Friday, October 30, 2009

Y: The Yardbirds


10-30-09 Y: The Yardbirds


7" GOODNIGHT SWEET JOSEPHINE / THINK ABOUT IT EPIC US 5-10303

1968? 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, re-issue?

LP GREATEST HITS EPIC US LN 24246

1967 10 TRK Collection, mono

CD GREATEST HITS Vol. 1 RHINO US R2 75895

1986 18 TRK Collection (60's recordings)

7" I'M A MAN / SHAPES OF THINGS EPIC US 15-2247

1980? 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, re-issue

LP LITTLE GAMES EMI/FAME UK FA 4131224.1

1967 16 TRKS ('85 issue)

CDx2 LITTLE GAMES SESSIONS & MORE EMI US 98213.2

1992 32 TRKS ('67-'68 recordings)

LP LIVE YARDBIRDS EPIC US E 30615

1969 9 TRKS Live, 3/68

LP REMEMBER (Collection) EMI STARLINE UK SRS 5069

1974? 12 TRK Collection, fake-stereo (60's recordings)

CD ROGER THE ENGINEER WARNER US 45734.2

1966 14 TRKS ('97 issue) (2 x bonus tracks)

LP YARDBIRDS FAVORITES (Collection) EPIC US E 34490

1977 10 TRK Collection (60's recordings)

LP YARDBIRDS, THE (Collection) EPIC US FE 38455

1983 14 TRKS ('66 recording?)


The Yardbirds! Good luck? Bad luck? How did a group that had three of the most famous rock guitarists pass through it’s ranks end up with such a rag tag representation in the 21st century? I mean, I can’t exactly say which one to start with – apart from maybe the old Epic “Greatest Hits” LP! Pretty much everything on my list here has something to recommend it. You may notice that I do not have the early 60’s Yardbirds live recordings with Sonny Boy Williamson (really poor quality recordings, IMHO).


The Rhino “Greatest Hits Vol. 1” CD isn’t too bad, but it certainly doesn’t have “everything” on it – and there’s no Vol. 2, as of 23 years later. No denying that the “Roger The Engineer” CD on Warner Brothers has some classic moments on it – it dovetails nicely with the “Little Games” 2CD set, which really shows off the Jimmy Page era. “Think About It” is such a good track.


“Y” artists are a little thin on the ground, hence my writing about The Yardbirds today. I guess I would buy a bit more of their material – if it were presented to me. I think I have all of the single A-sides, at this point. Not losing any sleep over not having those crummy Byg recordings / pressings.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hmm -- Y -- bands that begin with the letter Y -- how about Yes?

By the way I love the Yardbirds.

Ron Kane said...

And Yello, Stomu Yamash'ta, Neil Young etc. There are a few Y artists I could've done. But I picked The Yardbirds as Yes had been done more or less more recently. Thanks for reading!