Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde
Occupation
- Vocal / Guitar: Roger McGuinn
- Vocal / Guitar: Clarence White
- Vocals / Bass: John York
- Vocals / Drums: Gene Parsons
Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde is the seventh studio album by the American folk rock band The Byrds, the eighth, if you count their Greatest Hits album. It was released on February 3, 1969 on the label, Columbia Records. In the United States, the lowest chart position of Byrd album in the U.S., the album was only # 153 on the pop charts, ever, in the UK it reached # 15 surprising In addition, it was the first Byrds album, which was panned mercilessly by most critics. Stylistically, the album was between the country-rock of Sweetheart of the Rodeo and the psychedelic rock of earlier albums.
After Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons and Kevin Kelley left the band after the recording of Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Roger McGuinn was left as the last permanent member of the Byrds. Clarence White, who had played on the previous three Byrds albums as a session musician, has now been hired by McGuinn to replace Parsons. As bassist John York was added, who had already toured with The Mamas and the Papas, as a drummer turned McGuinn the unrelated genes with Gram Parsons, a. The album was produced by Bob Johnston, who was primarily known for his work with Bob Dylan.
Two singles preceded the album's release, Drug Store Truck Drivin ' Man / Bad Night at the Whiskey and Child of the Universe / Candy, neither of which charted. In addition, on May 2, was released a cover version of Dylan's Lay Lady Lay as a single, which was included on any Byrds album, but Old Blue contained a B-side.
History
Once it was the Byrds with their album Sweetheart Of The Rodeo not been able to win new fans in the camp of Country Music, Roger McGuinn developed in 1968 a new concept for the future program of the band.
First, human problems had to be solved. Gram Parsons had gotten out before releasing the Sweetheart LP and the Byrds had continued to work as a trio. Now the drummer Kevin Kelley was dismissed and replaced by Gene Parsons. At the same time the guitarist Clarence White, who worked as a session musician at previous Byrds LPs as well as on the first solo album by Gene Clark was recruited. White had, as well as Gene Parsons, a longtime country music background, insisting include appropriate musical elements in the program. Finally, the founding member Chris Hillman also left, just before new studio recordings, the group and had to be replaced by bassist John York.
McGuinn's new concept was to reduce the existing diverse musical elements of the Byrds (rock, pop, country and Electronic Rock ) on Country - Rock and Heavy Electric skirt.
The next single, the Byrds McGuinn's new strategy shows most clearly. The song of the A-side, Bad Night At The Whiskey, with a dominant rhythm section and bluesy guitar, comes from McGuinn's spring and part of the new " Heavy" direction of the Byrds. He also corresponds most closely to the tastes of 1968/1969, as the Blues, especially on guitar virtuosos such as Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, has become increasingly popular and jam sessions replaced the short songs. Alone like a monk choir sounding backing vocals reminiscent of an earlier recording of the Byrds, Gene Clark If You're Gone by 1965.
The Drug Store Truck Drivin ' back ' It was part of the country program of the Byrds. McGuinn had the song written in early 1968 with Gram Parsons on a tour of England. It was Ralph Emery, a then prominent DJ from Nashville being targeted, who had considered the Byrds with a negative criticism, having previously occurred in March on his radio show.
A year later, the song by Joan Baez, along with Jeffrey Shurtleff and Richard Festinger was performed at the Woodstock Festival, and dedicated to the then Governor of California, Ronald Reagan.
Album: Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde
Even the title of the new album expresses the duality of the new strategy. The back of the album cover shows the band members who get rid of their astronaut suits, to then ride in cowboy suits on horses in the sunrise.
The songs begin with This Wheel 's On Fire, a previously unreleased song by Bob Dylan. As with Bad Night At The Whiskey here the distorted blues guitar by White and the rhythm section in the foreground. The sound kept very similar to the last piece of the album, Medley: My Back Pages / BJ Blues / Baby, What You Want Me To Do, a jam session in the style of the time.
With Old Blue as the second piece follows the lighter and acoustic side of the Byrds. Bob Gibson had this traditional folk song years earlier in his program. Even more influenced by country rock is Your Gentle Ways Of Lovin 'Me from the pen of two friends of Gene Parsons, Gary Paxton and Gib Guilbeau, who had played with him and Clarence White in the formation Nashville West. This group was also dedicated to the only instrumental piece on the album, Nashville West, a Bluegrass with dominant electric guitar solo by White.
Three of the next song consist of a combination between electric and acoustic elements. In King Apathy III McGuinn expresses his distaste for the first time the rock scene of the big city (Los Angeles ) and his desire for a healthier country life.
The other two songs with similar stylistics were planned as part of the soundtrack to the film Candy ( 1968). The title song Candy did not make it up there, but instead, Child Of The Universe, had the McGuinn co-written with film music composer Dave Grusin. For the film, an orchestra part has been added in this song that is missing on the Byrds album.
Producer of the album was Bob Johnston, who had previously been very successful LPs produced by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Even in later work with Leonard Cohen ( Songs From A Room ) and Simon And Garfunkel ( Bridge over Troubled Water), he was able to provide both artists and buyers satisfied. In 1968 he ventured into the production of rock bands. This led to results which were then criticized especially by the musicians themselves. These include the albums Truly Fine Citizen of the group Moby Grape and Dr.Byrds & Mr.Hyde. The main criticisms were the intensive addition of reverb ( reverb ) in the mix, as well as pushed into the background lead guitar parts.
1997 Dr.Byrds & Mr.Hyde was released on CD again. There the songs remixed ( re-mastered ) and were more likely to meet in these versions the original ideas of the musicians. In addition to this CD also some outtakes as Stanley's song and some alternative versions of the songs were brought to hearing.
Single: Lay Lady Lay / Old Blue
In February 1969, the Byrds Lay Lady Lay took on their next single. Again, it was a Dylan cover and again Bob Johnston was the producer. Johnston added to the mix, add a female backing chorus, without having it discussed with the band. While backing choirs gospel elements did indeed correspond to the contemporary taste (see With A Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker or After Midnight by Eric Clapton ), dissolved in the Byrds but further dissatisfaction. Upcoming productions of the band were therefore taken over by Terry Melcher, who had also produced the first two Byrds albums.
Summary
Dr.Byrds & Mr.Hyde was in a troubled time of the band. Firstly, Roger McGuinn was the last remaining founding member of the Byrds and had to decide whether under this name on music should be made. He decided and took skilled musicians under contract, who led the group in the 1970s with their instrumental prowess. The other was to clarify how it should go musically. Although it had been the Byrds themselves, who had made the country music popular among young people. McGuinn himself, however, this genre was rather skeptical. His original plan from the late 1967 to record a double album with contributions to the history of the music of the United States, was still relevant for him. The influence of Clarence White and Gene Parsons and the emerging country-rock wave finally convinced him to make the program more influenced by a mixture of country and blues pieces.
Title list
A-side
B-side
Republication
On March 25, 1997 Columbia released the album on CD with the following bonus tracks: