Perfect Sound Forever

Johnny Rogan's Byrds Requiem For The Timeless Vol 2


Uh... You Left Out A John, Johnny
An Intense Review
Part 4 by David Chirko
(October 2018)



Clarence White (June 7, 1944 - July 15, 1973)

Clarence White (pp. 833-954) was a stoical figure who appeared taciturn and shy; almost quiescent whilst performing on stage, but was known to be a master of mirth when offstage because he was incessantly involved in some antic with his associates. White was also known to be a magnanimous gentleman. In fact, Rogan (2017) avers that he was "...the least ego-driven of all the Byrds..." (p. 834). Like David Crosby, he also sported a cape, but wisteria in color and, like Gram Parsons, a Nudie suit, but plain beige. His father Eric White (LeBlanc) was French Canadian and a fiddler. Hailing from Lewiston, Maine, Clarence White's family, which included two brothers and two sisters, was musical. White started on a ukulele when he was five years old. He rapidly learned techniques and songs. He was immersed in country and bluegrass. In 1961, he and his brother, Roland, who played mandolin (as did Clarence, sometimes), and their band the Country Boys, twice appeared on The Andy Griffith Show. They later morphed into the Kentucky Colonels. The Martin D-28 acoustic guitar was flatpicker Clarence White's weapon of choice.

A genius is discovered

Multiple time Grammy winner Doc Watson, whom White espied at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles, was his inspiration. UCLA Anglo-American folk music student Al Rosenberg, a protιgι of Watson's, stated about White, "As an acoustic guitar player... He was the best, the most far-out clear genius" (Rogan, 2017, p. 845). He also said that Watson was intimidated by White's handling of the guitar. White and Watson put the acoustic guitar out front as a solo instrument, in country music. Chris Hillman, who also saw him at the Ash Grove, thought his "...timing was unbelievable..." (p. 847). White was also noted for his very wide dynamic range. Jazz guitarist Django Reinhart was another influence on White, as he interpolated, masterfully, his licks into his songs. Jerry Garcia ascertained how, unlike what one usually finds with guitar in front of bluegrass instruments in music, White played behind the beat--annexing another kind of opening. He remarked, "He brought a kind of swing--a rhythmic openness--to bluegrass, and a unique syncopation...nobody has ever gotten the open quality of his rhythm" (p. 850).

After his bluegrass period, White abandoned his Martin acoustic and embraced an electric Fender Telecaster. He arrived, via Hillman, in the Byrds in 1966 as a session player for the recording of Younger Than Yesterday. He would help out Gene Clark on his 1967 solo album with the Gosdin Brothers, and in July of 1968, he became an actual Byrd.

Rogan (2017) recounts what transpired one night at the Whisky A Go-Go, in Los Angeles, when a very humble looking Jimi Hendrix approached White and said "I just want to tell you how much I love your guitar playing" (p. 885). Even Roger McGuinn confessed being intimidated by White's guitar playing wizardry. Ah... what it must have been like attending a Byrds concert in those days, with rock's two preeminent guitarists, White and McGuinn--the Fender on fire and the Rickenbacker ringing...

Gene Parsons, who played with Clarence White in the Reasons (Nashville West) before they arrived in the Byrds, invented the String Bender for him. This is an accessory that allows a guitarist to mechanically bend the B-string up by as much as a minor third that is, three frets. It employs levers or pulleys inside or outside the body of the guitar, activated by a push or pull of the guitar body, neck or bridge. First utilized on the Telecaster, it makes a guitar sound like a steel guitar. Bernie Leadon, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and Pete Townshend all use String Benders.

Some other strings Clarence White pulled:

Muleskinner – Muleskinner, recorded, 1973 and released, 1974. As a member.

White Brothers (New Kentucky Colonels) – The White Brothers, The New Kentucky Colonels, Live In Sweden (1973), released, 1976; The New Kentucky Colonels Live In Holland 1973, released, 2013. As a member.

Gene Parsons --Kindling, 1973. As a guest.

Skip Battin – Topanga Skyline, recorded, 1973 and released, 2004. As a guest (his last recording).

Throughout his career, White had been a session player, guesting on albums by Joe Cocker, Rita Coolidge, Johnny Darrell, Delaney & Bonnie And Friends, Flying Burrito Brothers, Arlo Guthrie, Terry Melcher, Maria Muldaur, Phil Ochs, Linda Ronstadt, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson & Family, etc.

Other Byrdies in White's nest

White had a tryst with Rita Coolidge and when wife Julia Susan "Susie" Hackney discovered this, she fulminated. Susie, who bore Clarence a daughter and son, wished her husband off the road and attending church regularly. There was, as well, the growing peril of substance abuse, although White had never fallen prey to any exorbitance like the rest of the Byrds. Sure, he did cocaine with Gram Parsons and savored bourbon but, being disciplined, never allowed such pleasures to obstruct his musical labors.

Then there was agent receptionist cum secretary cum photography studio manager from England June Clark, whom White romanced. He and Susie had separated. Then White passed on. It sounds as if such behavior was de rigueur in the life of any rock star. In fact, although Rogan doesn't mention it, after the Byrds disbanded, as the Sergey Rangelovich Blog (2012) recounts, drummer John Guerin and Joni Mitchell begat a romance that burgeoned in the summer of 1973 and although it lasted for years, they were cheating, and breaking up, and getting back together...

A black end to a White knight

Rogan's account of the following tragedy differs slightly from data elsewhere from forums and sites about White on the internet. No matter, here it is: In 1973, while loading gear into their van after a jamming session with his brother and others, in Palmdale, California, Clarence and Roland were struck down by a deeply inebriated driver, 28 year old Yoko Ito, who was requested to leave or was kicked out of another establishment. Her car had thrown/dragged their bodies 20-30, or 50, or 75 feet. Being allegedly pregnant, she received a one year, or 18 month, suspended sentence and lost her driver's license for ? whatever length of time. Clarence White was brain dead and his life processes were soon terminated.

A vexed Chris Hillman recounted (Henning, 2008) how Gram Parsons showed up intoxicated at White's funeral in Palmdale. As the body was put at rest, Parsons and former Burrito, now an Eagle, Bernie Leadon sang together "Farther Along" (which both the Byrds and Burritos had earlier recorded), with the crowd joining in. Many other luminaries were present: Rita Coolidge, Jim Dickson, Roger McGuinn, Gene Parsons, etc. Perhaps intriguing, Rogan (2017) describes Clarence's sister Rosemarie espying "Roger and Linda McGuinn snapping countless photos of the crowd" (p. 920).

After death, more death

No Byrd died by his own hand (although it seems, as Rogan believed, that Gram Parsons possessed a death wish). Edwin S. Shneidman, Ph.D., research psychologist, thanatologist and a father of modern suicidology, with clinical psychologist Norman L. Farberow, Ph.D., edited, Clues to Suicide (1957),wherein psychiatrist Don D. Jackson, M.D., states, "There is...the belief that through death one is joined with the love object--as portrayed in Romeo and Juliet" (p. 17). Self-directed aggression may be evident after a loss (as may have been the case of Gene Clark's lover [above] and White's wife [below]). Jackson alludes to psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Karl Menninger's hypothesis regarding the elements of suicide, which are driven by a wish whose aim is: to kill, to be killed, or to die (p. 16).

Susie White was overwhelmingly dejected over the death of her husband Clarence, and later turned to drink for solace. Rogan believes that she was mentally replaying his vehicular accident. Within a couple of years, as daughter Michelle describes, Susie was in a serious car accident, followed by a repeat of same another couple of years later, which, conjecture indicated, may have both been suicide attempts. In the latter crash, ironically, like with Clarence, there was brain damage as Susie lost some long term memory. In 1981, there was a third crash which was, unmistakably, an accident, that involved Michelle, her brother, and cousin (Roland's son). Her mother--the driver, and brother perished.


Clyde "Skip" Raybould Battin (February 18, 1934 – July 6, 2003)

Skip Battin (pp. 955-1030), born in Gallipolis, Ohio, was the eldest Byrd brother to ever be in the nest. Always amicable, modest, charismatic and genuine, Battin was a practical, industrious team player and an astute businessman. Battin learned to play piano at age six and then later on learned fiddle and guitar. Listening to radio, he fostered a penchant for country music. His father was a football coach and Skip was an aspiring football and baseball player. He enrolled in physical education at college and soon found his musical niche in bands as a lead vocalist. Skip completed a degree in theatre. He married twice and sired three sons and a daughter.

Battin cut his teeth with Gary Paxton in the vocal duo Skip and Flip. They scored a few hits with "It Was I," "Cherry Pie" and "Fancy Nancy" in the late 50's. Skip Battin & The Group had supported the Byrds when they first appeared on the Hollywood Strip. Another ensemble was the Evergreen Blueshoes, who cut an album in 1969. In September, 1969, Clarence White (whom he had worked with previously) and Gene Parsons, brought Battin--who already had all of the Byrds songs committed to his head--into the Byrds for their comeback, before (Untitled).

Battin had a warm, gentle singing voice, which could opt for a crustiness, when need be. If anyone doubts his and the latter-day Byrds' vocal abilities, listen to "Amazing Grace," found unindexed, on the Sony Legacy (Untitled / Unissued) Expanded Edition double CD. It is a four part harmony that will at least equal anything any Byrds ensemble has ever recorded.

Battin, the bassist, songwriter and actor

Battin's chum, Chris Darrow, bassist for Kaleidoscope, who played with all three Byrds' bassists elsewhere at different times, told Rogan (2017), "Of the three, Chris Hillman was the most melodic, John York was the most classic player and Skip Battin the most rhythmic" (p. 989). He also remarked that Skip retained the same bass guitar, without changing strings for all his life. Battin relished jazz, utilizing triplet rhythms and syncopations and as Rogan added, harmonically was known as a "lead bass" player.

Rogan extolled Battin for his sensational bass playing but, like other critics, was concerned with the dearth of Byrds-like phraseology in his songwriting. This was particularly evident when Battin worked with Kim Fowley, whom, it seemed, was impervious to accepting responsibility for any faux pas therein. However, John York, when I enquired what Fowley was like to work with, explained in his response to me (personal communication, August 10, 2004), "I enjoy working with him... True, he can be abrasive, but he is honest and an authentic human being. He is very creative and I consider it an honor to work with him." Rogan confesses that there were delectable moments in the songwriting dyad's output , i.e. "Absolute Happiness," "Tunnel of Love" and, for Skip as a solo writer, "Well Come Back Home." Nevertheless, when asked by CBS for his involvement in a third volume of a Byrds singles album for the UK market, he refused. Rogan (1998) had declared that, "I told them they were scraping the barrel, not least because there were not enough singles to make up a full 16-track compilation" (p. 548). 20 Although, with only CBS A & B side material, such an album would have had to include the Battin/Fowley composed, catchy novelty tune "America's Great National Pastime"--encompassing a tongue-in-cheek approach, found in traditional and homegrown songs from the early Byrds. Then there is the British chart hit "Chestnut Mare," and motion picture theme gems, "Child of the Universe" (Candy), "Ballad Of Easy Rider," and "Wasn't Born to Follow" (Easy Rider), plus another Battin/Fowley penned number, "Citizen Kane" (Ciao Manhattan! , where it was presented as a Skip solo). It's interesting that Battin was, as well, an aspiring thespian (the only Byrd, except for David Crosby and Gram Parsons, who actively pursued any active film acting), appearing in the movies Combat! (1967), Coogan's Bluff (1968), The Doomsday Machine (1972), and a 1969 episode of the TV series, The Mothers-In-Law (1967-1969).

Skip to some of the other later flights

Skip Battin--Skip, 1973. As a soloist, where John Guerin, Roger McGuinn and Clarence White participated. "Captain Video," his homage to McGuinn, was a highlight. He was the only Byrd to record by himself while still in the group. Other releases followed, till Don't Go Crazy, 1984.

Kim Fowley – International Heroes, 1973; Animal God Of The Streets, 1975; and Visions of the Future, 1978. As a guest.

New Riders Of The Purple Sage -- (Excluding compilations), Brujo, 1974 to New Riders, 1976. As a member. Something of a Jerry Garcia project at first which included former Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden.

Earl Scruggs Revue--Anniversary Special Volume One, 1975. As a guest.

Flying Burrito Brothers--(Latter-day version, sometimes with Gene Parsons.) (Excluding compilations), Airborne, 1976 to Live from Europe, 1986. As a member.

Sneaky Pete Kleinow--Sneaky Pete, 1979. As a guest.

Sneaky Pete, Skip Battin, Ricky Mantoan – Live In Italy, recorded, 1985 and released, 1986. As a member.

Family Tree – Family Tree, recorded, 1988 and released, 1998. As a member, with another former Byrds bassist, John York.

Bogus Byrds--1988-1993. As a member, involving Michael Clarke, John York or Carlos Bernal, et al.

Byrds Celebration--1994-1996. As a member, starting out with Gene Parsons, who soon left, and other players, with Battin as the only former Byrd left.

Rogers/Nienhaus Band With Skip Battin – Empty Room, 1995. As a member/guest.

Connie Cohen--Heading Out, 1999. As a guest.

Brian Cutean--Parakeetfishhead, 1999. As a guest.

Late in his life, Battin envisioned the production of a box set, covering his life's work, which never came to fruition. After Gene Parsons was fired, McGuinn let Battin go in February of 1973, saying his songs weren't apropos for the Byrds. Chris Hillman was brought in for a couple of concerts before the dissolution of the group soon after. Battin, apart from the other acts adumbrated above, produced or co-produced the works of a plethora of minor artists.

Partial reflight turns ugly

Earlier, Skip had dropped acid and later on in his career, he was disposed to mood swings, combined with smoking dope and after coming off the road, was known to have a meltdown over picayune issues. No, Battin's personality was not always placid. Roger McGuinn hooked up with a group called the Peace Seekers (as they couldn't employ the Burrito Brothers moniker), which, as Rogan (2011, p. 721) states, featured Battin, Gene Parsons, Greg Harris, and Jim Goodall (or Sneaky Pete Kleinow, as Rogan [2017, p. 1002] says). Rogan (2011) describes an incident he attended following the group's final show (July 25th, 1984), at Dingwalls in London. Only McGuinn, before flying away, received any remuneration therein, making Battin livid. Battin accosted Parsons, brandishing a broken bottle, and was held back by the latter, who says, "He said, ‘I'm going to kill somebody, I'd rather it be Roger, but I'll kill you if you try and stop me'... I thought Roger really took advantage of us..." (p. 722).

Battin's loves

Battin's first wife was Patty, with whom he had a brief marriage. Jackie Stead was Battin's second wife and Battin, an item with the ladies, was not faithful to. Kevin Kelley, Rogan says, lived next door to him in Laurel Canyon, when Skip was a Byrd. When Kelley moved out, future Byrds road manager Al Hersh moved in there and today is still with Jackie. Peggy Taylor was a woman Battin met later on and took care of him.

Battin's batting to the end

Battin later suffered from Alzheimer's Disease. According to psychiatrist Leonard L. Heston, M.D., and associate scientist June A. White, in Dementia a practical guide to Alzheimer's Disease and related illnesses (1983), "...age of onset is operationally defined as the age at which deficits in recent memory first become irreversibly established" (p. 15). They add that, with DAT, Dementia of the Alzheimer Type, the earlier it commences, the more deadly the illness and, ergo, the briefer its course. Battin's case got quite serious during 1998, five years before he passed away.

Skip had his memorial at Silver Falls State Park, "crown jewel" of Oregon's parks. Gene Parsons (the only ex-Byrd to visit him when he was institutionalized) had forwarded the eulogy. Locals, Connie Cohen and Brian Cutean. sang "Yesterday's Train," from the album (Untitled). The song depicts reincarnation.


Conclusion

At the beginning of this project, I indicated that I would purvey, where apropos and plausible , a psychological glimpse into the personalities and lives of Byrds who have eternally departed the nest. Rogan (2017), reminds us that David Crosby was a Byrd who underwent psychological evaluation (Rorschach). 21 He says, quizically, "Who knows what might have emerged from a clinical evaluation of the various Byrds. What would a medic or psychologist conclude..." (p. 371). Each, he says, would be labeled for easy access of psychopathological data, but such details would still fall short of completion. Further, we can always only surmise on the complexity of the Byrds, regarding the impact of substance abuse issues over their lives.

The Byrds, in their various incarnations, launched with the krriisshh jet sound sonic timbre 22 and ended their flight with a more rustic acoustic timbre. Whether through electric Rickenbacker guitars, Moog synthesizers, or even accompanying girl choruses, "The Byrds combined...a wholly original amalgam...branded folk-rock... Yet...continually broke ground...creating revelatory syntheses of sound...given such hyphenated names as space-rock... psychedelic-rock...and country-rock... At a time when rock...was exploding in all fronts, the Byrds led the way..." (Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, Byrds Biography, 1991). They also explored the blending of jazz, raga, blues, baroque, bluegrass and gospel-- with rock. Their angelic singing and virtuosic playing melded unforgettable melodies with poignant lyricism, often echoing the sublime philosophical 23 issues of the day--and generation. The historicity of each aesthetic concept album or modern "electronic magazine," 24 wherein they mastered new arrangements of traditional material; and the inimitable influence on their emulating minions and incessant spin-off groups, made the Byrds reach a stratosphere where only they could ever reside.

"The great Byrdologist Johnny Rogan..." (Larkin, 1998, p. 75), is one bodacious Brit, whose psyche contains more information pertaining to the Byrds than anyone else on the planet. His colorful narrative describes every moment of their flight--the sacrosanct and the profane, the exuberant and the macabre--through a punctilious and dogged search for veracity, clarifying numerous enigmatic issues along the way. There will be more revelations in his expanding Byrds bible in the offing. And he will, as before, pen additional volumes on other quality artists. 25

The words "Requiem" and "Timeless," in the moniker of Rogan's tome, evoke the spiritual. New Jerusalem in the biblical Apocalypse has 12 walls, each comprised of a different foundation-stone 26 as there are, in this heavenly, twelve string led musical saga--incontrovertibly 27--twelve Byrds, who flew over the City of Angels: Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Michael Clarke, Chris Hillman, Kevin Kelley, Gram Parsons, Clarence White, Gene Parsons, John York, Skip Battin and John Guerin. As of this writing, five lights--McGuinn, Crosby, Hillman, Gene Parsons and York--remain on. Finally, Johnny Rogan's words uncompromisingly encapsulate the lives and tragedies 28 of the other six--although it should have been seven--departed songbirds for all to listen to. Therefore I unequivocally recommend purchasing his newest testament: Byrds: Requiem For The Timeless Volume 2.


Notes

8. "The Byrds: Personal Background Details (As visualized in the ‘60s) (pp. 48-49), of the booklet accompanying 1990's The Byrds Box Set, listed New York City as Michael Clarke's place of birth.

9. There was little room for Clarke being political by cavilling over whether or not any of his compositions would be included on an album, as was the case with David Crosby. This was because Clarke's writing contributions to the Byrds' canon was sparse. With Roger McGuinn, Crosby and Chris Hillman, he co-wrote "Captain Soul" and helped arrange "Wild Mountain Time," on the album Fifth Dimension, and with McGuinn and Hillman co-wrote "Artificial Energy," on The Notorious Byrd Brothers.

10. A volatile scenario in the studio during the 1967 recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers was documented as an unindexed coda to the 2001 expanded Sony Legacy CD version of the album. Therein David Crosby delicately and constructively criticized Clarke for his drumming phraseology on the opus "Dolphin's Smile." However, impatience prevailed and things later got acerbic. Clarke--depending on what source one consults--finished the song (Menck, 2007, pp. 120-124), however, session drummers Hal Blaine or Jim Gordon, superseded Clarke on half the recorded songs on the album released at that time. Rogan's coverage of the studio log has a discrepancy with Menck's. With the latter, the final recording dates are different on some cuts; there is no certainty as to who replaced Clarke on drums on some cuts--Blaine or Gordon; and on a couple of final version cuts, like "Dolphin's Smile," Clarke is listed as drummer, whereas Rogan, in his Byrds Sessionography from Requiem 1, has Jim Gordon listed. Rogan's data sounds more faithful.

Gordon earlier worked with Gene Clark on his recording with the Gosdin Brothers, as well as Chris Hillman in The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. A paranoid schizophrenic, he later on committed matricide and is currently incarcerated for that crime.

11. Clarke was not "fired" as Richie Unterberger reported.

12. Richie Unterberger, or the editor at AllMusic, indicates that Clarke also performed on a 2006 David Crosby release, Voyage (Box Set) . For that matter, Rogan, in his discography, also doesn't mention Roger McGuinn appearing on CSN's 1990 CD, Live It Up.

13. Wikipedia says Los Angeles County.

14. North Hollywood is about seven miles from Sherman Oaks.

15. "Hickory Wind" was covered by the Byron Berline Band, Coal Porters, Flying Burrito Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Thompson/Gregson and Collister, and even Parsons himself, plus 28 other recording artists. Only "Eight Miles High" (70) and "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" (54) are more covered Byrds' penned songs--according to the data I was able to glean for my 2014 "Byrds Covers" page at Byrds Flyght.

16. At that time, Christine Hinton operated the Byrds' International Fan Club and, after she died, Roger McGuinn's mother, Dorothy, became "co-president"--bereft of an amanuensis (in fact, I'll always remember her responding to my letters in the margins with green ballpoint pen ink). I contemplated opening a chapter of the Club here in Canada (where there were probably quite a few members, because, after the release of (Untitled), membership grew from 1,000 to 6,000 worldwide). When I was apprised by the Byrds Preservation Society in Bristol, England--who were, themselves, unpaid--that Roger McGuinn didn't subscribe to hiring personnel to run such an enterprise, I decided against the notion.

17. As long time Byrds roadie Jimmi Seiter sometimes referred to McGuinn in his 2012-2015 unpaginated book series, The Byrds--My Way.

18. Kaufman was later the manager for Emmylou Harris and was once an associate of Charles Manson's.

19. Gram Parsons, himself, pursued acting. Rogan describes a film about the cosmic (think Cosmic American music?), entitled Saturation 70, that Gram, along with Michelle Phillips, et al, were working on October, 1969 to June 1970. Unfortunately, a dearth of funding kiboshed the project. The film, save for a few snippets, was lost and perhaps obliterated.

20. Rogan also reported, via Anna Green , to me (personal communication, January 12, 2012), "...that was just a crazy idea CBS had until I shot it down. There weren't enough songs to make up the album and, even if there were, it would have been too weak to release." Partially veracious; since the time of the last released single, which was included on the Byrds' LP The Original Singles: 1967-1969, Volume II, the group put out another seven CBS singles--featuring 14 different songs (two cuts short, but enough to fill up an LP or CD). However, if they included the five different sides from the four singles (1973-1975) on Asylum (I know, that's another label), there would be 19 songs available.

21. Crosby was the one who experienced mood swings more than any other Byrd, including Gene Clark (earlier discussed). However, that would not, as Rogan correctly argues, justify the tag of bipolar disorder.

22. See the reprinted original liner notes by Billy James, for the 1996 Sony expanded CD version of Mr. Tambourine Man.

23. Jim (Roger) McGuinn, in an open-ended 1966 interview, which included David Crosby and was annexed to the expanded 1996 CD reissue of Fifth Dimension, described the title song "5D" as a philosophical place (depicting space and its relation to time), and exemplified a new genre: "philoso-rock." He alluded to comedian and recording artist Lord Buckley, who declared that rockers were the new clergy.

24. "Electronic magazines" was a term Roger McGuinn employed (Ross, 1971, P. 8).

25. The British pop management, CSNY, Ray Davies, Kinks, Morrissey & Marr, Van Morrison, Roxy Music, Smiths, Wham!, and Neil Young are some of the other musical entities Rogan has written on. I believe that Rogan's next biographies should be on the Left Banke (regrouped in 2015, with new members) and the Strawberry Alarm Clock (together again with yet another new album planned!). They are, I contend, the two most underestimated groups in the annals of rock, and should also be inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame someday.

26. The names of the 12 foundation-stones of the city wall of New Jerusalem in Revelation, Chapter 21, Verses 19-20, are: jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. The New English Bible has a slightly different reading than the aforementioned English Standard Version for some of the foundation-stones: 2nd stone, lapis lazuli; 3rd, chalcedony; 5th, sardonyx; 6th, cornelian; 11th, turquoise.

27. I have had some disagreements with Rogan in the past. One was earlier concerning the documenting of celebrated groupie and writer Pamela Des Barres and her liaison with the Byrds and Burrritos; absent from the first Requiem. She had crushes on Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. Rogan didn't believe she was a part of the Byrds saga and thought she would have been too young to be admitted into, for instance, Ciro's nightclub. Ric Menck (2007) tells us, "...Pamela Des Barres

remembers being led into the Byrds backstage dressing room as a teenager and immediately being handed a joint" (p. 118). Christopher Hjort (2008) also discusses her, wherein she alludes to her 2005 book, I‘m with the Band, which includes her reminiscences about the Famous Five. In the 2008 DVD Gram Parsons Fallen Angel, directed by Gandulf Hennig, she is interviewed and it was interesting and informative. Jessica Hundley's interview of her went on for about six pages in her 2005 book, which she co-wrote with Polly Parsons.

28. One might argue that John Guerin, who died of "...a heart attack following complications...from...influenza" (AllMusic), did not experience a "tragic death" and thus should not be on the Requiem 2 cover. Maybe more research is requisite. After all, the May 2nd, 2002, Los Angeles Times obituary merely says, "Kevin Kelley, 59, drummer...with...the Byrds...died April 6 in North Hollywood of natural causes." Ergo, the death of any Byrd is "Tragic."


References

AllMusic. John Guerin bio. (n.d.) https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-guerin-mn0000810148/biography

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Fifth Edition Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.

Amazon editorial reviewer. (2013, Jan. 1). [Review of the DVD The Byrd who Flew Alone: The Triumphs and Tragedy of Gene Clark] . https://www.amazon.com/ByrdWhoFlewAlone/dp/B0134B2SJW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528989432&sr=8-1&keywords=the+byrd+who+flew+alone+dvd

Baker, Glenn A., Shillito, Peter, & Mueller, Kevin. Liner notes. Byrd Parts 2. Music by members of the Byrds, alone and together. Raven Records, 2003. CD.

Buckley, Jonathan, & Ellingham, Mark. (Eds.). (1996). Rock the Rough Guide. London, UK: Rough Guides Ltd.

Byrds. Fifth Dimension. Sony Music Entertainment Inc., 1996. CD.

Carradine. David. (1995). Endless Highway. North Clarendon, VT: Journey Editions.

Chirko, David. (2006, Nov. 4). "As the cognomen says regarding this epochal songwriter." [Review of the CD Set You Free: Gene Clark in the Byrds 1964-1973]. https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RH2VK1L825QZR/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0006BGXKY

___________. (2012, May 21). "Byrds bard chirps another masterpiece." [Review of the book Byrds Requiem For The Timeless Vol. 1]. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/customer-reviews/R27374JTXKH5MF/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0952954087

___________. (2014, March 8). "Byrds Covers." Byrds Flyght. Verolleman, Raoul. http://users.skynet.be/fb524135/covers.htm

___________. "Re: Follow up." Message to Johnny Rogan. January 10, 2012. E-mail.

___________. "Re: John & Gene." Message to John Einarson. March 5, 2007. E-mail.

___________."Re: John & Gene." Message to John Einarson. March 13, 2007. E-mail.

___________. "Re Jumping in." Message to John York. August 9, 2004. E-mail.

___________. "Re: Requiem." Message to Johnny Rogan. December 16, 2011. E-mail.

Clifford, Mike. (1988). The Harmony Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Rock. New York, NY: Harmony Books.

Connors, Tim. (1997). "Byrds v. Byrds 1984-1997: The Battle for the Byrds Name." Byrd Watcher A Field Guide to the Byrds of Los Angeles. http://ebni.com/byrds/spname1.html

Des Barres, Pamela, & Navarro, Dave. (1987, 2005). I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press.

Dominian, Jack. (1969). Marital Breakdown. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books Ltd.

Einarson , John. (2008). Hot Burritos: The True Story of The Flying Burrito Brothers. London, UK: Jawbone Press.

____________. (2005). Mr. Tambourine ManThe Life and Legacy of the Byrds' Gene Clark. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible. (2011). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway.

Evans, Simon. (2001). The Byrds Lyrics Page. http://die-augenweide.de/byrds/speak/aboutkelley.htm

Fricke, David. Liner Notes. The Byrds. CBS Records, 1990, CD.

Henke, James, & Puterbaugh, Parke. (Eds.). (1997). I Want to Take You Higher The Psychedelic Era 1965-1969. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Hennig, Gandulf. (Dir.). Gram Parsons Fallen Angel. Rhino, 2008. DVD.

Heston, Leonard L., & White, June A. (1983). Dementia a practical guide to Alzheimer's Disease and related illnesses. New York, NY: W,H, Freeman and Company.

Hjort, Christopher. (2008). So You Want To Be A Rock'N'Roll Star The Byrds Day-By-Day 1965-1973. London, UK: A Jawbone Book.

Hundley, Jessica, & Parsons, Polly. (2005). Grievous Angel an intimate biography of Gram Parsons. New York, NY: Thunder's Mouth Press.

James, Billy. Original liner notes. Mr. Tambourine Man. Sony Music Entertainment Inc., 1996. CD.

Jamison, Kay Redfield. (1993). Touched With Fire Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament. New York, NY: The Free Press.

Kendall, Jack, & Kendall, Paul. (Eds.). (2013). The Byrd who Flew Alone: The Triumphs and Tragedy of Gene Clark [DVD]. Rickmansworth, UK: Four Suns Productions.

Kessel, Neil, & Walton, Henry. (1965, 1989). Alcoholism (Second Edition). London, UK: Penguin Books.

Kirkeby, Marc. Liner notes. Rising Sons featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. Music by the Rising Sons. Sony Music Entertainment Inc., 1992. CD.

Larkin, Colin. (EIC). (1998). Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums. London, UK: Virgin Books.

Los Angeles Times. (2002, May 2). http://articles.latimes.com/2002/may/02/local/me-passings2.5

McMullan, Jim, & Gautier, Dick. (1994). Musicians As Artists. Boston, MA: Journey Editions.

Menck, Ric. (2007). The Notorious Byrd Brothers 33 1/3. New York, NY: Continuum.

Nork, John. (1991, March/April). "The Byrds Box Flying Again." Pearson, H. (Ed.). the absolute sound Vol. 16, Issue 70. Sea Cliff, NY: Pearson Publishing Empire.

Oermann, Robert K. (1996). America's Music The Roots Of Country. Atlanta, GA: Turner Publishing, Inc.

Pareles, Jon, & Romanowski, Patricia. (Eds.). (1983). The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. New York, NY: Rolling Stone Press/Summit Books.

PDM Task Force. (2006). Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual. Silver Spring, MD: Alliance of Psychoanalytic Organizations

Rangelovich, Sergey. Blog. (2012, April 13). "Joni Mitchell And John Guerin Romance." John Guerin Discography. https://johnguerindiscography.blogspot.com/2012/04/joni-mitchell-and-john-guerin-romance.html

Rateyourmusic.com. "A list by beestie." (n. d.). Byrds one by one. https://rateyourmusic.com/list/beestie/byrds_one_by_one__john_guerin_in_the_byrds__muleskinner___l_a_express_and_with_joni_mitchell__1972_1977_/

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. "Byrds Biography." (1991). https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/byrds

Rogan, Johnny. (2011). Byrds Requiem for the Timeless Volume 1. Ipswich, UK: Rogan House.

____________. (2017). Byrds Requiem for the Timeless Volume 2 The Lives and Tragic Deaths of Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Kevin Kelley, Gram Parsons, Clarence White and Skip Battin. Ipswich, UK: Rogan House.

____________. (1998). The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited (2nd ed.). Ipswich, UK: Rogan House.

Romanowski, Patricia, & George-Warren, Holly. (Eds.). (1995). The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. New York, NY: Rolling Stone Press/Fireside.

Ross, Michael. (1971). The Byrds Complete. London, UK: Blackwood Music, 1971.

Seiter, James "Jimmi." (2012-2015). The Byrds - My Way - Volume 1 thru 10. Pennsauken, NJ: BookBaby.

Sheleg, Sergey, & Ehrlich, Edwin. (2006). Autoerotic Asphyxiation: Forensic, Medical, and Social Aspects. Tucson, AZ: Wheatmark.

Shneidman, Edwin S., & Farberow, Norman L. (Eds.). (1957). Clues to Suicide. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.

Sullivan, Robert. (Ed). (1994). LIFE The Roots Of Country Music. New York, NY: Time Inc.

The Byrds Lyrics Page. Full Circle Magazine, 1994. http://die-augenweide.de/byrds/speak/aboutclarke.htm

The New English Bible (NEB) The Holy Bible. (1970). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Unterberger, Richie. AllMusic entry on Michael Clarke. (n.d.) https://www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-clarke-mn0000456665

VandenBos, Gary R. (EIC). (2015). APA Dictionary of Psychology Second Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Wikipedia "Kevin Kelley (musician)." (n.d.). September 4, 2018 from the Wikipedia wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Kelley_(musician)


In case you missed it, see Part 1 of the Requiem review



Check out the rest of PERFECT SOUND FOREVER

MAIN PAGE ARTICLES STAFF/FAVORITE MUSIC LINKS E-MAIL