Golden Eggs

For other uses, see Golden Eggs (disambiguation).

1975 compilation album (bootleg) by The Yardbirds

Golden Eggs

Compilation album (bootleg) by

The Yardbirds

Released| 1975 (1975)
Recorded| 1964–1967
Studio| UK and US studios
Genre| Rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock
Length| 45:46
Label| Trademark of Quality

Golden Eggs is an unlicensed compilation of previously released recordings by English rock group the Yardbirds. The LP record album was originally issued in 1975 by Trademark of Quality (TMQ), a Los Angeles–based enterprise that specialised in bootleg recordings.[1]

The albums contains studio recordings by the group between 1964 and 1968. About half of the tracks had been issued as the A-side and B-sides of singles (including two solo songs by singer Keith Relf), but remained unreleased on albums at the time. The balance is made up of album tracks, most of which were unreleased in the UK.

The material, which was largely out of print in 1975, draws heavily on the Jimmy Page-era Yardbirds, plus a few recordings with Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. Due to its popularity, a sequel, More Golden Eggs, was issued by TMQ.[2] Both albums featured cover artwork by William Stout.

## Background

[edit]

The Yardbirds were the band that guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page first found commercial success. By 1975, all three had achieved superstar status, and consequently there was a strong interest in their former group's recorded output. Much of the Yardbirds' catalogue was out-of-print by 1975. The bootleg manufacturer Trademark of Quality (TMQ) saw the opportunity for a commercially viable re-release of this material.[2]

Golden Eggs was something of a first – up until that point, rock bootlegs had been the domain of only the most successful acts, such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles. Golden Eggs was the first big selling bootleg that dealt with a disbanded group who had reasonable but not great chart success. At a time where reissues of old material were not commonplace, the bootleg became popular.[3]

## Song selection

[edit]

Most of the songs that appear on the album were considered rarities at the time.[3] They included songs which had only been released on singles or out-of-print albums, such as Little Games, the only album the Yardbirds recorded with Page. Two songs from a solo single by lead singer Keith Relf were added to the album, although they did not reflect the Yardbirds' sound or style.[3]

"Stroll On", which had only been available on the Blow-Up soundtrack album, was included. It is one of the few recordings to feature both Beck and Page on dual lead guitars. "Think About It", B-side of the last Yardbirds' single, was released only months before Led Zeppelin was formed. Page later used the guitar solo from the song for his solo in "Dazed and Confused", one of Zeppelin's signature songs.

## Artwork

[edit]

The cover artwork was drawn by William Stout, who had already designed several TMQ album covers. Stout was keen to do the cover, since he was a fan of the group and gave thanks to them on the back cover for "inspiration". He also designed the back cover as a family tree, showing the careers of the various ex-members of the group up until that point.[4]

The weasel on the cover is, according to Stout, killing off the goose that laid the golden egg, and supposed to represent the producer Mickie Most. According to Stout, he felt that Most steered the group away from their blues rock origins towards recording pop material, which, in Stout's opinion, was detrimental towards their career and did not illustrate their full potential.[2]

## Releases and critical reception

[edit]

Golden Eggs was released by TMQ in 1975. Almost immediately, it was copied by Phony Graf, another bootlegger. Their release used black and white inserts of the front and rear covers, instead of Stout's colour artwork.

All of the songs were later made available on authorized CD compilations, such as Little Games Sessions and More (1992), Train Kept A-Rollin' - The Complete Giorgio Gomelsky Productions (1993) (re-released in 2002 as The Yardbirds Story), and Ultimate! (2001).

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [3]

In a review for AllMusic, music critic Richie Unterberger gave the album three out of five stars.[3] He noted that "this did collectors quite a service at the time, assembling 17 of the Yardbirds' rarest tracks – from non-LP singles, soundtracks, and rare LPs – onto one LP".[3] However, he added that more recent Yardbirds reissues and compilations have made the album "virtually useless".[3]

## Track listing

[edit]

Side oneNo.| Title| Original release| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Steeled Blues"| B-side of "Heart Full of Soul"| 2:37
2.| "Putty in Your Hands"| For Your Love (US)| 2:17
3.| "Mr. Zero"| A-side Keith Relf solo| 2:45
4.| "No Excess Baggage"| Little Games (US)| 2:29
5.| "Think About It"| B-side of "Goodnight Sweet Josephine" (US)| 3:47
6.| "Stroll On"| Blow-Up| 2:43
7.| "The Nazz Are Blue"| Yardbirds a.k.a. Roger the Engineer (UK)| 3:00
8.| "Knowing"| B-side Relf solo| 1:53
9.| "Little Soldier Boy"| Little Games| 2:33

Side twoNo.| Title| Original release| Length

|
|
|

10.| "Puzzles"| B-side of "Little Games"| 2:01
11.| "Stealing Stealing"| Little Games| 2:21
12.| "Sweet Music"| For Your Love| 2:28
13.| "Ha Ha Said the Clown"| A-side single (US)| 2:23
14.| "Rack My Mind"| Yardbirds a.k.a. Roger the Engineer| 3:10
15.| "Ten Little Indians"| A-side single (US)| 2:13
16.| "Goodnight Sweet Josephine"| A-side single (US)| 2:44
17.| "Glimpses"| Little Games| 4:22

## Personnel

[edit]

* Keith Relf – vocals (except 1 and 7), harmonica
* Jim McCarty – drums (except 3, 8, 13, 15, and 16)
* Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar on 1, 2, 7, 12 and 14; bass on 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 17
* Paul Samwell-Smith – bass on 1, 2, 7, 12 and 14
* Eric Clapton – lead guitar on 2 and 12
* Jeff Beck – lead guitar on 1, 6, 7 and 14; vocals on 7
* Jimmy Page – lead guitar on 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16 and 17

Relf is backed by session musicians on 3, 8, and 13. Relf and Page are backed by session musicians on 15 and 16.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Freeman, Garry (2003). The bootleg guide: classic bootlegs of the 1960s and 1970s, an annotated discography. Scarecrow Press. p. 686\. ISBN 9780810845824.
2. ^ a b c Heylin, Clinton (2004). Bootleg: The Rise & Fall of the Secret Recording History. Music Sales Group. p. 76\. ISBN 9781844491513.
3. ^ a b c d e f g Unterberger, Richie. "Yardbirds: Golden Eggs – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
4. ^ "Golden Eggs (back cover)". Retrieved 17 September 2012.

* v
* t
* e

The Yardbirds

* Original members (1963–1968): Keith Relf
* Paul Samwell-Smith
* Chris Dreja
* Jim McCarty
* Top Topham
* Eric Clapton
* Jeff Beck
* Jimmy Page

* Later members (since 1992): John Idan
* Gypie Mayo
* Alan Glen
* Jerry Donahue
* Ben King
* Johnny A.
* Kenny Aaronson
* Myke Scavone

Studio
recordings|

* For Your Love
* Having a Rave Up
* Roger the Engineer
* Little Games
* Birdland

Live albums|

* Five Live Yardbirds
* Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds
* Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page
* Live! Blueswailing July '64

Anthologies|

* The Yardbirds Greatest Hits
* Shapes of Things
* Ultimate!
* Glimpses 1963–1968
* Yardbirds '68

Soundtracks|

* Blow-Up – The Original Sound Track Album

Bootlegs|

* Golden Eggs
* More Golden Eggs

Singles|

* "I Wish You Would"
* "A Certain Girl"
* "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"
* "For Your Love"
* "Heart Full of Soul"
* "Evil Hearted You"
* "I'm a Man"
* "Shapes of Things"
* "You're a Better Man Than I"
* "Boom Boom"
* "Over Under Sideways Down"
* "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"
* "Ha Ha Said the Clown"
* "Ten Little Indians"

Other songs|

* "Let It Rock"
* "Who Do You Love"
* "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover"
* "Too Much Monkey Business"
* "Smokestack Lightning"
* "Five Long Years"
* "The Sky Is Crying"
* "My Girl Sloopy"
* "The Train Kept A-Rollin'"
* "Spoonful"
* "The Stumble"
* "Dust My Blues"
* "White Summer"
* "Drinking Muddy Water"
* "Stealing Stealing"
* "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)"
* "Dazed and Confused"
* "Knowing That I'm Losing You"
* "I'm Waiting for the Man"

Related|

* Discography
* Members
* John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
* Cream
* Blind Faith
* Derek & the Dominoes
* Jeff Beck Group
* Beck, Bogert & Appice
* Led Zeppelin
* The Honeydrippers
* The Firm
* Coverdale - Page
* Page & Plant
* Renaissance
* Box of Frogs

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