Nominations for Best Byrds Cover Band

[jimk]

Thanks for the compliment on my finger picking. When I finally learned the basics of McGuinn's style, I saw how closely related his hybrid picking was to the finger picking style I had been using for many years. It merely involved swapping my usual thumb pick for a straight pick, and then switching the metal finger pick from my index finger to my ring finger. From there it's just the same picking pattern, mostly.

I sorta feel like something of a fraud; I don't actually own a Rick...yet. I hope I'll be getting The Call from the dealer with whom I placed my order very soon. I ordered a 360. For the time being, I'll be running her through a late '60s Kustom solid state I acquired through a trade.

JimK

[secondflyte]

Hey BYRD fans, and Rick lovers. Ed Embrey from 2nd Flyte here. Sorry I have been so long replying, but I have been out of town lately. I read some of your replys, and we appreciate the nice comments about 2nd Flyte. I agree, all those who have the passion to take on these songs the "old School" way are to be appreciated. I will try to answer some of the questions posted. First, the two ricks I use in our shows are, a 1965 360, and a 1966 370 with the treble boost wiring.(maintained by Chris Clayton, Pick of the Ricks, NJ., and Jeff Bibb, Amherst, VA. If you could see the 370 up close, you would see a real road warrior. It has been re-finished at least once, and has had many parts replaced over the years to keep it going. (all parts are vintage and original to the era). I have owned many rics in the past, but the 370 is the best playing one I have ever had my hands on. It will cut you in half with the Treble boost on at high volume on, 8 Miles High.
Next, It took a while to get what I think is the closest to the original sound, (on stage environment). I use a inexpensive Berringer processor set on tweed, and max compression, and feed it through a 1965 Fender Super Reverb amp. I know there are a lot of compression pedals out there, ie Jangle Box, etc, but I have never had good luck with them on a stage. (lot of buzzing, and white noise- sometimes created by an unstable electrical source), ie, Old theatres, and festival "all plugged into one" sound companies. We try to stick with no more than two pro sound companies for our shows. That keeps a consistancy otherwise difficult to obtain using anyone available. Rics are touchy enough as it is, and most sound people who are not familiar with them take at least half a show to tame and mix the sound correctly.
As for the commercial success of a BYRDS tribute band, let us say it is some what boutique. We try to carefully plan around 10 shows a year at venues where we know the sound will be great, and the fans will appreciate what we are trying to accomplish. We do some charity work, and try to have at least on carefully, professionly promoted show over the top every year, ie, 40th annv. Monterey Pops, B.B. Kings, and this year we will be doing the Whiskey in L.A., and a fairly siqnificant beneifit fot the Disabled Veterens of the Viet Nam War. (have been working on this for a while). So, if you plan to make this a commercial money making venture, it probly will not happen in this economy. If you study the music well, watch hours and hours of film footage, spend cpountless hours breaking down the notes and harmonies, and like myself, was around this world the first time this music was released and was hooked, than I would say go for It!
It has been nice to take the time to reply to all of you, and I look forward to your replys. We will be posting some new songs on the site soon, and I have a promoter trying to get our Face Book going. ( I do not have the time to keep up with all this stuff, but blessed by some creative folks who do this for me).

Thanks, and great health to all my Ric and Byrd Pals,

Ed Embrey
www.secondflyte.com

[8mileshigher]

Ed -- keep the Forum posted on the time/dates of your L.A. area gigs
Thanks

I'm sure several of us RRFers would like to check out that road-warrior 370 and the mods you've done on it.

Rich F.

[emjayw]

Just wanted the DFW north Texas Byrds fans to know that BACK PAGES has been performing around the Ft.Worth area for almost a year now. We pride ourselves on "doing" the Byrds "hits", as well as a lot of Tom Petty and REM tunes where our 3 Rickenbackers (2 360/12's and a 4003) wake up the crowd at Central Market locations in Ft. Worth and Southlake each month. It sure is fun to see the reactions when we crank up MTM or I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better. We're having a ball doing the old tunes and trying hard to "nail" 'em each night. We've added several Beatles tunes lately from their 12-string period to round out the sound. Come on out and see us at CM in Southlake on May 9th and CM in Ft. Worth on May 30th. Peace Love Dove... Mike