Steve Janowsky- The Review Fix Rocktologist: Chris Dreja Interview Part One

Chris Dreja rhythm guitarist, and later bassist for the Yardbirds (1963-1968), is a member of rock and roll royalty. The band was the first guitar super group (Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page were in the band at various stages), whose members helped pioneer the fuzz tone, feedback, distortion, backwards echo, but most importantly the “Rave Up”, an improvisational break that laid the groundwork for long guitar solo passages employed by classic rock standard bearers like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith (“The Train Kept A- Rollin”) and countless others who followed them. They also produced pop magic with, “For Your Love,” “Heart Full of Soul,” “Over Under Sideways Down,” “You’re a Better Man Than I” and “Shapes of Things” and also gave new life to the blues on John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom,” Sonny Boy Williamson’s, “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” and Mose Allison’s “I’m Not Talking.”

If that isn’t enough, they had a profound influence on psychedelic music while embracing Eastern sounds with “Hot House of Omagararshid,” “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” and “Psycho Daisies,”to name a few.

Dreja, who along with his band mates was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 1992, embarked on a hugely successful photography career after the group’s break up.A new addition of the band with original members Dreja and drummer Jim McCarty released Birdland (2003) and Live at B.B. Kings Blues Club (2007)to critical acclaim. The reformed Yardbirds will be playing at B.B Kings on May 26th. Reviewfix recently spoke to Dreja from his home in London and got his thoughts on the three guitar legends that were part of the band, swinging London, The Marquee Club, ‘60’s film classic, “Blow Up,” and recording and touring as a Yardbird.

You can listen to the interview here:

Chris Dreja Interview Part One