1955-2001 Favorite Top Ten Rock Groups

Cogito-Zep were pretty blatant in their early days for taking old blues standards changing little and crediting themselves. Willie Dixon in particular suffered and eventually Zep paid out royalties in the late 80's I believe. Dazed & Confused I believe(can't check at the moment)is credited to Page/Plant/Jones although the song was a feature of the Yardbird days. I believe it is similar but different enough to maybe get away with it. Likewise songs such as In My Time Of Dying was a standard (Dylan did it on his first album) but completely rearranged in epic style. The Yardbirds connection continued throughout their career-with tracks such as White Summer(Page instrumental) and on their final European tour in '80 they used to start with The Train Kept A Rollin'-the first song they ever did as a band and a Yardbirds standard

Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Eric Johnson, Jethro Tull, Crosby Stills & Nash, Dixie Dregs, Alan Parsons Project, Midnight Oil, Pat Methany group, oh and the Beatles

This is about as varied as favorite audio gear, and as eclectic, and that's good. Just a nod to Jeffloistorca and Kthomas,T-HIP not only make great records but are a real treat live. Am I blind or is Van Morrison not mentioned above?

Trelja: My mistake the Jack Holmes'Youngblood song was I'm Confused, not I'm Dazed, sorry. How did I get so much info on the Yardbirds, easy I read the very extensive liner notes on their CDs. Jim McCarty usually gives a little interview on many of the recent compilations. God there are some Yardbirdies that know everything, what dates for every concert, who they dated, etc. I'm somewhere in the lower middle. Also there is an official Yardbirds website with a great interview with Jim McCarty. I will say this, Sometime in 1966 I saw them as the opening act for the Rolling Stones(don't get me wrong, I love them too). The line up was JBeck JPage as co lead guitars, C. Dreja, moved to bass, JMcCarty Drums, and KRelf vocals and harmonica. The anticipation that night was electric because for most of us none had seen either group From their opening chord to the final note was guitar fireworks with maximum intensity. An almost uncontrolled chaotic cacophony had taken hold of them that night. At my show, they did two encores we wanted more. The blues call/respond of Relf's harmonica and the guitars was stunning. The Rolling Stones came on, they started to play one of their standards and it was like a collective sigh, like a bubble had burst. It was not that they were that bad, not at all! The Yarbirds were that good live. In retrospect Richards and Jones just could not keep up with Beck and Page. But who could???? The live set on Cumulus Cloud gives a good vision what this group was capable of; minus J Beck. Happenings Ten Years is great; and their standard I'm a Man is a 6 minute guitar/psychodelic improv. You can preview the album on CDNow at their website. Is it worth buying for the four live songs and their version of dazed and confused?? I've played the cd for two weeks straight but according to some people I'm braindead so what do I know.

Ben Campbell: I recollect at a benefit concert in 1983/4? E Clapton, J Beck, J Page were somehow on stage together, and of course the song they could all agree on was The Train Kept A Rollin' My take on these three guys is that they do not care for each other;maybe I am wrong. I do know this: Eric hates the Yardbirds. Jeff thinks they hampered his career and claims he would rather die than play I'm A Man again.Jimmy only talks about Led Zep and rarely mentions his involvement in the group. Sad to me but long live the Yardbirds having a Rave Up anyway!!!!!!