Byrds & Love

Post by **jamestkirk** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:49 pm

Much is said about Love taking over for the Byrds...Love filled the void so to speak, as the Byrds toured the world. My feeling was that Love was already there and would have been on top with or without the Byrds' around.

Did you ever play on the same bill or hang with a Byrd? Of course, Love would never take second billing....

Gene Clark was a regular at clubs on the Strip, and he is in my top artists of the day....Lee, Buckley, Clark. A sad story, and Clark was infamous for his benders. I can't help being saddened by what the music biz can do to an artist, and I seem to be drawn to the music of those artist's that fell under the wheels....

Gene Clark, Tim Buckley, Nick Drake, Phil Ochs, Tim Hardin....and Arthur of course. Some artists (the genius elite it seems) just cannot get out of their own way.

Gene, like Arthur, is a towering figure of rock for me...do you agree?

I'm rambling but if you can find my questions here, please share.....

Post by **Johnny Echols** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:23 pm

I do agree that Gene Clark, was a flawed individual, who was so much a part of the Byrd's sound. They just weren't the same group when he left. It's always sad when we allow petty conflicts and ego's to get in the way of the music.

Bryan hung with "Roger" from time to time, I'm not certain whom else! David Crosby and I were really good "buds" who saw each other often. He was one of our biggest cheer leaders, early-on. And sometimes Mike Clark and I would hang out, so I would say there was quite a lot of interaction between the two groups.

Tim Hardin, and I would trip together when he was in town, though most of our relationship consisted of me steering him toward whomever had the best "product" at any given time.

As for your other point, I think that there is a very fine line between "genius" and madness. It's a tough course to navigate. The one's who survive, have a lot of support from the people who care about the person, rather than the "meal ticket." JE.

Post by **BallroomDays67** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:16 pm

Is it possible that Love wasn't on the same bill with The Byrds until 1969? Considering that he was a fan, you'd think that David Crosby would have pushed for that. The irony is that The Byrds and The Doors were on the same bill several times, and Crosby didn't even like The Doors.

Post by **Johnny Echols** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:40 pm

BallroomDays67 wrote:Is it possible that Love wasn't on the same bill with The Byrds until 1969? Considering that he was a fan, you'd think that David Crosby would have pushed for that. The irony is that The Byrds and The Doors were on the same bill several times, and David Crosby didn't even like The Doors.

But David liked Jim Morrison. The three of us used to hang-out all the time, and the two of them were together many times, when he came by to get me. I know David was at the Hollywood Bowl gig, in 1966, there are pictures of us involved in "deep" conversation. But I can't recall whether or not the Byrd's were on the bill. JE.

Post by **Roughie** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 12:34 am

Johnny Echols wrote:
BallroomDays67 wrote:Is it possible that Love wasn't on the same bill with The Byrds until 1969? Considering that he was a fan, you'd think that David Crosby would have pushed for that. The irony is that The Byrds and The Doors were on the same bill several times, and David Crosby didn't even like The Doors.
But David liked Jim Morrison. The three of us used to hang-out all the time, and the two of them were together many times, when he came by to get me. I know David was at the Hollywood Bowl gig, in 1966, there are pictures of us involved in "deep" conversation. But I can't recall whether or not the Byrd's were on the bill. JE.

Jim must have done something to really piss him off then. I have seen interviews with David Crosby and he was slagging Jim off!

Post by **Johnny Echols** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 1:01 am

Roughie wrote:
Jim must have done something to really piss him off then. I have seen interviews with David Crosby and he was slagging Jim off!

That's quite possible, as fortunes change, friendships also change! By 1969, I was dealing with my own issues, so I don't know what the two of them were up to. JE.

Post by **Chris M** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:05 am

Johnny Echols wrote:I do agree that Gene Clark, was a flawed individual, who was so much a part of the Byrd's sound. They just weren't the same group when he left.

Hello Johnny,

As a Gene Clark junkie I'd love to hear any recollections you may have regarding Gene in the 60's. I've always thought Gene never got the respect he deserved as a songwriter and poet.

Post by **Johnny Echols** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:36 pm

Chris M wrote:
Johnny Echols wrote:I do agree that Gene Clark, was a flawed individual, who was so much a part of the Byrd's sound. They just weren't the same group when he left.
Hello Johnny,

As a Gene Clark junkie I'd love to hear any recollections you may have regarding Gene in the 60's. I've always thought Gene never got the respect he deserved as a songwriter and poet.

I didn't really hang with Gene. We would greet each other warmly, but that's about the extent of it. I thought he was a great songwriter, and a huge part of the Byrd's sound. It was common knowledge, that a couple of the guys were unhappy with his growing success as a songwriter. When members of a group become envious of each other, and can't find a way to deal with it. They may as well hang it up, because the end is near. JE.