Requiem For The Timeless - Volume 2 by Johnny Rogan - Imminent Release

Author Johnny Rogan kindly informed us of the imminent release of the second volume of "Requiem For The Timeless".

This volume is subtitled "The Lives And Tragic Deaths Of Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Kevin Kelley, Gram Parsons, Clarence White and Skip Battin"

A must-read, must-have for Byrds fans.

David Crosby on The Beatles' "Lovely Rita"?

From ROLLING STONE    28.05.2017

 

After recording 'Lovely Rita' instrumental backing track, the Beatles reconvened the following day to tackle the vocals. As they worked, a pair of pop stars dropped by to join them: Tony Hicks of the Hollies and David Crosby of the Byrds. The Beatles had grown particularly close to Crosby during an extended stay in Los Angeles as part of their 1965 U.S. tour, even dropping acid with him and fellow Byrd Jim McGuinn. The groups would continue to a share a great affinity for one another – particularly George Harrison and McGuinn, who emboldened one another to incorporate Indian modes into Western pop with their jangling Rickenbacker 12-strings.

All of the Beatles valued Crosby's opinion, so when he stopped by Abbey Road they were eager to play him some of their latest work. "I was, as near as I know, the first human being besides them and George Martin and the engineers to hear 'A Day in the Life,'" Crosby recalled in an interview with Filter. "I was high as a kite – so high I was hunting geese with a rake. They sat me down; they had huge speakers, like coffins with wheels, that they rolled up on either side of the stool. By the time it got to the end of that piano chord, man, my brains were on the floor."

Also on hand that night was Leslie Bryce, the staff photographer from The Beatles Book Monthly magazine, who took several photos of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Crosby gathered around a microphone. The accompanying article insinuates that Crosby added backup vocals on "Lovely Rita," but his contribution, if it ever existed (Crosby never says it did), was not used. However, at some point Paul said, 'We need backup vocals on this. This is what I want you to sing.' So David Crosby went in there and sang backup vocals on 'Lovely Rita.'" .

The Beatles would revisit "Lovely Rita" on March 7th, when they tackled a series of unconventional overdubs. In his 2006 memoir, Geoff Emerick recalls the band "standing around a single microphone humming through a comb and paper, each priceless Beatle comb carefully wrapped with a single layer of the standard issue extra-scratchy EMI toilet paper that we were all constantly complaining about." To achieve a kazoo effect, Mal Evans had been dispatched to the studio bathrooms to collect several rolls ...

R.I.P. Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson, well-known west coast-based bass player, passed away on Sunday afternoon, April 30, 2017. He was 70 years old.

He was a life-long musician, gifted instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, who, following his return from military service in Vietnam, played continuously with local and national bands, playing old-time, bluegrass, and country music mostly in Los Angeles and the wider California area.

Bryson was a significant member of The Bluegrass Cardinals, The Desert Rose Band, The Laurel Canyon Ramblers. He also toured with Country Gazette and recorded with The Dillards and Rose Maddox.

R.I.P. Bill Bryson

New Chris Hillman Album In The Make

Hillman, now 73, learned from and remembers the strengths of every band he has played in, and their members are still friends.  

David Crosby sings on his upcoming album, and Roger McGuinn has lent a guitar riff for an unrecorded Byrds melody, "Here She Comes Again," on the disc that will come out in September.

Herb Pedersen offered the record project to Hillman, and he, Pedersen and Jorgenson worked with an impressive co-producer: rock elder statesman Tom Petty.

"He's a wonderful man, one of the sweetest guys in the business," Hillman declared. "I’ve never come across a more humble man, considering the position he's in and what a career he had."
His text proof is The Heartbreakers, Petty's band, who have stayed with him for more than 35 years, Hillman added. He had the supreme luxury of incorporating some Heartbreakers backup into his new album.

"We had a such a good time. And unbeknownst to me at the time, it became sort of a conceptual project covering my musical styles."

New Gene Clark website

There is a new Gene Clark website under development at

https://www.gene-clark.com/

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R.I.P. Gregg Thomas and Pat Robinson

Drummer Gregg Thomas, who played with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman, Gene Clark's Byrds Tribute, Roger McGuinn's Thunderbyrd, Neil Young, and many others passed away on March 27, due to complications from Parkinson's disease.

Songwriter, engineer, producer, singer, multi-instrumentalist Pat Robinson, who co-authored (among many others) "My Marie" with Gene Clark, passed away about eight months ago.

John York Concerts (April-May 2017)

John York in San Diego in April.

He is going to do "YORK sings DYLAN" show in May in Altadena CA.
www.johnyorkmusic.com

John York Solo

Saturday, April 29th, 8:15pm Free

Adams Avenue Unplugged in San Diego

Normal Heights Church

4650 Mansfield St. San Diego CA

www.adamsavenuebusiness.com

YORK sings DYLAN

Sunday, May 7th, 2017, 7pm $20

The Coffee Gallery Back Stage

2029 N. Lake Ave. Altadena, CA 91001

Reservations: 626-798-6236

www.coffeegallery.com  bstane@earthlink.net