Chris Dreja, co-founder and guitarist for The Yardbirds, has died at the age of 79.
The news of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s death was confirmed by his sister-in-law, Muriel Levy, who wrote on Threads: “It is with a deep sadness that I have to announce that my brother-in-law Chris Dreja, former member of legendary band The Yardbirds, rhythm 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 those years and his daughter Jackie... May he RIP.”
Levy included a series of pictures of Dreja and his bandmates, as well as more recent pictures of him with his guitar.
Dreja’s former Yardbirds bandmate, Jimmy Page, additionally shared word of his death 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,” Page captioned the post, alongside an old black-and-white image of the two of them.
“I hadn’t seen him in a while, and I wish I had. RIP Chris,” he added. “Here’s Glimpses by The Yardbirds featuring Chris Dreja on bass.”
Dreja was born November 11, 1945, in Surbiton, England. Through his brother, he met Anthony “Top” Topham, with whom he would eventually form The Yardbirds.
In 1963, Dreja and Topham, along with singer and harmonica player Keith Relf, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, and drummer Jim McCarty, co-founded the Metropolitan Blues Quartet, the blues band that later evolved into The Yardbirds.
Dreja began as the band’s rhythm guitarist but switched to bass in 1966 following Samwell-Smith’s departure and Page’s arrival. Over the years, the group also saw Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck pass through as lead guitarists.
The band released a total of six studio albums, including their 1964 debut record, Five Live Yardbirds, before they broke up in 1968.
After their split, Page went on to form Led Zeppelin, offering Dreja the role of bassist. Dreja declined, choosing instead to pursue a career in photography. He ended up shooting Led Zeppelin for the back of their debut album.
“I have no regrets,” he once told ClassicBands.com of his career shift. “I must be honest. The passion, the love for the art form did provide me with a living and that’s all you need really.”
By 1992, Dreja and McCarty reassembled The Yardbirds. That year, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They remained active until 2013, even releasing Birdland in 2003 — their first album in decades.
In 2012 and 2013, Dreja suffered a series of strokes, which effectively ended his music career. He retired from the group, and Topham returned to replace him. The Yardbirds officially disbanded in 2014.
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