt. The tour was completed as a four piece.

Happenings Ten Years Time Ago/Nazz Are Blue
Epic 5-10094 Released October 31, 1966

Beck did rejoin the band in the September and recorded the third 1966 single release, Happenings Ten Years Time Ago. Most will agree, this was the pinnacle of the Yardbirds recorded output. Beck and Page trade licks through the verse, and then meet up for the explosion in the middle section. Even today, this record carries the same impact. The UK B-side Psycho Daises promised more than it actually delivers. Jeff Beck’s tribute to his girlfriend Mary Hughes, sounds like a throwaway recorded to make Jeff happy. In the States we got the missing album track Nazz Are Blue. This song turned out to be very influential. Two bands named themselves after it, Todd Rundgren’s Nazz, and a band from Arizona which became Alice Cooper. There are plenty of garage band cover versions. The Chocolate Watchband’s rewrote it as Sitting Here Standing for the Riot On Sunset Strip sound track. At the end of the US tour in December 1966, it was announced Jeff Beck was leaving the Yardbirds to form his own group.