The Byrds appreciation thread

[Blackberry Rust]

As per previous discussion in the new Wilco album thread, this should the ball rolling Byrd-wise.

 

I've been a Byrds fan since I was about 15 when my dad lent me a copy of the 1990 box set  (in the mid-90's) which worked as a sort of career retrospective to coincide with their induction into the rock and roll hall of fame that same year. For me it's always been a case of The Byrds before The Beatles or Beach Boys; there's something far more attractive about their relative instability, erraticism and (of course), occasional brilliance.

 

Personal favourites include:

 

Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)

Younger Than Yesterday (1967)

The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)

Ballad Of Easy Rider (1969)

Untitled (1970)

Farther Along (1971)

[Analogman]

I know a guy who grew up during the 60s - and declares that The Byrds end at Younger Than Yesterday. He says it was a different band after that - and I can see his point. I guess David was not happy that Roger kept the name. I say there is something there for everyone.

 

A couple of my favorites are Younger Than Yesterday and Sweetheart of The Rodeo.

 

Of course, I really like songs on all the albums. I have the re-masters - which are still some of the best sounding re-masters that I ever heard.  We use to have a Byrds thread on here years ago - I think it has disappeared. As great and moving as the Byrds' version of the Ballad of Easy Rider is - check out the Fairport Convention version - if you have never heard it.

 

While we are at it - I taught someone recently about the B-Bender. There is a great video on Youtube of Gene Parsons explaining how it was made and how it works. Marty Stuart now owns the guitar Clarence White used back then - the sunburst Telecaster. You can find videos of that guitar on Youtube also.

 

 

Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)
Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965)
Fifth Dimension (1966)
Younger Than Yesterday (1967)
The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)
Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)
Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969)
Ballad of Easy Rider (1969)
(Untitled) (1970)
Byrdmaniax (1971)
Farther Along (1971)
Byrds (1973)
Live at the Fillmore – February 1969 (2000)
The Preflyte Sessions (2001)
Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971 (2001)
 

[calvino]

Only have the Legacy reissues of Brothers, Sweetheart, and the Live at the Fillmore - Feb, 1969 --- I think I enjoy the Fillmore release the best - Clarence White is something else.

 

Need to check out some more stuff from the library.

 

I thought there was a Byrds thread at one point.

[Analogman]

There are some hidden tracks on those re-masters. One of which - is David giving hell to Michael Clarke about the drums on the beginning of Draft Morning.

[Blackberry Rust]

There are some hidden tracks on those re-masters. One of which - is David giving hell to Michael Clarke about the drums on the beginning of Draft Morning.

 

I think it's "Dophin's Smile" actually, but whatever - it's one of tensest, hilarious studio/band bust ups I've ever heard.

 

David Crosby: "The part that's being attacked is your ego, man...e-go."

 

Michael Clarke: "I don't give a f-ck [...] I don't even like this song."

Roger McGuinn: "What are you in the group for?"

Clarke: "The money"

McGuinn: "Well, you're not helping make any."

 

Gary Usher (Producer): "Uh, Mike? Start of with that rim shot thing, (etc.)

Clarke: "Don't you understand it's been done a f-ckin' hundred-thousand times before man, IT'S BEEN DONE."

[PopTodd]

I think that an argument can be made that they were a different band the moment that Gene Clark left (was kicked out?). He was the first real songwriter/driving force that the band had. But yeah, the biggest sea change that can be heard is around Notorious Byrd Brothers and Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

But I love those records, too. 

After that, not so much. But then, I'm not all that familiar with the 70s stuff so maybe I should reserve judgement. 

[LouieB]

I don't know that Gene Clark was kicked out.  I think he just figured he could do better on his own.

 

I have a copy of the re-mastered Sweetheart because of the extra stuff on it, but I have not gone that route. However I did track down most of the original mono LPs for the heck of it.  By the time I was buying LPs (and used LPs were not yet a thing), only the stereos were available. 

 

As far as the name, fuck it.  Every band in the world just about has kept it name after original members left. If they didn't there wouldn't be any bands that kept their names except for U2.  It's marketing and its important. And the reunion record is horrible and it has all the original people on it. (Well not horrible I suppose, but way inferior.)

 

Thanks for starting this. 

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

I've often read that he left do to fear of flying. 

[LouieB]

That may be, but it also seems like he was talked into a solo career that didn't go quite as planned.  Both could be true, as could be he got kicked out for other reasons.

 

Today is Roger (Jim) McGuinn's 73 birthday too.

 

LouieB

[froggie]

am i only one that's got a big soft spot for 'old john robertson'?

[Analogman]

I think it's "Dophin's Smile" actually, but whatever - it's one of tensest, hilarious studio/band bust ups I've ever heard.

 

David Crosby: "The part that's being attacked is your ego, man...e-go."

 

Michael Clarke: "I don't give a f-ck [...] I don't even like this song."

Roger McGuinn: "What are you in the group for?"

Clarke: "The money"

McGuinn: "Well, you're not helping make any."

 

Gary Usher (Producer): "Uh, Mike? Start of with that rim shot thing, (etc.)

Clarke: "Don't you understand it's been done a f-ckin' hundred-thousand times before man, IT'S BEEN DONE."

 

Thanks, Man. I've been on here for going on 13 years - and have never been wrong before.

am i only one that's got a big soft spot for 'old john robertson'?

 

I like that. But I really like that song Lady Friend. It's pretty heavy for a Byrds song.

 

Here are the songs I really like:

 

 

Boston

The Airport Song

Here Without You

I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better

I Knew I'd Want You

It’s Won't Be Wrong

Set You Free This Time

The World Turns All Around Her

She Don’t Care About Time

Stranger in a Strange Land

Mr. Spaceman

What's Happening?!?!

Eight Miles High

John Riley

Renaissance Fair

Time Between

Everybody's Been Burned

The Girl with No Name

Why

Lady Friend

Old John Robertson

Goin' Back (although I actually prefer the Freddie Mercury version of this song)

Draft Morning

Wasn't Born to Follow

Tribal Gathering

Bound To Fall

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

You Don't Miss Your Water

Hickory Wind

One Hundred Years from Now

Blue Canadian Rockies

Nothing Was Delivered

Nashville West

Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man

King Apathy III

Ballad of Easy Rider

Tulsa County

There Must Be Someone

Gunga Din

Way Behind the Sun

Build It Up

Chestnut Mare

Truck Stop Girl

All the Things

Just a Season

Lover of the Bayou

Kathleen's Song

Tiffany Queen

 

[Blackberry Rust]

I think as far as The Byrds name is concerned, it was always McGuinn's group regardless of being the original brain child of McGuinn/Clark/Crosby. It's just unfortunate that McGuinn is the weakest songwriter of that trio; which blighted a bunch of stuff from 1969 onwards - though his contributions on Untitled are easily the best stuff he's ever (co-)written* The only aspect of the 1969-1972 material that grates (aside from McGuinn's ropey contributions) is the presence of Skip Battin.

 

For a real insight into Gene Clark, see if you can track down the recent doco, The Byrd That Flew Alone - it's excellent. Also, if you haven't read it, Johnny Rogan's Timeless Flight is the authorative text on all things Byrds and simply one of the finest music books I've ever read. The chapter dedicated to the respective band members wilderness years in the Eighties is fascinating...and a bit horrifying in the case of Clark, Crosby and Michael Clarke's 1980's version of The Byrds which led to a subsequent lawsuit. The only guy who made a decent fist of it during that period was Chris Hillman with his excellent Desert Rose Band.

 

* See Jacques Levy.

[Analogman]

I recall reading that book when I was buying all those re-masters. Isn't that why they did those new songs on the boxset? To claim the name - so Clarke could not continue to use it. I think I borrowed the box from a friend of mine once - but I never owned it. 

[Blackberry Rust]

I recall reading that book when I was buying all those re-masters. Isn't that why they did those new songs on the boxset? To claim the name - so Clarke could not continue to use it. I think I borrowed the box from a friend of mine once - but I never owned it. 

 

I believe that was part of it. And if this image is anything to go by...well.

 

I believe that's Skip Battin, second from left.