The Yardbirds co-founder Chris Dreja, who was the band’s guitarist from 1963 to 1966 and then from 1992 to 2013, also playing the bass from 1966 to 1968, passed away at the age of 79. He was part of all the records the band released over the years and now the only surviving original member of the band is the drummer Jim McCarty.
Dreja was often called “the other” Yardbirds guitarist since he shared the stage with the three legendary musicians who were part of the band in the 60s: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. The news of his death was shared by the music publisher David Stark.
Read the statement about the death of Chris Dreja at the age of 79
“RIP Yardbirds rhythm and bass guitarist Chris Dreja after a long illness just a few weeks short of his 80th birthday. In later years he became an acclaimed photographer but never forgot his blues roots, leaving drummer Jim McCarty as the only original member left from the band,” David Stark said.
Dreja retired from music in 2013 after suffering a series of strokes. McCarty is the only original member of the band, who was during the past years, touring using the name The Yardbirds.
The band was formed in London, England in 1963 by Dreja, Keith Relf (Vocals and harmonica), Top Topham (Lead guitar), Paul Samwell-Smith (Bass) and Jim McCarty (Drums). The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 by U2’s guitarist The Edge.
Some of their most famous songs are: “For Your Love”, “Heart Full of Soul”, “The Train Kept A-Rollin'”, “Over Under Sideways” and “Shapes of Things”. The guitarist Jimmy Page was part of the band’s final line-up and when he got together with John Bonham, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant they even toured shortly under the name The New Yardbirds, before becoming Led Zeppelin. Dreja refused Page’s invitation to join the Hard Rock band.