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BYRDS
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1964
- 1973
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BYRDS
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1964
- 1973
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Now they were close to a real group. The only things missing were a name and a rhythm section. Jim McGuinn came up with the name JET SET. Even though the other two members of this group thought the name was too futuristic, they accepted it. In the end everybody remembers this trio as JET SET. Out of all the recordings they made during this time, two songs ("You Movin'" and "The Only Girl") have been released on the sampler "Early L.A" on Together records. Other recordings from this time were included the retrospective BYRDS records "Preflyte" and "In The Beginning".
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JET SET 1964
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Clark gtr/vcl |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
| JET SET - recordings | |
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1964: JET SET - You Movin' (Gene Clark) / The Only Girl (Jim McGuinn / David Crosby) (released on the album "v.a. - Early L.A."; Together Records) |
While they were looking for additional musicians Jim McGuinn, David Crosby and Gene Clark started to write and record some songs together. Jim Dickson got a recording contract for them with Elektra Records. The only thing they didn't have was a rhythm section. They recruited Michael Clarke as the drummer. David Crosby tried to play the bass, but he didn't feel comfortable with that instrument.
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JET SET 2 1964 |
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| McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Clark gtr/vcl |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
Michael Clarke dr/pcs |
Jim Dickson, their manager, knew that they had to have a unique style. Therefore he decided that the group had to practice day in day out. From all the recordings they had already made the two songs "Please Let Me Love You" and "Don't Be Long" were selected as tracks for the single release, but Dickson insisted that those songs should be rerecorded with the help of session musicians. Ray Pohlman played the bass and Earl Palmer was hired for the drums. Jim McGuinn played his twelve string guitar and Gene Clark the rhythm guitar. The vocals were provided by McGuinn, Clark and Crosby. Jac Holzman, head of Electra Records, did not like the group's name JET SET, therefore he named them BEEFEATERS. This is the reason, why the first single release has got this unusual name.
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BEEFEATERS 8/64 |
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| McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Clark gtr/vcl |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
Michael Clarke dr/pcs |
| BEEFEATERS - single | |
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1964: BEEFEATERS - Please Let Me Love You (Gene Clark / Jim McGuinn / Harvey Gerst) b/w Don't Be Long (Jim McGuinn / Harvey Gerst) (Pye 7 N 25277) |
The group itself could not identify themselves with such a name and so they looked for a new name. Even though their first single release was no hit the group could use the studio whenever they wanted to.
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JET SET 3 1964 |
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| McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
Gene Clark gtr/vcl |
The recording was fine but Dickson was convinced that the song could be done even better, so he got some session musicians and they rerecorded the song again. This time only the guitar of McGuinn and the vocals of McGuinn, Clark and Crosby came from the group. After discussing many different names the five musicians agreed that BYRDS would be the right name for them.
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BYRDS 1 8/64
- 3/66
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
Gene
Clark gtr/vcl |
Their debut album was released in 1965 and it offered an interesting mixture of Bob Dylan tunes and Gene Clark compositions. All the songs on "Mr. Tambourine Man with the exception of the single version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "All I Really Want To Do" were recorded by the five musicians. In 1965 they even flew to England for their first European tour.
In 1966 their second album "Turn Turn Turn" was released. After the recording of two new songs - "Eight Miles High" and "Why" -, which were released as the BYRDS' next single. Gene Clark, who didn't like flying, left the group in 1966.
| BYRDS - session | |
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1965: Jackie deShannon - Splendor In The Grass b/w Come And Get Me (Single; Reprise 66171) |
When David Crosby spoke on stage about the political situation in America the conflicts within the group got stronger.
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BYRDS 2 3/66
- 10/67
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
| BYRDS - session | |
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BYRDS 3 10/67
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
Clark gtr/vcl |
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BYRDS 4 10/67
- 11/67
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
| BYRDS - single | |
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| BYRDS - recordings | |
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| BYRDS - album | |
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BYRDS 5 11/67
- 4/68
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Kelley dr/pcs |
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BYRDS 5a 12/67 |
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| Clark gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/gtr/mdl/vcl |
Kelley dr/pcs |
Of course Roger McGuinn continued as the leader of the BYRDS.
Their album "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" was one of the most important records of country rock.
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BYRDS 6 4/68
- 7/68
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Kelley dr/pcs |
Parsons gtr/pno/vcl |
| BYRDS - singles | |
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1968: BYRDS - I Am A Pilgrim (traditional) b/w Pretty Boy Floyd (Woody Guthrie) (Single; CBS 203752) |
| BYRDS - album | |
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BYRDS 7 7/68
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Kelley dr/pcs |
Bernal gtr/vcl |
After their return to the United States Of America Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman restructured the BYRDS again.
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BYRDS 8 8/68
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Kelley dr/pcs |
White gtr/vcl |
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BYRDS 9 9/68-10/68
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Parsons dr/pcs/bjo/ harm/vcl |
White gtr/vcl |
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BYRDS 10 10/68-9/69
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
York bs/gtr/vcl |
Parsons dr/pcs/bjo/ harm/vcl |
White gtr/vcl |
The new line up recorded all in all two albums, one was "Mr. Byrds And Dr. Hyde", the other "Ballad Of Easy Rider". This second album marked the real return of the BYRDS. John York had always been a fan of the BYRDS but he had some problems in accepting that he was one of them. When the pressure on him turned to strong he left the group.
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BYRDS 11 9/69-9/72
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Battin bs/pno/vcl |
Parsons dr/pcs/bjo/ harm/vcl |
White gtr/vcl |
The BYRDS played about 200 concerts in 1970. They could demonstrate that they had become a fantastic live act. They played everywhere, from small clubs to colleges to stadiums. In between all those concerts they even found time to record new material for the next album. The recordings could not be completed because the BYRDS had to leave for a tour of Europe. During this tour they played old classics as well as new material, which had not yet been released.
| BYRDS single | |
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1970: BYRDS - Chestnut Mare (Roger McGuinn / Jacques Levy) b/w Just A Season (Roger McGuinn / Jacques Levy) (CBS 205322) |
| BYRDS album | |
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1970: BYRDS - Untitled (CBS 66 253) / rereleased 2001 as: Untitled / Unissued |
The new album was a surprise to almost everybody. The group had recorded a double album. The first album had live recordings of new songs and old BYRDS classics. The old songs sounded fresh and had new arrangements. The second side of the live album had only one long version of "Eight Miles High". During the long improvisation Gene Parsons and Skip Battin could demonstrate that they had become a strong rhythm section. The real surprise was the second album. "Chestnut Mare" demonstrated the return to the former strength of the group. The album had material coming from all four members of the BYRDS.
A lot of the activities of 1971 reminded people of 1970. The recordings for the next album were interrupted by tour activities. The concert brought a mixture of old and new material. The album "Byrdmaniax" was released in June 1971. At the time of the record release the BYRDS were on tour again, this time in America. The BYRDS did not want to be connected to just one musical style. They played hard rock and bluegrass, folk music and country music, raga rock and jazz improvisations. They even changed the arrangement of some songs. "Mr. Tambourine Man" had been an acoustic folk rock song in the beginning, then it changed to an electric rock song, but then in 1971 in became an acoustic folk song again.
| BYRDS album | |
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1971: BYRDS - Byrdmaniax (CBS 64 389) |
The album "Byrdmaniax" was not well received by the critics. The group partly blamed it on the production work of Terry Melcher so they decided to produce the next album all by themselves. The result is far better then "Byrdmaniax". But the critics didn't like "Farther Along". Perhaps the album offered too many different styles: from hard rocking to acoustic folk, from country to novelty.
| BYRDS single | |
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1972: BYRDS - America's Great National Pastime (Skip Battin / Kim Fowley) b/w Farther Along (traditional) (US: Columbia 45514) |
| BYRDS album | |
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1972: BYRDS - Farther Along (CBS 64 676) |
During the first few months of 1972 the BYRDS continued to tour throughout the USA. The playlist had changed. Clarence White had brought some bluegrass material to the group. The BYRDS now also played "Soldier's Joy" or "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms". "Mr. Tambourine Man" returned as an acoustic folk song. In August 1972 they played a concert together with the EARL SCRUGGS REVUE. 2 Songs from that concert were later on released on the album "Earl Scruggs Performing With His Family And Friends".
| BYRDS recordings | |
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1972: BYRDS - You Ain't Going Nowhere (Bob Dylan) / Nothing To It (traditional) (released on: "Earl Scruggs Performing With His Family And Friends") |
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BYRDS 12 9/72-2/73
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Battin bs/pno/vcl |
Guerin dr/pcs |
White gtr/vcl |
Due to the session commitments of John Guerin the BYRDS could not play as many concerts as in the past. 2 live recordings of the new line up were released as part of the soundtrack album to the film "Banjoman".
| BYRDS recordings | |
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1973: BYRDS - Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry) / Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan) (released on: "Banjoman") |
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BYRDS 13 2/73-3/73
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Battin bs/pno/vcl |
Dragon dr/pcs |
White gtr/vcl |
At this point Roger McGuinn had already started the reunion project, so that the other BYRDS started activities on their own. Shortly after this Skip Battin had to leave the BYRDS.
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BYRDS 14 3/73
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McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Lala dr/pcs |
White gtr/vcl |
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BYRDS 15 3/73 |
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| McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
Gene Clark gtr/vcl |
| BYRDS album | |
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1973: BYRDS - Byrds (Asylum Records SYLA 8754) |
The music critics did not like the album and so it mostly got negative reactions. A reunion tour, which they had discussed never materialized. The BYRDS and especially Roger McGuinn had not expected such a bad criticism. That was the end of the BYRDS.
There have been several groups picking up the name as "BYRDS FEATURING MICHAEL CLARKE" or "TRIBUTE TO THE BYRDS" or "BYRDS CELEBRATION" but none of these groups were the "real" BYRDS", so the story ends here. All the details of the other groups can be found in the individual chapters of the musicians envolved.
The year 1991 first brought the induction of the original BYRDS into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. At the evening the induction of the BYRDS was announced, the lights went off and everybody heard the first sounds of "Mr. Tambourine Man". The lights went on again and on the stage were Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Gene Clark and Michael Clarke. They were playing together again for the first time in more than 20 years. Everything looked fine again and some people already started dreaming about a new beginning for the original BYRDS.
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BYRDS 16 1991 |
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| McGuinn gtr/vcl |
Hillman bs/mdl/vcl |
Clarke dr/pcs |
Crosby gtr/vcl |
Gene Clark gtr/vcl |
The hopes of a BYRDS reunion came finally to an end, when Gene Clark died of "natural causes" on May 24, 1991.
