Demon Music Group present…  Yardbirds  ‘Roger The Engineer’   Super Deluxe Edition Newly remastered from the original tapes  3CD, 2LP and 7” single box set featuring newly remastered non-album singles, rare alternate versions, and previously unreleased material Comes with a 24-page booklet with an exclusive introduction by Jeff Beck,  testimonials by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and MC5’s Wayne Kramer,  an extensive essay and track-by-track liner notes based on new interviews with Jimmy Page, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty and Simon Napier-Bell. Also available as an exclusive indie stores version   with red, blue and white vinyl.

“There were four rock bands in the world that really counted – The Yardbirds were one of them.” – Simon Napier-Bell

On 28th May, Demon will release the ultimate reissue of the Yardbirds’ 1966 album ‘Roger The Engineer’ (originally titled ‘Yardbirds’, the album became referred to as ‘Roger The Engineer’ after guitarist Chris Dreja’s crude drawing of recording engineer Roger Cameron).

‘Roger The Engineer’ was recorded by the classic line up of Jeff Beck (lead guitar), Keith Relf (lead vocals and harmonica), Jim McCarty (drums), Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar, piano) and Paul Samwell-Smith (bass guitar). Produced by Samwell-Smith with manager Simon Napier-Bell, and considered, not just one of the great albums of the era, but one the greatest rock album of all time, ‘Roger The Engineer’ is a high watermark of innovation during a year of incredibly inventive and exceptional albums.

“This is what rock ‘n’ roll beauty is – the true freedom of creative impulse.”  – Thurston Moore

Containing all original material, ‘Roger The Engineer’ found the Yardbirds creating an avant-garde album that incorporated elements of Psychedelia, Symphonic tempo changes, Gregorian chants, Asian musical scales with their usual blues-rock.

The extraordinary results are highlighted on the album’s first three songs, which set the pace for what’s to come. From album opener the dynamic, tightly constructed ‘Lost Woman’, through the second track, the psychedelia-tinged pop song ‘Over, Under, Sideways Down’, followed by the raw and energetic blues of ‘The Nazz Are Blue’, with a lead vocal from Beck, ‘Roger The Engineer’ fizzes with thrills and original ideas.

The only Yardbirds album to chart (no. 20 in the UK / 52 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart), ‘Roger The Engineer’ is rightly seen as a classic, groundbreaking rock album, included in Robert Dimery’s 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and Rolling Stone’s The 500 Greatest Albums of all Time.

“The Yardbirds produced some of the most compelling musical art of the 20th century.”  – Wayne Kramer

Using original tapes, this super deluxe edition features new and definitive remastering by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering at AIR, overseen by original album co-producer Paul Samwell-Smith.

“Remastering this album has been a joy. To hear the tracks sounding just as we heard them all those years ago while we were recording them – energetic, edgy, and in your face – is an unexpected treat.  In 1966, it was a rare and exciting opportunity to be given a recording studio for 5 days and allowed to experiment. That excitement still shows.” – Paul Samwell-Smith.

The Super Deluxe Edition is housed in a 12” x 12” lift top box and features the mono and stereo mixes of the album on CDs 1 and 2 – as well as on the 2 LPs – and bonus tracks on CD3. Highlights on CD3 include newly remastered non-album singles, rare alternate versions, and a previously unreleased early mix of ‘Turn Into Earth’ which reveals a searing guitar solo by Jeff Beck.

It comes with a 24-page 12” x 12” booklet, which includes rare memorabilia and photographs, an exclusive introduction by Jeff Beck, testimonials by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and MC5’s Wayne Kramer, plus an extensive essay and track-by-track liner notes by David French based on new interviews with Jimmy Page, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty and Simon Napier-Bell.

The box also contains a newly remastered version of the classic psychedelic 7” single Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, which future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, and an A2 fold-out posterinspired by the original ‘Over, Under, Sideways, Down’ single release advertisement.

SUPER DELUXE EDITION TRACKLISTS:

CD 1- Yardbirds [Mono Version]

1. Lost Women
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can’t Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell
7. Hot House Of Omagararshid
8. Jeff’s Boogie
9. He’s Always There
10. Turn Into Earth
11. What Do You Want
12. Ever Since The World Began

CD 2 – Yardbirds [Stereo Version]

1. Lost Women
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can’t Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell
7. Hot House Of Omagararshid
8. Jeff’s Boogie
9. He’s Always There
10. Turn Into Earth
11. What Do You Want
12. Ever Since The World Began

CD 3 – 1966 Studio Recordings

1. Mr. Zero – Keith Relf
2. Knowing – Keith Relf
3. Hot House Of Omagararshid (Alternate Mono Mix)
4. He’s Always There (Alternate Stereo Mix)
5. Turn Into Earth (Early Mix)
6. Turn Into Earth (Vocal Track)
7. Turn Into Earth (Alternate Stereo Mix)
8. Ever Since The World Began (Vocal Track)
9. I Can’t Make Your Way (Alternate Stereo Mix)
10. Great Shakes Commercial (Version 1)
11. Great Shakes Commercial (Version 2)
12. Shapes In My Mind (Version 1) – Keith Relf
13. Shapes In My Mind (Version 2) – Keith Relf
14. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
15. Psycho Daisies
16. Stroll On

LP 1 – Yardbirds [Mono Version]

Side One

1. Lost Women
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can’t Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell

Side Two

1. Hot House Of Omagararshid
2. Jeff’s Boogie
3. He’s Always There
4. Turn Into Earth
5. What Do You Want
6. Ever Since The World Began
7. LP 2 – Yardbirds [Stereo Version]

Side One

1. Lost Women
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can’t Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell

Side Two

1. Hot House Of Omagararshid
2. Jeff’s Boogie
3. He’s Always There
4. Turn Into Earth
5. What Do You Want
6. Ever Since The World Began

7” Single – Happenings Ten Years Time Ago

Side A

Happenings Ten Years Time Ago

Side B

Psycho Daisies

NOTES

Yardbirds in mono – Remastered from the original British ¼” mono master tapes, newly transferred for this release at Abbey Road Studios. Pressed on audiophile 180g vinyl, housed in a replica of the original British album sleeve.

Yardbirds in stereo – Considered by producer Paul Samwell-Smith to be the definitive version of the album, the stereo mix has been remastered from the ¼” master tapes which were newly transferred for this release at Alchemy Mastering at AIR. Pressed on audiophile 180g vinyl, housed in a replica of the ultra-rare German sleeve.

Happenings Ten Years Time Ago  7” –has been newly remastered for this release. It comes in a replica of one of the Columbia house sleeves from the period.

Pre-order via the following link