The Byrds-"So You Want To Be A Rock N' Roll Star"-2/2/73

[inforapint]

Clerance White was killed just months after this gig.

[cottageorgan]

R.I.P. Skip. Great bass player, singer and songwriter.

[genericgeorge]

Jim "Moon" Schulz on drums. I guess I should read the vid description.

[genericgeorge]

I think this version kicks major ass. The original to me just didnt work. The weak 12 string riff and trumpet just didnt gel and there was no major hook in the song. Here though, with John Guerin, it becomes a tour de force. It becomes a ROCK SONG whereas the original was a softcock pop song that misses. Some might accuse Guerin for overdrumming but I find his cymbal work and overall playing great here.

[Giorgio6cordas]

incrível essa banda, o velho Roger McGuiin é foda com sua Rickenbacker!

[henrynevins]

Yeah, dumb old me walked in with a 7" reel to reel recorder. It was AC and DC and took 8 D-sized batteries. I was afraid Scher was going to keep it, but I made such a fuss that he then said "after the show you can pick it up at the ticket window booth." Cassette recorders was kind of a new thing back then. If I had one of those then the Byrds last performance would be on tape now. Take care

[MsHobbyfarmer]

Far cry from Tamborine Man.

[thebeefdancer]

Terry melcher convised Roger to sack Gene Parson for being abad drummer ( the real reason being complaining about the money

[spacepatrolman]

@thebeefdancer then parsons did a solo album he plays a few instruments

[taariqtaariq]

@thebeefdancer Gene parsons was a good drummer and singer , but McGuinn had him on wages as an employee and if you can't get on with the boss you get a new job......

I didn't matter because the Byrd s were almost done anyway.If McGuinn had have changed the name of the group to ???? when 'Dr Byrds and Mr Hyde' came out it could have been different in that the comparisons between the original BYRDS and the late BYRDS would have been fewer.

[genericgeorge]

@thebeefdancer yeah I read that. Sounded like a good drummer to me. So did Skip Batten

[summer3262]

They (The Bryds) wrote this song about "The Monkey's) Remember them?? This song was basically a Shout out to them, for if they Really wanted to be a REAL rock n' roll band...In thier minds (meaning the Bryds) The Monkey's should write their own music ext...I wasn't even around then, I just LOVE Great music, Hence..The little tid-bits of info!

[Tornfreedom]

@summer3262 Actually they were spelt Monkees. Mike Nesmith was a gifted songwriter and musician but the Corporations who OWNED them wouldn't LET them do their own material. Probably because Writing Songs was a separate Industry back then and Everyone wanted their Cut of the Action.The other members of the Monkees were pretty good too. Don't believe everything you see on TV, on the Internet or in a Newspaper, it's quite possibly Someone Else's Stale Opinions. The Byrds did lotsa covers too!!!!

[mcd220]

@Tornfreedom Couldn't agree more about Nesmith...he's my fave male vocalist. In addition, alot of folks don't know that Peter Thorkleson (Cast as idiot Peter Tork on the TV show), is a very talented multi-instrumentalist.

[ejectorerector]

what the hell is roger wearing here? LMFAO!

[RossM3838]

Good but not the Byrds. Even with the great Clarence White they are not the same.

[l0llakas]

watch?v=Y2rwBOIDvzw

[LavenganzadeCtulhu10]

Who is the drummer? Where's Gene Parsons?

[clickswitchh]

This is sad, they should just have quit after Crosby left ... this band is like a tour de force wanking club doing covers of old byrds tracks ... its lame

[topopops]

@clickswitchh Of course the original line up and songs where great, but I think every change in the byrds career even this era was still outstanding, its great to listen to how they progressed even with the same songs

[palmerstonian]

Bling McGuinn! Fantastic...

[Scottstunesful]

This Byrds lineup really was much better than the "reunion" group that followed in 1973. I remember seeing this on TV and thinking how great of a live band they were.

Some months later, the Asylum reunion lp seemed somewhat stiff compared to this killer performance.

Sadly, there will never be another Byrds group like this.

Thanks for sharing this moment of rock history.

[suzigar]

much better than tom petty's version

[henrynevins]

Gene Parsons is still alive. BTW why isn't he here along with Clarence and Skip in 2/73? Does anyone know where the Byrds last unceremonial performance was held? I saw them for the last time in 1973 at the Capital Theater in Paterson, NJ, promoter was John Sheer. Years later I heard that was their last show. If it was they never let on that was the end.

[mal334455]

@henrynevins could have sworn that he had died, but you may be right that he is still around

[henrynevins]

@mal334455 On YouTube if you type in "Invention of the Stringbender" you'll see Gene Parsons today where he talks about inventing the stringbender with Clarence White. He's in his shop where he custom builds B-benders. The Capitol Theater was the last time I saw the Byrds. My first was in a college gym in Oct '71. I literally sat at Clarence's feet for the entire show. Spoke with him afterwards. He was friendly, soft-spoken humble and a true professional. It was the experience of a life-time.

[mal334455]

@henrynevins oh many thanks for that my friend, yes ive just veiwed that great footage of Gene,you are a very lucky man to have seen them ,keep them in your memory because they were special and true legends...take care

[henrynevins]

@mal334455 Just one more thing. The video on YouTube ( The Byrds-"Eight Miles High"- 9/23/70 ) is the best one to appreciate what it was like seeing Rodger, Clarence, Skip & Gene play. I've watched it many times because it completely takes me back to reliving that memorable experience. Until then, there was no way to describe what seeing the Byrds was like. That video is the next best thing to popping in there back in time, sitting in that audience and seeing them again. Take care.

[mal334455]

@henrynevins... yes i agree ,what a great piece of footage to help  bring the atmosphere back,i also look at these old hits on a regular basis like yourself....good times

[movingon4ever]

@henrynevins Gene left the band several months after the "Farther Along" Album. The Byrds became overshadowed by terms acceptable to get all five originals together for one new album. Which included

McGuinn no longer using the badge on his "pickup groups" as Crosby referred to them. Roger lost, when

the reunion album stiffed, except for Gene Clark's material. McGuinn released five solo Lps on CBS,'73-'77,

IMO, a few decent cuts, per LP, lost his direction.

[sne55aker]

@henrynevins Well my friend we share something in common. I too was at that Capital Theatre performance. Do you remember that Parsons and Batten were gone and filing in were Chris Hillman and Joe Lala who were borrowed from Manassas?

[henrynevins]

@sne55aker Glad to know someone who was there. It was a bitter cold night. Back then I didn't know about boot-leg albums and walked in carrying a battery run reel to reel tape recorder. Theater owner John Scheer stopped me saying "What's that?" I said "a tape recorder". He held it in the ticket office during the show. With that being the Byrds last, that tape today would be priceless. Didn't know at first of Batten and Parsons were gone, I sat a ways back. Didn't Brewer & Shipley play first?

[spacepatrolman]

@henrynevins scher was in trouble for anti trust violations a guy in my class had an 8mm camera taken away at the fillmore east when the jefferson airplane was there another guy snuck a cassette recorder in and recorded the bomb scare when argent played then the mooy blues

[shanehenning26]

great song

[fuse999]

That is not John Guerin on drums, it's Jim Schulz.

[genericgeorge]

@fuse999 Really? Thanks for the info. I have seen pics of Guerin and they dont correspond to the guy here.

[gittahfiend]

@genericgeorge The drum chops dont either

[dino335]

The drummer, John Guerin was a fabulous drummer...more of a Jazz Guy. See comments below.

[jmb92555]

The drummer...meh so-so at best but...those cymbals sound incredible.

[futuristfood]

gone baby,...gone!

[gramhound86]

who is that on drums?

[gramhound86]

saw the description now, sorry...

[dino335]

The Drummer is John Guerin, ho replaced Gene Parsons for the last few months of the Byrd's existence. He is a fantastic drummer, more of a Jazz player, toured with Joanie Mitchell and Tom Scott (co wrote Hissing of Summer Lawns) Also worked with Clint Eastwood on "Bird" soundtrack

[dino335]

John Guerin

(October 31, 1939 - January 5, 2004)

Should have said WAS a great drummer.

[Byrds1967]

The Byrds rock!

[zerominusminus]

Anything with the GREAT Clarence White is fantastic.

[tfmuch]

I remember McGuinn saying he smashed his bass during an argument after one gig on the east coast (Hillman's last). Was that soon after this or earlier?

[craneo2099]

This is not the last performance of the byrds because on the lasts performances (the Lasts Gigs) the bassist was Chris Hillman before the original line-up reunion in the same year

[BreandJorden4ever]

No Skip got alzthimers later in life I worked at the care home he was at.. as for what he did after...more like what he did not do lol there is a site dedcated to him all the history there...:)

[fightinirishslayer]

This performance without Gene Parsons and with the end already written was really strained. Taking out Gene Parsons and then Clarence White was foolish. The Crosby Byrds reunion wasn't worth it. Sweet Mary, what a disaster that was!

[knk95775]

EXACTLY!

[elbo33]

Skip's energy is tremendous.

[aarfeld]

Yes, he was a dynamite bass player, and left us too early. may he rest in peace.

[Midnightman3741]

Sad to think that Roger is the only one in this line-up that is still alive.

This is from 2/2/73 and Skip Battin and John Guerin either quit or were fired after a show on 2/10/73 in Ithica, NY. This performance was filmed eight days before the Byrds were officially done.

[henrynevins]

@Midnightman3741 Gene Parsons is very much alive. If you go to stringbender(dot)com, he has a small shop in a barn on his Calif property where he does guitar work installing B-benders. He and his wife also have a cottage on the grounds where people can stay. Pictures, etc, its all on the website. If anyone gets a chance, ask Gene how come he doesn't play drums anymore. On YouTube Gene talks about Clarence White and how he and Clarence invented the B-bender. Marty Stuart now owns CW's guitar.

[taariqtaariq]

@henrynevins I am getting a b bender installed into one of my telecaster guitars By Gene Parsons :-)

[subwayjarrod]

yes thanks for posting it i took care of skip before his death...this is cool to see...

 J

[aarfeld]

Are your a relative? It was a terrible shame about his untimely illness and death. What did he do in the years after the Byrds?

[MattHatter]

Wow! Could we get any RARER here!!!??? Dude Skip Battin probally walked out like THE DAY AFTER this performance. February 1973 was when the band finally split before the Vintage Five reunion that year. What a trip to see this!

[aarfeld]

Why did this final line-up of the band (before reunion line-up) finally come undone.