The Yardbirds were a British rock band established in 1963 in London. Members were Keith Relf (voc), Paul Samwell-Smith (b), Chris Dreja (g, b) and Jim McCarty (dr) with lead guitarists: Top Topham (1963), Eric Clapton (1963-1965), Jeff Beck (1965-1966) and Jimmy Page (1966-1968). They were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 (as performer).
Later famous for their extended ‘rave-ups’ on titles such as ‘I’m a man’ (you get a bit of this here on ‘Smokestack Lightnin’), this compilation of live tracks shows them doing covers of blues classics by John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf and Billy Boy Arnold. There is also one track on which they back blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson.
Recorded at the Crawdaddy Club, Richmond, London 7 & 8 December 1963 except for Side 2 tracks 3-5 which were recorded in a London studio.
The man on the left in the cover photo is their manager, Giorgio Gomelsky.
Tracklisting:
| A1 | Smokestack Lightning |
| A2 | You Can’t Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover |
| A3 | Take It Easy Baby
Featuring Sonny Boy Williamson |
| A4 | Talkin’ About You |
| B1 | Let It Rock |
| B2 | I Wish You Would |
| B3 | Boom Boom |
| B4 | Honey In Your Hips |
| B5 | Who Do You Love |
