Chris Dreja, the musician and photographer who performed as a bass player and rhythm guitarist in The Yardbirds, has died at age 79.

Jimmy Page paid tribute to Dreja online, writing on Instagram: “I heard today of the passing of musician Chris Dreja, who passionately played with the iconic Yardbirds, on rhythm guitar and then the bass. I hadn’t seen him in a while, and I wish I had. RIP Chris.”

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News of Dreja’s death was first mentioned online by his sister-in-law Muriel Levy. “This is with a deep sadness that i have to announce that my brother-in-law Chris Dreja, former member of legendary band The Yardbirds, rhtym guitarist and also bass player has passed away after years of health problems…I share the pain with my sister Kate who took care of him during all thoses years and his daughter Jackie…May he RIP,” she wrote.

Dreja was an original member of The Yardbirds, forming the band in 1963. He played alongside Page in the band from 1966 until the group split in 1968.

It has often been claimed that Page attempted to recruit Dreja to play bass in Led Zeppelin, but he declined in order to pursue his passion for photography. However, Dreja denied this in a 2010 interview, telling Spinner: “I was never asked. John Paul Jones was the best bass player in Europe at that point. He was a perfect match.”

Dreja photographed Led Zeppelin during the early years of the band’s career, including an image that would be used for the back cover of the band’s debut album. He was paid £15 for taking the iconic image, he later said.

Dreja later reunited with Page for the 1980s Yardbirds reunion project Box of Frogs, which Page contributed guitar to.

Page and Dreja collaborated again when they worked with former Yardbirds member Jim McCarty to release the live album Yardbirds ’68 in November 2017.

“We thought this might be lost forever, but we’ve rediscovered it, re-mixed it. It’s of great historical importance. We’re delighted to see the release,” the three men said in a joint statement.

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