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33⅓ Main Series #43
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
By the time Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke entered the studio to begin work on this album, they were basically falling apart at the seams. "Ladyfriend", a song written by Crosby, had just failed miserably as a chart single despite the fact that he lobbied hard to get it released. This - coupled with the fact that he made what the rest of the band considered an embarrassing political speech onstage during their set at the Monterey Pop Festival, and then sat in with rivals the Buffalo Springfield the following day - pushed McGuinn and Hillman in particular to the limits of their patience. Then, for the Notorious sessions, Crosby presented a song called "Triad", written about a threesome, and although McGuinn and Hillman reluctantly agreed to record it, they later decided to place a less controversial Goffin & King pop number called "Goin' Back" on the album instead. Crosby declared the song banal and refused to sing on it. A few too many studio flare-ups later, McGuinn and Hillman finally screeched up into the Hollywood Hills in their Jaguars and fired Crosby on the spot. Also brooding during this period was drummer Michael Clarke, who had always borne the brunt of the other band members' rage while recording. He was by far the least accomplished member of the band musically, and when they suggested bringing in a studio drummer to embellish some tracks (Jim Gordon, later of Derek & the Dominos fame), he finally declared he'd had enough and moved to Hawaii to get away from the music scene altogether. So, McGuinn and Hillman were left to cobble together an album with the help of producer Gary Usher (known for his work with Brian Wilson, the Millenium, Sagittarius and many others). The fact that it turned out to be one of the defining albums of the 60s psychedelic pop experience was either a sheer stroke of luck, or a testament to McGuinn and Hillman's determination to prove that they didn't need Crosby's help to construct their masterpiece.
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2007
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April 4, 2011
Well of course there's a theory that great art is made when things break, are disrupted, the circumstances dire, the debtors at the door and a warrant out for your arrest. This album The Notorious Byrd Brothers, all 28 minutes of it, that's how long long players were sometimes in the 60s because things moved FAST so 28 minutes from the 1960s equates to three whole weeks from the 2010s, anyway, this album is an example of the above. This was the fistfights-in-the-studio one, where Crosby got fired in the middle but they still used his songs ("they ripped off my shit, man"), they fired Michael Clarke because he couldn't be bothered being a Byrd any more because the Byrds had stopped being a pop group so he couldn't scoop up any 17 year olds anymore, and by "they" I mean Roger McGuinn because by the end of making Notorious the Byrds were down to two people, McGuinn and Chris Hillman, and Chris Hillman wasn't doing the hiring or firing, he was a bluegrass player.
So Notorious, naturally, given the above, is one of the sweetest, prettiest, most peaceful, most wistful records from the great year of 1968, a brilliant follow up to Younger than Yesterday and precursor to Sweetheart of the Rodeo which followed in a mere seven months after McGuinn had recruited Gram Parsons and Clarence White & reinvented his group for the third time.
The Byrds were a great group.
So Notorious, naturally, given the above, is one of the sweetest, prettiest, most peaceful, most wistful records from the great year of 1968, a brilliant follow up to Younger than Yesterday and precursor to Sweetheart of the Rodeo which followed in a mere seven months after McGuinn had recruited Gram Parsons and Clarence White & reinvented his group for the third time.
The Byrds were a great group.
March 13, 2017
More of a 3 1/2 star review than just 3 , but no more. Mr. Menck does a decent job relating the legend of The Byrds, but there's always the vibe that you're reading liner notes. Not a terrible book - how can it be? This is one of the most under-documented bands of all time - but one in need of a more in-depth view of their lives and careers.
May 6, 2019
A solid 3.5 stars. My second outing with the 33 1/3 music series. The Notorious Byrd Brothers became one of my well played albums in early 1968. Yet I’m not sure exactly why since there are only two or three songs on it that make my “best of the Byrds" playlist." Having now read this book and listened to the LP five or six times in the past few days I’ve begun to figure out why.
First, about the book. Although all the details are here I found the narrative uneven and repetitious in places; however, author Ric Menck brings two great things to the project. First, and naturally for this series, he truly loves this album confessing to having listened to it “thousands” of times and that level of enthusiasm affected me. Second, he does possess a vivid talent for describing the music as it emerges on stage and in the recording sessions. As in this snippet:
“When the middle section arrives the song explodes into a shower of psychedelic scattershot. Usher slams on his compressors, McGuinn shifts his distortion pedal into overdrive, Hillman and Blaine lock into a vice grip groove and the track rumbles as if the earth is moving beneath it. It feels like the acid kicking in.”
There’s dozens of equally good examples here. A second observation is his perceptual ability to place The Byrds in their rightful place as one of the great American bands with observations such as these:
“One of the most remarkable things about the Byrds in the mid-60s was that they always conveyed an intellectual message in their material and never felt the need to pander to their audience . . . Other than Dylan, not many artists were doing this yet in rock & roll, so it can be viewed as another important contribution of the Byrds: introducing the intellectual properties of folk music to the lascivious beat of rock & roll.”
So in the end I learned from Menck why I love this album, it’s a sonic wonderland. The instrumentation is so incredibly experimental, particularly from Roger McGuinn.
I remember listening to it on headphones, a novelty at the time, and marveling at the strange and exotic sounds emerging from the headphones. There’s jazz, rock, country, and something new all intermeshed here. It’s one of those creations that sticks with you even if, as in my case, the reasons for the attraction have faded with time.
First, about the book. Although all the details are here I found the narrative uneven and repetitious in places; however, author Ric Menck brings two great things to the project. First, and naturally for this series, he truly loves this album confessing to having listened to it “thousands” of times and that level of enthusiasm affected me. Second, he does possess a vivid talent for describing the music as it emerges on stage and in the recording sessions. As in this snippet:
“When the middle section arrives the song explodes into a shower of psychedelic scattershot. Usher slams on his compressors, McGuinn shifts his distortion pedal into overdrive, Hillman and Blaine lock into a vice grip groove and the track rumbles as if the earth is moving beneath it. It feels like the acid kicking in.”
There’s dozens of equally good examples here. A second observation is his perceptual ability to place The Byrds in their rightful place as one of the great American bands with observations such as these:
“One of the most remarkable things about the Byrds in the mid-60s was that they always conveyed an intellectual message in their material and never felt the need to pander to their audience . . . Other than Dylan, not many artists were doing this yet in rock & roll, so it can be viewed as another important contribution of the Byrds: introducing the intellectual properties of folk music to the lascivious beat of rock & roll.”
So in the end I learned from Menck why I love this album, it’s a sonic wonderland. The instrumentation is so incredibly experimental, particularly from Roger McGuinn.
I remember listening to it on headphones, a novelty at the time, and marveling at the strange and exotic sounds emerging from the headphones. There’s jazz, rock, country, and something new all intermeshed here. It’s one of those creations that sticks with you even if, as in my case, the reasons for the attraction have faded with time.
November 3, 2020
A great read with all the detail I wanted about the recording of the album, but written in a personable, intimate, and entertaining way. When writing a book like this, there are so many ways a writer could approach and organize the subject. Ric got it exactly right. The book is well organized, detailed, and informative, but is not a cold or too clinical of an accounting. The writer's love for the album really shows. Ric had access to the masters, so he knows what he's talking about, and does a great job of discussing the innovations that Gary Usher (the producer) used in the studio, while also explaining the tensions within the band and how that impacted the album. His writing flows in a seemingly effortless way. The book is really elevated by Ric's description of his own love affair with music, vinyl records, and this album in particular. He even ends the book in a way that leaves you sighing, "Wow." A real tour-de-force.
September 3, 2025
We don’t get on to the album itself until page 79 (of a book that’s only 143) pages. But that’s part of the charm of the 33 ⅓ series–the lack of rules and freedom of the writers (fans).
Menck succeeds because he blends his passion with careful research. He manages an intelligent analysis of the band and their music without putting a damper on the joy of actually listening.
He’s particularly good at relating the band members’ individual backgrounds in roots music to their innovations as a rock band, from their lyrical themes (“introducing the intellectual properties of folk music to the lascivious beat of rock & roll” (112)), to their performance style:
“Get to You” does not have a complicated lyrical narrative. What makes it so heavy is the emotional weight McGuinn invests in the performance. McGuinn’s always been a master at delivering a vocal. In fact, all of the Byrds (the ones who sang, anyway) were wonderful at it. I believe this may be drawn to their backgrounds in folk and bluegrass-music–both idioms that rely on a very direct line between the emotional content of a lyric and the singer’s ability to deliver it with real sincerity. It's as if the singer is approaching the vocal performance as an actor would a role, by establishing character then tapping directly into that character’s emotional core. I think this skill lies at the root of McGuin’s vocal genius” (106-107).
Menck succeeds because he blends his passion with careful research. He manages an intelligent analysis of the band and their music without putting a damper on the joy of actually listening.
He’s particularly good at relating the band members’ individual backgrounds in roots music to their innovations as a rock band, from their lyrical themes (“introducing the intellectual properties of folk music to the lascivious beat of rock & roll” (112)), to their performance style:
“Get to You” does not have a complicated lyrical narrative. What makes it so heavy is the emotional weight McGuinn invests in the performance. McGuinn’s always been a master at delivering a vocal. In fact, all of the Byrds (the ones who sang, anyway) were wonderful at it. I believe this may be drawn to their backgrounds in folk and bluegrass-music–both idioms that rely on a very direct line between the emotional content of a lyric and the singer’s ability to deliver it with real sincerity. It's as if the singer is approaching the vocal performance as an actor would a role, by establishing character then tapping directly into that character’s emotional core. I think this skill lies at the root of McGuin’s vocal genius” (106-107).
July 10, 2018
I'm trying to make me way through the 33 1/3 series and have enjoyed this one the most so far. I like the background of the Byrds and the individual histories of it's members. Although Sweetheart of the Rodeo is still my favorite.
February 11, 2024
The 33 1/3 series of music books from Continuum is a bloody good collection and I've yet to read an entry that misfires. My most recent selection, The Byrds' 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' by Ric Menck is perhaps the best in the collection, in that it combines personal insights, history, music criticism and anecdotal nuggets all within the short space of 152 pages. This may not be the definitive book on the Byrds, but I would suggest it is a great introduction to the band, their place in music history, and what they mean to those of us who love their work.
Menck goes about his study of 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' through three key narrative perspectives. The first is his own personal history and connection with the album and the Byrds, and there is plenty of gold to be found here. In his introduction to the book Menck discusses the emotional conflicts experienced by Crosby, Hillman, McGuinn, Clark and Clarke during their short time together in the Byrds, and links these to his own traumas when in a band that broke up. It's a compelling and truthful way to make the intensity of the experiences behind teh recording of the LP come alive for the reader, and it's rare to find a text that can connect our mundane lives with those of 'rock gods'.
The historical perspective Menck provides in The Byrds' 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' is informative and effective, taking into account numerous threads that illustrate the complexity of what the band and its members were achieving up to and including the album. Each member of the band is given due recognition, and their formation and recording history up to and including 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' is detailed in sufficient depth to allow both fan and neophyte new insights into the Byrds. Menck is perhaps a bit too down on Dave Crosby, however truth be told considering how problematic Crosby was for so many people the recounting of his various conflicts and aggravations with the other members of the Byrds reads right. There's lots of useful information behind specific songs, whether they were recorded for this album or others, and Menck goes into some depth as to who played what, where and when. Oh, and I was struck by the observation that Menck makes about how similar Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's characters in 'Easy Rider' were to Roger McGuinn and David Crosby; it's these kind of statements in this book that take it to the next level.
The third narrative perspective offered by Menck in this book is a critical one, where he analyses the work of the Byrds collectively, and its members individually, as well as the songs and the entire 'Notorious Byrd Brothers' album as a whole. It's no surprise that the author extols the virtues of this one LP above all other Byrd releases, and whilst I don't quite agree with him I can see the merit in his arguments. Menck makes some useful critical statements viz the drumming of Michael Clarke, who to be honest has not really figured too much in my own personal appreciation of the band. The track-by-track analysis of the LP is very helpful when listening to 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers'; perhaps the most telling observation made by Menck is that the album is like a movie soundtrack. There are numerous stylistic directions which the LP is moving in and the disparate nature of the individual songs and the accompanying work of the members of the Byrds means that the cohesion of the work is built around its diffuse directions.
I could rabbit on and on about how good The Byrds' 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' by Ric Menck is, but instead I'll close with this recommendation. If you care about the Byrds, about great music from the 1960s, about how one can write about a band and its work, and about what music can mean to you, then please, read this book.
Menck goes about his study of 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' through three key narrative perspectives. The first is his own personal history and connection with the album and the Byrds, and there is plenty of gold to be found here. In his introduction to the book Menck discusses the emotional conflicts experienced by Crosby, Hillman, McGuinn, Clark and Clarke during their short time together in the Byrds, and links these to his own traumas when in a band that broke up. It's a compelling and truthful way to make the intensity of the experiences behind teh recording of the LP come alive for the reader, and it's rare to find a text that can connect our mundane lives with those of 'rock gods'.
The historical perspective Menck provides in The Byrds' 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' is informative and effective, taking into account numerous threads that illustrate the complexity of what the band and its members were achieving up to and including the album. Each member of the band is given due recognition, and their formation and recording history up to and including 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' is detailed in sufficient depth to allow both fan and neophyte new insights into the Byrds. Menck is perhaps a bit too down on Dave Crosby, however truth be told considering how problematic Crosby was for so many people the recounting of his various conflicts and aggravations with the other members of the Byrds reads right. There's lots of useful information behind specific songs, whether they were recorded for this album or others, and Menck goes into some depth as to who played what, where and when. Oh, and I was struck by the observation that Menck makes about how similar Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's characters in 'Easy Rider' were to Roger McGuinn and David Crosby; it's these kind of statements in this book that take it to the next level.
The third narrative perspective offered by Menck in this book is a critical one, where he analyses the work of the Byrds collectively, and its members individually, as well as the songs and the entire 'Notorious Byrd Brothers' album as a whole. It's no surprise that the author extols the virtues of this one LP above all other Byrd releases, and whilst I don't quite agree with him I can see the merit in his arguments. Menck makes some useful critical statements viz the drumming of Michael Clarke, who to be honest has not really figured too much in my own personal appreciation of the band. The track-by-track analysis of the LP is very helpful when listening to 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers'; perhaps the most telling observation made by Menck is that the album is like a movie soundtrack. There are numerous stylistic directions which the LP is moving in and the disparate nature of the individual songs and the accompanying work of the members of the Byrds means that the cohesion of the work is built around its diffuse directions.
I could rabbit on and on about how good The Byrds' 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' by Ric Menck is, but instead I'll close with this recommendation. If you care about the Byrds, about great music from the 1960s, about how one can write about a band and its work, and about what music can mean to you, then please, read this book.
March 18, 2025
Ric Menck happens to be born within a year of me, so he recalls the same fan's excitement I grew up with, when word of mouth, liner notes, and happenstance determined, more than hit radio, what one was inspired by. His tenure in Velvet Crush (he's modest, and only names this fine trio 2/3 way through, once) adds to his credibility in showing how the dynamics of a group depend not only on skill but as in the case of fellow drummer Michael Clarke, that elusive chemistry concocted of fun, fellowship and friendship. This insider's perspective adds verisimilitude, as does a strange anecdote meeting Roger McGuinn as Ric's own group plays the lead song off the LP, Artificial Energy, only to have its writer not recognize that he penned it. Certainly an unexpected and unsettling encounter.
His take on this LP, which came out January 4th 1968, is sharp. He doesn't overwhelm you with the chords and theory that some of his contemporaries might in analyzing the flow of this, but instead the connections especially on side one drawing tunes into a suite, as produced by Gary Usher under very trying circumstances. For both Clarke and troublesome talent David Crosby were in and then out of the band by then. Instead, replaced by session men on percussion either Jim Gordon or Hal Blaine, and sometimes given the lack of documentation, one can't discern which artist sat in when.
I expected as an aside, maybe relevant, that Ric would have nodded to the cover art. It's not that of the Nudie catalog made into Sweetheart of the Rodeo coming up next from Hillman, McGuinn and their new recruits after Notorious, but it is rumored (and denied) that Crosby's picture in the corral at Laurel Canyon was replaced by a horse's ass. But if Menck included this tangent, I missed it here.
More pertinently, I wish Menck had delved deeper the context about the making of the album itself. While he of course discusses each song in its original form and also the bonus tracks appended to the 1998 CD reissue, the situation of a "record" number of auxiliary hired hands called in to augment the scant core of Chris Hillman on bass and McGuinn on guitar and vocals must have created a predicament full of potential for narrative beyond the usual, even by standards of Hollywood which relied on talent to smooth out the shortcomings of those such as Clarke when challenged to master the intricate arrangements which not only Crosby (in)famously but Hillman and McGuinn were capable of rendering, as all three proved (along decamped Gene Clark) often.
So while this is a pleasure to read, and Menck offers a balanced appraisal of the career of the band prior to this, as the backstories of the members grew so cutting and cross-purposed that the Byrds fell apart, as a definitive chronicle of the construction of the album in the studio (as opposed to the coverage afforded the compositions on paper or in jamming), it falls a bit short of the ideal. As does the source material. But, I'm attracted to fine art that's not quite a "masterpiece," for its humanity.
His take on this LP, which came out January 4th 1968, is sharp. He doesn't overwhelm you with the chords and theory that some of his contemporaries might in analyzing the flow of this, but instead the connections especially on side one drawing tunes into a suite, as produced by Gary Usher under very trying circumstances. For both Clarke and troublesome talent David Crosby were in and then out of the band by then. Instead, replaced by session men on percussion either Jim Gordon or Hal Blaine, and sometimes given the lack of documentation, one can't discern which artist sat in when.
I expected as an aside, maybe relevant, that Ric would have nodded to the cover art. It's not that of the Nudie catalog made into Sweetheart of the Rodeo coming up next from Hillman, McGuinn and their new recruits after Notorious, but it is rumored (and denied) that Crosby's picture in the corral at Laurel Canyon was replaced by a horse's ass. But if Menck included this tangent, I missed it here.
More pertinently, I wish Menck had delved deeper the context about the making of the album itself. While he of course discusses each song in its original form and also the bonus tracks appended to the 1998 CD reissue, the situation of a "record" number of auxiliary hired hands called in to augment the scant core of Chris Hillman on bass and McGuinn on guitar and vocals must have created a predicament full of potential for narrative beyond the usual, even by standards of Hollywood which relied on talent to smooth out the shortcomings of those such as Clarke when challenged to master the intricate arrangements which not only Crosby (in)famously but Hillman and McGuinn were capable of rendering, as all three proved (along decamped Gene Clark) often.
So while this is a pleasure to read, and Menck offers a balanced appraisal of the career of the band prior to this, as the backstories of the members grew so cutting and cross-purposed that the Byrds fell apart, as a definitive chronicle of the construction of the album in the studio (as opposed to the coverage afforded the compositions on paper or in jamming), it falls a bit short of the ideal. As does the source material. But, I'm attracted to fine art that's not quite a "masterpiece," for its humanity.
July 12, 2023
Another lovingly-crafted entry in the 33 1/3 series finds Ric Menck of erstwhile power-poppers The Velvet Crush dissecting the 1967 Byrds classic. Menck does a nifty job of mixing the band's history with solid, personal reflections and criticism, delivering an enlightening look at a fabulous, if somewhat overlooked, sixties gem. (Bonus points for inspiring me to dig out my CD version of Velvet Crush's 1994 gem "Teenage Symphonies to God" which has aged well enough that it deserves its own entry in the series).
September 25, 2020
Excellent analysis on arguably the Byrds best LP, by a true fan that also happens to be a pretty fine musician in his own right. If you love this albums as much as me and him do, or are just a fan of the Byrds or any of the legendary musicians that came from the band, or just enjoy good music writing, this is another fine edition for you from the 33 1/3 series.
October 19, 2019
Solid entry, but I'm a Gram Parsons Byrds fan so
November 12, 2019
Chris Hillman's longtime musical partner's last name is Pedersen, not Peterson as stated in the introduction.
June 27, 2022
Very well written by a guy who loved the album. Made it easy to read because of the personal stories. The epilogue is awesome.
June 22, 2023
A quick, interesting read.
July 1, 2025
What a story
What a band
I really want this on Wax now
What a band
I really want this on Wax now
March 11, 2009
This book took a bit to grow on me, but I ended up really enjoying it. This was less heavy on the analysis and more about the interplay of personalities that made up the Byrds. David Crosby is cast as the willful villain, consumed by his lusts whereas Roger McGuinn is portrayed as the quiet genius around which the group revolves. I've always liked the sound of Byrds but thought them a little lightweight as a band, given their propensity to cover Dylan so much, but I supposed it is impossible for me to understand the impact Dylan had on society at the times. Author Ric Menck was the drummer for Velvet Crush, the band responsible for the stellar power pop classic album Teenage Symphonies to God, so he knows the ways of band dynamics, and bears the most sympathy for the Byrds drummer Michael Clarke, who found his rudimentary skills were unable to keep pace with development of the band's sound, and who also dropped out of it when it wasn't fun anymore.
Menck manages a rare thing in fan-oriented music writing - he loves the band without idolizing the members. The Byrds bore the weight of being the American band holding their own against the Beatles, torn by competing factions with and managers that just wanted another hit record. No one comes out particularly dirty in the story, but no one is totally clean either. The gist of the book is this: bands are complicated situations populated with difficult personalities, but the real reason we love them is what happens when the friction therein creates that spark.
Menck manages a rare thing in fan-oriented music writing - he loves the band without idolizing the members. The Byrds bore the weight of being the American band holding their own against the Beatles, torn by competing factions with and managers that just wanted another hit record. No one comes out particularly dirty in the story, but no one is totally clean either. The gist of the book is this: bands are complicated situations populated with difficult personalities, but the real reason we love them is what happens when the friction therein creates that spark.
June 28, 2022
I really did enjoyed this book. Actually enjoyed it more than the record itself.
The book is properly structured in three parts.
The first one entitled the Historical Byrds, and covering almost two thirds of the pamphlet, is a revealing account of each band member biographic highlights. But mostly their musical traits and contributions to each album -before the one we are dealing with- are extensively explained. Also the inevitable disputes, and the Canyon inhabitants joyful excesses are mentioned. Which is compelling to this page turner reading.
The second part is the Notorious Byrds Brothers Album and includes four subparts: an introduction, side one, side two, plus extras and outtakes. The author reckons this album as one of his favourites, and the one that profoundly affected his life. Yours truly reckons that it is a good album but not that marvellous, considering David Crosby was on his way out and the lads were tired. But it contains my favourite Byrds song. Yes that Easy Rider movie fourth song, which -to my surprise- was composed by Carole King! Didn't know that detail and my already high appreciation for her skyrocketed 80 miles high.
Third part, very short, lists the unfinished recordings, followed by an anecdotal epilogue telling of some fans encounter with Gene Clark, and once again the author's appreciation for this album.
All in all, great reading.
The book is properly structured in three parts.
The first one entitled the Historical Byrds, and covering almost two thirds of the pamphlet, is a revealing account of each band member biographic highlights. But mostly their musical traits and contributions to each album -before the one we are dealing with- are extensively explained. Also the inevitable disputes, and the Canyon inhabitants joyful excesses are mentioned. Which is compelling to this page turner reading.
The second part is the Notorious Byrds Brothers Album and includes four subparts: an introduction, side one, side two, plus extras and outtakes. The author reckons this album as one of his favourites, and the one that profoundly affected his life. Yours truly reckons that it is a good album but not that marvellous, considering David Crosby was on his way out and the lads were tired. But it contains my favourite Byrds song. Yes that Easy Rider movie fourth song, which -to my surprise- was composed by Carole King! Didn't know that detail and my already high appreciation for her skyrocketed 80 miles high.
Third part, very short, lists the unfinished recordings, followed by an anecdotal epilogue telling of some fans encounter with Gene Clark, and once again the author's appreciation for this album.
All in all, great reading.
Read
August 1, 2019By the time the Byrds made their best album they were essentially down to 2 members, Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman. (Drummer Mike Clarke is pictured on the cover but session drummers played on most of the songs.) Menck is good on the Byrds' history and the way the album was recorded, focusing more on music than lyrics. (For instance, he doesn't mention the drastic differences between the lyric of the Byrds' "Goin' Back" and other versions. Another cavil: "Old John Robertson" is not about a "cowboy actor", it's about a silent-film director who lived near Hillman when he was a child.) I could have done without some (all, actually) of the autobiographical details Menck provides, but this is a decent contribution to this series, revealing the behind-the-scenes loathing that marked the making of the album where the Byrds sang "Dance to the day when fear is gone."
September 5, 2016
A quick read. Part of a series on people's takes on classic music albums.
The Byrds (along with the Beatles) were my entry into a lot of popular music, so I was interested in seeing what the author had to say. Enjoyed the background information on the group but didn't really agree with the author's conclusions about the album. All depends on your point of view.
I could see if this was your first exposure to the group, then the album would be an impressive piece of work. For me, after the first four recordings, this album was not coherent - everyone contributing an individual song or two - but not a group effort. And way overproduced. You can't hide faults with electronic tricks. Better songs earlier and later in their career. This is the product of a divorce and it feels like it. And BTW, the book needed a better editor - grammar mistakes throughout.
The Byrds (along with the Beatles) were my entry into a lot of popular music, so I was interested in seeing what the author had to say. Enjoyed the background information on the group but didn't really agree with the author's conclusions about the album. All depends on your point of view.
I could see if this was your first exposure to the group, then the album would be an impressive piece of work. For me, after the first four recordings, this album was not coherent - everyone contributing an individual song or two - but not a group effort. And way overproduced. You can't hide faults with electronic tricks. Better songs earlier and later in their career. This is the product of a divorce and it feels like it. And BTW, the book needed a better editor - grammar mistakes throughout.
April 26, 2024
Admittedly, I’m not a huge Byrds fan. I love their music and sound (especially the 12 string guitars), but I don’t know too much about individual albums. I was glad to read this book since it not only explores one of the Byrds more famous books, but it also provides a unique history of individual contributors to the album, as well as how the band formed and what happened after this album. Menck has done extensive research, constructing information about the recording sessions, song writing, and performance of many of these songs. He paints a great picture of the kind of folk scene that bred the Byrds in California in the mid 60s that eventually birthed this album. This book was a quick enjoyable read that also made me seek out this album to deepen my knowledge of the Byrds and their back pages.
September 17, 2011
Usually I don't want a long personal story when I'm reading a 33 1/3 book. This one's different. I feel a kinship with the author and share his belief that "NBB" is the Byrds best album. While you can get a lot of the factual info from other sources, Ric Menck peppers the book with personal stories, some involving the members of the Byrds, but most often not. Like the time that Ric's band played a tribute to the present Roger Mcguinn. They played a track off NBB and Mcguinn loved it; he then replied, "is that your song?"
September 13, 2007
A great book written by someone who is clearly passionate about pop music. Ric Menck (who is also an excellent songwriter, founder of the underrated powerpop band Velvet Crush, and current drummer for the Pernice Brothers) really "gets it", and the entire book is a joy to read. I've pulled out all my Byrds and Velvet Crush albums on the strength of this great book, and have been playing them non-stop. Definately one of the best 33 1/3 books so far. (Keep'em coming Continuum!)
October 29, 2007
Ric and I go way back to the Des Moines rock scene in the 80s. I've really hated most of the books in the "33 1/3" series, just as I hate most rock writing, but this one is good. This book is less about the album than about what makes creative collaboration work, and what makes it fail. It's timely for me as I'm going through the same damn thing right now. Ric also injects stories and about his own life several of which I remember from back in the day.
January 13, 2014
A concise, colorful history of the band, followed by a track-by-track appreciation of the album. Author makes a passionate, though not always compelling, case for why The Notorious Byrd Brothers was the band's best work and seminal in rock history. The writing isn't particularly inspired (and there are lots of annoying typos and other small errors) but it's a worthwhile appreciation of what is, indeed, an excellent album.
October 2, 2007
Rather amateurish, filled with silly typos, & a stunning lack of original research (or even excuses for a lack of original research) given the profoundly living status of some of the main players. Some interesting historical stuff, though I'm sure there are way better Byrds bios, and Menck's selling of the album is more hyperbolic than critical.
August 20, 2011
This may be the first 33 1/3 book I've read without having heard the whole album thru. This book did a great job in getting me to grab the album listen to it and pretty much love it. Good stuff. More a brief history of the Byrds with a quick song by song analysis of the album but a great read. Go Byrds!
September 4, 2009
Reading the intro gathered my interest right away, which is precisely what a book should do, in relation to fiction at least. But, as I read along here, I actually got into the development of everything, and I owe that largely to Menck.
November 20, 2007
Ric Menck is one of the greatest drummers ever. Book is perfect when his personality comes through. Making of the album bored me - I've never been Byrds-obsessed. I'd rather read Ric's story.
October 16, 2011
I love the 33 1/3 series and this is a good one.
January 10, 2011
I found myself obsessed with the Byrds this past year. And this book helped. Though, it's it's no masterpiece; you don't have to be a proofreader to notice the mistakes. For super fans only.
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