Thursday, November 5, 2020

The Byrds - Live at Dean Junior College 1972 - repost with updated audio files and artwork

This one has been posted already. As someone requested a repost, I took the opportunity to update the artwork, which was full of errors and omissions. I also updated the names of the audio files and the tags. The front cover has a picture of the wrong lineup (John Guerin shoud be there, not Gene Parsons). The booklet and back pictures are correct.

Don’t expect hi-fi – it’s a rather poor quality audience recording.

The Byrds - Live at Dean Junior College 1972

Franklin, Massachusetts – October 29, 1972

Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Skip Battin, John Guerin

One of the few circulating complete concerts with John Guerin on drums.

1. Lover Of The Bayou

2. Bugler

3. America’s Great National Pastime

4. Chimes Of Freedom

5. I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician

6. My Back Pages – B.J. Blues – Baby What You Want Me To Do

7. Black Mountain Rag

8. Mr. Tambourine Man

9. Take A Whiff (On Me)

10. So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star

11. Mr. Spaceman

12. Chestnut Mare

13. Jesus Is Just Alright

14. Eight Miles High

15. Hold It

16. Roll Over Beethoven

Artwork Included (updated front and back)

NOTE: we forgot to mention that the recording was made by our regular visitor David. He also sent us 3 pictures taken at the actuel concert. See hereunder. Many thanks to him.

 





5 comments:

Steve said...

There aren't many audios available of this version of the Byrds, with John Guerin replacing the fired Gene Parsons. I doubt that Guerin's inclusion was meant to be a renovation of the lineup, but rather as a way to fulfill contract obligations with a drummer who was well-known and obviously quite good. But one can hear the difference in the vocals--I don't think Guerin sings at all here, and Parsons harmonies and very occasional leads are missed, as was his banjo and harmonica playing. As for the concert, there is really nothing new here, except that Eight Miles High is a showcase for Clarence and John and the 12-string hardly appears. Over half of the playlist features songs from the latter Byrds, as it should, and the old Byrds songs are the usual ones. Turn! Turn! Turn! had been dropped from the playlist quite awhile back, and Mr Tamborine Man was the acoustic version they had been playing, and it sounds quite good that way. The audience sounds appreciative, but overall I get the feeling that there was nothing left for this version of the Byrds to do, and that it is a band on its last legs. What would be interesting to hear is their last concert, with Hillman and Joe Lala replacing Skip Battin and John Guerin. Are there any recordings of this concert? Thanks for the re-upload. Funny, McGuinn is wearing the same shirt he wore in the Byrds reunion album.

Rocking--Byrd said...

The Tower Theatre Upper DArby and the Dayton Ohio concerts, both from late 1972, also feature that lineup.

Rocking--Byrd said...

And I'm still baffled by the fact it took 3 years for McGuinn to realize that Gene Parsons wasn't fit for the job.

Steve said...

It seems like McGuinn was unable to take direct decisions after he and Hillman fired Crosby. Clarence convinced him to get rid of Kevin Kelley, but Chris had to do the dirty work. Gene did the same when Roger fired John York, and several people (Terry Melcher, John Philips) convinced McGuinn to get rid of Parsons when he did, and later Battin. In the end, all he had left was Clarence White, who was also ready to leave to work on a bluegrass album. In general, the latter Byrds were a good live band but not at all groundbreaking, like the original group. Part of the reason was McGuinn's lack of control over the group after Untitled.

david said...

Steve, I was at this concert, in fact I'm the one who taped it. A couple observations; John Guerin did not sing at all. I thought his drumming was much better and much tighter than Gene Parsons, but the band seemed to basically be going through the motions. Granted, it was a Sunday afternoon, but there was little enthusiasm evident. Very little interaction on stage .It was pretty obvious they all had their minds elsewhere.