1968-May

Byrds		w/ Gram Parson

68-May-6	Roundhouse, London	
68-May-7	Piper Club, Rome	


Disc 1  -  76.03
1	..A Rock And Roll Star		2.00	68-May-6  (42.10)
2	Chimes Of Freedom		3.29
3	You Ain't Going Nowhere		2.27
4	My Back Pages			6.11
5	Hickory Wind			4.37	*
6	Sing Me Back Home		3.04	*
7	The Christian Life		2.41	*
8	Under Your Spell Again		2.00	*
9	You Don't Miss Your Water	2.42	*
10	Eight Miles High		3.50
11	Bells Of Rhymney		3.42
12	Space Odyssey			3.50
13	Tribal Gathering		1.32


14	You Ain't Going Nowhere		2.49	68-May-7  (33.53)
15	Old John Robertson		2.25
16	You Don't Miss Your Water >	4.21	**
17	Hickory Wind			4.07	**
18	Feel A Whole Lot Better		2.32	**
19	Chimes Of Freedom		3.23	**
20	The Christian Life		3.09	**
21	Turn, Turn Turn			2.41	**
22	My Back Pages >			5.36	**
	BJ Blues >				**
	Baby What You Want Me To Do		**
23	Mr Spaceman			2.46	**



	Roger Mcguinn		Guitar, Vocals
	Chris Hillman		Bass, Mandolin, Vocals
	Kevin Kelly		Drums
	Gram Parsons		Guitar, Piano, Vocals
	Doug Dillard		Banjo


*  From a different source than other 68-May-6 tracks
   (taken fr my 68-May-6, 68-May-7, 68-Nov-2 compilation recording)

** From Master Tape
   (T1+T2 taken fr my 68-May-6, 68-May-7, 68-Nov-2 compilation)


Notes that came with the 68-May-7 Master Tape recording:

Taper: FB

Partial show but from FB master, great sound quality ! 

I guess this FB master is the mother of many copies of this 
show in circulation.  Actually this is the best quality version 
of this show i have heard, don't know if there is a better one 
around..... 

Master cassette > Nakamichi > amplifiers > tascam audio cdrw750 > 
cd > computer > plex tool professional XL > wav > flac

Transfered & uploaded by 38f on Dime, November 2006

________________________________________


This is a novel, written by Wim Noordhoek, who's main job was 
making radio programs for VPRO Radio, The Netherlands.

I just interpreted the bits concerning the First International 
Pop Festival, Rome, where The Byrds also played.

The Palazzo della Sport, where the festival took place was a couple 
of miles from Rome, close to the seaside. ...

The palazzo itself, a roofed over arena with 30.000 seats was shaped 
as a flying saucer, on concrete pillars ... it looks like a dead turtle ...
'Dutch Radio' said Rens, when he entered the Palazzo. 

... what he had written earlier about the festival was right; there 
was almost no interest for the festival, most tribunes were empty, only 
in the middle roughly 500 people were watching 'I Kameleonti'. 
The organization counted on at least 20.000 attendees, but distance in 
Europe is something different than in the States, and they cannot 
cancel the bands. Tonight The Byrds will play for not more than 800 people, 
and have you seen how many police there is?

... I have to go now to arrange my interview with The Byrds.
It was stuffy in the radio car behind the stage when the Byrds finally 
came on stage and started to tune up.

... The music started; Old John Robertson said Rens ... Bass not so 
loud, vocals should be turned up, but after awhile the balance was OK. 
'Lets have a look at the stage ... there they could watch their heroes, 
singing and playing in the spotlights with deep blue shadows.... the left 
one with the thin mouth and the 12 string is McGuinn, the leader. The 
curly bassplayer is Chris Hillman and the dark guy next to him, with the 
cheeks, is Gram Parsons, he's new. The drummers' name is Kevin Kelley and 
the banjoplayer in the back doesn't belong to the group, and joined only 
for this occasion (Doug Dillard). Jeez, these guys are good ...
Back in the cabin he listened to parts of the gig he recorded (on his UHER).
Then when the Move started, the rioting began and the festival was stopped.
... Eleven tracks from the Byrds ... almost an hour in a reasonable quality 
and some interviews.

The Byrds flew back to the States this morning, no interview.

This is the complete gig as far as I know:
Piper Club, Rome, Italy - May 2, 1968
You Ain’t Going Nowhere
Old John Robertson
You Don’t Miss Your Water
Hickory Wind
I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
Chimes of Freedom
The Christian Life
Turn! Turn! Turn!; 
Medley: My Back Pages-B.J. Blues-Baby What you want me to do
Mr. Spaceman

Band: McGuinn, Hillman, Gram Parsons, Kevin Kelley, Doug Dillard (banjo)
Roger introduces new member Gram Parson before You Don’t Miss Your Water. 
Original source tape may be off speed.

My Back Pages/Interview
Mr. Spaceman
I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
Chimes of Freedom

These four tracks were rebroadcasted in the nineties by VPRO radio, so 
this should be from the original tape.  A friend of mine worked in the 
VPRO studio's for years to get the tape files organized.
Parts of these concerts are also available via the VPRO website.

________________________________________

The Dutch crew arrived Monday 6th of May 1968 in Rome.  They wanted 
to record The Nice, Pink Floyd and The Byrds.  The Italian technician 
was called Mr Maistrini.  German radio station Bavaria recorded at 
least some artists the previous day.  The Dutch crew recorded the gigs 
with microphones not a line connection.  The Nagra which they wanted 
to use was stolen before they were able to connect it. Instead two Revox 
tape recorders were used. $500 was paid for the three gigs they recorded, 
around 90 minutes in total.
(Wim Noordhoek, Hitweek, May 17, 1968) 

________________________________________

Then, a bit of history:

The Byrds performance took place on may 7, at the Piper Club, and was 
the final day of a three day "first european international pop festival".

It was a big flop, as recorded by the press, an ambitious project that 
sank due to lack of advertisements and poor location.  But just stop and 
think, what was goin on more than one year before woodstock...and in Italy, 
of all places...

The first three days took place at the sports palais, in Rome, and those 
were the performers...

Sat May 4:
Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger, Hugues Afray, Donovan

Sun may 5:
Roboti/Five Up, Fairport Convention, Grapefruit, The Samurai, 
Ten Years After

Mon may 6:
Pink Floyd, The Nice, The Move, I Giganti, The Association

Enough to be mouthwatering....but due to lack of audience, the last day 
was held in the Piper Night Club, and it's there that the Byrds played.

Tue May 7:
Byrds, Grapefruit, Family...