The Byrds: A Crackin' Live Act

[DhunamiCE]

studio musicians were used on 2 songs and 2 songs only - Tambourine/Knew Id Want You...

[macaibhistin]

Yes, but the country music they were making was far different than the stuff that was being made in Nashville in that time. I think they were a such a diverse act with Clarence and Skip that they were just as much trailblazing as were the original lineup.

[vampyros1]

The earliest incarnation of the Byrds were "commercial" he says?? They were too busy innovating a new genre to cowtow to pop trends, unlike the Parsons-era Byrds who were, truth be told, a country band...not exactly an unbeaten path in '68. Talk about revisionist recall...

[Dukegrievousangel]

@vampyros1 You're shortchanging both his comment and the late Byrds' capabilities. They were not just, as you put it, a country band. See the Country Suite medley for evidence of their mastery of bluegrass, Untitled/Unissued for their crackin' rock and roll, and Ballad of Easy Rider for their return to folk (and a sea shanty). Perhaps not as innovative, but certainly not just "a country band".

[vampyros1]

@Dukegrievousangel The later lineup indulged in well established music forms, but were, ironically, probably greater risktakers given the fact that they were an atypical group (of longhairs) playing them (country and bluegrass), and, consequently, their LP's had less commercial potential. But, intrinsically, country and bluegrass were no less commercial than was folk-rock. Nor were they, as Byrds music, as innovative. But true, the later lineup played bluegrass and rock also.

[Dukegrievousangel]

@vampyros1 If you want to use "innovation" to refer to creating groundbreaking genres, yeah. All I'm saying is that the ability to cycle from a flawless rendition of Black Mountain Rag to Jesus is Just Alright within a few songs of each other takes talent beyond that of a "country" band. Which is my only point- not to discuss the "inclusivity" or "exclusivity" of commercial nature in established genres. It helps to have Clarence White in your band, too.

[vampyros1]

@Dukegrievousangel Actually, you did discuss commercial inclusivity/exclusivity when you said that I "shortchanged" Gene's comment, because his comment was in regard to commerciality, which is why it's in quotation marks in my first entry. Yes, the Byrds were genre hoppers in this phase (which is why we got the Gram-dominant 'Sweetheart' country album), but from '66 through the early 70's tons of bands were. The bar was way higher for music then.

[Dukegrievousangel]

@vampyros1 You shortchanged him by equating his "commercial" comment with the opinion that the Early Byrds were "too busy innovating a new genre". THAT, amigo, reeks of revisionism as it could only be said in hindsight. Didn't the Byrds (particularly Gram) dislike when people tried to categorize their music into genres. Cosmic American Music, anyone?

And please don't pretend you know what my comment meant better than me.

[vampyros1]

@Dukegrievousangel Well, no, you've got it backwards; I equated his "commercial" comment with an opinion that the early Byrds were NOT innovative. And your pontification about the negative aspects of categorizing music after you used no less than 4 "categories" in your first post ..... well, THAT reeks of "revisionism". Maybe you don't know what you meant-

[Dukegrievousangel]

@vampyros1 My "pontification" was related to your saying "they were too busy innovating a new genre"...this is a purely retroactive statement, they didn't know this at the time (according to McGuinn). And you sounded the clarion call of revisionism, which I just tried to show was counter to their philosophy but you're right- I fell into the genre trap too. Can we just be Byrds friends now?

[vampyros1]

@Dukegrievousangel I don't ascribe to the notion that the original Byrds were oblivious to their own efforts of melding 2 relatively disparate music forms (and doing so with little to nil precedence). But sure, anyone diggin' the Byrds is alright by me. Maybe I'll (finally) start 'Hickory Wind' tonight ...