Chris Dreja, Yardbirds co-founder, dead at 79

Co-founder of The Yardbirds, Chris Dreja, has passed away. The musician was 79.

Both his sister-in-law, Muriel Levy, and former bandmate, Jimmy Page, confirmed the news on social media.

A cause of death has yet to be revealed.

“This is with a deep sadness that i have to announce that my brother-in-law Chris Dreja, former member of legendary band The Yardbirds, rhtym guitarist and also bass player has passed away after years of health problems…I share the pain with my sister Kate who took care of him during all thoses years and his daughter Jackie…May he RIP ❤️,” Levy explained via Threads on Thursday.

Page also shared the news on Instagram.

“I heard today of the passing of musician Chris Dreja, who passionately played with the iconic Yardbirds, on rhythm guitar and then the bass,” the English guitarist, 81, wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “I hadn’t seen him in a while, and I wish I had. RIP Chris.”

Page concluded, “Here’s Glimpses by The Yardbirds featuring Chris Dreja on bass.”

Many fans flocked to the comments section to share their condolences along with stories of Dreja.

“Chris was also the photographer who took the picture on the backcover of Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album,” one follower penned while another chimed in, “His face is part of my life , from buying my first Yardbirds picture sleeve, his playing those records are in my cells ❤️ 🙏🏻.”

Dreja was both a musician and a photographer. After pioneering The Yardbirds in 1963 in London alongside Top Topham, he also co-wrote many songs for the band.

Dreja also drew the cover art for The Yardbirds’ self-titled 1966 album, also referred to as “Roger the Engineer.”

The group’s name was originally Metropolitan Blues Quartet in London in 1963, before they changed the group’s name to The Yardbirds. Other members included singer Keith Relf, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith and drummer Jim McCarty, who still tours as The Yardbirds.

The blues-rock band also launched the careers of many of its guitar players, including Eric Clapton, who was a member from 1963 to 1965, Jeff Beck, who played from 1965 to 1966 and Led Zeppelin’s Page, who joined the band in 1966 before leaving in 1968.

During the ’60s, The Yardbirds released multiple hit records.

Some top-charting songs were: “For Your Love” and “Heart Full of Soul” and “Over Under Sideways Down.”

After The Yardbirds split in 1968, Dreja focused on his photography career.

Dreja also performed in the band Box of Frogs with Samwell-Smith and McCarty, both 82.

The late rocker and McCarty revived The Yardbirds in the ’90s and continued to perform together until Dreja had a series strokes in 2012, which led him to retire from music.