Some of that Yardbirds stuff is really great, with killer fuzz.
Some of it is too bluesy for me, and post-Yardbirds I don't care for any of those musicians all that much, but those Yardbirds LPs are so cheap and plentiful in reissues that giving it a try wouldn't set you back that much.
Still, I know what you mean.
And I like it a little more psychedelic than that in any case.

Big takeover is one of the few songs I like by them.

May I recommend? Husker Du - Zen Arcade, Stones - Exile on Main Street & Sticky Fingers.

What album(s) do you think I'd like best?

I love Hot Rats but the rest of his catalog leaves me cold. It's all like some big prank, too jokey. There are many who love him, though.

He has a huge reputation, but I honestly can't name a single song that I know to be his.

Probably becuz he was interested more in the album than the single song. Songs off Joe's Garage might be the most well-known, but again, maybe only becuz they are mostly jokes.

mudhoney are one of my favourite bands ever, and i think mark arm is a fantastic singer, so much disgust, contempt and bile!

I feel weird that I don't like Mudhoney, since so many people do. It's not that I hate them, just that I never really made a connection, never really "got them." I don't know why.

At the same time, I love the Melvins. Go figure.

well it's always the case that whatever style of music you like there will always be popular and acclaimed bands within that style that do nothing for you.

They are(were more like) a good band but certainly not as good as Thee Hypnotics or even The Scientists.

Black Flag, Minor Threat, & Fugazi

They are really good. check them out.

All three are worth checking out, but especially Fugazi. Try Repeater, for starters.

Squirrel Bait

Squirrel Bait??

Fugazi
Husker Du
Melvins
Bardo Pond (I'm in no rush to get around to listening to them)
Xiu Xiu (^^^^)

Why?

there are probably quite a lot.

radiohead
blocparty
fugazi (i just cant get into them)
the pixies (other than surfer rosa i never got into them)
tad (apart from the od song)
hole
modest mouse

christ there are loads that i just could never get into or dont recall hearing.

i heard them for the first time the other day, they were better than i imagined they'd be