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Chris Dreja, co -founder of the Yardbirds and co -author of many unforgettable songs from the group, died at the age of 79. His death was announced by his former bandmate Jimmy Page.
Early years and foundation of the Yardbirds
“Today I found out about the death of musician Chris Dreja, who played with passion with the legendary Yardbirds, first rhythm guitar and then bass,” wrote Page on Instagram. “I haven’t seen him for a long time and wished it would have been different. Quiet in peace, Chris.”
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The news was confirmed by Dreja’s sister -in -law Muriel Levy on Threads: “It fulfills me with deep sadness that I have to announce the death of my brother -in -law Chris Dreja, former member of the legendary band The Yardbirds, rhythm guitarist and bassist. He died after years of health problems … I share the pain with my sister Kate, who has looked after him over the years, and his daughter Jackie … May he rest in peace. “
Christopher Walenty Dreja was born on November 11, 1945 in Kingston Upon Thames, England, and found music early on. His brother attended an art program before studying with Anthony “Top” Topham, the first lead guitarist of the Yardbirds. Shortly thereafter, Dreja and Topham began to make music together. In 1963, still teenagers, they founded the metropolitan blues quartet with singer Keith LEST, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith and drummer Jim McCarty, which soon renamed The Yardbirds.
Topham left the group early, but Dreja stayed. Eric Clapton came as a replacement and in the same year the Yardbirds took over the Residency of the Rolling Stones in the London Crawdaddy Club. In 1964 they published their live album “Five Live Yardbirds”, recorded in the Marquee Club, about Columbia Records. In 1965 Clapton got out and was replaced by Jeff Beck. With him the band recorded several singles, including “Heart Full of Soul”, “Shapes of Things”, “Evil Hearted You” and a striking cover version of Bo Diddley’s “I’m a Man”.
Breakthroughs, upheavals and legendary years
The Yardbirds toured the United States and Europe in 1965 and 1966. In 1966 they published “Shapes of Things”, which is considered the “first psychedelic rock classic single”. Her self -titled album appeared in the same year. When Samwell-Smith left the band in mid-1966, Jimmy Page initially entered a bass player. Dreja then changed the instrument, and there was a short but legendary line-up with Beck and Page as a duel guitarist. For Michelangelo Antonioni’s film “Blow-up” they recorded “Stroll on”, a reinterpretation of “Train Kept a-Rollin”.
Beck left the band in 1966, and the Yardbirds continued with Page as the only guitarist and Dreja on the bass. In 1967 the album “Little Games,” the group toured for a few more years until it dissolved in 1968. Page then founded the “New Yardbirds”, which later became Led Zeppelin. Dreja rejected Page’s offer to continue, and increasingly devoted himself to his passion for photography.
He photographed artists like Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, the Righteous Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner and also Led Zeppelin. In the 1980s he returned to music with his former bandmates in the Box of Frogs formation before he was involved in a Yardbirds reunification association in the 1990s. In 1992 he was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Yardbirds. In 2002, with “Birdland”, another album of the group appeared with guest contributions by Brian May and Slash.
Photography, withdrawal and late years
“I dealt with photography in the art school,” Dreja recalled in an interview with “Classic Rock Radio”. “Of course it was not clear to me that Led Zeppelin would be so huge. But I had made the decision to take my life in my own hands. I could see that it would be a strong band, but at that time my love had shifted from music to photography. I didn’t regret that. I organized my life myself for the next 32 years.”
In 2012 and 2013, Dreja suffered several strokes. In 2013 he officially left the Yardbirds, his old friend Topham returned in his place. Dreja was a positive conclusion to Classic Bands: “I personally did the two things that I love the most – music and photography. I have no regrets to be honest. The passion, love for art form made my living possible, and that’s all you need.”