TGIF Rock-n-Roll Oldies: The Byrds 1965

Reaganite Republican ^ | October 16, 2010 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. This pioneering group underwent numerous personnel changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (aka Jim McGuinn) remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973, while also featuring David Crosby for three seperate stints.

Although they only managed to attain the commercial success on the scale of contemporary greats like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Rolling Stones for a fairly brief period (1965–66), time has treated their work well... as The Byrds are today considered to be one of the most influential bands of the 60s.

Initially, they pioneered the musical genre of folk rock, melding the influence of The Beatles and other British Invasion bands with contemporary and traditional folk music. As the 1960s progressed, the band were also influential in originating psychedelic rock, raga rock, and country rock.

The Byrds' signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn's jangly twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar has continued to be influential on popular music up to the present day. The Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Byrds #45 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time

Among the band's most enduring songs are their electric-cover versions of folk greats Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man and Pete Seeger's Turn! Turn! Turn!, along with the self-penned originals, I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better, Eight Miles High, So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star, Ballad of Easy Rider and Chestnut Mare.

They covered quite a number of Dylan tunes in electric actually, bringing a lot to the material with variations of their own signature sound... like my own lifelong favorite, lip-synched here on the Ed Sullivan Show...

More/video at Reaganite Republican

[mylife]

Kottke did 8 mi high? He is a great guitarist but has a voice that he himself describes as "like goose farts on a foggy morning" ☺

[upsdriver]

I turned 11 in 1965 so I know what you’re talking about because I love the music from the mid-fifties on forward. My favorite years has to be the years 64 to 67. I especially like finding the 45s put out by the thousands of different garage bands that popped up all over the country.

[mylife]

Radio was grand from 65 to 75.

There were gazillions of bands and radio stations didnt play a top 40 list.

[hellbender]

On McGuinn's album Live From Mars, he tells many great anecdotes about how the Byrds got started and the influences on their songs. For example, the guitar into on Tambourine Man was influenced by Bach, and the chaotic guitar intro to Eight Miles High (which is about their first tour to England) was inspired by saxophonist John Coltrane.

The other Byrd not mentioned was Gene Clark, who wrote many of the early songs which were not covers.

[upsdriver]

Yes, back then, the deejays could play what they wanted to play.

[mylife]

Win or Fail? ~The Ventures~8 Miles High

[mylife]

Now it’s the same play list from sea to shining sea.

[Bob the builder]

I was also 11 at the time. Have always loved the Byrds. Eight Miles High, one of their best.

[behzinlea]

LOL! No doubt about it, Kottke's singing is an acquired taste, like lutefisk.

But Eight Miles High has such an odd, surreal beauty bound up in it, that Kottke's equally odd voice complements it weirdly well. At least, I think it does.

Here's the cover version of it that Kottke recorded. There's an even better live version from the late 70s that I can sometimes find online. It's paced a bit slower than the recorded version and is performed so well, it gives me chills as I hear it.

[mylife]

Thanks! I know what you mean about how his voice works with superior guitar.

I feel the same way about Keith Richards.

[mylife]

I sure wish I could find the version by Dave Stewart and Babara Gaskin to post.

It is haunting.

[P.O.E.]

Ecclesiastes Rules!

[behzinlea]

Dave Stewart and Babara Gaskin did a cover of Eight Miles High? Geez. I HAVE to find that. By complete fortunate accident I stumbled upon their cover of Louie Louie/Cast Your Fate to the Wind, and their original composition The 60s Never Die, about six months ago. I can only imagine how well they brought off Eight Miles High.

[sbMKE]

Eight miles high is a drug song - the “about a plane ride” story came after it started getting pulled from radio playlists.

[mylife]

SPIN (1991)

Notes:
latest album. Pop music for grown-ups!

Tracklist :

01 Walking The Dog
02 The Cloths Of Heaven
03 8 Miles High
04 Amelia
05 Trash Planet
06 Golden Rain
07 Your Lucky Star
08 Cast Your Fate To The Wind, Louie Louie (medley)
09 The 60’s Never Die
10 Star Blind
11 8 Miles High (instrumental)

[mylife]

Its hard to find now. I have a copy on CD

[mylife]

Here it is if you have bit torrent.

http://bitsnoop.com/dave-stewart-barbara-gaskin-spin-q13999485.html

[mylife]

http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Stewart-Gaskin/dp/B00008FPXW

[Nepeta]

I read Guinn was a big flying and airplane enthusiast, thus “Byrds” and “8 Miles High”- fwiw

And of course, "The Lear Jet Song", which really does have the sound of an engine spooling up. They went to LAX to listen to jet engines for inspiration. That comes through in "Eight Miles High".

[behzinlea]

I found it on iTunes and downloaded it. Thanks!