It’s retro Friday and it doesn’t get much better than this. Here is a late-era performance from legendary act The Byrds. It’s nearly ten minutes of hypnotic, mesmerising musicianship. This live version, from the Fillmore East in 1970, is all about the rhythm section. Skip Battin on bass and Parsons (Gene not Gram) on drums are entirely absorbed in the music and elevate the crowd so high. About eight miles high. Listen to that driving snare drum. Wherever you are right now, this will take you somewhere else.
Video: The Byrds “Eight Miles High”
The latter day Byrds tend to get short shift from critics when their output is compared to that of the classic line-up. While it is true the albums and songs are not up there with the earlier classics, they are still worthy of investigation. In Clarence White they had a true guitar hero, whose influence is still felt today in roots music, and their ‘Ballad of Easy Rider’ album is one of the foundation albums for subsequent country rock and ultimately Americana.