Yardbirds Back on "Birdland"

The Yardbirds will release Birdland, their first new record since 1968's Little Games, on April 22nd. The set features two original members of the legendary British Invasion combo, guitarist Chris Dreja and drummer Jim McCarty, teaming up with three new 'Birds and a litany of guitar gods on eight old hits and seven new songs.

Chief among guest axemen is Jeff Beck ("My Blind Life"), who played lead guitar in the band for a year and a half after original guitarist Eric Clapton left in 1965 to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and before Jimmy Page took over in 1967. Former Guns n' Roses guitarist Slash, Queen's Brian May, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Jeff Baxter also contributed licks to Yardbirds classics, including "Shapes of Things" and "Mr. You're a Better Man Than I," while Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik added vocals to the group's best-known song, "For Your Love."

"I thought if we could get the right musicians together, I might quite enjoy playing that material again," Dreja told Rolling Stone. "I hadn't played it for thirty years. What a kick-ass band it is, and what kick-ass material it still is!"

New permanent members include Gypie Mayo on lead guitar, Alan Glen on harmonica and John Iden on lead vocals. "It's a no-rules band," Dreja said. " It's sort of the Yardbirds but with a bit extra, something else."

Birdland track listing:

I'm Not Talking
Crying Out for Love
The Nazz Are Blue (featuring Jeff Baxter)
For Your Love (featuring Johnny Rzeznik)
Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout the News
Train Kept a Rolling (featuring Joe Satriani)
Mr. Saboteur
Shapes of Things (featuring Steve Vai)
My Blind Life (featuring Jeff Beck)
Over, Under, Sideways, Down (featuring Slash)
Mr. You're a Better Man Than I (featuring Brian May)
Mystery of Being
Dream Within A Dream
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (featuring Steve Luthaker)
An Original Man

AUGUSTIN SEDGEWICK and COLIN DEVENISH
(January 6, 2003)