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Cool rock n roll photos

#20,381
Imagine hearing this band from next door on a sunny afternoon.

18th May 1964: British rock group the Yardbirds, (left to right) lead guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, singer Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, and rhythm guitarist Christopher Dreja performing on a backyard patio for British playwright Lord Willis and his daughter Sally.

E9931B65-1A56-4363-9155-370A293D8EAC.jpeg
 
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#20,382
roccobass said:
Imagine hearing this band from next door on a sunny afternoon.

18th May 1964: British rock group the Yardbirds, (left to right) lead guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, singer Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, and rhythm guitarist Christopher Dreja performing on a backyard patio for British playwright Lord Willis and his daughter Sally.

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I'll bet they didn't take requests.
 
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#20,391
roccobass said:
Imagine hearing this band from next door on a sunny afternoon.

18th May 1964: British rock group the Yardbirds, (left to right) lead guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, singer Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, and rhythm guitarist Christopher Dreja performing on a backyard patio for British playwright Lord Willis and his daughter Sally.

View attachment 5075367
Click to expand...

marchone said:
I'll bet they didn't take requests.
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Keep in mind that at that point, while up and coming they were merely one of many local London area bands doing the club scene, with a couple of singles under their belts, taking whatever gigs came their way. Totally unknown in the U.S. then. But that gig was a publicity stunt…the Lord was vocally against the new rock scene, so they showed up at his place for an impromptu performance to convince him otherwise. Love those Vox PA columns.
 
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#20,393
marchone said:
That's a great story. Who was their manager then?
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A guy named Giorgio Gomelski, who earlier on had guided The Rolling Stones after giving them their first gigs at a club he ran. After they moved on to Andrew Loog Oldham, he picked up on The Yardbirds as a replacement. Quite a colorful behind the scenes guy…
Giorgio Gomelsky - Wikipedia

But an assistant came up with the idea; his father knew Lord Willis, a politician and TV writer, so he had an in. The press were invited along, but the band only played a handful of songs before the neighbors called the cops.
 
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#20,396
marchone said:
Thanks for that. It all fits now.

"His father was a medical doctor, and his mother was from Monte Carlo."

He sounds like the basis for the character Dr Evil from Austin Powers.
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He was an international man of mystery…
75F05FCF-E08B-4275-9514-ABE22042187D.jpeg

"If you don't comply with our demands, my associate here, Slowhand, will be forced to do some things that you won't like"
 
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