Top 40 has been the main hit list in the Netherlands since 1965. In the Today section we look back at events in pop music that happened exactly X years ago. In Today’s episode: Eric Clapton’s departure from The Yardbirds.

British Band Yard Birds managed to score five Top 40 hits in the 1965-1966 period, of which Still I’m Sad (no. 16 in 1965) became the biggest hit. The record For Your Love (no. 23 in 1965) could be found in the Radio 2 Top 2000 from 2000 to 2011, but The Yardbirds are not known for their historical masterpieces. However, the group seems to have a very good interest in talented guitarists. In the period 1963-1968, the London blues rock band employed three guitarists who would later become legends on their instruments.

The Yardbirds were formed in 1963. The guitarist at that time was Top Topham. However, the band wanted to continue developing and Topham was unable to combine his work with The Yardbirds with his studies. One has been replaced Eric Clapton taken from the cage. He played on For Your Love, the group’s first serious hit. The top 10 was achieved in the UK and USA. On March 13, 1965 However, Eric Clapton decided to leave the band. As a perfectionist blues musician, he couldn’t express himself in a three-minute song.

Eric Clapton later had success as a member of the blues group Cream, which reached fourth place in 1968 with White Room. Clapton then achieved solo success with I Shot The Sheriff (1974), Wonderful Tonight (1988), Tears In Heaven and the Unplugged version of Layla. The Yardbirds managed to compensate for the loss of Clapton by recruiting Jeff Beck as his replacement. With Beck in the band, all the remaining Top 40 hits were scored. After touring America, he left the group in November 1966. In the following years he scored several solo hits.

Departure from Jeff Beck handled internally by Jimmy Pagewho swapped his role as bassist for that of lead guitarist. However, the Yardbirds’ success declined, after which Page wanted to form a new band. This band was originally called The New Yardbirds, but later changed its name to Led Zeppelin.

Also on this day:
1982: Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc) by Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark is the new number 1. For OMD, this was its first and ultimately only number 1 hit. By the end of the decade, Locomotion, Talking Loud And Clear, So In Love and (Forever) Live And Die would be big hits.
2008: British newspaper The Birmingham Post wrote that Maxi Priest would be UB40’s new singer. after singer Ali Campbell left the group after nearly 30 years. In the end, it was not Maxi Priest, but Ali’s brother, Duncan Campbell, who became UB40’s new singer.
2020: Amsterdam singer Richenel, who scored a top 10 hit in 1987 with Dance Around The World, died of lung cancer. He is 62 years old.

Born today:
1919 – Klazien From Zalkwhen he died 78 years old,
1931 – Bob Regan59 years old at death, Canada’s Sweetheart
1938 – Erma Franklinwhen he died 64 years old,
1939 – Neil Sedaka,
1939 – Ferre Grignardwhen he died 43 years old,
1940 – Staton Temple,
1942 – Impostor John, when he died 57 years old,
1944 – Chris Roberts, when he died 73 years old,
1951 – Izhar Cohen,
1958 -Linda Robson,
1960 – Adam ClaytonU2
1972 – General,
1973 – Eloy De Jong, Caught In Action
1974 – Sally VlissingerClose II Ye
1974 – Linda Bengtzing,
1975 – Claudia de Breij,
1984 – Nina Sky,
1985 – Ninth,
1985 – Cup,
1989 – Cimo Frankel,
1992 – Ozuna,
1998 -Jack Harlow,
2002 – Little John

Today at number 1:
1965 – 1 (1) Letkis– Stig Rauno (Barclay), 4 weeks at number 1
1965 – 1 (1) Let it Kiss– Gudrun Jankis Orchestra (Omega), 4 weeks at number 1
1971 – 1 (1) Du– Peter Maffay (Telefunken), 2 weeks at number 1
1976 – 1 (1) Love is painful– Nazareth (Vertigo), 4 weeks at number 1
1982 – 1 (2) Maid of Orleans (Waltz Joan Of Arc)– Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark (Dindisc), 1 week at number 1
1993 – 1 (1) Without limit– 2 Unlimited (Bytes), 2 weeks at number 1
1999 – 1 (1) … Darling Again– Britney Spears (Jive), 2 weeks at number 1
2004 – 1 (1) The past– Marco Borsato & Do (Universal), 2 weeks at number 1
2010 – 1 (1) Hey, Brother Soul– Train (Columbia), 2 weeks at number 1
2021 – 1 (1) Wellerman (220Kid x Butt Ted Remix)– Nathan Evans (Polydor), 3 weeks at number 1

(03-13-2023)