Eric Clapton Looks Back on Short-Lived Stint in Hall of Fame Band Says He Was “Fooled” Into Joining ’the Rock Group
Photo by Majvdl, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Eric Clapton once walked away from a rising band at the moment many groups hope for. In 1965, he left the Yardbirds, a group later honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the time, the band was gaining strong attention, and its sound was reaching more listeners.
Formed in 1963, the Yardbirds became known for shaping future stars. Along with Clapton, guitarists Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page also passed through the lineup. Each member brought a different style, helping the group build a name in British rock during a fast-changing era.
Rise of the Yardbirds and Musical Tension
Clapton’s exit came after just two years. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, he chose to leave soon after the band released the hit single “For Your Love.” The song brought wider fame and radio play, but it also signaled a shift in direction that did not sit well with him.
Drummer Jim McCarty later explained the divide. “He didn’t like the way we were going into a pop thing rather than a blues thing,” McCarty said. “Everything revolved around hit singles in those days. You had to produce a great hit single in order to keep up. And we tried other things. We tried things from our repertoire. But they never sounded great in the English studios for some reason.”
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Clapton’s Personal Reflection
As the group’s profile grew, Clapton felt less connected to its path. Instead of enjoying the rising success, he questioned his place in the band and even his future in music. The fast pace and focus on commercial appeal weighed on him.
“I was fooled into joining the group, attracted by the pop thing, the big money and traveling around and little chicks,” Clapton said. “It wasn’t until after a year and a half that I started to take music as a serious thing.”
He went further in describing his mindset at the time. “I intended to pack up playing all together,” the iconic musician continued. “I was kind of screwed up about everything. Playing with a group like that puts you in a very strange frame of mind. You lose a lot of your original values.”
After the Departure
Leaving the Yardbirds did not end Clapton’s career, though he had doubts then. His choice reflected a strong pull toward blues roots rather than pop success. While the band moved on with other guitarists and built a lasting legacy, Clapton searched for work that matched his taste.
The split showed how different ideas about music can shape major decisions. For Clapton, stepping away meant turning from a hit-driven path toward a style he believed in more deeply at that point in his life.
