Penn's Peak will shake, rattle and roll when The Yardbirds take the stage July 1.

Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Jim McCarty will lead his American lineup through the band's classic hits to newly recorded sounds at the Jim Thorpe venue.Since the beginning of the band's formation, members have included legendary guitar players like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, who gained a foothold in the music world through the 1960s pop-blues hybrid genre. By pushing the "fuzztone" sound that brings to mind the era's surfer movies, go-go dancers and necking on the bench seat of a Buick, the band has worked to set itself apart."We were quite creative," said McCarty. "We used influences from everywhere just to make it more interesting and original. The music was always the most important thing. That was the main thing for us."McCarty was barely 20 when he co-founded the Birds."Some of the guys were even younger and left school. I was studying to be a mathematician. It helped me in the way I put music together," he said."We got our break when we played at the Beatles' Christmas Show in 1964 in Hammersmith Odeon in London."McCarty has always had an eye for talent, folding in singers and bass players over the years, while he remained the driving force in front of and behind the drums."I've been around for a long time."The current lineup includes original member Anthony "Top" Topham, who rejoined as rhythm guitarist in 2013; John Idan, lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Johnny A, lead guitar; Kenny Aaronson, bass; Myke Scavone, harmonica and backing vocals; and Billy Boy Miskimmin on harmonica and percussion.The Yardbirds formed in London in 1963 with Keith Relf as lead singer and guitar, Chris Dreja as rhythm guitarist and bassist, Paul Samwell-Smith focused on bass, Topham on lead and rhythm guitars, and McCarty on drums.McCarty says the term "Yardbirds" is a reference to people who lived from day-to-day traveling around America on the old cargo steam trains and lived in the rail yards."Hobos," said McCarty.McCarty has been essential to the band's success from the start. His drumming style keeps the envelope-pushing psychedelic riffs from going too far out into space. The band revolves around the steady foundation of his beats."It's something that happens very naturally from the drum kit. The guys now all seem to revolve around the drums."He says drums were his first love."I played in a marching band as a boy. The singer/songwriter thing came out of that."McCarty credits each member of the band, past and present, for the chart-topping songs."Jeff Beck was a big influence. The sound of the band was blues-based and developed into something futuristic. He is very gifted and just played off the top of his head instead of straight blues," said McCarty.The Yardbirds' hits, "The Shape of Things" and "Side Ways" came out of that, said McCarty.The Penn's Peak show will be filled with audience pleasers says McCarty."It's going to be all the hits and some early recordings. Things we recorded in the Clapton days but with a more modern sound."McCarty promises to include one of the band's biggest songs and one of his performance favorites."'The Shape of Things,' is a groundbreaking song. It's been covered by tons of musicians," he says.Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Penn's Peak box office. For more information, visit

www.pennspeak.com