Search - Yardbirds, Eric Clapton :: The Yardbirds With Eric Clapton: 14 Blues Classics

For Love and the Blues

Jinkyu | 05/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The all-time classic "For Your Love" highlights this collection of songs from the Yardbirds' Eric Clapton years. Only to this extent is it ironic the set is entitled "The Yardbirds With Eric Clapton," for the British guitar legend left the group because he felt this great pop hit had betrayed its blues roots. (I wonder what Eric thinks today?) At the time, the song was a bit controversial because of some atypical qualities, such as minor chords and unusual starting and stopping. In any event, this great exercise in rhythmic romance will always thrill me and so many others with delight.The other songs are a mixture of studio tracks, which include the group's two big cover hits prior to "For Your Love" ("I Wish You Would" and "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl), and live performances of music of the old R&B masters. There are three covers of Bo Diddley greats, and two cuts were recorded on the Yardbirds' 1965 tour as a backing group to Sonny Boy Williamson. Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning" and Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" were recorded during the group's early days, at the Crawdaddy Club in a town south of London. Some of the Yardbirds' sound in this CD is very raw guitar crunching, making one think of the garage bands tho they originated simultaneously and later, not earlier (plus, Jimmy Page came along later; note also there is nothing involving Jeff Beck here). But the Yardbirds were most of all for the blues, "For Your Love" aside, and are one of the seminal rock groups, always."