# Led Zeppelin VS. the Yardbirds



## RogerExcellent (Jun 11, 2018)

Page's revised Yardbirds embarked as the New Yardbirds on the Scandinavian tour, after which the band returned to the UK to produce the debut Led Zeppelin album. 

While Page's new roster still played a few songs from the Yardbirds' canon – usually "Train Kept a-Rollin'," "Dazed and Confused" or "For Your Love" and snatches of Beck's "Shapes of Things" solo – a name (and identity) change was in order in October 1968


You chose 
Yardbirds Members 
Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica (1963–1968), rhythm guitar (1966–1968)
Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, percussion (1963–1966, 1982–1983, 1992–2013), bass (1966–1968), backing vocals
Paul Samwell-Smith – bass, backing vocals (1963–1966, 1983)
Anthony "Top" Topham – lead guitar (1963), rhythm guitar (2013–2015)
Eric Clapton – lead guitar, backing vocals (1963–1965)
Jeff Beck – lead guitar, backing vocals (1965–1966)
Jimmy Page – lead guitar (1966–1968), bass (1966), Backing vocals
Rod Demick – bass, harmonica, backing vocals (1992–1993)
Ray Majors – lead guitar, backing vocals (1994–1995)
Laurie Garman – harmonica (1994–1996)
Gypie Mayo – lead guitar, backing vocals (1995–2005)
Alan Glen – harmonica, percussion (1996–2003, 2008–2009)
Jerry Donahue – lead guitar (2004–2005)
Andy Mitchell – lead vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar (2009–2015)
Earl Slick - lead and rhythm guitars (2015)
David Smale – bass, backing vocals (2009–2014; 2015–2016)
Ben King – lead guitar (2005–2015)
Billy Boy Miskimmin – harmonica, percussion (2003–2008; 2016)
Johnny A. – lead guitar (2015–2018)

Led Zeppelin Members

Band members
Mudshark 
Robert Plant – lead vocals, harmonica, percussion
Jimmy Page – guitar, backing vocals
John Paul Jones – bass, keyboards, mandolin, backing vocals
John Bonham – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Live performance guests 
Tony Thompson – drums (1985)
Phil Collins – drums (1985)
Paul Martinez – bass (1985)
Jason Bonham – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1988, 1995, 2007)
Michael Lee – drums (1995)


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## Norman Gunston (Apr 21, 2018)

The Yardbirds by yards if not miles


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## Ivan Smith (Jun 11, 2018)

Led Zeppelin were just Yardbirds Wannabes anyway


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Musically I liked the Yardbirds but I always thought Keith Relf's voice wasn't strong enough for the earlier raw blues stuff - he was much better suited to their post-Clapton art-rock material.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Ivan Smith said:


> Led Zeppelin were just Yardbirds Wannabes anyway


:lol:

(I suspect that several posters in this thread are one in the same)

But seriously, there is something to be said for band 'chemistry'. This was really driven home to me when I listened to Page's playing with the Yardbirds and how ordinary it sounded compared to his work in Zeppelin. I think the sound Zeppelin achieved was only made possible by the unique chemistry when those four members were together. They became an instrument or channel for some kind of timeless energy, so much greater than anything any one individual member was capable of.

Jones and Bonham formed the backbone...and my theory is essentially we have a powerful negative personality type in Jimmy Page and a powerful positive personality type in Robert Plant, this created the perfect balance for this type of channeling to happen. The contradiction-pregnant or Yin and Yang if you will.

"Bring the balance back...bring it back." These lyrics from the _Battle of Evermore_ are prophetic.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

The Yardbirds were a fine band. Led Zeppelin was an exceptional, unique, never-duplicated band with a richly complex and textured musical/instrumental fabric serving as the co-equal partner within which Robert Plant's amazing vocals were imbedded. So there!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Strange Magic said:


> The Yardbirds were a fine band. Led Zeppelin was an exceptional, unique, never-duplicated band with a richly complex and textured musical/instrumental fabric serving as the co-equal partner within which Robert Plant's amazing vocals were imbedded. So there!


So What about the New Yardbirds then


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> So What about the New Yardbirds then


Mid-September to mid-October 1968, Led Zeppelin were the New Yardbirds/the New Yardbirds were Led Zeppelin. A rose by any other name.......


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

It's like reefer v coke
it's like champagne v wine
it's like sandlewood v patchoulli
it's like beeeeeans and coooornbread, 
Cause they go hand in hand


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Strange Magic said:


> Mid-September to mid-October 1968, Led Zeppelin were the New Yardbirds/the New Yardbirds were Led Zeppelin. A rose by any other name.......


riding on the coat-tails hey


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> riding on the coat-tails hey


If you say so.......


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Strange Magic said:


> If you say so.......


Glad you agree


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Glad you agree


Perhaps the reason I agree to agree is best explained by this anecdote of the unexpected meeting of G.K. Chesterton and George Bernard Shaw at a tight passage where one would have to yield to the other: "Face-to-face midway, glaring but without a word, one finally turned aside to let the other pass. As he brushed past, GK Chesterton bellowed, "I don't give way to fools." Quick was Shaw's whisper: "But I do."' :tiphat:


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I'm still trying to choose between the Byrds and Iron Butterfly. I can't process all this noise.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

SONNET CLV said:


> I'm still trying to choose between the Byrds and Iron Butterfly. I can't process all this noise.


How about the Birds also. Ronnie Woods first band

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_(band)


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

philoctetes said:


> It's like reefer v coke
> it's like champagne v wine
> it's like sandlewood v patchoulli
> it's like beeeeeans and coooornbread,
> Cause they go hand in hand


wait champagne is wine just with bubbles


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

i really never knew any of these bands....


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