Yardbirds '68
The Yardbirds
Jimmy Page JPRLPBX3
2017
I appreciate the irony that, after many decades of blaming Jimmy Page for the suppression of Epic Records' album of the Yardbirds 1968 performance at the Anderson Theater in New York entitled "Live Yardbirds," I ended up buying a remastered version of the concert from the great man's own website. I've always assumed that Page was embarrassed by it and perhaps even by his association with the band itself prior to his rise to superstardom with Led Zeppelin. However this labor of love produced by Page himself shows otherwise. It is a very lavish revision of the project with a wonderful booklet full of photos and memorabilia from Page's tenure in the Yardbirds as well as reminiscences from the three surviving band members, Page, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty. Page's comments demonstrate his pride in the band's work and his respect for the other members of the group. I was deeply touched reading the booklet. Then there is the record itself which is a dramatic improvement over the original Epic album. Naturally the absence of the overdubbed crowd noise and applause is a big improvement although I can understand why the clowns at Epic decided to add it, much of the time the band sounds like they are playing in an empty auditorium and Dreja mentions in the booklet that the attendance at the show was poor. Dreja attributes that to Vanilla Fudge playing down the street the same night although anyone who would pass up a Yardbirds show for Vanilla Fudge ought to have their rock fandom card revoked. Page and his technicians have also done wonders with the sound itself. "Live Yardbirds" sounds pretty good for a 1960s live album, but it is still kind of tinny and murky. The new version sounds astonishingly good, almost as though it was recorded last week. There is much better separation between instruments and the drums, harmonica and vocals in particular sound much clearer to me. It is truly a joy to hear it with such clarity. It literally jumps right out of the speakers. I find this particularly noticeable on "Dazed and Confused" which sounds so much better that I wondered if it was a different recording. "Shapes of Things" and "I'm a Man" also sound greatly improved. The new mix brings out the robustness of Keith Relf's vocals which I've never appreciated before. I would say he benefits the most from the new release although curiously most of his stage patter has been edited out. He was not a big talker but I find his comments rather charming on "Live Yardbirds." I can't believe they were overdubs added by Epic so I'm guessing Page likes his live albums streamlined. I do not approve but I love this new version so much that I'm not going to complain. Page even deletes the bit before "Shapes of Things" where Relf calls him "Jimmy Magic Fingers, Grand Sorcerer of the Magic Guitar" so I know he's not being petty or self-serving. Page has already earned my eternal gratitude by this point for making such a great sounding record of one of my all time favorite concerts, but he doesn't stop there. There is a second record documenting the Yardbirds' final recording sessions from 1968 in New York City. Four of these tracks appeared on the CD "Cumular Limit" back in 2000 but I believe the rest have never been released before. They give a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been the group's best studio album if they could have hung in there a little longer. My favorite track is the hard rocking "Avron Knows" pumped along by McCarty's crisp drumming and some ferocious guitar work from Page. It reminds me of "Think About It" and it demonstrates the power that band packed even in their final days. "Spanish Blood" is a moody ballad with lovely acoustic guitar work from Page. It sounds a bit like "Only the Red Rose" on "Little Games" although in this case Relf recites the lyrics rather than singing. "Knowing That I'm Losing You" will be familiar to Led Zeppelin fans because it is an early version of "Tangerine" from "Led Zeppelin III" although this version has no lyrics. "Taking a Hold On Me" is a punchy rocker driven by a solid riff from the Grand Sorcerer. The band revisits "Drinking Muddy Water" which they had done previously for the "Little Games" album. I never had a problem with the earlier version and I don't think this one is any great improvement although it does have a rawer feel to it that I like. The Mort Shuman/Jerry Ragovoy song "My Baby" that was popularized by Garnet Mimms in 1966 was a part of the Yardbirds' stage act during the Page era as demonstrated by the Anderson Theater show. The band does a studio version here, but I don't think Relf can match Mimms as a vocalist. In any case I prefer the live version. The record concludes with instrumental versions of "Avron Knows" and "Spanish Blood" that are basically superfluous although I like both songs enough that I'm happy to hear them again. Listening to this second record, it is so full of creativity and vitality that you would never guess the band was on its last legs. It would have been so nice if like the Zombies, they could have gone out with a bang. Belatedly Jimmy Page has finally made that happen. This final statement from the band is in many ways definitive. I think most people feel that the Jeff Beck era of the band was their high point and I agree with that, but the albums from that era are not all that satisfying. I think if I could only have one Yardbirds album I would select this one. The live album has some of the most exciting and exhilarating performances the band ever recorded and now they exist in pristine condition. The studio stuff is interesting and very appealing. The whole package is assembled with love and care - a far cry from the crass approach Epic Records took in assembling their Yardbirds albums. I salute you James Patrick Page, you've done a magnificent job in creating what is destined to remain one of my favorite albums. Recommended to anyone who has ever listened to "Live Yardbirds" and wished they could have been there. This is the next best thing.
