History Music / TheByrds

Clark left the band in 1966 due to his fear of flying (though 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 line-up to [=McGuinn=], Crosby, Hillman and Clarke. The new line-up 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 Music/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), though the loss of their primary songwriter was somewhat reflected in the uneven and disjointed, genre-hopping quality of the material.

Clark left the band in 1966 due to his fear of flying (though 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 line-up to [=McGuinn=], Crosby, Hillman and Clarke. The new line-up 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 Music/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), though the loss of their primary songwriter was somewhat reflected in the uneven and disjointed, genre-hopping quality of the material.

The Byrds' first recording was a cover of the Music/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 Music/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.

->''To everything (turn, turn, turn)\\

And a time to every purpose under heaven.''

[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_byrds_8393.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:330:The classic line-up of The Byrds, From left to right: Chris Hillman, Music/DavidCrosby, Michael Clarke, Roger [=McGuinn=] and Gene Clark.]]

-->-- "Turn! Turn! Turn!"

The Byrds were an American band active in TheSixties who were the {{Trope Maker}}s for the genre of [[FolkMusic Folk Rock]] (alongside Music/SimonAndGarfunkel), although they experimented with different genres throughout their career such as PsychedelicRock and CountryMusic. The band was formed initially as a duo comprised of Jim (later Roger) [=McGuinn=] and Gene Clark as guitarists and singers. Third guitarist Music/DavidCrosby soon joined up, and the Byrds was born. Drummer Michael Clarke (recruited partly because of his resemblance to [[Music/BrianJones Brian Jones]]) and bassist Chris Hillman joined shortly after the formation. Thus, the "classic" Byrds line-up was born. Thanks to their manager Jim Dickson's connections, they got signed to Creator/ColumbiaRecords.

Since then, there had been 3 separate reunions. The first was from 1989 to 1990 with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. However, Michael Clarke had gained full legal ownership of "The Byrds" name, and sued the 3 when they toured as The Byrds. In 1991, the original five Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with the rest of the former members such as Gram Parsons and Clarence White snubbed). The event was timely, as this would mark the last time the original five would re-unite. Gene Clark, who was visibly ill at the reunion, died a few months later of a bleeding ulcer caused by his alcoholism. Then at the end of 1993, Michael Clarke succumbed to liver failure, again as a result of decades of alcoholism. There would be one final one-off reunion in 2000, this time with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. Since then, they have gone their separate ways, with Crosby gaining the rights of "The Byrds" name in 2002, Kevin Kelley dying of natural causes in 2002, and Skip Battin dying from Alzheimer's disease in 2003.

[[caption-width-right:330:The classic line-up of The Byrds, From left to right: Chris Hillman, [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung David Crosby]], Michael Clarke, Roger [=McGuinn=] and Gene Clark.]]

The Byrds were an American band active in TheSixties who were the {{Trope Maker}}s for the genre of [[FolkMusic Folk Rock]] (alongside Music/SimonAndGarfunkel), although they experimented with different genres throughout their career such as PsychedelicRock and CountryMusic. The band was formed initially as a duo comprised of Jim (later Roger) [=McGuinn=] and Gene Clark as guitarists and singers. Third guitarist [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung David Crosby]] soon joined up, and the Byrds was born. Drummer Michael Clarke (recruited partly because of his resemblance to [[Music/BrianJones Brian Jones]]) and bassist Chris Hillman joined shortly after the formation. Thus, the "classic" Byrds line-up was born. Thanks to their manager Jim Dickson's connections, they got signed to Creator/ColumbiaRecords.

* '''[[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung David Crosby]]''' – lead vocals, guitar, bass (1964–1967, 1972–1973, 1989-1991, 2000)

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 Film/MontereyPop Festival and his guest appearance playing with Music/BuffaloSpringfield (filling in for an absent Music/NeilYoung), which made [=McGuinn=] and Hillman regard him as disloyal. The internal turmoil somehow didn't find its way into ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', which contained ethereal songs created through [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly a fusion of psychedelic rock, folk-rock, country and jazz]], with electronic influences also appearing through the adoption of the Moog synthesizer and some of the sci-fi lyrics. The album also showed the band's worsening [[RevolvingDoorBand tendency towards line-up changes]], as Crosby was ejected by [=McGuinn=] and Hillman in October 1967 (the two having actually driven to his house on the occasion to fire him), replaced for three weeks by a returning Clark, who was sacked again afterwards, and Clarke also left during recording in August 1967, upset with his low pay, the material he was working on and periodic arguments with his band-mates, though he also returned briefly towards the end of the album sessions before once again being let go by [=McGuinn=] and Hillman. After being fired, Crosby went on to form the {{Supergroup}} [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung Crosby, Stills And Nash]], which Music/NeilYoung later joined.

[=McGuinn=] and Hillman recruited drummer Kevin Kelley (Who was Hillman's cousin) and set out on a college tour in support of the album as a trio, which highlighted the difficulty of reproducing their studio material as a three-piece and led them to seek out a new member. [=McGuinn=] had been planning their next album as a historical overview of 20th century American popular music, so Gram Parsons was brought into the band initially as a keyboardist, but soon moved to guitar. 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 instead of his original ConceptAlbum idea, arguing that the stylistic change would broaden the group's audience after the internal turmoil had caused it to decline. This predictably attracted TheyChangedItNowItSucks from Byrds fans and hatred from the Nashville establishment once ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' was released. The album, however, has since been VindicatedByHistory as the TropeCodifier, if not the TropeMaker, of Country Rock. Parsons himself didn't last long, quitting the Byrds in the summer of 1968 in protest against a plan to tour UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (then in the midst of UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra) before the album was released, and going on to continue the country-rock direction of ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' through a commercially unsuccessful but influential solo career and as part of The Flying Burrito Brothers, dying of a heroin overdose in 1973. The subsequent South African tour turned out to be disastrous, as the band hired one of their roadies, Carlos Bernal, as a rhythm guitar player on extremely short notice, found themselves being forced to play to segregated audiences despite having demanded that promoters not allow audience segregation, and turning in badly rehearsed, ramshackle performances marked by antagonism both between themselves and towards the apartheid regime, leaving in a cloud of bad publicity and death threats and being lambasted by the press in the UK and USA for playing in South Africa.

* ProductionForeshadowing: While it wasn't intended that way, "Change Is Now" on ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'' seems like it was specifically created to be a bridge between the band's early and late careers. It starts off with the familiar Rickenbacker guitar and harmonies, then goes into a country-style chorus, then a complex "Eight Miles High"-style guitar solo, played by future band member Clarence White. And the lyrics about how "things that seem to be solid are not" fit their career perfectly.

* SignificantWardrobeShift: At the start of their career, the members of the band looked very similar to one another, as they dressed in jackets, turtlenecks and dark jeans, and wore their hair in Beatles-esque moptops. By 1967, however, they became more easy to distinguish: specifically, Crosby began wearing hippie-inspired clothing, stopped cutting his hair and grew his iconic mustache; [=McGuinn=]'s fashion became, if anything, more conservative while he grew a folksinger-esque goatee, and Hillman stopped combing down his naturally curly hair.

* OneSteveLimit: Having pairs of unrelated band members with the last names Parsons and Clark(e) makes it a little confusing for folks being introduced to the band.

Since then, there had been 3 separate reunions. The first was from 1989 to 1990 with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. However, Michael Clarke had gained full legal ownership of "The Byrds" name, and sued the 3 when they toured as The Byrds. In 1991, the original 5 Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with the rest of the former members such as Gram Parsons and Clarence White snubbed). The event was timely, as this would mark the last time the original five would re-unite. Gene Clark, who was visibly ill at the reunion, died a few months later of a bleeding ulcer caused by his alcoholism. Then at the end of 1993, Michael Clarke succumbed to liver failure, again as a result of decades of alcoholism. There would be one final one-off reunion in 2000, this time with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. Since then, they have gone their separate ways, with Crosby gaining the rights of "The Byrds" name in 2002, Kevin Kelley dying of natural causes in 2002, and Skip Battin dying from Alzheimer's disease in 2003.

Since then, there had been 3 separate reunions. The first was from 1989 to 1990 with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. However, Michael Clarke had gained full legal ownership of "The Byrds" name, and sued the 3 when they toured as The Byrds. In 1991, the original 5 Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with the rest of the former members such as Gram Parsons and Clarence White snubbed). The event was timely, as this would mark the last time the original 5 would re-unite. Gene Clark, who was visibly ill at the reunion, died a few months later of "natural causes". Then at the end of 1993, Michael Clarke succumbed to liver failure, a result of decades of alcoholism. There would be one final one-off reunion in 2000, this time with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. Since then, they have gone their separate ways, with Crosby gaining the rights of "The Byrds" name in 2002, Kevin Kelley dying of natural causes in 2002, and Skip Battin dying from Alzheimer's disease in 2003.

Since then, there had been 3 separate reunions. The first was from 1989 to 1990 with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. However, Michael Clarke had gained full legal ownership of "The Byrds" name, and sued the 3 when they toured as The Byrds. In 1991, the original 5 Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with the rest of the former members such as Gram Parsons and Clarence White snubbed). The event was timely, as this would mark the last time the original 5 would re-unite. Gene Clark, who was visibly ill at the reunion, died a few months later of "natural causes". Then at the end of 1993, Michael Clarke succumbed to liver failure, a result of decades of alcoholism. There would be one final one-off reunion in 2000, this time with [=McGuinn=], Crosby and Hillman. Since then, they have gone their separate ways, with Crosby gaining the rights of "The Byrds" name in 2002, Kevin Kelley dying of "natural causes" in 2002, and Skip Battin dying from Alzheimer's disease in 2003.

* HiddenTrack: The remastered CD reissue of ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'' features as a hidden track a recording of an in-studio argument between Crosby and Clarke, with RecordProducer Gary Usher trying to get them to stop fighting.

[=McGuinn=] and Hillman recruited drummer Kevin Kelley (Who was Hillman's cousin) and set out on a college tour in support of the album as a trio, which highlighted the difficulty of reproducing their studio material as a three-piece and led them to seek out a new member. [=McGuinn=] had been planning their next album as a historical overview of 20th century American popular music, so Gram Parsons was brought into the band initially as a keyboardist, but soon moved to guitar. 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 instead of his original ConceptAlbum idea, arguing that the stylistic change would broaden the group's audience after the internal turmoil had caused it to decline. This predictably attracted TheyChangedItNowItSucks from Byrds fans and hatred from the Nashville establishment once ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' was released. The album, however, has since been VindicatedByHistory as the TropeCodifier, if not the TropeMaker, of Country Rock. Parsons himself didn't last long, quitting the Byrds in the summer of 1968 in protest against a plan to tour UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (then in the midst of UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra) before the album was released, and going on to continue the country-rock direction of ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' through a commercially unsuccessful but influential solo career and as part of The Flying Burrito Brothers, dying of an heroin overdose in 1973. The subsequent South African tour turned out to be disastrous, as the band hired one of their roadies, Carlos Bernal, as a rhythm guitar player on extremely short notice, found themselves being forced to play to segregated audiences despite having demanded that promoters not allow audience segregation, and turning in badly rehearsed, ramshackle performances marked by antagonism both between themselves and towards the apartheid regime, leaving in a cloud of bad publicity and death threats and being lambasted by the press in the UK and USA for playing in South Africa.

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 Film/MontereyPop Festival and his guest appearance playing with Buffalo Springfield (filling in for an absent Music/NeilYoung), which made [=McGuinn=] and Hillman regard him as disloyal. The internal turmoil somehow didn't find its way into ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'', which contained ethereal songs created through [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly a fusion of psychedelic rock, folk-rock, country and jazz]], with electronic influences also appearing through the adoption of the Moog synthesizer and some of the sci-fi lyrics. The album also showed the band's worsening [[RevolvingDoorBand tendency towards line-up changes]], as Crosby was ejected by [=McGuinn=] and Hillman in October 1967 (the two having actually driven to his house on the occasion to fire him), replaced for three weeks by a returning Clark, who was sacked again afterwards, and Clarke also left during recording in August 1967, upset with his low pay, the material he was working on and periodic arguments with his band-mates, though he also returned briefly towards the end of the album sessions before once again being let go by [=McGuinn=] and Hillman. After being fired, Crosby went on to form the {{Supergroup}} [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung Crosby, Stills And Nash]], which Music/NeilYoung later joined.

** "Film/CitizenKane" isn't an example, other than the mention of Xanadu alongside Kane's name in the chrous. But it does mash-up a lot of imagery of UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood in a comical way, with [[ShoutOut Shout-Outs]] to Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/JohnBarrymore, ''Series/TheCiscoKid'', [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louella_Parsons Louella Parsons]], Creator/ErrolFlynn, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_Valentino Rudolph Valentino]], Creator/FattyArbuckle and ''[[Film/Frankenstein1931 Frankenstein]]''.

* Jerkass: David Crosby has become almost as famous for his bridge burning as he is for music.

The Byrds were an American band active in TheSixties who were the {{Trope Maker}}s for the genre of [[FolkMusic Folk Rock]] (alongside Music/SimonAndGarfunkel), although they experimented with different genres throughout their career such as PsychedelicRock and CountryMusic. The band was formed initially as a duo comprised of Jim (later Roger) [=McGuinn=] and Gene Clark as guitarists and singers. Third guitarist [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung David Crosby]] soon joined up, and the Byrds was born. Drummer Michael Clarke (recruited partly because of his resemblance to [[Music/TheRollingStones Brian Jones]]) and bassist Chris Hillman joined shortly after the formation. Thus, the "classic" Byrds line-up was born. Thanks to their manager Jim Dickson's connections, they got signed to Creator/ColumbiaRecords.

->''To everything - turn, turn, turn.\\
There is a season - turn, turn, turn.\\