Based on more than one hundred first-person interviews, this thoughtful portrait of the Byrds creative genius Gene Clark reveals how he pioneered new sounds within rock music while serving as one of the main musical visionaries in the seminal 1960s group. Original.

"The most compelling and complete account of The Byrds ever published, this book draws on hundreds of lost and previously undiscovered sources to create a gripping chronicle of the band's life and times." "So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star collates eye-witness accounts, press reports and concert Reviews, set lists, tour dates and gig locations, record releases and reviews, recording studio data and contemporary interviews, and is illustrated with a rare collection of period photographs and print memorabilia. All this is woven into an absorbing day-by-day narrative that tells the story of The Byrds in a way that will surprise and delight even their most dedicated fans."--BOOK JACKET.

Married to Roger McGuinn during the height of his fame as front of The Byrdes, Ianthe McGuinns biography tells the inside story of the exploding rock music scene in 1960s Los Angeles.

The Byrds were just a little bit ahead of their time. By releasing six genre-defining albums in three years, their transformative powers took electric guitars to traditional folk music, brought jazz into psychedelic pop and helped introduce what we now know as Americana, being the first major rock band to embrace the sound of Nashville. They were heralded as the pioneers of folk rock, acid rock and country rock, not to mention space rock, abstract electronics and all the inter-genre crossover material that defines most of their albums. They influenced so many of the musical movements that followed as they constantly progressed, hungry to push the boundaries of popular music. This book examines each one of the band’s 12 studio albums, highlighting the many high points, especially from their mercurial 1965 – 1968 era, and the less successful later years when the law of diminishing returns took over. Also discussed within the ‘Connected Flights’ part of each chapter, are the band’s contemporaneous non-album singles and B-sides. Previously unreleased tracks that were later released as part of their extensive reissue campaigns will also be covered, making this book one of the most extensive guides to The Byrds’ music yet produced. Andy McArthur is a retired teacher, who, in a previous life, worked in finance. He now works part-time in the education charity sector. Having always loved writing, he previously contributed to a national newspaper’s football fanzine section. This is his first book. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife, Karen, and daughters, Amy and Zoe. When not walking Mojo the dog up the Braid Hills, Andy loves listening to music, watching Ayr Utd and drinking zesty ales in pubs (where he bores people by telling them how The Byrds changed popular music three times in the space of three years).

"Chris Hillman is arguably the primary architect of what's come to be known as country rock. After playing the Southern California folk and bluegrass circuit, he joined David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark and Michael Clark as an original member of The Byrds. He went on to partner with Gram Parsons to launch The Flying Burrito Brothers, recording a handful of albums that have become touchstones of rock-influenced country. Hillman then embarked on a prolific recording career in various configurations: as a member of Stephen Stills' Manassas; as a member of Souther-Hillman-Furay with J.D. Souther and Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield; as a solo artist; and in a trio with his fellow former Byrds Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark. In the 1980s, Hillman launched a successful mainstream country career when he formed The Desert Rose Band with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson, scoring eight Top 10 country hits. In the midst of his country success he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has since released a number of solo albums with the most recent, Bidin' My Time, produced by Tom Petty. In Time Between, Hillman takes readers behind the curtain of his quintessentially Southern Californian musical journey."--Provided by publisher.

Requiem For The Timeless, Volume 2 explores more literally the remit of its title by focusing attention on the deceased. The Work also complements the previous volume, which was specifically a group biography. Each one of the chapters is a mini-book in itself, delving into the lives and tragedies of the band members. This book and its sister title ......