Chris Dreja, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who co-founded The Yardbirds as a rhythm guitarist and later became their bassist, has died.
Videos by Suggest
His sister-in-law, Muriel Levy, announced the news on social media. She did not provide a date or cause of death, only stating he “passed away after years of health problems.”
Dreja was 79.
In Memoriam (1/3): Short-lived but highly influential, 1992 Inductees, the Yardbirds’ innovations in feedback and distortion shaped such diverse genres as psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and punk. Founding member Chris Dreja was initially the band’s rhythm guitarist… pic.twitter.com/dQvf1Z41Cd
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) October 2, 2025
Dreja co-founded The Yardbirds in 1963 as the rhythm guitarist, joining lead guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham, vocalist Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarthy, and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, per Rolling Stone.
The group went on to feature three legendary rock guitarists: Eric Clapton, who replaced Topham in 1963; Jeff Beck, who succeeded Clapton in 1965; and future Led Zeppelin icon Jimmy Page, who joined in 1966 after Samwell-Smith’s departure.
The Yardbirds made a strong impression with their 1965 U.S. debut album, For Your Love, featuring the title track that reached the Top 10 in both the U.S. and UK. Later that year, they released Having a Rave Up with the Yardbirds, which included the hit “Heart Full of Soul,” another success on both sides of the Atlantic. The album also featured their version of Bo Diddley’s “I’m a Man,” which broke into the U.S. Top 20 and remains a staple on classic rock radio. Additionally, the double-sided single “Evil Hearted You”/“Still I’m Sad” peaked at No. 3 in the UK.
The Yardbirds’ next U.S. release, Over Under Sideways Down, produced two more hit singles: “Shapes of Things” (No. 11 U.S., No. 3 UK) and the title track (No. 13 U.S., No. 10 UK). Both Over Under Sideways Down and Having a Rave Up are on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
In 1967, The Yardbirds Greatest Hits was released, becoming the band’s highest-charting LP in the U.S. at No. 28. The group’s final album, Little Games, also arrived that year but failed to chart on either side of the Atlantic. By this time, Dreja had replaced Samwell-Smith on bass.
Chris Dreja Revived The Yardbirds with Jim McCarthy in 1992
Born in Surrey, England in 1945, Dreja met Topham in school, forming early bands. They became The Yardbirds in 1963 with Relf, McCarthy, and Samwell-Smith. Dreja, McCarthy, and Relf stayed with the band until its 1968 split.
In 1992, Dreja and McCarthy revived The Yardbirds. Dreja remained with the band until his retirement in 2013 following a series of strokes. Topham then returned to replace him, staying until 2015. McCarthy is the only member still performing with The Yardbirds. Relf passed away in 1976, and Topham died in 2023.
After the original band split, Page initially planned to call his new group The New Yardbirds before choosing the name Led Zeppelin. Dreja was invited to join the new band but chose to pursue a photography career instead. He later captured the back cover photo for the group’s groundbreaking 1969 debut album.
In the early 1980s, Dreja co-founded Box of Frogs with McCarthy and Samwell-Smith. The group, led by vocalist John Fiddler, released their self-titled debut album in 1984, which included the U.S. FM hit “Back Where I Started,” featuring Beck on guitar.