It is the footage, including a superb 14 minute live appearance complete with Page on German TV which fills the bonus material section. Also worth the purchase price is rare film of both Beck and Page together during their brief twin guitar phase. Early film versions of “Dazed & Confused”, including one from French TV in 1967, underline the exact point in time that music changed forever.
All the hits are included, “Still I’m Sad” on Belgian TV, and “I’m A Man” and “Heart Full Of Soul” taken from US TV 1965. Then there is “Shapes Of Things” and “For Your Love”. Beck & Page appear together on US TV playing “Happening Ten Years Time Ago” and the song appears again on German TV with just Jimmy Page. It’s fascinating and valuable stuff.
Sadly, of course, lead singer Keith Relf died as a result of an electric shock in 1976. The surviving band members gather to remember him and tell the stories surrounding their lost friend.
When they broke up in July 1968 they had crammed a massive amount into their five years at the top. This film takes us back through those times and is perhaps best summed up by Jeff Beck. Describing the band as true pioneers of psychedelia and heavy rock, he sums it up by saying ‘there was nothing like The Yardbirds’.
The film provides a tantalizing glimpse of exactly what he means. Definitive it isn’t and having been made back in 1992 doesn't cover the current Yardbirds projects. Hopefully a definitive account is yet to come. Meanwhile, this version is both fascinating and worthwhile.
The Yardbirds site both historical and up to date can be found at their official webpage.
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