Jimmy Page & The Yardbirds in Tulsa, Oklahoma 1966

[SteveAJones]

Yardbirds Delight Teenage Spectators

The Bixby Bulletin August 25, 1966,

The stage was a mosaic blur of platinum hair, red collard coats of blue, white and green. Guitars whined and whirred. Drums throbbed. Somewhere a harmonica breathed a magnetic tone into a microphone. A tambourine jingled. Awestruck fans stood 30 deep to watch the gyrating movements on stage. KELI Radio was presenting the Yardbirds.

"Shapes of Things: became "Over Under Sideways Down", as the five Londoners chanted their chart breakers. It was the first time in the Tulsa area that an English group had performed for a dance. It seemed everyone was happy with the affair. The teeny-boppers were the majority of the dancers. Older teens and college students, not to mention members of other bands, came just to watch.

Only hours before the five had flown into International Airport to be welcomed by about 50 screaming fans. They were led through the throng by disc jockeys and security guards, to a conference room. There they were greeted by press club members from teenage magazines. They were seated at a table.

All five seemed fatigued. Keith Relf complained of being air sick. They appeared a little scruffy after being blown by the Oklahoma winds.

Relf, who is the long blond haired lead singer, occupied the center of the table. He wore a warm looking red and blue striped knit pullover, dark slacks and loafers. He was sided by Jim McCarty, handsome drummer, who wore a pastel striped shirt, dark slacks and loafers. On the end sat Jeff Beck, lead guitarist, certainly not the best looking of the group. He was attired in a white "T" shirt and dark blue wool uniform coat, dark slacks and moccasins.

On the other end was Chris Dreja, rhythm guitarist. Like Beck he seldom made any comments, but his pale blue-grey eyes drank in all his surroundings. He was dressed conservatively at the airport. However, at the dance he donned a dark blue uniform which resembled those now worn by the Salvation Army.

James Page is the group's newest member. He replaces Paul Samwell-Smith. Tall and dark he is stunning. His complexion is pink and white accented by deep dark eyes. His curly, dark hair which is almost shoulder length fluffs about his face making it appear much paler. He looks like a pastel painting.

Page is called a trendsetter. He was attired in a dark blue thigh length coat. Double breasted with 12 brass buttons, it had wide lapels and was gathered and buckled in the back. His trousers were stove pipe in grey and black tweed.

"Is this the fashion in England?"

"The revolution is more toward the 1920's now, " said Relf. "Individuality is fashion."

"I don't know it could be earlier than the 20's," said Page, as he turned the pages of his reading material. "I, Jan Cremer." He continued, "Many of us shop for our clothes in antique shops. I like uniforms that are about 100 years old."

Concerning the mini-skirt, all the boys looked up with mischievous grins and gleams in their eyes.

"It's a great scene," said Relf twisting his wedding band.

"It certainly can't be bad," said Page as McCarty and Dreja nodded their heads.

The inevitable question finally arose. What did the Yardbirds think about the Beatles statement about being more popular than Christianity? Kenneth Relf buried his blond hair in his hands. "I wish you hadn't asked," he said. "Jimmy you answer that. I might say something wrong."

Page looked up and with a sharp British accent said, " I thought that was smoothed over by now. Lennon apologized didn't he? He was merely misquoted."

Later in the evening five groupies made their way to the boys' hotel room. Their stay proved profitable for Cassandra Wonderly of Broken Arrow. She presented Relf with 42 original poems.

"This is very good," he said. "I want to set some of them to music."

(End of Article)

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I'd like to mention a few words about the artist Jimmy was reading about at the press conference:

Jan Cremer was born on 20 April 1940 in Enschede, just before the Second World War swept over the Netherlands. His father Jan Cremer senior had many professions and was also a travel writer, photographer and journalist. It was him that Jan Cremer inherited his urge to write; the love of drawing and reading came from his Hungarian mother.

After the difficult war years in Enschede, Jan Cremer became a ward of the state and at the age of 14 he was sent to work in a factory. There followed a short intermezzo with the marines, after which he sailed on tramp ships, mainly to Russian ports. After his matelot period he travelled through Germany, Italy and France, finally landing up in Paris in 1958. Between jobs he studied for a few months at art academies in Arnhem and The Hague, where as later in Paris he took lessons in free painting and later specialised in printmaking techniques.

From his earliest days Jan Cremer was an original, obsessive artist who lived for his work. At this first solo exhibition in De Posthoorn gallery in The Hague in 1958, the critics - still not fully recovered from the CoBrA riots - spoke of a 'wild animal'. A year later he exhibited in the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, followed by the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

He subsequently stayed for three years on Ibiza, connected with the 'Grupo Ibiza'. In the meantime Cremer worked on his first book 'I, Jan Cremer'. Published in The Netherlands in 1964 it caused a real cultural revolution and has since sold millions all over the world. There also followed more than a hundred exhibitions of his artworks in museums and galleries not only in The Netherlands but in many other countries. Cremer wrote more books, but also kept on painting, abandoning the abstract style of peinture barbarisme in favour of paintings of tulip fields and other aspects of the Dutch landscape.

There followed many years of travelling and painting, during which he wrote travel stories for leading newspapers and magazines as well. Jan Cremer stills manages to combine his work with his wanderlust. Sometimes he is away for six months of the year, although lately he has been staying more often at his home in Amsterdam.

[eternal light]

Thank you for the article, Steve!

[MadScreamingGallery]

Thanks for posting Steve. Fascinating. I've always loved the Yardies. Interesting article and a couple of observations about that era:

I remember when "I, Jan Cremer" was released and it was considered quite a "scandalous" book at that time. It was probably a year or two after its release that my friend and I discovered a copy on the shelf of her father's office. I remember sitting on her father's desk and riffling through it to get to the "good parts". The book could have provided a blueprint for some of the things that Zep did on the road.

I'm also struck by the "innocence" of the U.S. in 1966 (or at least the innocence of Tulsa back then): groupies giving their names to reporters to be printed in the local paper and groupies going up to hotel rooms to give poetry to band members.

Thanks again.

[SteveAJones]

Thanks for posting Steve. Fascinating. I've always loved the Yardies. Interesting article and a couple of observations about that era:

All excellent observations. I noticed how the writer focused on their fashion sense as

opposed to their music.

[MadScreamingGallery]

All excellent observations. I noticed how the writer focused on their fashion sense as

opposed to their music.

Thank you. Yes, in addition to making the scene surrounding the band seem innocent (at least by Zep standards), the focus on looks and fashion, rather than the music, sounds a bit shallow.

[david ball]

Thank you. Yes, in addition to making the scene surrounding the band seem innocent (at least by Zep standards), the focus on looks and fashion, rather than the music, sounds a bit shallow.

since i live just a few miles away from tulsa, this was absolutely fastinating. in the late 70's, pagey was dating the sister of my brother's best friend, both living in tulsa (bro and sis). i went to his house one day, hoping to meet pagey, and there was a note on the door explaining we had missed them by about 15 minutes. pagey was with peter (r.i.p.), and the note mentioned what "percy" was up to. this was about 1979 or so. i've always wondered about what could have been my "elvis moment."

[SteveAJones]

since i live just a few miles away from tulsa, this was absolutely fastinating. in the late 70's, pagey was dating the sister of my brother's best friend, both living in tulsa (bro and sis). i went to his house one day, hoping to meet pagey, and there was a note on the door explaining we had missed them by about 15 minutes. pagey was with peter (r.i.p.), and the note mentioned what "percy" was up to. this was about 1979 or so. i've always wondered about what could have been my "elvis moment."

IF it ever happened it would probably have been in Apr 1977 when they played OKC.

Jimmy did not enter the US in '79.

[david ball]

IF it ever happened it would probably have been in Apr 1977 when they played OKC.

Jimmy did not enter the US in '79.

heavy emphasis on "about". remember, i was a kid, and didn't claim page had the hots for my sister. in fact, i'd be interested in debunking the myth. however, i must confess the note looked very genuine, even to my hope-filled teenage eyes.

there is, however, another story i have pictures to prove. robert plant came to my tiny town on route 66 and ate at the rock cafe. he enjoyed the country music on the radio station. i was ready to strangle my good friend, the owner's husband, because the SON OF A BITCH DIDN'T CALL ME DOWN THERE!! here i am, not 500 feet away from where robert plant is hanging out in rural oklahoma, and not so much as a "hey, guess who's in town?" he (my friend) was too flabbergasted himself. oh well, we've had many famous people come through here. they like it. quiet, authentic, and no crowds or media b.s.

if he ever comes back........ i'd sure like to meet him!