Sunday, December 28, 2014

The Byrds – Santa Monica 1970




The Byrds – Santa Monica 1970

Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, Ca – December 27, 1970

Roger McGuinn (guitars, vocals)
Clarence White (guitars, mandolin, vocals)
Gene Parsons (drums, harmonica, vocals)
Skip Battin (bass, vocals)

Terry Melcher (keyboards)
Jimmi Seiter (percussions)

1. Lover Of The Bayou (4:15)
2. You Ain't Going Nowhere (3:12)
3. Well Come Back Home (7:34)
4. My Back Pages (2:15)
5. B.J. Blues - Baby What You Want Me To Do (4:16)
6. Truck Stop Girl (cut) (0:43)
7. Soldier's Joy - Black Mountain Rag (cuts in) (1:06)
8. Mr Tambourine Man (cuts in) (2:40)
9. Take A Whiff (On Me) (cuts in) (2:42)
10. Wheels On Fire (cuts in and cuts out) (1:59)
11. It's All Right, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (1:13)
12. Ballad Of Easy Rider (2:17)
13. Jesus Is Just Alright (3:05)
14. Eight Miles High (12:30)
15. Hold It (0:30)
16. Chestnut Mare (4:49)
17. So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star (2:44)
18.
Hold It (1:08)

Original audio files provided by David E. – Many thanks to him.

Audio files reworked by Rocking-Byrd (levels, balance, tags, clicks and noise removal, tracks splitting, between songs breaks, etc…)

Artwork by Rocking-Byrd

33 comments:

Rocking--Byrd said...
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Rocking--Byrd said...
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david said...

thanks for reworking.

Rufus said...

Rockingbyrd, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the wonderful music that you have shared. I would like to wish you, and all my fellow Clarkophiles and Byrdmaniax a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year!

david said...

Happy New Year RB ! Thanks for all the great music you gave us in 2014. All the best for 2015

Steve said...

Happy New Year to Rocking-Byrd and all members of this blog! Recent uploads of Byrds concerts show rougher source material, but the work done on cleaning and balancing the different elements of these cassette-recorded concerts has made them quite listenable indeed and shows a lot of care and respect for the later Byrds live material. By this time Skip Battin was quite settled into the group and his bass playing continues to impress me. His style was more suitable for live performances than studio recordings, where it often clashes with the acoustic nature of the arrangements. Here it works well nd adds much excitement to the songs. Gene Parsons is also quite inspired here, unlike a couple of years later when his playing became more erratic and often overly busy. Clarence is, as usual, the instrumental star of the show--no one else in the group is quite at his level or even pretends to be. Strangely enough, Clarence as a lead guitarist reminds me somewhat of Carlos Santana, not because of any similarity in the sound or style, but in the fact that both are quite present in every song, adding all sorts of loops and whirls around the main melodies rather than waiting for the 'lead' part in instrumental breaks. This was especially evident in the studio versions of Just a Season and Chestnut Mare on Untitled, but even more notable in all the concert performances. As for the songs, a typical set list, which is understandable when you do as many concerts a year as these Byrds did. Even now, McGuinn doesn't vary his set list too much, which can be a good or bad idea depending on what you go to a McGuinn concert for. I doubt that anyone expects anything ground-breaking from Roger McGuinn these days, and I don't think audiences expected much new from the Byrds in 1970 either. What they got was a highly professional, exciting performance from a group whose best moments were on stage in front of an appreciating audience. I wish, however, that there were more solos from other members. John York had a number of solos when he was in the Byrds, and even Gene Parson chipped in with songs like Take a City Bride. The vocals in general were better when John York was around--listen to early versions of Jesus is Just Alright to see the difference in harmonies, for example. I wonder if there are any hidden York-Byrds concerts still around. One final comment: I like Terry Melcher's keyboards--they add a lot to the songs. Maybe McGuinn should have included 5D in his concerts when Melcher was present. Thanks again for the continuing uploads of an exciting live band.

dino said...

Thank you man for all the incredible amount of great music you have been willing to share with all of us.
Happy new year y'all!

david said...

Interesting comments Steve. I much prefer John York to Skip Battin; I don't think Battin fit at all, stylistically or vocally. The York era Byrds seem to be progressing in developing the band, but by the time Battin came in, they seem to stagnate. Listen to the handful of York era shows that survive, and they played varied set lists every show. Much more varied in their selection of material; more new stuff and less dependence on the old Byrds songs. It would be nice to see some more shows from his time appear.

dino said...

Hi Rocking Byrd,
it looks like you're taking some time off, as you haven't been posting since late December. I don't mean to put any pressure on you, just wishing to check if you're still working on your - endless - well of goodies from the Byrds past...
I/we hope to read from you very soon.
In the meantime: HAPPY 2015!

pholkiephred said...

Thanks you Rockingbyrd for all the great posts...there are a couple I'd like to see reposted....especially the live Crosby and I do hope you haven't finished posting. Long nice trip it's been.

doc said...

The thing about the York-era Byrds, though, is that it was basically a new band, with only one original member emerging out of quite a bit of turmoil. I agree that Skip Battin was a strange choice, but I don't think John York would have kept them fresh. It's too bad Chris Hillman didn't stick around - he was a much better bass player and singer than the other guys, and the acoustic sets may have made the Byrds one of the best bluegrass bands of their day!

Anonymous said...

It is hard for me to believe that today marks 24 years since Gene Clark left this world. Thank you for making all of the music while you were here. Hopefully one of these days, it will see the light of day and be heard by all, as it was intended. RIP

Anonymous said...

It is also hard for me to believe that it has been 5 months since the last post. Thank you for all your hard work and efforts in sharing this amazing treasure trove of music. Please know your are missed.

paolo said...

yes, Rockingbyrd! you are really missed....

Libertarian said...

Guess I am late for the party. Got a lot of terrific artwork...and thanks for that. But, all the download links are dead. Yes, Rockingbyrd... You are really missed. Should you ever return, I for one would be thrilled!!

Rocking--Byrd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dino said...

WOW! ...DOUBLE WOW!
Does this re-post mean that you are back here?
Let us know.....
Love

Dino

paolo said...

ciao Rockingbyrd, are you comin' back to us?

thymecube said...

Nice to see you back ... was wondering if you were alright.
Looking foward to whatever else you may have for us. Anything on that Sweetheart era Fillmore East show ( May 1968)?

dino said...

"...nice to see you back..." Are you REALLY back to us... AT LAST?
If so, this is...
THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE... news
Kris Kristofferson revisited...
Wow!

Rufus said...

Rockingbyrd, another year has passed by but I still would like to thank you for all the amazing music that you have shared. I would like to wish you, and all my fellow Clarkophiles and Byrdmaniax a very Merry Christmas happy, healthy and peaceful new year!

paolo said...

all the best for the 2016!
hoping in new posts from Rockingbyrd....


paolo

dino said...

Hello... is there anybody out there?... knock knock... Happy 2016 all the same, hoping you'll come back... again... some time... we are all waiting for you...

Frumoxxx said...

Hope you're still ou there RockingByrd. Recently came to my attention that there is a tape of the Byrds in 1968 at Newport, This would be the only live recording in existence of the Kevin, Roger, Chris and Clarence version of the band, Do you have it? Thanks! (and thanks for years if great music)

Frumoxxx said...

Hope you're still ou there RockingByrd. Recently came to my attention that there is a tape of the Byrds in 1968 at Newport, This would be the only live recording in existence of the Kevin, Roger, Chris and Clarence version of the band, Do you have it? Thanks! (and thanks for years if great music)

Rocking--Byrd said...

http://rocking--byrd.blogspot.be/2010/01/byrds-newport-pop-festival-august-1968.html

paolo said...

thanks to working again for us Rockingbyrds.... we miss you, always...

thymecube said...

NIce to see you back Rockingbyrd in whatever capacity. Thanks for the Newport show!
Any posibility of that May 1968 Fillmore East show of by the Sweetheart era Byrds?

paolo said...

dear Rockinbyrd! always appreciating your lovely byrds posts,i was looking back in your blog and i saw a lot of posts i missed when i got problems connecting with your page, so i was wonderin' if maybe you are so gentle to re- up them for me....

Allegheny college april 28, 1972
Melody Fair may 10, 1971
Buffalo february 21, 1971
Cohasset september 9, 1971

i have some other requests, but i don't want to ask too much, maybe next time...

thnaks again

paolo

paolo said...

thanks a lot for the reposts! i love the Byrds in the 70's!

paolo said...

Hello again Rockingbyrd...
here is a second request of re-ups of post i missed...
when it's possible...

Byrds - Bridgewater february 1971
Byrds - Hartford december 1971
Byrds - Birmingham may 1971
Byrds - Colston may 1971

thanks....

paolo

david said...

Nice to see you back, RB. Any possibility the owner has changed his mind on that May 1968 Fillmore East show of by the Sweetheart era Byrds? Would be really cool to hear. Thanks

Rocking--Byrd said...

https://www96.zippyshare.com/v/ZhF02ikc/file.html