Monday December 28, 2020 “So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star” The Byrds
What should we do about the post Christmas slump? Let’s be rock & roll stars, we all want to, so let’s explore our options, the good, the bad and the ugly.
We’ll start with the basics, here’s a two minute primer from the Byrds on how to get started.
The Byrds were an amazing group with some of the best musicians passing through it including but not limited to Roger (Jim) McGuinn, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Gene Clark, Gram Parsons and Skip Battin among others. In addition to a remarkable string of Byrds’ hits the band spun out a number of solo careers as well as the Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby Stills & Nash.
Early on the Byrds were interpreters of Bob Dylan tunes. Dylan, maybe not the best vocalist, OK definitely not much of a vocalist at all, didn't always present the best versions of his own songs but the Byrds gave him his first number one song with their amazing interpretation of “Mr. Tambourine Man”.
Each of the original members of the Byrds have an interesting and diverse backstory but McGuinn’s may be the most varied. Before the Byrds he performed solo at various coffeehouses on the folk music circuit where he was hired as a sideman by the Limeliters, the Chad Mitchell Trio, Judy Collins and other folk music artists in the same vein. He also played guitar and sang backup harmonies for 60's pop star Bobby Darin.
Stay safe and well...and those screams were recorded at an August 15, 1965 Byrds' concert in Bournemouth, by the band's publicist Derek Taylor, at McGuinn's request.