The "jangle" of the Rick 12.....

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Fri Dec 22, 2000 4:06 am

Hello Byrdmaniax,I really have been digging the
Untitled reissue!That 2nd C.D.was really cool,I
thought it was a lot of bang for the buck.The live stuff sounds tasty.Its fun to hear stories from you guys who
know them,and saw them live.I also agree with
Thymecube on the drone Ravi/Scruggs licks he some
times gets.its all good

terry · Post by **terry** » Fri Dec 22, 2000 4:45 am

Quote:The musicians that are playing rock 'n' roll, they know, they know where you're at -- and you know where your minds are at -- and they're playing for you, to you. And like The Beatles and other groups, you know, their music will get to you and reach you. And the colors will flash. And the sounds will embrace you. And it's beautiful. It's The Byrds.

The Byrds Announced/Introduced
Monterey International Pop Festival
Saturday, June 17, 1967

Jeffery_Dunn · Post by **Jeffery_Dunn** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 9:54 pm

That Monterey introduction is by Michael Bloomfield, isn't it? If it isn't it sure sounds like him (in more ways than one)!

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Sun Dec 24, 2000 11:37 am

I thought the intro was Bill Graham, but someone
else said it may have been Chip Monck, who may be more recognized as a voice from Woodstock.

Matt_Eastley · Post by **Matt_Eastley** » Sun Dec 31, 2000 3:15 pm

Hi - I'm new to this site but share your love of The Byrds and particularly the 'jangle' sound of the Rickenbacker 12 which you've been so enthusiastically discussing. For my favourite, I'd have to go for "Turn, Turn, Turn." Bizarrely, I first heard this as a 14-year-old schoolboy. Wonderfully, it was played completely out-of-the-blue by a rather unpopular deputy head teacher at my school in London at morning assembly. It was done for religious purposes. I well recall this deputy head staring at the hall full of bemused teenagers. I'm sure most people were utterly oblivious to the greatness of the sound but the close harmonies and chiming guitars blew me away and started my obsession with both the Byrds and the Rickenbacker. It took me another 12 yeard before I actually owned a 12 though. I bought one second hand for £700 - lefthanded. As far as other songs go, I'd have to cite The Bells of Rhymney and also You Won't Have To Cry which I adore.

Matt Eastley
London

Thymecube · Post by **Thymecube** » Sun Dec 31, 2000 6:46 pm

Matt,
Can't argue those. I think we tend to take the obvious for granted!
TTT and B of R are two of the most profound and beautiful songs I've ever. The McGuinn/Ric12
breaks are IT!

leep · Post by **leep** » Tue Jan 02, 2001 9:40 pm

The more I listen to 5D, the more I think that the 12-string sounds on that album are McGuinn's wildest and most inspired! Especially the 20-bit re-issue (because of the bonus tracks), though sometimes I think the old vinyl analog sound is the best! Is anyone with me on that? The old records sound cooler 'cause you hear what they wanted you to hear at that time. Sometimes, you can hear too many imperfections on the CDs (especially by the drummer on the first two Byrds' albums).

It always fascinated me that after the very psychedelic 5D, the Byrds went to a more stripped down, less funky sound on Sanctuary (aka Younger Than Yesterday). Does anyone know "Why" this is? Were they just sick of all the trendy imposter pseudo-hippie wanna-bes that emerged as the sixties wound down? Most of the songs on YTY are quite good. Nevertheless, some songs sound too much like the Beatles (the "thought I was on top of it all" part in "Thoughts and Words"), which is a shame because the Byrds had more of a unique sound than the Beatles, in my opinion, at that time. Don't get me wrong, I love "Thoughts and Words", but, Instead of funky 12-string leads, the Byrds began dabbling more in funky sound effects (because of the Rutles?) I dunno. Whatever the case, the Byrds redeamed themselves in the minds of Blasters everywhere when they released the grand psychedelic opus Notorious Byrd Brothers. The moog and effect era had just begun, and the wild 12-string leads were about to become fewer and farther along. What do you guys think about these ramblings? Does anybody agree/disagree, or have any additional thoughts, words or insights on this?

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Wed Jan 03, 2001 10:21 pm

I received a response to a couple more questions I sent McGuinn in the last week or so. 1st, I asked who introduced the Byrds at Monterey, but Roger said he hadn't thought about that in a long time and couldn't tell who it was. Second, I finally thought to ask him about the lead work
on some early Byrdss tune, "It's No Use" , off the Mr Tambourine Man LP. I wanted to know if the lead solo, and the rest of Roger's work on this one was done on the Rick, or a 6 string, and if a 6, what Kind of 6. He Replied,"I haven't heard
That song in a Long time, but I think I use a Gretsch 6 on it".Perhaps, since Crosby was using a Tennessean at the time, Roger just grabbed it
and used it.Then again, this being near the beginning of the Byrds, and their obvious thing of using"Beatle-type/brand" guitars, maybe Roger had a Country Gent of his own.Possible, but I never saw any shots of Roger with a Gretsch till
before Monterey.

Jon_C · Post by **Jon_C** » Thu Jan 04, 2001 9:39 am

The Monterey intro does sound like Bloomfield. Definitely not Bill Graham, I think... and doesn't sound a lot like Chip Monck.

leep · Post by **leep** » Fri Jan 19, 2001 2:18 am

"Untitled" is really good. There's even some fine "jangle" on the b-side of the 2nd album. I found an original Columbia Radio copy of this record and gave it a whirl. It's interesting how the band is able to blend the psychedelia of the original band with their emerging honky-tonk-country-roll motif. In fact, the balance is often delicate and quite appropriate. The 16-minute version of Eight Miles High is fine, but the 12string sound is played down while Clarence White is most audible. Nice jam though. Once they finally start singing, they stop singing after the first verse and never go on to the next one.

"City", on the other hand, is mediocre 80s-musack - save the song about the oil crisis.

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Wed Feb 07, 2001 9:32 am

I agree with Lee,"Untitled" was the most jangle in
the 70's Byrds. By the time of Farther Along, Roger didn't feature the 12 string, Dylan songs or songs strong as before. I guess his attention was on the Reunion Byrds. Roger was listening to David Crosby who was not fully committed to the Byrds. After he built the "Untilted" Byrds up, he could've led them into the middle 70's with more innovative stuff. Instead he left the door wide open for other bands to capitalize on their sound. Just my opinion....

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Sun Feb 25, 2001 1:53 pm

I would like to add "I'll feel a whole lot better"
to the list. The songwriting is brilliant,and I
would tell anybody out there if you want some good
rick 12 HERE IT IS !
marty

Rob_Ashford · Post by **Rob_Ashford** » Sun Feb 25, 2001 4:29 pm

Yeah Marty, and it needs to be played very loud! Rob Ashford.

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Mon Mar 12, 2001 5:20 am

I am thinking now that I might have been a little
hard on my heroes. It's easy to sit here today and say "why didn't they do this or that", when I should just enjoy what did go down.

Back to the topic, "Candy" off Dr. byrds has a haunting 12 string intro and cool harmony. Clarence really nailed the bender.

Marty