Anthony ‘Top’ Topham, founding guitarist of The Yardbirds, has died at the age of 75 following a battle with dementia.
The musician, who later adopted the name Sanderson Rasjid after joining the Subud spiritual movement, helped form the pioneering rhythm and blues band in London in May 1963.
He left before their commercial breakthrough and was succeeded as lead guitarist by Eric Clapton, then Jeff Beck and finally Jimmy Page.
A statement from his representative said: ‘Sanderson Rasjid, born Anthony ‘Top’ Topham, passed away peacefully on Monday January 23 surrounded by his family.
‘Born in London on July 3 1947, he was 75 years old and had been fighting dementia in his final years.’
Topham went on to play guitar for Christine McVie, Duster Bennett, and Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green.
In his later life, he also worked as an interior designer and was a mural and fine artist.
His death comes two weeks after that of fellow Yardbird, Beck, from bacterial meningitis.
The much-loved musician, who led the Jeff Beck Group, died at the age of 78.
Sir Paul McCartney, 80, Queen’s Sir Brian May and the Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey were among the rock legends who paid tribute to him.
The Beatles star called Beck a ‘lovely man’ who ‘played some of the best guitar music ever to come out of Great Britain’ in a heartfelt Instagram post.
Meanwhile, Sir Brian said he was his ‘hero’ and ‘major inspiration’ since school as Beck was ‘already’ doing ‘extraordinary things’ in the Tridents and then in The Yardbirds.
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