Chris Dreja, Yardbirds Co-Founder and Unsung Rock Innovator, Dies at 79

Chris Dreja, co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the legendary British band The Yardbirds, passed away on September 25 in London at the age of 79 due to complications from multiple strokes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Though often overshadowed by his famous bandmates — Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page — Dreja’s rhythmic foundation and creative input helped define the Yardbirds’ sound, laying the groundwork for what would become the golden age of rock.

Born in 1945 in Kingston Upon Thames, England, Dreja grew up immersed in the postwar explosion of rhythm and blues. He met fellow musician Anthony “Top” Topham while studying art, and together they would eventually form the roots of what became The Yardbirds. Alongside singer Keith Relf, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, and drummer Jim McCarty, they officially launched the group in 1963 — first as the Metropolitan Blues Quartet before adopting the name that would go down in music history.

When Topham departed shortly after the band’s formation, a young Eric Clapton stepped in, transforming the group’s sound and thrusting them into the center of London’s booming club scene. With Dreja’s steady rhythm guitar holding the band’s explosive solos together, The Yardbirds quickly earned a reputation for their innovative mix of blues, rock, and experimentation. They replaced The Rolling Stones at London’s Crawdaddy Club and, soon after, released their electrifying debut Five Live Yardbirds in 1964.

As the group evolved, Dreja’s role expanded. When Samwell-Smith exited in 1966, Dreja switched from rhythm guitar to bass, anchoring the band through their final years until their split in 1968. His musical fingerprints were everywhere — from the dynamic “For Your Love” to the psychedelic textures of Over Under Sideways Down. Reflecting on his career in a 2009 Vintage Guitar interview, Dreja noted, “The Yardbirds were a democratic band… we broke rules because there wasn’t a map for what we were doing. It was always about energy and experimentation.”

Following the breakup, Jimmy Page invited Dreja to join his new project — which would become Led Zeppelin — but Dreja declined, choosing instead to pursue photography. His creative eye soon found success behind the lens, most famously capturing the band portrait of Led Zeppelin that appeared on the back cover of their 1969 debut album. Over the years, he photographed icons including Bob Dylan, Ike and Tina Turner, and even worked with Andy Warhol during his New York studio days.

Dreja eventually returned to music in the 1980s with Box of Frogs, reuniting with his former Yardbirds bandmates. In 1992, he and the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and that same year he helped relaunch The Yardbirds for a new era, performing until 2013 when his health prompted retirement.

Chris Dreja’s story is one of quiet brilliance — a man whose rhythm shaped rock’s earliest anthems and whose lens captured its spirit. Though often in the background, his influence resonates in every chord that followed.