“We thought this might be lost forever, but we’ve rediscovered it, re-mixed it. It’s of great historical importance. We’re delighted to see the release.”
– Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja and Jimmy Page
Officially announced today, Yardbirds ’68 will be released on November 5, 2017 in three formats (CD, vinyl, and limited edition box set signed by Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, and Jimmy Page). The two-disc album includes the complete March 30, 1968 Anderson Theatre performance, originally released in 1971 as the now-withdrawn Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page, and The Yardbirds’ April 1968 studio sessions for CBS records–all remixed and produced by Jimmy Page. Originally overdubbed by CBS with disturbing applause and cheering from bullfights, Live Yardbirds has been amended by Page to remove the inauthentic crowd noise and improve the album’s overall sound quality. The full, ten-track set is provided and at last represents the first legitimately-released, professionally-recorded document from The Yardbirds’ final 1968 Tour of America. Disc Two includes the group’s unreleased studio recordings that would have constituted a self-produced follow-up to 1967’s Little Games (produced by Mickie Most), among which are featured “Knowing That I’m Losing You” (an early attempt at what would become Led Zeppelin III‘s “Tangerine”), “My Baby” (a Garnet Mimms song included in The Yardbirds’ live sets from 1967), an alternate version of Little Games‘ “Drinking Muddy Water”, and the originals “Spanish Blood”, “Avron Knows”, “Avron’s Eyes”, and “Taking A Hold On Me”.
Yardbirds ’68 is available as of today for pre-order exclusively through JimmyPage.com.
Tracklisting:
Live at Anderson Theater
Train Kept A Rollin’
Mr. You’re A Better Man Than I
Heart Full of Soul
Dazed And Confused
My Baby
Over Under Sideways Down
Drinking Muddy Water
Shapes of Things
White Summer
I’m A Man (contains Moanin’ And Sobbin’)
Studio Sketches
Avron Knows
Spanish Blood
Knowing That I’m Losing You (Tangerine)
Taking A Hold On Me
Drinking Muddy Water (Version Two)
My Baby
Avron’s Eyes
Spanish Blood (Instr.)
The July article on the impending Yardbirds ’68 release and Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page: