 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 . 
