Four live Yardbirds

On this day in 1966, the Yardbirds were transitioning to become a fourpiece band led by Jimmy Page.

Beginning that summer, Jeff Beck had been sharing lead guitar duties with Page. But while the Yardbirds toured in California, Beck started becoming inseparable from actress Mary Hughes.

Their love knew no bounds, to the point it was becoming a detriment to the band.

• Beck's absence from the group forced the cancellation of a show in Monterey, Calif., on Aug. 24.
• Then, the band played a show without Beck on Aug. 25, thereby forcing the "five live Yardbirds" to act for the first time ever as the "four live Yardbirds."
• When it came time for the band to leave California and fly to the East Coast for some further concerts, Beck just couldn't be coaxed to travel with them. He remained in Los Angeles with Mary Hughes, and the rest of the band played a show on today's date at a roller skating rink in Alexandria, Va.

The Yardbirds carried on as a fourpiece for nearly two more years with Page as the group's sole guitarist.