"Having a Rave Up with the Yardbirds", or simply Having a Rave Up, is the second American album by the English rock group the Yardbirds. It was released in November 1965, eight months after Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton on guitar. It includes songs with both guitarists and reflects the group's blues rock roots and their early experimentations with psychedelic and hard rock. The title refers to the driving "rave up" arrangement the band used in several of their songs.
The album contains some live recordings from March 1964 when Clapton was the lead guitarist, and which first appeared on the band's British debut album, Five Live Yardbirds, which was not issued in the United States. The songs with Beck were recorded in the studio in the months after he joined the group in March 1965. These include several charting singles and introduced "The Train Kept A-Rollin'", one of the Yardbirds' most copied arrangements. Although most were not written by the group, the songs became a fixture of the group's concert repertoire and continued to be performed after Jimmy Page replaced Beck.
Next to their 1967 Greatest Hits collection, Having a Rave Up is the Yardbirds' highest-charting album in the US and has remained in print longer than others in the band's catalogue. The album continues to be reissued, often with bonus material, such as the next single "Shapes of Things", demo recordings for their follow-up album, and "Stroll On", featuring dual lead guitar by Beck and Page, from the Blow-Up soundtrack. Several music critics have cited the album's influence, particularly on hard rock guitar.
The Yardbirds were formed near London in mid-1963 by singer and harmonica player Keith Relf, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, drummer Jim McCarty, and lead guitarist Top Topham. The group were part of the early British rhythm and blues scene that produced bands like the Rolling Stones, whom they replaced as the resident act at the Crawdaddy Club. Their setlists included songs by American blues and R&B artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Bo Diddley. The Yardbirds' sound was rooted in blues, but they soon began experimenting with more complex arrangements.
Eric Clapton replaced Topham in October 1963, and by early 1964, the Yardbirds had gained a following in the home counties club circuit. They recorded several studio attempts, but were unsatisfied with how they captured their live sound. Manager Giorgio Gomelsky arranged for a March performance at London's Marquee Club to be recorded. The Yardbirds' live shows were known for their extended instrumental sections, which they called a "rave up". This section usually came during the middle of a song, where the beat shifted into double-time, building to a climax. This became a signature part of the Yardbirds' sound.
Several songs recorded during the Marquee show were included on their UK debut, Five Live Yardbirds. Although the album is considered one of the best live British rock albums of the era, it was not issued in the US. However, four of its tracks appeared on Having a Rave Up. After their first two singles, "I Wish You Would" and "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", had limited success, the Yardbirds were under pressure to deliver a hit. Samwell-Smith brought in "For Your Love", a new pop rock-oriented song written by Graham Gouldman. Clapton, who was dedicated to the band's blues roots, was unhappy with the direction and left the band just before the single was released. "For Your Love" became their first Top 10 hit.
To replace Clapton, the Yardbirds sought a guitarist who was skilled in both blues and experimental material. They initially approached Jimmy Page, but he was reluctant to leave his lucrative session work. Page recommended Jeff Beck, who was invited to audition. Beck's style impressed the band, and he was asked to join. His first gig with the Yardbirds was the same day "For Your Love" was released. With Beck, the Yardbirds began recording a series of groundbreaking singles, marked by his distinctive hard rock and psychedelic guitar work.
Having a Rave Up was released in November 1965, just before the Yardbirds' second tour of the US. The album included both Clapton-era and Beck-era songs, capturing a transitional moment in the band's sound.
With the exception of Still I'm Sad, the songs on Having a Rave Up were not composed by the Yardbirds. Two of the album's hits, "Heart Full of Soul" and "Evil Hearted You," were written for the group by Graham Gouldman, who had also written "For Your Love". These two tracks showcase the Yardbirds moving beyond their blues-rock origins, featuring Beck's experimental guitar work. "Heart Full of Soul" is notable for incorporating Indian musical influences, predating the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood". Although initial demos for the song featured a sitar, the instrument’s limitations led Beck to replicate a sitar-like effect on his guitar, using bending and a Tone Bender distortion device. The minor key "Evil Hearted You" also has exotic elements, including a haunting melody and eerie harmonies. Beck's slide guitar solo, described as "shimmering" and "ghostly", further emphasizes the song's dark tone.
"You're a Better Man Than I" was written by Mike and Brian Hugg and reflects the folk-rock style of the time with socially conscious lyrics. Relf's folk-inspired vocals are complemented by Beck's vibrato-heavy guitar. Still I'm Sad is the band's only original composition on the album, written by Samwell-Smith and McCarty. This slow, brooding track features psychedelic pop elements, with a mock-Gregorian chant and seven vocal parts layered over a droning bass vocal.
Many of the remaining tracks are blues and R&B covers. Two versions of Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man" appear—one live with Clapton and another reworked studio version with Beck. These versions illustrate the differing styles of the two guitarists, with Clapton's approach being more traditional and Beck's taking a more experimental turn. Koda calls Beck's version "perhaps the most famous Yardbirds rave-up", where his guitar and Relf's harmonica engage in a frenetic interplay. The live songs with Clapton feature extended instrumental improvisations, with "Smokestack Lightning" being a fan favorite that could stretch up to 30 minutes during performances. Clapton trades licks with Relf's harmonica, and the song is regarded by Howlin' Wolf as the definitive version of his track.
The Yardbirds’ version of "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" is based on the 1956 rockabilly arrangement by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio, with the Yardbirds adding a rave-up section, new guitar parts, and a harmonica solo. This rendition helped transform the song into a classic.
The recordings for Having a Rave Up took place between April and September 1965 at various studios. Three tracks were recorded during the Yardbirds' first American tour in September 1965, including "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" and "You're a Better Man Than I", both recorded by Sam Phillips at Phillips Recording in Memphis. "I'm a Man" was recorded at Chess Studios in Chicago, and further refinements of these tracks were made in New York at Columbia Recording Studios. Additional songs were recorded in London, including "Heart Full of Soul" and "Evil Hearted You".
Produced by manager Giorgio Gomelsky and Samwell-Smith, the album was released by Epic Records in the US on 15 November 1965. The album cover features the band posing in matching black suits, but Clapton, who had left the group earlier that year, is not pictured. The album entered the Billboard Top LPs chart in December 1965 at number 137 and peaked at number 53 in February 1966, staying on the chart for 33 weeks.
In the UK, Having a Rave Up or an equivalent was not released, as it was common practice not to include singles on albums. Instead, the live tracks with Clapton were included on Five Live Yardbirds. However, several singles from the album, including "Heart Full of Soul" and "Evil Hearted You", were released in the UK and became Top 10 hits. The Yardbirds' US label also pressed Having a Rave Up for export to Germany and Sweden in 1966, while in Canada, the album was released by Capitol Records.
The songs from Having a Rave Up formed the core of the Yardbirds' concert repertoire and were frequently played in live performances. Many of these songs were also recorded by the BBC for broadcast, and a selection was later released on Yardbirds ... On Air (1997). The band performed an updated version of "Here 'Tis" during appearances on Ready Steady Go!, and when Beck left the band in 1966, the Yardbirds performed a version of "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" with both Beck and Page on lead guitars for the film Blow-Up (1966). After Page joined the Yardbirds, the group continued to perform many of the songs from this era, with "Smokestack Lightning" even influencing Led Zeppelin’s "How Many More Times".
The lasting appeal of this period, particularly Beck's tenure, is noted by the band, with Dreja reflecting on how Beck's inventive style was a key part of the band's creative output.
