Rock legends Led Zeppelin initially performed under a different name – and even released some hits.
Although not as widely remembered as the songwriting duo of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, who achieved immense success with Led Zeppelin, this precursor group was instrumental in shaping some of music’s most memorable voices.
The band, which included Page, as well as Eric Clapton from Cream and Derek and the Dominos, and the late Jeff Beck, was active for five years. Despite their influence, they seem to have faded from memory, prompting a discussion on Reddit about why they have been largely forgotten.
A user inquired: “How popular were The Yardbirds during their initial run? The Yardbirds are mostly known these days as being the precursor to Led Zeppelin as well as ‘that one band’ which once held Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in its ranks. It’s unfortunate and doesn’t really do the band justice considering the Yardbirds recorded some truly groundbreaking stuff in their heyday.”
The user speculated that the band must have had a considerable following in the UK by the time they disbanded, given Jimmy Page’s subsequent success with Led Zeppelin.
They asked: “Were they selling out arenas, did the average person know their songs word for word? Was it tabloid news when Clapton left or when Beck was fired? ” Fans of the iconic band The Yardbirds, known for hits like “For Your Love” and albums such as “Roger the Engineer,” might be astonished to discover that their historical footprint in the venues they once graced is nearly non-existent.
One fan lamented: “They had some chart success in the UK, and a following in the US. However, they most certainly were not playing arenas. I think the biggest venue they ever played would have been the Royal Albert Hall in 64 or 65.”
Another added a personal touch, saying: “I live in the Yardbirds sort of hometown which is Richmond in London. They played at the Crawdaddy Club and the Eel Pie Island club for a few years as house bands etc.”
They continued: “They are never brought up, there are no signs and no little historic plaques etc. Pretty much every small piece or little area they interacted in now is gone. The only little bit that remains is the frontage of the Crawdaddy club which is just opposite Richmond station. It’s also where the Beatles and the Stones met for the first time.”
Some argue that the true legacy of The Yardbirds lies more in its famous members than their collective discography.
A user pointed out: “If Jimmy, Jeff and Eric were never in The Yardbirds, but still produced the same music, they’d be considered a typical one/two hit wonder. Like The Zombies or Shocking Blue. Led Zeppelin had a meteoric rise, but it had absolutely nothing to do with The Yardbirds.
“I guess an argument could be made that being in The Yardbirds might have helped Zeppelin get a record deal with Atlantic, but even that seems a bit far-fetched. I think Jimmy, being known as a professional, experienced studio musician with a lot of contacts, helped him more than being in a group that can’t sell records.”