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More than certain other books of this nature written by Alan
Clayson, he has gained the trust of its subjects - notably Jim McCarty, mainstay of The present-day
Yardbirds, with whom Alan has had a long and ongoing professional and personal association. He has drawn too from past conversations with other of the dramatis personnae - notably Chris
Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, April Relf and Richard Mackay (editor of Yardbirds World) who both retold the ancient saga, and turned up new and rediscovered insights and information.
The biography - originally titled Over Under Sideways Down: The Flight Of The
Yardbirds - also embraces very extensive coverage of the careers of individual Yardbirds - and Alan's involvement - between the
1968 break-up and the regrouping in the 1990s.
For that Tibetan monk who's never heard of The Yardbirds, most consumers of today's cultured 'contemporary' pop for the over-forties have taught their children to regard thew group as a springboard for the nurtured prowess and neo-deification of three of their lead guitarists, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page and the over-valued Eric 'God'
Clapton.
Yet sensational though they were, interest in their six-string heroes has tended to displace the often less tangible innovations of even Keith Relf at the central microphone, let alone the group's quiet blokes who didn't have that much going for them until they found their feet as composers.
In particular, Paul Samwell-Smith on bass, and Jim McCarty, toiling over his drum kit, posed no limelight-threatening challenge to anyone. Yet
they composed nearly all The Yardbirds' most enduring songs, and with general factotum Chris
Dreja, transcended content as principal advocates in the realization of extraordinary musical visions. These were seen most blatantly in the pioneering of extended improvisation, deliberate electronic feedback and the
imposition of symphonic tempo changes, Gregorian chant and other eruditions onto the group's musical grid. With The Kinks, The Yardbirds were also the first
pop explorers of Indian sounds (with Beck's mock-0riental twang more like the real thing than the real thing).
1965's million-selling 'For Your Love' precipitated more adventurous smashes - 'Heart Full 0f Soul', 'Evil-Hearted You', 'Still I'm Sad' (their first self-penned A-side),, 'Shapes 0f Things' and '0ver Under Sideways Down', all hybrids of instant familiarity and musical experiment. Even a 45 by Relf alone made the UK Top 50 - just - but fast comes the hour when fades the fairest flower...
Further information: CLICK
Copyright Alan Clayson
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