Blow-up - Antonioni (Yardbirds Scene)

Directed By Michelangelo Antonioni in (1966)
The Yardbirds (with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck) playing Stroll On

[@Paul186]

I met David Hemmings a few years before he passed on. I mentioned what a big impact this movie had on the culture at the time. He was very humble about it. A very cool and decent gentleman.He was still full of fire and passion for acting.

[@Qrayon]

When I saw this at the movies, this was the first time I'd ever heard "Train Kept a Rollin," and it's been one of my favorite songs ever since. The Yardbirds were not the first to play this song, but they made it sound boss; and the movie scene here is terrific.

[@buddyrichable1]

I saw this movie when it came out. I was 16 and years later when I thought about smashing the guitar I thought it was the Who before they were known in North America. This is the first time I’ve seen it since 1966 and holy shit it was Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. Amazing.

[@c330user]

The director apparently wanted to have The Who for this scene, but they declined. So the Yardbirds got the gig and imitated The Who.

[@castleblanca]

This is my all-time favorite film. I've seen it at least 50 or 60 times, and every time I watch it, I see something new. This film is a classic!

[@yumyummoany]

That's Janet Street Porter dancing - she's so coooool!!

[@daveskerritt185]

Always a great scene to watch. Jimmy Page on one side of the stage. Jeff Beck on the other side of the stage, wrecking his his guitar that wasn't functioning well. RIP Keith Relf.

[@vdeferens]

Its a testament to how fashion repeats itself that I thought this was filmed recently until 2 minutes in!!!!

[@FreakaZoidInatorTron]

Wow! My two loves, Jimmy Page and Michael Palin, in the same room! And one of my favorite songs playing! Awesome!!!

[@carlfuggiasco7495]

What? Where is Palin in this????

[@gnome41]

Love it when Beck smashes his hollow body in frustration, then plugs in another guitar and keeps playing- classic. If only the passer-bys on the street knew where that neck came from they would think twice about casting it off.

[@Scrimmer08]

Nifty song, this original sounds tight. Nice to see Jimmy Page laughing as Jeff Beck starts pounding on the amp. Gotta love those 60s chicks too!

[@Francesko263]

Wish I was living in London during the "swinging years". Just for 1 week or 1 month. Going back to time.I think there was a huge sense of freedom and liberty gone today. I wish I was living there.

[@EdiSchwager]

One of my all time favorite, surrealistic movie scenes!

[@marcio_souza007]

+EdiSchwager Yeah. What I love about sixties movies is that not everything must make sense.

[@DNKOTOR]

Reminds me of my first gig...people just stood there staring while we played "Jumping Jack Flash" ha ha ha...

[@andrewr7001]

I was shown this art skool for film stuidies. My mind was blown up...

[@Butterfly34182]

Jimmy Page 😍

[@Marcoshary]

And Jeff Beck 😀

[@jkoff76]

Great way to capture the culture of the time.

[@BlackRaven156]

Unbelievably stylish film!

[@Poloniothx]

another masterpiece(Beck and Page)

[@ironpirites]

I'm showing my age but I've been in this exact scene (all except for the guitar smashing part). This is exactly what these "concerts" were like at that time (1966). Nobody dancing, except for the very daring. Everything way up in the head. Entirely cerebral. It took a few years and a lot of dope to reconnect people with their bodies.

[@Georgie2047]

The interior scenes were shot inside the Windsor Ricky Tick. The exterior was made up for Oxford Street. (A bit of Antonioni film license) I still have my 1966/67 membership card. Some of the bands we used to see were The Graham Bond Organisation, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers etc. It was the best of times and it was....

[@mousethatroared1213]

My favorite music "video"! Reminds me of every garage band night I had the pleasure to be part of!

[@markir1947]

A great film and one of my favorites. It said a lot about my generation. I think there was more rebel in us during the 60's. We were not sure of where we were headed but got there somehow.

[@americaneon]

i love the end that it's just a broken guitar piece.. how it's cast off, but, the kids were killing each other for it earlier if you were part of the scene. layers so many layers..

[@monsta64]

WOW!!! Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck in the same band??? That is some serious two-guitar attack!

[@user-ky6vw5up9m]

Eric Clapton had also been in band.

[@UweRayer]

Never forgotten still nice after so many years. Sigh. Thanks Poseida.

[@dsilcraven]

this is the best band period. you cannot get a band today to match the talent. too bad relf is gone

[@miguellopezgonzalez3260]

and now JB is gone also... RIP Guitar God

[@tbone4646]

Jimmy Paige...yes.

[@teletubetodd]

Man, how young they were back then, in Jimmy Page's pre-Led Zeppelin days. Page, now 70, is about to receive an honorary degree and deliver the commencement address at Berklee College of Music in Boston. And it was in Boston that Led Zeppelin gave one of their first performances in January 1969, at the psychedelic rock club The Boston Tea Party (now condominiums) in the Back Bay. That gig lasted three hours! (For its press release, check out this link: www.ledzeppelin.com/lzprogrammes/69_boston.html) Incidentally, it was Jeff Beck that smashed up that Hofner guitar in "Blow-Up." Antonioni instructed him to do so in imitation of Pete Townsend of The Who, whom Antonioni really wanted to appear in the film but they declined. He couldn't get the In-Crowd or the Velvet Underground either, so that left The Yardbirds. But they were fabulous, hip, mod! Thanks for posting this!

[@PoseidaDelAlba]

@johnnyjblair the movie is also inspired by the short story "Las babas del diablo" (the Devil's drool) written by argentinian Julio Cortazar. One of the most important writers of southamerica

[@thesurpriseshow6573]

Don't forget the young pre-"Monty Python" Michael Palin as one of the audience onlookers as the camera passes over the crowd scene.

[@ChrislovesKrystal]

I love those old VOX amps. Those are the kinds of amps James Brown used.

[@studonaldson1497]

Yes me too. I had and used one for years, an AC30 piggyback amp and cab bought in Liverpool for a pittance but tragically I sold it due to home moving etc. Another regret, swoon, Stu X

[@WWladek]

- Świetny film. Mój ulubiony. Kapitalna muzyka. Kapitalni wykonawcy. Mogę to oglądać w nieskończoność...

[@MrBlueeffect]

briliant Jimmey Page

[@ThokoXaba]

Love this movie

[@ChrislovesKrystal]

God, look how young Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were!

[@anzinn]

This scene gave me a lot of thoughts since when I was 10. Thank you for reminding me.

[@yannhabasque4093]

RIP Jeff Beck

[@JohnnyJBlairSingeratLarge]

Famed photographer David Bailey was Antonioni's the role-model for Blow Up, the story of a photographer who can't figure out if he's involved in a murder. Antonioni toys with the photographer's decreasing grip on morality, reality and sanity against the scrim of "Swinging London." The nightclub episode with The Yardbirds may be Antonioni's indictment of Youth Culture. The scene was first optioned to The Velvet Underground and The Who. A young Michael Palin can be seen in the audience.

[@AidanJeans]

Coolest thing ever!!

[@lillykimchi]

The first riff my brother taught me on guitar. Yardbirds. This video is CoOl!

[@bamacathycs]

Awesome

[@swappythink]

love this film and songs!

[@klingonbattlecruisersattack]

Existential angst over a broken guitar 🎸😂🤔

[@kissalara]

🤣🤣🤣🤣💯🎸🔝

[@klingonbattlecruisersattack]

@@kissalara 🤣😂🤩🤩🎸

[@marciashiraishi5891]

Jimmy!!! 😍

[@touchogrey]

it's pretty profound in its own little way. in about 4 minutes (less than really) he explained away the whole uselessness of image and status to the hipster crowd (which still exist today in full swing). also its open to multiple interpretations. it's purely poetic compared to literature explaining the same concept.

[@One20Forty]

luv jimmy's solo

[@sprucetree49]

Hemmings was a gifted singer (classical music) as a child and appears on some recordings I believe.

[@thebjm1967]

i LOVE how no one is dancing. they are just standing around looking bored. except for 2 people. that girl in the striped pants is so funny

[@TheRealMrLofasz]

I wouldn’t say she’s funny. Stupid pants but nice body. I wonder how she held up over the years.

[@karinammm1marinakorales]

momento cumbre del cine y la música

[@pilard4995]

Tremendo s los yardbirfs

[@mhos6940]

Makes me wonder if they asked The Who for this sceen and they wanted too much money? Great footage of the Beck&Page era! The Yardbirds are still great!!!

[@hubbsllc]

According to Steve Howe, the band he was in at the time, Tomorrow, was supposed to be in this film - I've forgotten why it turned out to be the Yardbirds, but holy crap Page and Beck???

[@sprucetree49]

I heard the Velvet Underground was Antonioni's first choice but couldn't get visas due to a drug conviction. Just as well. The Yardbirds are more suitable for the movie's mod London setting. I love the way you hear the feedback out on the street and the man follows the sound of the feedback to the club.

[@beeches2009]

I want that Zoot Money T shirt - never noticed that before!

[@Frank_Cohen]

I can't believe I searched and found this! Thank you so much for editng beautifully and posting!

[@Pssybart]

Pause at 0:40 to see Michael Palin before Monty Python.

[@mattwalker5129]

No way.

[@utahan15]

happy birthday jeff and yeah they blew it

[@bbbmw]

amazing movie.. so avant garde!

[@MaghoxFr]

@PoseidaDelAlba I would say one of the most important writers of the world

[@johnerdmann7797]

sooo good

[@ejlister]

That's pretty good!

[@dnggitg]

This is one of my favorite rock 'n roll performances--truly thrilling, but the best thing about this scene, for me, is that the spectators are all staring frozen like narcotized zomboid mannequins, except for the hot devotchka in the silver jacket and cat-in-the-hat pants. The scene feels a little hallucinatory, surreal.

[@badeneunson561]

That's the critique of Antonioni- like the final ghost tennis scene. He was not impressed with "Swinging London."

[@l3tt3rbox]

Funny I was thinking the same thing about the crowd, just listless and yet the Yardbirds are rocking.

[@goback3spaces]

Un capolavoro.

[@davidgoblyos]

eléggééééé szeretjük!

[@ZBone12]

AND THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS THE FIRST EVER GUITAR SACRIFICE

[@mjosemartinez1011]

Siempre❤

[@Carryon392]

Set it on fire, Jeff!

[@cabinfeverish]

classic!

[@giagnorio86]

Swinging London!

[@gabynbrad]

lovelovelove!

[@scottcannon6841]

Girls save the world Nurses save the world

[@JohnnyJBlairSingeratLarge]

Now I'm really lost.

[@Rossaurel]

my film and my music !!!!!!!

[@scifiwriter98]

The lighting crew were on a coffee break.

[@jorgealbertobaron]

GRAN PELICULA DE ANTONIONI

[@The0000025]

That music is Honey Hush of Big Joe Turner and recorded by Johnny Burnette Trio in 1956.

[@dburlison1]

If you would like to hear and see the original distortion guitarist on this song cut in 1956 and covered by these guys..search Paul Burlison..Go to Rock and Roll Trio Part Three..second song recorded in 2000..then go to the 1956 version..search Johnny Burnette-Train Kept Rollin

[@yangyin09u]

@Lucher3 You're too kind, taking time out of your busy day, to point out the obvious. Thank you.

[@brucetoo3294]

The pieces of that guitar would be worth tens of thousands of dollars today at Southeby's or Pawn Stars or eBay.

[@mircea1910]

and Jeff Beck

[@gzilli]

Geeeeeeênio!!!!

[@Dani1love]

JIMMY PAGE TE AMO!

[@MaidenUtah1]

That which is important to some is disposeable to others.

[@tubeberk08]

always loved this movie, i cant figure why the main character wanted to take that broken guitar part...it seems an analogy for his life, he reached for things that were not important, he screwed up on the important things like when he allowed Redgrave to steal that roll of film from him...he is angry at himself, for being purposeless, as the kids in the crowd were.

[@_Tizoc_]

hes just in a bad mood and doesnt want anyone else to have fun. so he gets it and then just throws it away.

[@sicolara]

A piece of a guitar, this is that they all wanted, not the music.

[@daveskerritt185]

Oh well. It was a a piece of Jeff Beck's guitar neck. I just don't understand why the main character threw the guitar neck out on the sidewalk after he expended so much energy getting it. i actually recall watching this movie years ago, and there never seemed to be any resolution for getting the murder resolved, that the main character caught on film..Maybe I was passing out at the time. Well, maybe I'll watch the whole movie again (snore) to try to make some sense of it.lol :)

[@bryanleigh6497]

UK people check Janet Street Porter dancing from 1:10 - 1:20 !

[@superduperbard]

wow

[@recubejim1]

Take it easy, Jeff!

[@roroldam]

It was filmed at MGM studios in Elstree. The exterior of the club in the film is Oxford Street, but it's faked: there never was a Rocky Tick Club there (only in Windsor, Slough, Hounslow...)

[@orchidtender]

Footnote: A young Janet Street-Porter is also in the audience.

[@marc44444]

1:12 : janet street porter!

[@JohnnyJBlairSingeratLarge]

That's right! I love Cortazar!

[@terrypussypower]

"Train Kept a Rollin'" under a different name !

[@Paul186]

Yes and he was also a painter from an early age.

[@JohnnyJBlairSingeratLarge]

@ The columnist? That one I don't know. The trivia runs deep.

[@memyopinionsche6610]

Wow pre Zeppelin and Aerosmith. TRAIN KEPT AH ROLLING.

[@rabbit605]

2:42 - Mooseknuckle!

[@MaidenUtah1]

@ChrisYonts I know. You really have to watch the audio commentary on the DVD to keep up with it.

[@J0HNJ0RDAN]

I think it'd be harder to play with everyone just staring at you, as opposed to grooving with the music.

[@mattwalker5129]

They were zonked on microdot.

[@bryanmannoia8410]

sadly, too many of us musicians have experienced this at some point. even less fun than it looks. these days it's phone zombies, back then it was apparently just zombies.

[@ianjones7488]

It's a film and the audience's passivity has meaning. It's not a real concert

[@MaidenUtah1]

YEAH, BAY-BEE, YEAH!!!!!!

[@mrbillhicks]

@GlassOrchidAftermath Thanks, can't seem to find much info on Ricky Tick club on Oxford street, loads on clubs in Windsor and Hounslow though. I wonder what became of the Ricky Tick ? Was it actually in the 100 club which is still there ?