It had to happen sometime, and after about 30 years of piecemeal Yardbirds compilations, here it is: a lengthy best-of anthology that manages to cross-license material from the Clapton, Beck, and Page eras. The result is a two-CD, 52-song anthology that includes all of their big hits, most of their outstanding albums tracks and non-hit singles, and a few rarities. If you're looking for one Yardbirds compilation, either as a starter or a summary, this is it. Previous anthologies almost always had to be divided in early 1966 after the "Shapes of Things" single for licensing reasons, but finally you can hear early blues-derived Clapton sides, 1965 initial British Invasion hit singles, "Shapes of Things," "Over Under Sideways Down," "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago," and the (comparatively slight) highlights of the 1967-1968 Page lineup all in one place. As quite minor quibbles, one could argue that some of the album tracks that were passed over -- like "Respectable," "Ever Since the World Began," and "Glimpses" -- would have been better choices than some of the cuts that did make it. A few relatively obscure items are included -- the late 1963 recording "Boom Boom"/"Honey in Your Hips," the 1965 B-side "Steeled Blues," the 1966 B-side "Psycho Daises," the Blow-Up soundtrack item "Stroll On," the weird Italian pop single "Questa Volta"/"Pafff...Bum," and particularly the three pop-folky 1966 songs from Keith Relf's solo singles. Some of those lesser rarities are at cross-purposes with the overall tone of a set largely selected on the basis of quality, rather than collectability. Still, with fine liner notes and packaging, overall it gives the music of one of the greatest rock bands the respectful, high-class presentation it deserves. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Ultimate! is a two-disc compilation album by the Englishblues rock band The Yardbirds, released in 2001 on Rhino Records, catalogue R2-79825. This is the first official "complete" compilation to feature the group throughout its entire recording era.
In addition to the 32 tracks issued as singles, the album includes 20 tracks released on LP records. Tracks five through eight on disc one derive from a live gig at the Marquee Club in London in early 1964, released on the Five Live Yardbirds album. The first ten tracks on disc two approximate the Yardbirds album of the summer of 1966, those ten tracks identical to sides one and two of the British LP with the final tune on each side excised, bringing the British running order down from twelve tracks to the American length of ten. The b-side to the US-only single "I'm A Man" was "Still I'm Sad," and "I'm Not Talking" had initially been the flip to the American release of "Shapes of Things," pulled and replaced with "New York City Blues." "Drinking Muddy Water" appeared also as the b-side to the single "Ten Little Indians" three months after its release on the LP Little Games. During the final year of the band's existence, the band's management concentrated on the American market, with only one EP and the single "Little Games" released in the UK after 1966.
Jimmy Page - guitars, disc two tracks 11, 13 through 24, and 27; bass guitar on "Psycho Daisies"
Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, disc one, disc two tracks 1 through 10, 25, and 26; lead guitar on "Questa Volta; bass guitar disc two tracks 13, 15, 17, 19, and 24
Paul Samwell-Smith - bass guitar, disc one except track 15, disc two tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 25 and 26
Jim McCarty - drums except disc two tracks 14, 21, 22, 23, and 27
