Chris Dreja, one of many 5 authentic members of the Yardbirds, has died. The guitarist was 79.
His demise was confirmed by his sister-in-law, Muriel Levy, on Threads.
“That is with a deep unhappiness that I’ve to announce that my brother-in-law Chris Dreja, former member of legendary band the Yardbirds, rhythm guitarist and likewise bass participant, has handed away after years of well being issues,” she wrote.
“I share the ache with my sister Kate, who took care of him throughout all these years, and his daughter Jackie. … Might he RIP.”
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Dreja was born in Surrey, England, in 1945, and was launched to guitarist High Topham by his brother. The duo made their debut dwell efficiency at a present by British blues singer Duster Bennett, which additionally featured Dreja’s future Yardbirds bandmate Jimmy Web page.
Topham and Dreja shaped the Metropolitan Blues Quartet in 1963; singer Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty and guitarist Paul Samwell-Smith joined quickly after. They renamed themselves the Yardbirds the identical 12 months.
After Topham give up the band, he was changed by Eric Clapton, and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the quintet began to make a reputation for themselves with their energetic dwell exhibits round England.
What Yardbirds Songs Did Chris Dreja Play On?
Over the following few years, the Yardbirds launched a string of High 10 singles, together with “For Your Love,” “Coronary heart Filled with Soul” and “Evil Hearted You,” in addition to an influential live performance album, 5 Stay Yardbirds.
Pissed off with the blues group’s push towards a industrial sound, Clapton exited in 1965 and was changed by Jeff Beck. With their new guitarist, the Yardbirds recorded a self-titled 1966 album, higher generally known as Roger the Engineer, which included a canopy drawing by Dreja.
The guitarist was additionally chargeable for cowriting lots of the songs on the album. Later that 12 months, Samwell-Smith left the band and was changed by Web page. Dreja then converted to bass. Earlier than lengthy, Beck was out of the band, too.
What Did Chris Dreja Do After the Yardbirds?
The Yardbirds broke up in 1968, with Web page briefly contemplating naming his new group the New Yardbirds earlier than altering it to Led Zeppelin. Dreja was requested to affix the band however declined to pursue his curiosity in images. (He shot the again portrait of the band on Led Zeppelin’s debut album.)
In 1983, Dreja was a member of the band Field of Frogs, alongside former Yardbirds members Samwell-Smith and McCarty; they launched two albums earlier than breaking apart in 1986.
The Yardbirds, with Dreja and McCarty, reformed in 1992 and continued to play with the band till 2013, when he give up after a sequence of strokes. He was changed within the group by Topham. (Topham died in 2023.)
Dreja’s well being continued to worsen over the 12 months earlier than his demise.
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