Y is for the Yardbirds, Yes and the Youngbloods

DISCLAIMER THAT APPEARS AT THE BEGINNING OF ALL A-Z 2015 PAGES:

Welcome to the A-Z Musical Tour of My Life! I have wanted to put something like this together for a long time now and the A-Z Challenge just seemed like the perfect opportunity. I’ve compiled stories, trivia, research, music videos and live concert footage on all the bands and musical artists who have been important to me over the years, especially during my youthful years in the 60s and 70s. At first glance, the posts may seem long – and some of them are due to the number of videos included – but it’s really laid out in a way that will enable you to scroll through and read, see or hear just what you want and then either move on to the next A-Zer or linger and listen to the great music that you’ll find here. By all means, bookmark my blog so you can come back! In addition to individual songs, there are some full albums here for those who may want to enjoy some music while they’re surfing or working. I hope you find that the stories are entertaining, the information educational and the trivia interesting. It would be a tremendous honor if you would bookmark the A-Z Musical Tour of My Life as a resource for great music and music information! Now, let’s get started with…

 

Y is for the Yardbirds – “The Yardbirds is an English rock band that had a string of hits in the mid-1960s, including “For Your Love”, “Over Under Sideways Down” and “Heart Full of Soul”. The group is notable for having started the careers of three of rock’s most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, all of whom are in the top five of Rolling Stone’s 100 Top Guitarists list (Clapton at No. 2, Page at No. 3 and Beck at No. 5). A blues-based band that broadened its range into pop and rock, the Yardbirds had a hand in many electric guitar innovations of the mid-1960s, such as feedback, “fuzztone” distortion and improved amplification. Pat Pemberton, writing for Spinner, holds that the Yardbirds were “the most impressive guitar band in rock music”.[2] After the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, their lead guitarist Jimmy Page founded what became Led Zeppelin.” (Wikipedia)

For Your Love – 1965 performance:

Heart Full of Soul – album cover photo montage video:

I’m a Man – a 1964 performance (with Eric Clapton):

Over Under Sideways Down – live (not sure of the date):

Shapes of Things – recorded in a sports stadium for French TV in 1966:

 

 

 

Y is for Yes – Yes reminds me of high school summer school. I went to summer school two years in a row, so I could get class credits and graduate early, which I did, one full year early. The first summer school, I took a history class with two of my hang-out buddies, Joe and Mike. Mike was a huge Yes fan and he turned Joe and I onto songs we didn’t know from Yes. Every time I hear a Yes song, it takes me back to those warm summer days sitting in a high school classroom, goofing off with my friends and getting yelled at by Mr. Letourneau…

“Yes is an English rock band that achieved success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. They are distinguished by their use of mystical and cosmic lyrics, live stage sets and lengthy compositions, often with complex instrumental and vocal arrangements.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Although I wasn’t a Yes fan to the degree that my friend Mike was, I did like most of the songs that got commercial airplay and there are a few songs that I will crank up when they come on:

Going for the One –

I’ve Seen All Good People – performance at the Beat Club in 1971:

Perpetual Change – from “The Yes Album” released in 1971:

Long Distance Run Around –

Owner of a Lonely Heart – music video

Leave It – music video:

Wonderous Stories – music video:

Yours is No Disgrace – recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre December 1972

Roundabout – Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK. Dec 15 & 16, 1972 (‘Close to the Edge’ Tour):

Starship Trooper –

It Can Happen – June 24, 1984 at Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany

 

Y is for the Youngbloods –  an American folk rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young (vocals, bass), Jerry Corbitt (guitar), Lowell Levinger, nicknamed “Banana” (guitar and electric piano), and Joe Bauer (drums). Despite receiving critical acclaim, they never achieved widespread popularity. Their only U.S. Top 40 entry was the song Get Together. I love this song:

(studio version, audio only):

This is a slower version of the song, with fabulous video footage from (I think) Woodstock:

Here they are performing on a TV show (not sure which one) in 1970, combining the songs Get Together and Sunlight in their performance set:

Here’s Darkness, Darkness, a neat song from their 1969 album Elephant Mountain:

Here’s their performance of Grizzly Bear, with an introduction by Dick Clark. The interview discusses the song as well as some tidbits about the band members. Airdate: January 14, 1967 (video quality not great but it’s a wonderful snapshot of the past):

 

 

That’s it for the Letter Y. Hope you enjoyed these three bands that I showcased. What songs did you like best that I posted here? Who are your favorite Y bands?