Roger, The Deluxe Engineer

Last Record Store Day Black Friday, Demon Music Group in the UK reissued The Yardbirds' "Roger The Engineer" as a 2 LP set. Now, the 1966 rock classic is getting even more expanded, this time, as a 2 LP, 3 CD and 1 7" single deluxe box set. Utilizing the original master tapes, the box features new remastering by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering at A.I.R., overseen by original album producer Paul Samwell Smith.

Despite leaving behind a strong legacy of classic songs, The Yardbirds only recorded one original UK studio LP. Originally released in the UK as, simply, "Yardbirds" and in international territories as "Over Under Sideways Down", it's since become better known under the name "Roger The Engineer", based on rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja’s cover artwork. The album represents a landmark for the group, featuring all original material and the incomparable guitar of Jeff Beck on every track. The lead guitarist was joined by Dreja, lead vocalist Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, and bassist Paul Samwell Smith. While the rock'n'roll inspired single "Over Under Sideways Down" and flipside "Jeff's Boogie" were recorded in April 1966, the majority of the album was cut at sessions held between May 31st and June 4th, 1966. As Samwell Smith recalls in a note penned for this reissue, "Back in 1966, The Yardbirds had been gigging and travelling for ages, so the opportunity to spend a few days in the same location came as a great relief".

The bandmates' period of sharp focus resulted in an album that captured the best of The Yardbirds' musicianship, with all of the members also contributing to the songwriting. Their heavy blues sound hadn't disappeared but was incorporated along with eastern influences into a psychedelic and occasionally avant garde melting pot. Samwell Smith and Simon Napier Bell helmed the sessions, with the titular Roger Cameron engineering. Glyn Johns engineered the final session on June 14th, 1966, at which time "I Can't Make Your Way" was recorded.

In addition to ""Over Under Sideways Down" and "Beck's Boogie", the album boasted such strong rock fusion fare as Beck's "The Nazz Are Blue", the title of which would inspire Todd Rundgren and co in naming their own band, Samwell Smith and McCarty's "He's Always There", and the group authored "Lost Women". The US version of the album used some alternate mixes and dropped both "The Nazz Are Blue" and "Rack My Mind".

Demon has a long history with "Roger The Engineer", even before the 2 LP set last year, the label's Edsel imprint released it on CD with a couple of bonuses back in 1986, and it’s since seen countless other versions, including a 1997 slightly expanded edition CD from Warner Bros, a 2016 mono and stereo CD from Repertoire Records, and a 2019 vinyl edition from Demon of the original album only. The 2020 R.S.D. pressing was one of the more comprehensive, but the upcoming box is going even bigger.

This box may well prove to be the definitive chronicle of this often reissued album. It's due in 3 formats, standard black vinyl, indie exclusive red, white, and blue vinyl, and a signed edition by Jim McCarty and Paul Samwell Smith exclusive to 500 copies. All editions are due from Demon on June 18th, 2021.