The Yardbirds

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LEFT: Eric Clapton of rock group Cream posed wearing a burgundy velvet jacket in London in 1966. RIGHT: Jeff Beck in 1967
“They didn’t seem particularly eager to welcome me.” Jeff Beck on the day he replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds

By Brad Tolinski Published

An exclusive excerpt from ‘Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story’ recalls Beck’s resentment toward the Yardbirds following Clapton’s hasty departure

Guitarists
The Rolling Stones In Concert, O2, London, Britain - 29 Nov 2012, Eric Clapton And Ronnie Wood
When Ron Wood first met Eric Clapton

By Phil Weller Published

The time the young Ron Wood found himself in the Yardbirds for one night only

Guitarists
Jeff Beck performs on stage at Royal Albert Hall on May 14, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. )RIGHT: English guitarist Eric Clapton performs r at Wembley Stadium in London in June 1992.
Jeff Beck believed Eric Clapton was jealous of his success. Then Clapton paid him the ultimate compliment

By Phil Weller Published

Beck saw evidence of rivalry stretching back to the Yardbirds and his Stevie Wonder collaborations. But a remark Clapton made late in Beck’s career changed his perspective

Guitarists
Lady Willis talking to Eric Clapton. Picture taken circa Sunday 17th May 1964. The Yardbirds descend on Lord Willis at his home in Chislehurst, Kent to perform for him in his back garden, after he had remarked in The House of Lords last Wednesday that their kind of music was a 'cheap candy floss substitute for culture'.
Jim McCarty recalls Eric Clapton’s “quite unhappy” time with the Yardbirds

By Gary Graff Published

The Yardbirds drummer tells GP Clapton thought the group was selling out when it chose to record “For Your Love.” It turned out to be their first hit

Guitarists
Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jeff Beck (l-R), poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, California.
Jeff Beck on frustration, Fender Esquires and the limits of destruction

By Elizabeth Swann Last updated

The Yardbirds guitarist said his battered 1954 Fender could survive almost anything — even his own attempts to smash it.

Guitarists
Yardbirds manager Giorgio GOMELSKY with guitarist Eric Clapton and Lord Ted Willis in the peer's garden in England in 1964.
Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty on the other reason Eric Clapton left the group to join John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers

By Phil Weller Published

Clapton has long since been credited with departing the band over musical differences, but his former bandmate has added a fresh twist to the tale

Guitarists
LEFT: Jeff Beck performs on stage at Royal Albert Hall on May 14, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. RIGHT: Jimmy Page performs onstage during the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City.
Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page disagreed about who composed the world’s “first heavy metal riff”

By Phil Weller Published

Read one of Guitar Player's top stories of 2025

Guitarists
Rock band "The Yardbirds" pose for a portrait after their show in Los Angeles in September 1966. (L-R) Chris Dreja, Keith Relf, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty.
Jim McCarty on Jeff Beck’s and Jimmy Page’s “stressed out” time in the Yardbirds

By Gary Graff Published

The Yardbirds drummer reveals the highs and lows of the group’s most successful era

Guitarists
LEFT: Jeff Beck performs on stage at Royal Albert Hall on May 14, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. RIGHT: Jimmy Page performs onstage during the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City.
Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page never agreed on which of them composed the song Beck called “the first heavy metal riff ever written"

By Phil Weller Published

The tune's 1966 recording session would lead to the formation of Led Zeppelin two years later

Guitarists
A photo of Craig Ross playing Jeff Beck's Les Paul
Lenny Kravitz guitarist Craig Ross just played Jeff Beck’s ‘59 Yardburst Les Paul for a full tour

By Phil Weller Last updated

Matt’s Guitar shop bought the guitar for earlier this year, and now it wants to keep its legacy alive by lending it to the best guitarists in the business

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