Datasets:
Reproducibility
/
naacl22_wikitext15M

Dataset card Data Studio Files Community
text
stringlengths
0
7.06k
= = = = The Clarence White era = = = =
After Gram Parsons ' departure , McGuinn and Hillman decided to recruit noted session guitarist Clarence White as a full @-@ time member of the band in late July 1968 . White , who had contributed countrified guitar playing to every Byrds ' album since 1967 's Younger Than Yesterday , was brought in at Hillman 's suggestion as someone who could handle the band 's older rock repertoire and their newer country @-@ oriented material . Shortly after his induction into the band , White began to express dissatisfaction with drummer Kevin Kelley and soon persuaded McGuinn and Hillman to replace him with Gene Parsons ( no relation to Gram ) , who White had previously played with in the country rock band Nashville West .
The McGuinn – Hillman – White – Parsons line @-@ up was together for less than a month before Hillman quit to join Gram Parsons in forming the Flying Burrito Brothers . Hillman had become increasingly disenchanted with the Byrds since the South African débâcle and he was also frustrated by business manager Larry Spector 's mishandling of the group 's finances . Things came to a head on September 15 , 1968 , following a band performance at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena , when Hillman and Spector came to blows backstage . In a fit of rage , Hillman threw down his bass in disgust and walked out of the group . Following his exit , Hillman would have a successful career both as a solo artist and with bands such as the Flying Burrito Brothers , Manassas , the Souther – Hillman – Furay Band , and the Desert Rose Band . He remains active , releasing albums and touring , often with ex @-@ Desert Rose Band member Herb Pedersen .
As the only original band member left , McGuinn elected to hire bassist John York as Hillman 's replacement . York had previously been a member of the Sir Douglas Quintet and had also worked as a session musician with Johnny Rivers and the Mamas & the Papas . In October 1968 , the new line @-@ up entered Columbia Studios in Hollywood to begin recording the Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde album with producer Bob Johnston . The sessions saw the band juxtaposing their new country rock sound with more psychedelic @-@ oriented material , giving the resulting album a stylistic split personality that was alluded to in its title . In the wake of the recent changes in band personnel , McGuinn decided that it would be too confusing for fans of the group to hear the unfamiliar voices of White , Parsons and York coming forward at this stage , and so they were relegated to backing vocals on the album . As a result , Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde is unique in the Byrds ' back catalogue as McGuinn sings lead on every track .
The album was released on March 5 , 1969 to generally positive reviews but in America became the lowest @-@ charting album of the Byrds ' career , peaking at number 153 on the Billboard album charts . However the album fared much better in the UK , where it attracted glowing reviews and reached number 15 . A number of tracks on Dr Byrds & Mr. Hyde , including the instrumental " Nashville West " and the traditional song " Old Blue " , featured the sound of the Parsons and White designed <unk> ( also known as the B @-@ Bender ) , an invention that allowed White to duplicate the sound of a pedal steel guitar on his Fender Telecaster . The distinctive sound of the <unk> was characteristic of the Byrds ' music during White 's tenure .
Following the release of Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde the band issued a version of Dylan 's " Lay Lady Lay " as a single in May 1969 , which failed to reverse the group 's commercial fortunes in the U.S. , reaching number 132 . The Byrds ' producer Bob Johnston took it upon himself to overdub a female choir onto the record and the group became aware of this only after the single was issued leaving them incensed by what they saw as an embarrassing and incongruous addition . As a result , the band dispensed with Johnston and re @-@ enlisted Terry Melcher , who had produced the band 's first two albums , to produce their next LP . Although he was happy to accept the band 's invitation , Melcher insisted that he also manage the group to avoid a repeat of the conflict he had experienced in 1965 with Jim Dickson .
Prior to the release of the Byrds ' next studio album , however , the band 's former producer Gary Usher managed to acquire a number of demo recordings from Dickson , dating from the group 's 1964 rehearsal sessions at World Pacific Studios . These recordings were subsequently issued as the Preflyte album on Usher 's own Together Records imprint in July 1969 . Although the material on Preflyte was five years old at the time of its release , the album actually managed to outperform Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde in America , garnering moderately enthusiastic reviews and peaking at number 84 on the Billboard album chart .
Between June and August 1969 , the Byrds worked with Melcher to complete the Ballad of Easy Rider album . Musically the album consolidated and streamlined the band 's country rock sound , consisting mostly of cover versions and traditional material , with three self @-@ penned original songs . The first single to be released from the album was the title track , issued in October 1969 in America and reaching number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . Composed primarily by McGuinn , with some input from Bob Dylan ( although not credited ) , " Ballad of Easy Rider " was written as the theme tune for the 1969 countercultural film Easy Rider . However the Byrds ' recording of the song does not appear in the film , instead an acoustic version credited to McGuinn alone was used . However the Byrds ' song " Wasn 't Born to Follow " from The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was featured in Easy Rider and also included on the Easy Rider soundtrack album in August 1969 . The Byrds ' association with the film heightened their public profile and when the Ballad of Easy Rider album was released in November 1969 , it peaked at number 36 in the U.S. and number 41 in the UK , becoming the band 's highest charting album for two years in America . A second single taken from the album , " Jesus Is Just Alright " , was released in December 1969 but it only managed to reach number 97 . Despite this lack of commercial success , the Doobie Brothers ' later hit version of " Jesus Is Just Alright " features an arrangement that was heavily influenced by the Byrds ' recording .
Just prior to the release of Ballad of Easy Rider , the Byrds underwent yet another change in personnel when bassist John York was asked to leave the band in September 1969 . York had become disenchanted with his role in the Byrds and had voiced his reluctance to perform material that had been written and recorded by the group before he had joined . The rest of the band had begun to doubt his commitment and so , a consensus was reached among the other three members that York should be fired . He was replaced , at the suggestion of Parsons and White , by Skip Battin , a freelance session musician and one @-@ time member of the duo Skip & Flip . Battin 's recruitment marked the last personnel change to the group for almost three years and as a result , the McGuinn – White – Parsons – Battin line @-@ up became the most stable and longest @-@ lived of any configuration of the Byrds .
The latter @-@ day , post @-@ Sweetheart of the Rodeo version of the band , featuring McGuinn and White 's dual lead guitar work , toured relentlessly between 1969 and 1972 and was regarded by critics and audiences as much more accomplished in concert than any previous configuration of the Byrds had been . As a result of this , it was decided in early 1970 that the time was right for the group to issue a live album . However , it was also felt that the band had a sufficient backlog of new compositions to warrant the recording of a new studio album . It was therefore suggested by producer Terry Melcher that the band should release a double album , featuring one LP of concert recordings and another LP of new studio material . To help with the editing of the live recordings , the band 's ex @-@ manager Jim Dickson , who had been fired by the group in June 1967 , was invited back into the Byrds ' camp . At around this same time , former business manager Eddie Tickner also returned to the group 's employ as a replacement for Larry Spector , who had quit the management business and relocated to Big Sur .
The two @-@ record ( Untitled ) album was released by the Byrds on September 14 , 1970 to positive reviews and strong sales , with many critics and fans regarding the album as a return to form for the band . Peaking at number 40 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and number 11 in the UK , the album 's success continued the upward trend in the band 's commercial fortunes and popularity that had begun with the release of the Ballad of Easy Rider album . The live half of ( Untitled ) included both new material and new renditions of previous hit singles , including " Mr. Tambourine Man " , " So You Want to Be a Rock ' n ' Roll Star " and a 16 @-@ minute version of " Eight Miles High " , which comprised the whole of one side of the original LP release . Band biographer Johnny Rogan has noted that the inclusion of these newly recorded live versions of older songs served to forge a spiritual and musical link between the Byrds ' current line @-@ up and the original mid @-@ 1960s incarnation of the band .
The studio recordings featured on ( Untitled ) mostly consisted of newly written , self @-@ penned material , including a number of songs that had been composed by McGuinn and Broadway theatre impresario Jacques Levy for a planned country rock musical titled Gene <unk> that the pair were developing . Plans for the musical had fallen through and as a result , McGuinn decided to record some of the material originally intended for the production with the Byrds . Among the Gene <unk> songs included on ( Untitled ) was " Chestnut Mare " , which had originally been written for a scene in which the musical 's eponymous hero attempts to catch and tame a wild horse . The song was excerpted from the album and issued as a single in the U.S. on October 23 , 1970 , but it only managed to climb to number 121 on the Billboard chart . Nonetheless , the song went on to become a staple of FM radio programming in America during the 1970s . " Chestnut Mare " did much better in the UK , however , when it was released as a single on January 1 , 1971 , reaching number 19 on the UK Singles Chart and giving the Byrds their first UK Top 20 hit since their cover of Bob Dylan 's " All I Really Want to Do " had peaked at number 4 in September 1965 .
The Byrds returned to the recording studio with Melcher sporadically between October 1970 and early March 1971 , in order to complete the follow @-@ up to ( Untitled ) , which would be released in June 1971 as Byrdmaniax . Unfortunately , the grueling pace of the band 's touring schedule at the time meant that they were not fully prepared for the sessions and as a result , much of the material they recorded was under @-@ developed . Following completion of the album recording sessions , the Byrds once again headed out on tour , leaving Melcher and engineer Chris Hinshaw to finish mixing the album in their absence . Controversially , Melcher and Hinshaw elected to bring in arranger Paul <unk> to assist in the overdubbing of strings , horns , and a gospel choir onto many of the songs , allegedly without the band 's consent . Drummer Gene Parsons recalled in a 1997 interview that when the band heard Melcher 's additions they campaigned to have the album remixed and the orchestration removed but Columbia Records refused , citing budget restrictions , and the record was duly pressed up and released .
In May 1971 , just prior to the release of the Byrdmaniax album , the Byrds undertook a sell @-@ out tour of England and Europe , which included a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London that was released for the first time in 2008 as Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971 . The British and European press were unanimous in their praise of the Byrds ' live performances during the tour , reinforcing their reputation as a formidable live act during this period . Over the course of the tour , the band chose to expand their ranks , with roadie Jimmi Seiter joining the group on stage to provide additional percussion as an unofficial member . Seiter would continue to sit in with the Byrds during their live performances until August 1971 , when he decided to leave the group 's employ .
When the Byrdmaniax album was released on June 23 , 1971 it was received poorly by most critics and did much to undermine the new @-@ found popularity that the Byrds had enjoyed since the release of Ballad of Easy Rider . The response to the album from the American music press was particularly scathing , with a review in the August 1971 edition of Rolling Stone magazine describing the Byrds as " a boring dead group " and memorably dismissing the entire album as " increments of pus " . The consensus among most reviewers was that Byrdmaniax was hampered by Melcher 's inappropriate orchestration and by being an album almost totally bereft of the Byrds ' signature sound . The band themselves were publicly critical of the album upon its release , with Gene Parsons referring to it as " Melcher 's folly " . For his part , Melcher later stated that he felt that the band 's performances in the studio during the making of Byrdmaniax were lackluster and he therefore employed the orchestration in order to cover up the album 's musical shortcomings . Regardless , by the time of the album 's release , Melcher had resigned as the Byrds ' manager and producer . Despite the band 's dissatisfaction with the finished product and its poor critical reception , Byrdmaniax made a respectable showing on the U.S. charts , peaking at number 46 . However , the album failed to sell in sufficient quantities to reach the UK charts . Author Christopher Hjort has noted that in the years since its release , Byrdmaniax has become arguably " the least @-@ liked album in the Byrds catalogue " among the group 's fanbase .
The Byrds moved quickly to record a self @-@ produced follow @-@ up to Byrdmaniax , in an attempt to stem the criticism that the album was receiving in the music press and as a reaction to their own dislike of Melcher 's overproduction . Johnny Rogan has speculated that the Byrds ' decision to produce their next album themselves was an attempt on the band 's part to prove that they could do a better job than Melcher had done on their previous record . While in England for an appearance at the Lincoln Folk Festival , the Byrds decamped to CBS Studios in London with engineer Mike Ross and between July 22 and 28 , 1971 , they recorded an album 's worth of new material .
In October 1971 , CBS Records in the UK issued The Byrds ' Greatest Hits Volume II to capitalize on the group 's recent appearance at the Lincoln Folk Festival and perhaps as a reaction to the chart failure suffered by Byrdmaniax . Unfortunately , the compilation album also failed to reach the UK charts , while contemporary reviews made note of its misleading and inaccurate title , since among its twelve tracks , only " Chestnut Mare " had been a genuine hit in the United Kingdom . An equivalent compilation wasn 't released in the U.S. until November 1972 , when The Best of The Byrds : Greatest Hits , Volume II was issued .
On November 17 , 1971 , less than five months after the release of Byrdmaniax , the Byrds issued their eleventh studio album , Farther Along . The album was met with slightly more enthusiastic reviews than its predecessor but nevertheless , only managed to climb to number 152 on the Billboard Top LPs chart , while failing to reach the charts in the United Kingdom altogether . Musically , the album found the Byrds beginning to move away from their country rock sound — although at least half the album still bore a strong country influence — and instead , embrace a style indebted to 1950s rock ' n ' roll music . The Skip Battin and Kim Fowley penned song " America 's Great National Pastime " was taken from the album and released as a single in late November , but it failed to chart on either side of the Atlantic . Johnny Rogan has concluded that , ultimately , the rapidity with which the Byrds planned and recorded Farther Along resulted in an album that was just as flawed as Byrdmaniax and as a result , it failed to rehabilitate the band 's ailing commercial fortunes or increase their declining audience . The album 's title track , sung by White with the rest of the group harmonizing , would later become a poignant and prophetic epitaph for the guitarist when it was sung by ex @-@ Byrd Gram Parsons and the Eagles ' Bernie Leadon at White 's funeral in July 1973 .
Following the release of Farther Along , the Byrds continued to tour throughout 1972 , but no new album or single release was forthcoming . In July of that year , Gene Parsons was fired from the group for a number of reasons , including McGuinn 's growing dissatisfaction with his drumming , disagreements that he and McGuinn were having over band members ' pay , and his own discontent over the band 's lack of morale during this period . Parsons was quickly replaced with L.A. session drummer John Guerin , who remained with the Byrds until January 1973 , when he decided to return to studio work . Although Guerin participated in recording sessions with the band and appeared on stage with them from September 1972 , he was never an official member of the Byrds and instead received a standard session musician 's wage , while continuing to undertake work for other artists as an in @-@ demand studio player . Three officially released Byrds recordings exist of the McGuinn – White – Battin – Guerin line @-@ up : live versions of " Mr. Tambourine Man " and " Roll Over Beethoven " that were recorded for the soundtrack of the Earl Scruggs ' film <unk> , and a studio recording of " Bag Full of Money " that was included as a bonus track on the remastered reissue of Farther Along in 2000 .
Following Guerin 's departure , he was temporarily replaced for live performances by session drummer Dennis Dragon . The band underwent a further personnel change following a February 10 , 1973 show in Ithaca , New York , when Skip Battin was dismissed by McGuinn , who had capriciously decided that the bassist 's playing abilities were no longer of a sufficient standard . McGuinn turned to ex @-@ Byrd Chris Hillman , who at that time was a member of the band Manassas , and asked him to step in as Battin 's replacement for two upcoming shows on February 23 and 24 . Hillman agreed to play both concerts for the sum of $ 2 @,@ 000 and also brought in Manassas ' drummer Joe Lala to fill the vacant spot behind the drum kit . Following a shambolic , under @-@ rehearsed performance at The Capitol Theatre , Passaic , New Jersey on February 24 , 1973 , McGuinn cancelled the band 's remaining concert commitments and disbanded the touring version of the Byrds , in order to make way for a reunion of the original five @-@ piece line @-@ up of the band . Five months later , guitarist Clarence White was killed by a drunk driver on July 14 , 1973 , while he loaded guitar equipment into the back of a van after a concert appearance in Palmdale , California .
= = = Reunions = = =
= = = = 1972 – 73 reunion = = = =
The five original members of the Byrds reunited briefly during late 1972 , while McGuinn was still undertaking selected concerts with the Columbia Records version of the group . Discussions regarding a reunion between Roger McGuinn , Gene Clark , David Crosby , Chris Hillman , and Michael Clarke had taken place as early as July 1971 , around the same time as the then current line @-@ up of the band were recording the Farther Along album . Plans for a reunion accelerated in mid @-@ 1972 , however , when the founder of Asylum Records , David Geffen , offered each of the original band members a sizable amount of money to reform and record an album for his label . The reunion actually took place in early October 1972 , beginning with a rehearsal at McGuinn 's house , where the group began selecting suitable material for a new album . The five original Byrds booked into Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles from October 16 until November 15 , 1972 , recording their first album together in seven years .
Following completion of the album recording sessions , Crosby persuaded McGuinn to dissolve the Columbia version of the Byrds , who were still touring at that time . Crosby had long been vocal regarding his displeasure over McGuinn 's decision to recruit new band members following his dismissal from the group in 1967 , and had stated in a number of interviews that in his opinion " there were only ever five Byrds . " In keeping with the new spirit of reconciliation that the reunion fostered , McGuinn permanently disbanded the Columbia line @-@ up of the group in February 1973 .
The reunion album , titled simply Byrds , was released on March 7 , 1973 to mixed reviews . As a result , a planned tour in support of the album failed to materialize . Among the album 's shortcomings , critics made note of a lack of sonic unity and the absence of the Byrds ' signature jangly guitar sound . Nonetheless , the album managed to climb to number 20 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart and number 31 in the UK . In the United States , the album became the band 's highest charting LP of new material since 1965 's Turn ! Turn ! Turn ! , which had also been the last Byrds ' album to feature Gene Clark as a full member . Among the tracks included on the album were McGuinn 's folk @-@ flavored " Sweet Mary " , the Joni Mitchell cover " For Free " , a re @-@ recording of Crosby 's song " Laughing " ( which had originally appeared on his 1971 solo album , If I Could Only Remember My Name ) , and a pair of Neil Young songs . The album also featured the Gene Clark compositions " Changing Heart " and " Full Circle " , the latter of which had provided the reunion album with its working title and was subsequently released as a single , although it failed to chart .
The negative critical reception that Byrds received in the music press resulted in the band losing faith in the idea of an ongoing series of reunions . In the years following its release , all five band members were openly critical of the album , with the general consensus being that the material included on it was weak and that the recording sessions had been rushed and ill @-@ thought out . In addition , McGuinn and Hillman have both suggested that with the exception of Gene Clark , the songwriting members of the band were reluctant to bring their strongest compositions to the recording sessions , preferring instead to hold those songs back for their own solo projects . In the wake of the reunion , the five original Byrds quietly returned to their own careers , with the June 1973 release of McGuinn 's eponymously titled solo album serving to effectively mark the end of the Byrds .
Following the reunion of 1972 / 1973 , the Byrds remained disbanded throughout the rest of the decade . Roger McGuinn turned his attention to establishing his own career , releasing a series of solo albums between 1973 and 1977 , and making a high @-@ profile appearance with Bob Dylan 's Rolling Thunder Revue . Chris Hillman worked as part of the Souther – Hillman – Furay Band following the Byrds reunion and released a pair of solo albums entitled Slippin ' Away and Clear Sailin ' in 1976 and 1977 respectively . David Crosby returned to the supergroup Crosby , Stills , Nash & Young for their 1974 tour and subsequently continued to produce albums with Graham Nash . He also took part in a 1977 reunion of Crosby , Stills & Nash , which saw the group release their multi @-@ platinum selling CSN album . Michael Clarke also found success following the Byrds reunion as the drummer for soft rock group Firefall , while Gene Clark returned to his solo career , producing the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful albums No Other ( 1974 ) and Two Sides to Every Story ( 1977 ) . In addition , between 1977 and 1980 , McGuinn , Clark and Hillman worked on and off together as a trio , modeled after Crosby , Stills , Nash & Young and , to a lesser extent , the Eagles . This supergroup made up of former Byrds was reasonably successful commercially and even managed to score a Top 40 hit with the single " Don 't You Write Her Off " in March 1979 . The trio toured internationally and recorded the albums McGuinn , Clark & Hillman and City . Clark departed the group in late 1979 , resulting in a third and final album being billed as McGuinn @-@ Hillman .
= = = = Ersatz Byrds and further reunions ( 1989 – 91 ; 2000 ) = = = =
In 1984 , Gene Clark approached McGuinn , Crosby , and Hillman in an attempt to reform the Byrds in time for the 20th anniversary of the release of the " Mr. Tambourine Man " single in 1985 . None of these three original members were interested in the venture and so Clark instead assembled a group of musicians and friends , including Rick Roberts , Blondie Chaplin , Rick Danko , Richard Manuel , and the ex @-@ Byrds Michael Clarke and John York , under the banner of " The 20th Anniversary Tribute to The Byrds " and began performing on the lucrative nostalgia circuit in early 1985 . A number of concert promoters began to shorten the band 's name to The Byrds in advertisements and promotional material . As the band continued to tour throughout 1985 , they eventually decided to shorten their name to the Byrds themselves , prompting McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman to berate the tribute group in interviews , with McGuinn deriding the act as " a cheap show . "
After the tour wound down in late 1985 , Clark returned to his solo career , leaving Michael Clarke to soldier on with a band that was now billed as " A Tribute to The Byrds " ( although again , it was often shortened to the Byrds by promoters ) . Gene Clark returned to the group following the release of his and Carla Olsen 's So Rebellious a Lover album , and the tribute band continued to work on and off from 1987 to 1988 . Author Johnny Rogan has noted that most die @-@ hard fans of the Byrds were mortified by the existence of this ersatz version of the group , while Byrds expert Tim Connors has commented that " no chapter in the history of the Byrds caused as much consternation and controversy among fans . "
In June 1988 , McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman appeared at a concert celebrating the reopening of the Ash Grove folk club in Los Angeles . Although they were billed as solo artists , the three musicians did come together for an on @-@ stage reunion during the show , performing a string of Byrds hits including " Mr. Tambourine Man " and " Eight Miles High " . Although Clark and Clarke 's Byrds tribute group was inactive at the time of this high @-@ profile get @-@ together of McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman , Michael Clarke did mount another tribute tour shortly afterwards , this time featuring former Byrd Skip Battin and newcomers Terry Jones Rogers and Jerry <unk> , under the banner of " The Byrds featuring Michael Clarke " . In addition , the drummer also sought to trademark the name " The Byrds " for his own use .
In retaliation against Clarke 's trademark application , McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman submitted their own counter @-@ claim to gain ownership of the band 's name . McGuinn had actually attempted to trademark the Byrds name himself during the 1970s , in order to prevent its misuse , but his application had been turned down . To strengthen their case , the three musicians announced in December 1988 that they would be performing a series of concerts in January 1989 as the Byrds . Although he was no longer connected with Clarke 's tribute act , Gene Clark was not invited to participate in these official Byrds reunion concerts due to residual ill @-@ feeling stemming from his earlier " 20th Anniversary Tribute to The Byrds " .
The reunion concerts were a resounding success but with Michael Clarke continuing to tour with his Byrds tribute , McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman filed a lawsuit against the drummer in the spring of 1989 , suing him for allegedly false advertising , unfair competition and deceptive trade practices , as well as seeking a preliminary injunction against Clarke 's use of the name . At the court hearing in May 1989 , the judge denied the injunction , ruling that McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman had failed to show that they would be irreparably damaged by Clarke 's actions . As a result , Clarke gained full legal ownership of the name the Byrds . In the wake of this ruling , McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman dropped their lawsuit , but to demonstrate that they had not wholly surrendered the Byrds name to Clarke , the three musicians appeared under the banner of " The Original Byrds " at a Roy Orbison tribute concert on February 24 , 1990 , where they were joined on @-@ stage by Bob Dylan for a rendition of " Mr. Tambourine Man " . Later that year , McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman entered Treasure Isle Recorders in Nashville to record four new Byrds tracks for inclusion on the forthcoming The Byrds box set .
On January 16 , 1991 , the five original members of the Byrds put aside their differences to appear together at the Waldorf @-@ Astoria Hotel in New York City for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The ceremony honored the original line @-@ up of Roger McGuinn , Gene Clark , David Crosby , Chris Hillman , and Michael Clarke , while later configurations of the group featuring such key personnel as Gram Parsons and Clarence White were quietly passed over . The occasion , which saw the band come together on stage to perform the songs " Turn ! Turn ! Turn ! ( to Everything There Is a Season ) " , " Mr. Tambourine Man " , and " I 'll Feel a Whole Lot Better " , represented the first time that all five original Byrds had stood together since 1973 . Unfortunately , it would also represent the last time that the five original members were gathered together . Clark died later that year of heart failure , and on December 19 , 1993 , Clarke succumbed to liver disease brought on by alcoholism .
Following Clarke 's death , Terry Jones Rogers resurrected the Byrds tribute act , with guitarist Scott <unk> and former Byrds Skip Battin and Gene Parsons on bass and drums respectively . Performing under the banner of The Byrds Celebration , the tribute group toured extensively throughout the remainder of the 1990s , although Parsons was replaced by session drummer Vince Barranco in 1995 and Battin was forced to retire due to ill @-@ health in 1997 . Since 2002 , Rogers and <unk> have continued to tour as part of the band Younger Than Yesterday : A Tribute to the Byrds , along with bassist Michael Curtis and drummer Tim <unk> .
McGuinn , Crosby and Hillman all returned to their individual solo careers following the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony . However , the Byrds did reunite for a third time on August 8 , 2000 , to give an impromptu , one @-@ off performance at a tribute concert for Fred <unk> , the owner of a Los Angeles music equipment store who was suffering from throat cancer . Crosby and Hillman were booked to appear at the event separately , but McGuinn , who was not listed on the bill , made a surprise appearance and joined his two former partners on stage . McGuinn introduced the hastily reformed trio with the words , " And now , ladies and gentlemen , the Byrds " , as the group launched into renditions of " Mr. Tambourine Man " and " Turn ! Turn ! Turn ! ( to Everything There Is a Season ) " . According to contemporary press reports , the reunion was an unmitigated success , with the audience giving the band multiple standing ovations and shouting for more as they left the stage .
During the 2000s , two more ex @-@ members of the Byrds died when drummer Kevin Kelley succumbed of natural causes in 2002 and bassist Skip Battin , who was suffering from Alzheimer 's disease , died at his home in 2003 . Former members Gene Parsons and John York both remain active and continue to perform and record various musical projects . Perhaps the most surprising development in the Byrds ' story during the 2000s , however , was the acquisition by David Crosby of the rights to the band 's name in 2002 . Ownership of the Byrds ' name had reverted to Clarke 's estate upon his death in 1993 and Crosby 's purchase served to effectively bring the convoluted battle for control of the group 's name to an end .
To date , the Fred <unk> tribute concert appearance in 2000 represents the last time that the Byrds have performed together . However , Hillman and Crosby have both expressed an interest in working with McGuinn again on future Byrds projects , but the lead guitarist and head Byrd remains adamant that he is not interested in another reunion . During an interview with music journalist John Nork , McGuinn replied " absolutely not , " when asked if he had any plans to revive the Byrds , explaining , " No , I don 't want to do that . I just want to be a solo artist . The Byrds are well documented . I don 't think we need anymore from the Byrds . "
= = = Legacy = = =
Since the band 's 1960s heyday , the influence of the Byrds on successive generations of rock and pop musicians has grown steadily , with acts such as the Eagles , Big Star , Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers , R.E.M. , the Bangles , the Smiths , and innumerable alternative rock bands of the post @-@ punk era all exhibiting signs of their influence . Musician and author Peter Lavezzoli described the Byrds in 2007 as " one of the few bands to exert a decisive influence on the Beatles " , while also noting that they helped to persuade Bob Dylan to begin recording with electric instrumentation . Lavezzoli concluded that " like it or not , terms like " folk rock , " " raga rock " and " country rock " were coined for a reason : the Byrds did it first , and then kept moving , never staying in the " raga " or " country " mode for very long . This is precisely what made the Byrds such a rewarding band to follow from one record to the next . "
In his book The Great Rock Discography , music researcher Martin C. Strong describes the Byrds ' cover of " Mr. Tambourine Man " as " a timeless slice of hypnotic , bittersweet pop " and a record that " did nothing less than change the course of pop / rock history . " Author and musician Bob Stanley , writing in his 2013 book Yeah Yeah Yeah : The Story of Modern Pop , has called the Byrds ' music " a phenomenon , a drone , genuinely hair @-@ raising and totally American . "
In his book Riot on Sunset Strip : Rock ' n ' Roll 's Last Stand in 60s Hollywood , music historian Domenic Priore attempts to sum up the band 's influence by noting , " Few of The Byrds ' contemporaries can claim to have made such a subversive impact on popular culture . The band had a much larger , more positive impact on the world at large than any Billboard chart position or album sales or concert attendance figure could possibly measure . "
In 2004 , Rolling Stone magazine ranked the Byrds at number 45 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time .
= = Members = =
Original members
Roger McGuinn – lead guitar , banjo , Moog synthesizer , vocals ( 1964 – 73 , 1989 – 91 , 2000 )
Gene Clark – tambourine , rhythm guitar , harmonica , vocals ( 1964 – 66 , 1967 , 1972 – 73 , 1991 )
David Crosby – rhythm guitar , vocals ( 1964 – 67 , 1972 – 73 , 1989 – 91 , 2000 )
Michael Clarke – drums ( 1964 – 67 , 1972 – 73 , 1991 )
Chris Hillman – bass guitar , rhythm guitar , mandolin , vocals ( 1964 – 68 , 1972 – 73 , 1989 – 91 , 2000 )
Subsequent members
Kevin Kelley – drums ( 1968 )
Gram Parsons – rhythm guitar , piano , organ , vocals ( 1968 )
Clarence White – lead guitar , mandolin , vocals ( 1968 – 73 )
Gene Parsons – drums , banjo , harmonica , pedal steel guitar , rhythm guitar , vocals ( 1968 – 72 )
John York – bass guitar , vocals ( 1968 – 69 )
Skip Battin – bass guitar , piano , vocals ( 1969 – 73 )
Membership timeline ( 1964 – 73 )
= = Discography = =
Mr. Tambourine Man ( 1965 )
Turn ! Turn ! Turn ! ( 1965 )
Fifth Dimension ( 1966 )
Younger Than Yesterday ( 1967 )
The Notorious Byrd Brothers ( 1968 )
Sweetheart of the Rodeo ( 1968 )
Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde ( 1969 )
Ballad of Easy Rider ( 1969 )
( Untitled ) ( 1970 )
Byrdmaniax ( 1971 )
Farther Along ( 1971 )
Byrds ( 1973 )
= Otto Becher =
Rear Admiral Otto Humphrey Becher , CBE , DSO , DSC & Bar ( 13 September 1908 – 15 June 1977 ) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) . Born in Harvey , Western Australia , Becher entered the Royal Australian Naval College in 1922 . After graduating in 1926 , he was posted to a series of staff and training positions prior to specialising in gunnery .
A lieutenant commander at the outbreak of the Second World War , Becher assisted in the extraction of Allied troops from the Namsos region of Norway while aboard the heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire , and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross . Following service in the Mediterranean theatre , he returned to Australia in 1942 as officer @-@ in @-@ charge of the gunnery school at HMAS Cerberus . He spent two years at Cerberus before being given command of the Q class destroyer HMAS Quickmatch in March 1944 . While commanding Quickmatch in operations against Japanese forces in the Pacific , Becher earned a Bar to his Distinguished Service Cross .
At the war 's end Becher was posted to the Navy Office and later to the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney ; in 1951 he was given command of the destroyer HMAS Warramunga . Warramunga formed part of Australia 's contribution to the United Nations forces engaged in the Korean War ; Becher was promoted to captain and awarded the Distinguished Service Order while carrying out operations in Korean waters . On returning to Australia , he filled several staff positions and commanded the aircraft carriers HMAS Melbourne and HMS Vengeance . Promoted to rear admiral in 1959 , he served as Flag Officer Commanding Australian Fleet from 1964 to 1965 , before taking up the post of Flag Officer @-@ in @-@ Charge East Australia Area . Becher retired from the RAN in 1966 , and died in 1977 at the age of 68 .
= = Early life and career = =
Otto Becher was born in Harvey , Western Australia , on 13 September 1908 , to Francis Joseph Becher , an orchardist , and Antonia Amalie ( née Vetter ) . On 1 January 1922 , at the age of thirteen , he enrolled in the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay , where he performed well both academically and at sport , receiving colours for hockey and tennis . Graduating in 1926 , he served as a midshipman aboard HMAS Adelaide and later HMAS Brisbane , before being posted to the United Kingdom in September of that year for further sea @-@ training and professional development with the Royal Navy .
Becher was promoted to acting sub @-@ lieutenant in September 1928 ; the rank was made substantive the following March . He returned to Australia in January 1930 and was raised to lieutenant , gaining further seafaring experience over the next two years on HMAS Australia and HMAS Canberra . Deciding to specialise in gunnery , he attended an advanced course at the Royal Navy 's gunnery school at HMS Excellent in England from 1932 until 1934 . Returning to Australia after completing the course , on 7 January 1935 , Becher married Valerie Chisholm Baird at St Michael 's Anglican Church in Vaucluse , New South Wales ; the couple would have three sons .
From May 1934 to June 1935 , Becher was posted to the gunnery school at the shore establishment HMAS Cerberus in Victoria . He later completed two years aboard HMAS Canberra as intelligence officer , and in 1937 was transferred to HMAS Stuart for flotilla duties . Promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 June 1938 , Becher briefly returned to Cerberus before embarking for the United Kingdom on exchange with the Royal Navy in January 1939 .
= = Second World War = =