Thursday, May 10, 2012

Byrds- Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde
I've been in a Byrds mood lately, and the bonus tracks offer a different perspective on some of the music McGuinn and Co were involved in at the time. Looking back from 40 years ago, this sounds more country than alot of country tunes on that format today. Follow the Byrds from Sweethearts of the Rodeo onward and you will discover the pioneering effort and the various intrests that helped shape the jingle jangle sound of the band and it's metamorphosis into a bona fide country band, that's not afraid to rock and roll! 

Following the departure of country rock pioneer Gram Parsons from the band, lead guitarist Roger McGuinn and bass player Chris Hillman decided that they needed to find a replacement member in order to meet their forthcoming concert obligations.With an appearance at the Newport Pop Festival looming, McGuinn and Hillman moved quickly to recruit noted session guitarist and longtime Byrd-in-waiting, Clarence White White, who had played as a session musician on The Byrds' previous three albums, was invited to join the band as a full-time member in July 1968. After the Newport Pop Festival appearance, White began to express dissatisfaction with the band's drummer, Kevin Kelley, and soon persuaded McGuinn and Hillman to replace Kelley with Gene Parsons (no relation to Gram), a friend of White's from their days together in the band Nashville West.

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