listening to the Byrds

[mercy]

I was listening to a Byrds concert in Rome. I like the Byrds and have been trying to follow the mysterious career of Gram Parsons, incidentally if anyone can direct me to info I would like that. They played their songs but they were extremely rough, kinda like a garage band. There are bands at the thursday farmers market that are a lot better. Not to be negative but I was shocked. Its wonderful what a studio can do with a group. Of course the core concept was there with the 12 string but it was the studio that made it work.

[catdaddy]

I'm a fan of both The Byrds and Gram Parsons, and have some personal connections to both (see this AGF thread: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=588825 ) It would be helpful to know more about the concert you were listening to, such as when it was performed and which lineup (there have been several) of the band was involved. If you have any specific areas of interest concerning Parsons or The Byrds that you'd like to pursue I'd be happy to direct you to some resources that you might find helpful.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by mercy

I was listening to a Byrds concert in Rome. I like the Byrds and have been trying to follow the mysterious career of Gram Parsons, incidentally if anyone can direct me to info I would like that. They played their songs but they were extremely rough, kinda like a garage band. There are bands at the thursday farmers market that are a lot better. Not to be negative but I was shocked. Its wonderful what a studio can do with a group. Of course the core concept was there with the 12 string but it was the studio that made it work.

Do you have a link? I've played with Roger and he's frankly great. In fact, when the Byrds recorded their first album he was the only one allowed to play on the album. The rest of it was the wrecking crew. There were, of course, members of the various incarnations of the band who overindulged in drugs and alcohol, so....

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by DavidE

Do you have a link? I've played with Roger and he's frankly great. In fact, when the Byrds recorded their first album he was the only one allowed to play on the album. The rest of it was the wrecking crew. There were, of course, members of the various incarnations of the band who overindulged in drugs and alcohol, so....

Maybe this? Seems like a pretty solid professional lineup. Sound quality not the greatest, as might be expected from somebody in the audience with a cassette recorder.

[MartinGibsonFan]

Gram Parsons was with the Byrds for less than one year.

I think you'll find more pertinent material after he left the Byrds.

Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Flying Burrito Brothers etc.

Okay, I guess Sweetheart of the Rodeo was produced under the Byrds.

MGF

[mercy]

Yes Live from Piper, It wasnt the recording quality but just the roughness of the group. Im not criticizing, as I said I like the Byrds. At one point they were my favorite group.
Id like a timeline for Gram and recordings related to that. I dont intend to spend a lot of money on the project but I like country rock so Im exploring various groups that might be listed under that ruberick.

[TeleBluesMan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eYN_LwgDSk

Recorded right after Gram Parsons left The Byrds.

[TeleBluesMan]

Sid Griffin of The Long Ryders is a big Gram Parsons fan: https://www.sidgriffin.com/the-gram-parsons-connection/

I assume you have googled Gram Parsons, and checked out his page on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_Parsons

[mercy]

Thanks Tele, I like that iteration better. The impression I got immediately from the Piper event that Gram was superfluous.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by mercy

Yes Live from Piper, It wasnt the recording quality but just the roughness of the group. Im not criticizing, as I said I like the Byrds. At one point they were my favorite group.
Id like a timeline for Gram and recordings related to that. I dont intend to spend a lot of money on the project but I like country rock so Im exploring various groups that might be listed under that ruberick.

Wow, right away I'm floored by how loose the whole thing is. You're on the money.

Check out Parsons with Emmylou Harris by his side. There's a lot of excellent stuff out there. It's harsh, but Parson's passing might be the best thing to happen to Emmylou at the time. Harsher than I mean, but it gets the gist of what I mean across I hope.

[MartinGibsonFan]

I'd have to disagree with Gram being superfluous.

That clip that Tele pasted didn't sound ANYTHING like the Flying Burrito Brothers.

The clip might have sounded like the Byrds, but it didn't sound ANYTHING like the Burrito Brothers.

Gram was in the Byrds band for less than a year, so of course he was Superflous.



MGF

[MartinGibsonFan]

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[catdaddy]

Not surprising that the Byrds concert in Rome is a bit ragged. The band had just replaced original band members David Crosby and Michael Clarke with Gram Parsons and Kevin Kelley just 3 months earlier, and were in the middle of recording their Sweetheart of The Rodeo album which was a significant shift in genre from The Notorious Byrd Brothers, their previous album. It was clear that musically speaking the band was still trying to find their sound and work out their new repertoire when they performed in Rome.

As can be seen in the video posted by TeleBluesMan from September of 1969 featuring Clarence White on guitar, it was only a few months later that both Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman had left The Byrds to form The Flying Burrito Brothers. By February of 1969, little more than 6 months after the release of The Byrds Sweetheart of The Rodeo LP, The Flying Burrito Brothers released their debut album called The Gilded Palace of Sin. It was an incredibly creative and productive year for the pioneers of country rock.

[mercy]

does anyone have info on Gram pre Byrds?

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by mercy

does anyone have info on Gram pre Byrds?

Check out The International Submarine Band.