Birdland (album)
Encyclopedia
Birdland is a 2003 studio album by English
blues rock band The Yardbirds
. The album was the first Yardbirds release in over 35 years; however, the only original 60's era Yardbirds members are drummer Jim McCarty
and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja
. (Jeff Beck
does make a guest appearance on "My Blind Life"). New members are John Idan, Gypie Mayo
and Alan Glen
. Several notable guitarists appear throughout the record, including Joe Satriani
, Steve Vai
, Slash
, Johnny Rzeznik
, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, and Brian May
.
The album contains seven new tracks composed mostly by McCarty or Dreja, and eight remakes of Yardbirds songs from the 1960s. The song An Original Man (A Song for Keith) was dedicated to The Yardbirds' original lead singer, Keith Relf
, who died in 1976.
(*) denotes a new song
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
blues rock band The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
. The album was the first Yardbirds release in over 35 years; however, the only original 60's era Yardbirds members are drummer Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja
Chris Dreja
Chris Dreja was the rhythm guitarist, and later bassist, in the 1960s British band, The Yardbirds.-Early life:...
. (Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
does make a guest appearance on "My Blind Life"). New members are John Idan, Gypie Mayo
Gypie Mayo
Gypie Mayo is an English guitarist, playing in Dr. Feelgood from 1977 to 1981, and from 1996 to 2004 in the re-born Yardbirds with Alan Glen....
and Alan Glen
Alan Glen
Alan Glen is a British blues harmonica player, best known for his work with The Yardbirds, Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, and his own bands, The Barcodes and The Incredible Blues Puppies.-Career:...
. Several notable guitarists appear throughout the record, including Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
, Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Johnny Rzeznik
Johnny Rzeznik
John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik , also known as Johnny Rzeznik, is an American songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and producer...
, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, and Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
.
The album contains seven new tracks composed mostly by McCarty or Dreja, and eight remakes of Yardbirds songs from the 1960s. The song An Original Man (A Song for Keith) was dedicated to The Yardbirds' original lead singer, Keith Relf
Keith Relf
Keith William Relf , was a musician best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance, which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock...
, who died in 1976.
Track listing
- "I'm Not Talking" - 2:44
- "Crying Out For Love" - 4:36(*)
- "The Nazz Are Blue" - 3:15
- "For Your LoveFor Your Love-Album reissues:The Yardbirds' 2001 compilation album Ultimate! contains eight of the eleven tracks from the original album. For Your Love has been reissued by several record labels, including JVC, Castle, and Repertoire...
" - 3:20 - "Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout The News" - 4:00(*)
- "Train Kept A-Rollin'Train Kept A-Rollin'"Train Kept A-Rollin" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, and Lois Mann. Bradshaw first recorded the song as a jump blues in 1951—his best known recording. After a rock and roll version of the song was recorded and released by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio in 1956, numerous...
" - 3:38 - "Mr. Saboteur" - 4:55(*)
- "Shapes Of ThingsShapes of Things"Shapes of Things" is a song written by Paul Samwell-Smith, Keith Relf, and Jim McCarty, originally recorded by The Yardbirds and released as a single in March 1966 by the Columbia Graphophone Company...
" - 2:38 - "My Blind Life" - 3:33(*)
- "Over Under Sideways DownOver Under Sideways Down"Over Under Sideways Down" was a single by The Yardbirds released on Columbia in the UK and Epic in the U.S. Chart tops: UK: #10, US: #13.It was the title song to the album Over Under Sideways Down , or Yardbirds which is more commonly referred to as Roger the Engineer...
" - 3:16 - "Mr. You're A Better Man Than I" - 3:22
- "Mystery of Being" - 4:08(*)
- "Dream Within A Dream" - 4:44(*)
- "Happenings Ten Years Time AgoHappenings Ten Years Time Ago"Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" was the first single by the British rock band The Yardbirds to feature future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page in the band. Page had recently replaced the original bassist for The Yardbirds, Paul Samwell-Smith. "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" was also the first of...
" - 3:22 - "An Original Man (A Song for Keith)" - 5:20(*)
(*) denotes a new song
Guest personnel
The album features several guitar legends which play on multiple tracks. These songs/guitarists are as follows:- "The Nazz Are Blue" - Jeff BaxterJeff BaxterJeff "Skunk" Baxter is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s...
- "Train Kept A-Rollin'Train Kept A-Rollin'"Train Kept A-Rollin" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, and Lois Mann. Bradshaw first recorded the song as a jump blues in 1951—his best known recording. After a rock and roll version of the song was recorded and released by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio in 1956, numerous...
" - Joe SatrianiJoe SatrianiJoseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... - "Shapes of ThingsShapes of Things"Shapes of Things" is a song written by Paul Samwell-Smith, Keith Relf, and Jim McCarty, originally recorded by The Yardbirds and released as a single in March 1966 by the Columbia Graphophone Company...
" - Steve VaiSteve VaiSteven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso.... - "Over Under Sideways DownOver Under Sideways Down"Over Under Sideways Down" was a single by The Yardbirds released on Columbia in the UK and Epic in the U.S. Chart tops: UK: #10, US: #13.It was the title song to the album Over Under Sideways Down , or Yardbirds which is more commonly referred to as Roger the Engineer...
" - SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'... - "You're a Better Man Than I" - Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
- "Happenings Ten Years Time AgoHappenings Ten Years Time Ago"Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" was the first single by the British rock band The Yardbirds to feature future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page in the band. Page had recently replaced the original bassist for The Yardbirds, Paul Samwell-Smith. "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" was also the first of...
" - Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
Personnel
- John Idan – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, lead vocals - Gypie MayoGypie MayoGypie Mayo is an English guitarist, playing in Dr. Feelgood from 1977 to 1981, and from 1996 to 2004 in the re-born Yardbirds with Alan Glen....
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Chris DrejaChris DrejaChris Dreja was the rhythm guitarist, and later bassist, in the 1960s British band, The Yardbirds.-Early life:...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Jim McCartyJim McCartyJim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Alan GlenAlan GlenAlan Glen is a British blues harmonica player, best known for his work with The Yardbirds, Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, and his own bands, The Barcodes and The Incredible Blues Puppies.-Career:...
- harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Jeff BeckJeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
- guitar on "My Blind Life"