The Yardbirds did not achieve the commercial success of its British Invasion peers. The band had hits, but by and large, it is seen today as a launching pad for some of the most notable guitarists in rock history. A history that started with the departure of Eric Clapton in 1965.
Clapton, an axeman who needs no introduction, got his first taste of stardom when he joined the blues band in 1963. The Yardbirds consisted of rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, singer Kieth Relf, and drummer Jim McCarty. Their profile rose steadily in the wake of the Beatles' crossover success, and they scored their first hit single with "For Your Love" in 1965.
Eric Clapton quit the Yardbirds in 1965
Clapton played on the single, but he hated it. He derided the other band members for ditching their blues origins and leaning into the pop that peers like the Hollies and the aforementioned Beatles got big making. He walked, and joined the band Cream the following year.
The guitarist admitted that he enjoyed the money and the fame that came with being part of a popular band, but struggled to square commercial ambition with his musical desires. It resulted in a period of intense unhappiness.
"Working every night, you become a machine, you play to order," Clapton told Rave Magazine. "You have to get your bit right, so you don’t get yelled at by the management. You lose your regard for your fellow artists in the group, then the tension really mounts." The guitarist admitted he was unpleasant to be around during this period, but maintains that he doesn't hold ill will toward his ex-band mates.
Clapton remained friendly with the band
Keith Relf confirmed Clapton's perspective during the same Rave profile. "Eric is a true blues man. He likes very way out, deep music. We are playing more understandable R&B," he conceded. "Overwork, and a mixture of temperaments caused the trouble, but we parted quite good friends."
Both sides made out like bandits. Clapton went on to become a superstar with Cream, and eventually as a solo artist. The Yardbirds, meanwhile, helped break two other candidates for greatest guitarist of all time, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Beck, Clapton's replacement, left the Yardbirds in 1966, and his replacement, Page, stayed with the band until its demise in 1968.
The Yardbirds reunited in 1992, and have continued to tour with original drummer McCarty. Beck and Page made brief, albeit highly publicized returns to the band in 2003 and 2017, respectively, but Eric Clapton has not. The guitarist has remained steadfast in his decision, and never looked back.