History Music / TheByrds

[=McGuinn=] and Hillman recruited drummer Kevin Kelley and guitarist Gram Parsons as their new member. Parsons, a devotee of country music, found common ground with Hillman and managed to persuade [=McGuinn=] that their next album should be an country album. This predictably attracted TheyChangedItNowItSucks from Byrds fans and hatred from the Nashville establishment once ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' was released. (The album, however, has been VindicatedByHistory as the TropeCodifier, if not the TropeMaker, of CountryRock.) Parsons himself didn't last long, quitting the Byrds in the summer of 1968 in protest against a plan to tour South Africa. He was replaced at first by Clarence White, then by Gene Parsons. In turn, Hillman quit, leaving [=McGuinn=] as the only remaining original member. The Byrds continued to trudge along for a few more years with varying lineups, including a reunion of the original lineup in 1972, before finally calling it a day in 1973.

Clark left the band in 1966 due to his fear of flying (thuogh internal tensions caused by the other band members' resentment of the royalties he made from being the band's primary songwriter aided his decision), reducing the lineup to [=McGuinn=], Crosby, Hillman and Clarke. The new lineup recorded the famous, bitter satire of the music industry "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n Roll Star", allegedly after being irritated by the success of TheMonkees, and a new album, ''Younger Than Yesterday''. ''Yesterday'' showcased continued experimentation with psychedelia, straight folk-rock, Indian influences and country (largely contributed by Hillman).

* MinisculeRocking: Most of the Byrds' material is in the 2-3 minute range, and sometimes even shorter, with their albums largely staying in the half-hour range. The shortest, ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', lasted 28 minutes and 28 seconds, and the longest album is ''(Untitled)'' by virtue of it being a double album. Their [[EpicRocking longest song]] was the live remake of "Eight Miles High" from ''(Untitled)'', lasting 16 minutes.

* MinisculeRocking: Most of the Byrds' material is in the 2-3 minute range, and sometimes even shorter, with their albums largely staying in the half-hour range. The shortest, ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', lasted 28 minutes and 28 seconds, and the longest album is ''(Untitled)'' by virtue of it being a double album.

* MinisculeRocking: Most of the Byrds' early material was in the 2-3 minute range, and sometimes even shorter, with their albums from ''Mr. Tambourine Man'' to ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' largely staying in the half-hour range. (The shortest, ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', lasted 28 minutes and 28 seconds.)

* OnceAnEpisode: The Byrds' early albums all featured a humorous, quirky ending song: ''Mr. Tambourine Man'' concluded with an ironic cover of VeraLynn's "We'll Meet Again" (inspired by its usage in ''Film/DrStrangelove''), ''Turn! Turn! Turn!'' ended with a tongue-in-cheek send-up of the folk song "Oh! Susannah", and ''Fifth Dimension'' finished with "2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)", which features a catchy groove with minimal lyrics [[GratuitousPanning panned hard right]] while the left channel includes sound effects depicting a plane taking off. The tradition ended with ''Younger Than Yesterday''.

The single was followed by two albums, ''Mr. Tambourine Man'' and ''Turn! Turn! Turn'', which relied heavily on [[CoverVersion covers]] of other songs, generally by BobDylan or traditional folk songs, with original songs mostly contributed by Gene Clark. However, the band got bored with folk-rock and began to experiment with PsychedelicRock on ''Fifth Dimension'', which provided another hit with the creepy "Eight Miles High".

* OnceAnEpisode: The Byrds' early albums all featured a humorous, quirky ending song: ''Mr. Tambourine Man'' concluded with an ironic cover of VeraLynn's "We'll Meet Again" (inspired by its usage in ''Film/DrStrangelove''), ''Turn! Turn! Turn!'' ended with a tongue-in-cheek send-up of the folk song "Oh! Susannah", and ''Fifth Dimension'' finished with "2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)", which features a catchy groove with minimal lyrics [[GratuituousPanning panned hard right]] while the left channel includes sound effects depicting a plane taking off. The tradition ended with ''Younger Than Yesterday''.

* Gene Clark – guitar, harmonica, tambourine, vocals (1964–1966, 1972–1973)

Clark left the band in 1966 due to his fear of flying (thuogh internal tensions caused by the other band members' resentment of the royalties he made from being the band's primary songwriter aided his decision), reducing the lineup to [=McGuinn=], Crosby, Hillman and Clarke. The new lineup recorded the famous, bitter satire of the music industry "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n Roll Star", allegedly after being irritated by the success of TheMonkees, and a new album, ''Younger Than Yesterday''. ''Yesterday'' showcased continued experimentation with psychedelia, straight folk-rock and country (largely contributed by Hillman).

However, intra-band relations deteriorated, in particular between [=McGuinn=], Hillman and Crosby. The former two regarded the latter as an overbearing egotist and JerkAss, a perception not reduced at all by his [[AuthorFilibuster rambling, lengthy and incoherent speeches]] during the band's appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. An argument during the sessions for their next album resulted in Clarke's resignation from the band in August 1967, while Crosby himself was ejected in October by [=McGuinn=] and Hillman. The turmoil somehow didn't find its way into ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', which contained ethereal songs seemingly created by [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly smashing together psychedelic rock, folk-rock, country and jazz]].

* ExecutiveMeddling: The single version of Lay Lady Lay included an overdubbed female choir that the band didn't know about until the single had already been released. The band hated this version and when the song was included on their box set and the remaster of Dr Byrds & Mr Hyde, the version without the choir was used. Whilst the original version has appeared on compilations, if the band had their way it wouldn't have done.

[=McGuinn=] and Hillman recruited drummer Kevin Kelley and guitarist Gram Parsons as their new member. Parsons, a devotee of country music, found common ground with Hillman and managed to persuade [=McGuinn=] that their next album should be an country album. This predictably attracted TheyChangedItNowItSucks from Byrds fans and hatred from the Nashville establishment once ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' was released. (The album, however, has been VindicatedByHistory as the TropeCodifier, if not the TropeMaker, of CountryRock.) Parsons himself didn't last long, quitting the Byrds in the summer of 1968 in protest against a plan to tour South Africa. He was replaced at first by Clarence White, then by Gene Parsons. In turn, Hillman quit, leaving [=McGuinn=] as the only remaining original member. The Byrds continued to trudge along for a few more years with varying lineups before finally calling it a day in 1973.

* Gene Clark – guitar, harmonica, tambourine, vocals (1964–1967, 1972–1973)

The band was formed initially as a duo comprised of Roger [=McGuinn=] and Gene Clark as guitarists and singers. Third guitarist David Crosby soon joined up, with drummer Michael Clarke and bassist Chris Hillman following him into the band. Thus, the "classic" Byrds lineup was born. Thanks to their manager's connections, they got signed to Columbia Records.

Clark left the band in 1966 due to his fear of flying, reducing the lineup to [=McGuinn=], Crosby, Hillman and Clarke. The new lineup recorded the famous, bitter satire of the music industry "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n Roll Star", allegedly after being irritated by the success of TheMonkees, and a new album, ''Younger Than Yesterday''. ''Yesterday'' showcased continued experimentation with psychedelia, straight folk-rock and country (largely contributed by Hillman).

* WastedSong: It's the belief of many fans that the 1965 version of "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" was wasted, due to being intended for a single that didn't get releaed at the time. It is amongst the best examples of their chiming guitar sound.

* WastedSong: It's the belief of many fans that the 1965 version of It's All Over Now Baby Blue was wasted, due to being intended for a single that didn't get releaed at the time. It is amongst the best examples of their chiming guitar sound.

* Country Rock: On their later albums. ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' is considered the TropeCodifier.

* NewSoundAlbum: Their switch to Psychedelic Rock and Country for The Notorious Byrd Brothers and country for Sweetheart Of The Rodeo onwards.

The Byrds' first recording was a cover of the BobDylan song "Mr. Tambourine Man", and established their style. [=McGuinn's=] use of Rickenbacker 12-string guitars with heavy compression resulted in a distinctive, bright sound, which was put in the service of melodic, jangly guitar riffs. Their heavy use of harmony in vocals owed an obvious debt to TheBeatles - all members except Clarke would sing, Crosby inevitably providing high vocals while [=McGuinn=] and Clark would alternatively sing in unison or harmony. "Mr. Tambourine Man" was released as a single and became successful.

* TakeThat: ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'' replaced the departed David Crosby with a horse on the cover.

However, intra-band relations deteriorated, in particular between [=McGuinn=], Hillman and Crosby. The former two regarded the latter as an overbearing egotist and JerkAss, a perception not reduced at all by his rambling, lengthy and incoherent speeches during the band's appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. An argument during the sessions for their next album resulted in Clarke's resignation from the band in August 1967, while Crosby himself was ejected in October by [=McGuinn=] and Hillman. The turmoil somehow didn't find its way into ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', which contained ethereal songs seemingly created by [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly smashing together psychedelic rock, folk-rock, country and jazz]].

* Chris Hillman – bass, guitar, mandolin, vocals (1964–1968, 1972–1973)

* Chris Hillman – bass, guitar, mandolin, vocals (1964–1968, 1972–1973)

* WastedSong: It's the belief of many fans that the 1965 version of It's All Over Now Baby Blue was wasted, due to being intended for a single that didn't get releaed at the time. It is amongst the best examples of their chiming guitar sound.

* RevolvingDoorBand: It was particularly nasty after Gene Clark left. When ''Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde'' was released in 1969, Roger McGuinn was all that remained of the original quintet.

* Country Rock: On their later albums:

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[=McGuinn=] and Hillman recruited drummer Kevin Kelley and guitarist Gram Parsons as their new member. Parsons, a devotee of country music, found common ground with Hillman and managed to persuade [=McGuinn=] that their next album should be an country album. This predictably attracted TheyChangedItNowItSucks from Byrds fans and hatred from the Nashville establishment once ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' was released. (The album, however, has been VindicatedByHistory as the TropCodifier, if not the TropeMaker, of CountryRock.) Parsons himself didn't last long, quitting the Byrds in the summer of 1968 in protest against a plan to tour South Africa. He was replaced at first by Clarence White, then by Gene Parsons. In turn, Hillman quit, leaving [=McGuinn=] as the only remaining original member. The Byrds continued to trudge along for a few more years with varying lineups before finally calling it a day in 1973.

[=McGuinn=] and Hillman recruited drummer Kevin Kelley and guitarist Gram Parsons as their new member. Parsons, a devotee of country music, found common ground with Hillman and managed to persuade [=McGuinn=] that their next album should be an country album. This predictably attracted TheyChangedItNowItSucks from Byrds fans and hatred from the Nashville establishment once ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' was released. (The album, however, has been VindicatedByHistory as being an early example of CountryRock.) Parsons himself didn't last long, quitting the Byrds in the summer of 1968 in protest against a plan to tour South Africa. He was replaced at first by Clarence White, then by Gene Parsons. In turn, Hillman quit, leaving [=McGuinn=] as the only remaining original member. The Byrds continued to trudge along for a few more years with varying lineups before finally calling it a day in 1973.