I don't know what's more awesome. The song, the movie clip, or the write-up. Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream, another always excellent, always varied blog, posted the Yardbirds' "unruly overhaul" (Dr. Mooney's words, and dead on) of "Train Kept a Rollin'," retitled "Stroll On." This was from the six month period when both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were in the band. If it sounds like a helluva combination, it is. It makes "For Your Love" sound like Freddie and the Dreamers. (Again, I exaggerate, but it is a lot meatier.) Film freaks will remember this line up from the scene in Michaelo Antonioni's Blow Up. A link to the clip is below and at Dr. Mooneys. You really should check out his write-up, it's a good read.
~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
The Yardbirds - Stroll On mp3 at Dr. Mooney's 115th DreamThe Yardbirds in Blow Up clip at YouTube
Dr. Mooney's 115th Dream's Yardbirds post
3 comments:
... D. Hemmings emerges from club to street, pauses by clothing store - as "Mike Stax," chatting up bird under "Ricky Tick" sign, looks on, heh - considers Beck's broken gtr neck, tosses aside, another on st. does same ... and ... scene. All 4 mins. = Great Moments in Rock on Film - in Top Ten, easy, no?
Tom: do you know of other Beck/Page 'Birds live stuff, vid or aud? How lucky/great, that Antonioni got all this in scene, from band heard outside, thru Beck's onstage picque, to more tune. I luv how it seems natural: we get more Yardbirds as Hemmings has to keep searching crowd, then his attn. gets fixed on stage but only in moments when Beck turns petulant - itself an origin or affirming source in subsequent citing of Jeff's legendary "moodiness"? - and the band plays on ...
Finally (I return): luv this, cuz you SO clearly can tell what's Beck's and what's Page's gtr thru-out: Page is chugging low 'n' thick on rhy. as Beck flutters higher, then does sig. solo-ing at 1:20, but when gtr/amps craps out by 1:35, Page quickly fills space (Dreja helps, walking bassline up) and takes over lead for 15 secs - sounding very identifiably Jimmy - before going back to rhy. chug at 1:50, when Jeff gets back in ... only to keep fighting the amp cut-out, smashing it w/ gtr, throwing gtr to floor by 2:20 - and THEN, note how Page swoops in at 2:21 to end song w/ closing gtr flourish as Beck is stomping his gtr. YES - song is def'ly heard ending at 2:29 - but sound cuts to back to earlier part of song - w/ Beck/Page as prev. noted - and plays on as scene proceeds end. Why did Antonioni/editor leave that audible cut in? Volition? Did they just flub it? Could they not get edit any tighter than what they did, etc., for some reason? I mean - can you imagine a film today, auteur director or no, letting that go? Michelangelo HAD to know that was happening - maybe, manifestly splice-looped tuneage here assists comm. of the scene's thematic cyclical arc: he came in, they were playing - he looked, they rocked, they broke shit, he battled/escaped with a fleetingly struggle-worthy memento, which soon lost value, after - he came out, they were playing? Sorry for the winded-ness, Tom - but ya posted, elaborated; I read, watched clip again for 1st time in a few yrs; noted, wondered ... and life's too short to not take opp. enjoy, even share, such endeavor.
- Stampone
Yeah, Dave, I originally saw Blow Up many years ago, with no knowledge that the Yardbirds were in it. Imagine not knowing that clip existed, and the seeing it in the middle of a film. Decades before YouTube existed, I found myself wishing I could see that clip over and over again. And I did what you did, watched it about a half dozen times just too take in all the intricacies. And, I too noticed that the song cuts back into the Beck/Page part. But, I have to admit, I hadn't thought fo looking for that clip, until I saw it on Dr Mooney's thing.
By the way, you win the Longest Comment Ever contest, and I feel honored...
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