members of the original byrds band members of the original byrds band

[248] The reunion actually took place in early October 1972, beginning with a rehearsal at McGuinn's house, where the group began selecting suitable material for a new album. [130][135] Sanctioned by Columbia Records in the wake of the Top 10 success of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, the album was a critical and commercial triumph, peaking at number six on the Billboard Top LPs chart and giving the band their highest-charting album in America since their 1965 debut, Mr. Tambourine Man. [258][260] At the court hearing in May 1989, the judge denied the injunction, ruling that McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman had failed to show that they would be irreparably damaged by Clarke's actions. [253][254] The trio toured internationally and recorded the albums McGuinn, Clark & Hillman and City. May 24, 1991, Sherman Oaks, California), David Crosby (original name David Van Cortland; b. like the Byrds' Fifth Dimension.some members of the band had audibly still barely learned to play but they were already feeling the heat from the Beatles and Dylan, moving past the sound of their 1st 2 highly successful albums the previous year. [264] Performing under the banner of The Byrds Celebration, the tribute group toured extensively throughout the remainder of the 1990s, although Parsons was replaced by session drummer Vince Barranco in 1995 and Battin was forced to retire due to ill-health in 1997. Clark played percussion and guitar and was an original member of the Byrds, the. Shortly after McGuinn's name change, the band entered the studio to record the Crosby-penned, non-album single "Lady Friend", which was released on July 13, 1967. It was recorded as the centerpiece of a reunion among the five original band members: Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. [241][242] McGuinn turned to ex-Byrd Chris Hillman who at that time was a member of the band Manassas and asked him to step in as Battin's replacement for two upcoming shows on February 23 and 24. [3], However, the tour did enable the band to meet and socialize with a number of top English groups, including the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. [1] McGuinn disbanded the then-current version of the band in early 1973 to make way for a reunion of the original quintet. It was like somebody else's work. [262], Following Clarke's death, Terry Jones Rogers resurrected the Byrds tribute act, with guitarist Scott Nienhaus and former Byrds Skip Battin and Gene Parsons on bass and drums respectively. Together, the pair were hellbent on forming their own country-rock outfit after officially parting ways . [120] Upon release, the album was almost universally praised by music critics but it was only moderately successful commercially, particularly in the United States where it peaked at number 47. [96] As a result, the band was forced to re-record the song at Columbia Studios in Los Angeles on January 24 and 25, 1966, and it was this re-recorded version that would be released as a single and included on the group's third album. [37][38] In an attempt to bolster the group's confidence in the song, Dickson invited Dylan himself to World Pacific to hear the band perform "Mr. Tambourine Man". [275], In his book Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand in 60s Hollywood, music historian Domenic Priore attempts to sum up the band's influence by stating: "Few of The Byrds' contemporaries can claim to have made such a subversive impact on popular culture. [12][180] Shortly after his induction into the band, White began to express dissatisfaction with drummer Kevin Kelley and soon persuaded McGuinn and Hillman to replace him with Gene Parsons (no relation to Gram), who White had previously played with in the country rock band Nashville West. [1] The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole consistent member. Steve Mackey, best known as bassist of the Britpop band Pulp, has died. [92][93], While the Byrds outwardly seemed to be riding the crest of a wave during the latter half of 1965, the recording sessions for their second album had not been without tension. [86] Author Scott Schinder has stated that Turn! Turn! [126][127], Released on February 6, 1967, the Byrds' fourth album, Younger Than Yesterday, was more varied than its predecessor and saw the band successfully mixing psychedelia with folk rock and country and western influences. Gene Clark recalling the encounter at the Troubadour folk club in Los Angeles that marked the genesis of the Byrds[23], The nucleus of the Byrds formed in early 1964, when Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark, and David Crosby came together as a trio. [105][106] The song's subtle use of Indian influences resulted in it being labeled as "raga rock" by the music press, but in fact, it was the single's B-side, "Why", that drew more directly on Indian ragas. [172], After returning to California, the Byrds' released the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album on August 30, 1968,[36] almost eight weeks after Parsons had left the band. [59][60] The single's success initiated the folk rock boom of 1965 and 1966, during which a number of Byrds-influenced acts had hits on the American and British charts. However, Hillman and Crosby have both expressed an interest in working with McGuinn again on future Byrds projects, but the lead guitarist and head Byrd remains adamant that he is not interested in another full reunion. [239] Discussions regarding a reunion between Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke had taken place as early as July 1971, around the same time as the then current line-up of the band were recording the Farther Along album. (to Everything There Is a Season)" was issued on October 1, 1965[36] and became the band's second U.S. number 1 single, as well as the title track for their second album. [71] With all five members sporting Beatlesque moptop haircuts, Crosby dressed in a striking green suede cape, and McGuinn wearing a pair of distinctive rectangular "granny glasses", the band exuded California cool, while also looking suitably non-conformist. [35] As the band continued to rehearse, Dickson arranged a one-off single deal for the group with Elektra Records' founder Jac Holzman. [100][101][102] It was also pivotal in transmuting folk rock into the new musical forms of psychedelia and raga rock. [258] Although they were billed as solo artists, the three musicians came together for an on-stage reunion during the show, performing a string of Byrds hits including "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Eight Miles High". [258] To strengthen their case, the three musicians announced in December 1988 that they would be performing a series of concerts in January 1989 as the Byrds. This logic . [34][39] In October 1964, Dickson recruited mandolin player Chris Hillman as the Jet Set's bassist. [182] Things came to a head on September 15, 1968, following a band performance at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, when Hillman and Spector came to blows backstage. I just said, "it's a shameful waste goodbye". [45][55] The single also featured another major characteristic of the band's sound: their clear harmony singing, which usually featured McGuinn and Clark in unison, with Crosby providing the high harmony. members of the Byrds, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, and Chris Hillman, with. [71][72][73] In particular, McGuinn's distinctive rectangular spectacles would go on to become popular among members of the burgeoning hippie counterculture in the United States. Adam Braunstein Adam has been playing guitar and seeing hard rock for 18 years. [245] As a result, a planned tour in support of the album failed to materialize. Drummer Michael Clarke was added to the Jet Set in mid-1964. [86] Nonetheless, it was a commercial success, peaking at number 17 on the U.S. charts and number 11 in the UK. [12][157], After Gram Parsons' departure, McGuinn and Hillman decided to recruit noted session guitarist Clarence White as a full-time member of the band in late July 1968. The Byrds (/brdz/) were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. [181][182], The McGuinnHillmanWhiteParsons line-up was together for less than a month before Hillman quit to join Gram Parsons in forming the Flying Burrito Brothers. [236], Following the release of Farther Along, the Byrds continued to tour throughout 1972, but no new album or single release was forthcoming. Roger McGuinn on replacing some of Gram Parsons' vocals on the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album[163], Following their stay in Nashville, the band returned to Los Angeles and throughout April and May 1968, they worked on completing their new country-oriented album. [226] Regardless, by the time of the album's release, Melcher had resigned as the Byrds' manager and producer. together an all Byrds tribute band dedicated to the Byrds first 5 albums, and. Turn! The Byrds /brdz/ were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. Gene Clark died of a heart attack later that year, while Michael Clarke died of liver failure in 1993. the original line up. [112], Between 1977 and 1980, McGuinn, Clark and Hillman worked on and off together as a trio, modeled after Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and, to a lesser extent, the Eagles. [31][32] It was during the rehearsals at World Pacific that the band's folk rock soundan amalgam of their own Beatles-influenced material, their folk music roots and their Beatlesque covers of contemporary folk songsbegan to coalesce. [166], With their new album now completed, the Byrds flew to England for an appearance at a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall on July 7, 1968. [241] The band underwent a further personnel change following a show on February 10, 1973, in Ithaca, New York, when Skip Battin was dismissed by McGuinn, who had capriciously decided that the bassist's playing abilities were no longer of a sufficient standard. [220] Nonetheless, the song went on to become a staple of FM radio programming in America during the 1970s. [202] The Byrds' association with the film heightened their public profile and when the Ballad of Easy Rider album was released in November 1969, it peaked at number 36 in the U.S. and number 41 in the UK, becoming the band's highest-charting album for two years in America. March 30, 1945, Ripley, Surrey), bassist Chris Dreja (b. [3] In particular, the band's relationship with the Beatles would prove important for both acts, with the two groups again meeting in Los Angeles some weeks later, upon the Byrds' return to America. [227], In May 1971, just prior to the release of the Byrdmaniax album, the Byrds undertook a sell-out tour of England and Europe, which included a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London that was released for the first time in 2008 as Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971. Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart. He loves all sorts of rock musicians, from The Beatles to Guns N Roses and Dirty Honey. You can dance to that! Last year, Blake Shelton joined the Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit and Joe Walsh for a classic Tom Petty cover. They came over and said that they wanted to throw me out. Crosby introduced McGuinn and Clark to his associate Jim Dickson, who had access to World Pacific Studios, where he had been recording demos of Crosby. [157][159] He found a kindred spirit in Hillman, who had played mandolin in a number of notable bluegrass bands before joining the Byrds. [218], The studio recordings featured on (Untitled) mostly consisted of newly written, self-penned material, including a number of songs that had been composed by McGuinn and Broadway theatre impresario Jacques Levy for a planned country rock musical titled Gene Tryp that the pair were developing. [193], Following the release of Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde the band issued a version of Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" as a single in May 1969, which failed to reverse the group's commercial fortunes in the U.S., reaching number 132. [207] He was replaced, at the suggestion of Parsons and White, by Skip Battin, a freelance session musician and one-time member of the duo Skip & Flip. Gene was one of the original writer/singer guys. He was 56. [115][116] The album's front cover artwork featured the first appearance of the Byrds' colorful, psychedelic mosaic logo, variations of which would subsequently appear on a number of the band's compilation albums, as well as on their 1967 release, Younger Than Yesterday. So we put mine on and then the contract dispute went away Basically it was a misunderstanding. [16], The reunion album, titled simply Byrds, was released on March 7, 1973, to mixed reviews. [142][146], While the band worked on The Notorious Byrd Brothers album throughout late 1967, there was increasing tension and acrimony among the members of the group, which eventually resulted in the dismissals of Crosby and Clarke. Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group March 1st. [255], In 1984, Gene Clark approached McGuinn, Crosby, and Hillman in an attempt to reform the Byrds in time for the 20th anniversary of the release of the "Mr. Tambourine Man" single in 1985. The Byrds are well documented. [142] Crosby felt that the band should rely on self-penned material for their albums, rather than cover songs by other artists and writers. [17][248] In the wake of the reunion, the five original Byrds quietly returned to their own careers,[17] with the June 1973 release of McGuinn's eponymously titled solo album serving to effectively mark the end of the Byrds. At the Monterey Pop Festival, Crosby's distracted performance truly irked his bandmates. Me and Jeff Foskett, and 3 other friends have put. [139][140], Released in January 1968, The Notorious Byrd Brothers album saw the band taking their psychedelic experimentation to its furthest extremes by mixing folk rock, country music, jazz, and psychedelia (often within a single song), while utilizing innovative studio production techniques such as phasing and flanging. something was happening there! [253] Clark departed the group in late 1979, resulting in a third and final album being billed as McGuinn-Hillman. [23][33] Demo recordings made by the Jet Set at World Pacific Studios would later be collected on the compilation albums Preflyte, In the Beginning, The Preflyte Sessions, and Preflyte Plus. [21][150][151] Session drummers Jim Gordon and Hal Blaine were brought in to replace Clarke temporarily in the studio, although he continued to honor his live concert commitments with the group. [257] This tribute act began performing on the lucrative nostalgia circuit in early 1985, but a number of concert promoters began to shorten the band's name to the Byrds in advertisements and promotional material. [3] During concert performances, a combination of poor sound, group illness, ragged musicianship, and the band's notoriously lackluster stage presence, all combined to alienate audiences and served to provoke a merciless castigating of the band in the British press. I wouldn't have had any involvement at all if it had been up to Gram. [229] Author Christopher Hjort has remarked that in the years since its release, Byrdmaniax has become arguably "the least-liked album in the Byrds catalogue" among the group's fanbase. [182] Following his exit, Hillman would have a successful career both as a solo artist and with bands such as the Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, the SoutherHillmanFuray Band, and the Desert Rose Band. [238] Plans for a reunion accelerated in mid-1972, however, when the founder of Asylum Records, David Geffen, offered each of the original band members a sizable amount of money to reform and record an album for his label. [124][128] Two of Hillman's country-oriented compositions on the album, "Time Between" and "The Girl with No Name", can be seen as early indicators of the country rock direction that the band would pursue on later albums. [42] He remains active, releasing albums and touring, often with ex-Desert Rose Band member Herb Pedersen. The band's five original members guitarists Roger McGuinn and David Crosby, singer Gene Clark, bassist Chris Hillman and drummer Michael Clarke went on to form such seminal groups as. [3] Unfortunately, the tour was overhyped from the start, with the band being touted as "America's answer to the Beatles", a label that proved impossible for the Byrds to live up to. [163] Ultimately, Parsons' behavior led to a power struggle for control of the group, with McGuinn finding his position as band leader challenged. [94] Within a month of Turn! [150][153], When tensions reached a breaking point during October 1967, McGuinn and Hillman drove to Crosby's home and fired him, stating that they would be better off without him. [269] Though not billed as the Byrds, the duo, together with backing band Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, played some earlier Byrds' material before performing all of the songs from the album and telling stories about its creation. [28] By early 1964, McGuinn had become enamored with the music of the Beatles, and had begun to intersperse his solo folk repertoire with acoustic versions of Beatles' songs. [14] The single, which coupled the band originals "Please Let Me Love You" and "Don't Be Long", featured McGuinn, Clark, and Crosby, augmented by session musicians Ray Pohlman on bass and Earl Palmer on drums. [18][19] Gene Clark died of a heart attack later that year, while Michael Clarke died of liver failure in 1993. [259] Author Johnny Rogan has stated that most die-hard fans of the Byrds were mortified by the existence of this ersatz version of the group, while Byrds expert Tim Connors has commented that "no chapter in the history of the Byrds caused as much consternation and controversy among fans". [164], Parsons' dominance over the band waned still further during post-production for Sweetheart of the Rodeo, when his appearance on the album was contested by music business impresario Lee Hazlewood, who alleged that the singer was still under contract to his LHI record label, creating legal complications for Columbia Records. [2] Although their time as one of the most popular groups in the world only lasted for a short period in the mid-1960s, the Byrds are today considered by critics to be among the most influential rock acts of their era. [229], The Byrds moved quickly to record a self-produced follow-up to Byrdmaniax, in an attempt to stem the criticism that the album was receiving in the music press and as a reaction to their own dislike of Melcher's overproduction. [107] The relatively modest chart success of "Eight Miles High" (number 14 in the U.S. and number 24 in the UK) has been largely attributed to the broadcasting ban, although the challenging and slightly uncommercial nature of the track is another possible reason for its failure to reach the Top 10. [49][50][51] On March 26, 1965, the author of the band's forthcoming debut single, Bob Dylan, made an impromptu visit to the club and joined the Byrds on stage for a rendition of Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me to Do". [230] The consensus among most reviewers was that Byrdmaniax was hampered by Melcher's inappropriate orchestration and by being an album almost totally bereft of the Byrds' signature sound. There was a genuine concern that we would get sued if we kept Gram's vocals on it. [184] However, the album fared much better in the UK, where it attracted glowing reviews and reached number 15. [161] Being the first group of hippie "longhairs" ever to play at the venerable country music institution, the band was met with heckling, booing, and mocking calls of "tweet, tweet" from the conservative Opry audience. [27], Following Crosby's departure, Gene Clark briefly rejoined the band, but left just three weeks later, after again refusing to board an aircraft while on tour. [178][179] Today, however, it is considered a seminal and highly influential album, serving as a blueprint for the entire 1970s country rock movement, the outlaw country scene, and the alternative country genre of the 1990s and early 21st century. March 8, 1946, Scottsbluff, Nebraska), Jim Messina (b. December 5, 1947, Maywood, California), and Rusty Young (b. February 23, 1946, Long Beach, California). Turn! [71][75] Indeed, the contemporary music press was extremely critical of the Byrds' abilities as a live act during the mid-1960s, with the reaction from the British media during the band's August 1965 tour of England being particularly scathing. [130], The poor sales suffered by "Lady Friend" were in stark contrast to the chart success of the band's first compilation album, The Byrds' Greatest Hits, which was released on August 7, 1967. I didn't try to reason with them. ", "Byrds FAQ: How and When did they get together? Country-rock pioneer Chris Hillman is an original member of the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers and Desert Rose Band. [125][128] However, music expert Peter Buckley has pointed out that although the album may have passed the Byrds' rapidly shrinking teen audience by, it found favor with "a new underground following who disdained hit singles, but were coming to regard albums as major artistic statements". [1] Roger McGuinn turned his attention to establishing his own career, releasing a series of solo albums between 1973 and 1977, and making a high-profile appearance with Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue. album. [1][24][29] Soon after, David Crosby introduced himself to the duo at The Troubadour and began harmonizing with them on some of their songs. [215][216] Peaking at number 40 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and number 11 in the UK,[216] the album's success continued the upward trend in the band's commercial fortunes and popularity that had begun with the release of the Ballad of Easy Rider album. [200] Composed primarily by McGuinn, with some input from Bob Dylan (although not credited), "Ballad of Easy Rider" was written as the theme tune for the 1969 counterculture film Easy Rider. [7] The Byrds' cover of "Turn! 1. [247], The five original members of the Byrds reunited briefly during late 1972, while McGuinn was still undertaking selected concerts with the touring version of the group. [208][209], The latter-day, post-Sweetheart of the Rodeo version of the band, featuring McGuinn and White's dual lead guitar work, toured relentlessly between 1969 and 1972 and was regarded by critics and audiences as much more accomplished in concert than any previous configuration of the Byrds had been. [18] The occasion, which saw the band come together on stage to perform the songs "Turn! [157] In addition, Hillman had also persuaded the Byrds to incorporate subtle country influences into their music in the past, beginning with the song "Satisfied Mind" on the Turn! [265], During the 2000s, two more ex-members of the Byrds died when drummer Kevin Kelley succumbed of natural causes in 2002[266] and bassist Skip Battin, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, died at his home in 2003. [149] His reputation within the band deteriorated even more following the commercial failure of "Lady Friend", the first Byrds' single to feature a song penned solely by Crosby on its A-side.[130][132]. Turn!" Crosby left The Byrds in 1967 and in . [23] Sensing the trio's potential, Dickson quickly took on management duties for the group, while his business partner, Eddie Tickner, became the group's accountant and financial manager. [34] Clarke was recruited largely due to his good looks and Brian Jones-esque hairstyle, rather than for his musical experience, which was limited to having played congas in a semi-professional capacity in and around San Francisco and L.A.[35] Clarke did not even own his own drum kit and initially had to play on a makeshift setup consisting of cardboard boxes and a tambourine. [208] Battin's recruitment marked the last personnel change to the group for almost three years and as a result, the McGuinn-White-Parsons-Battin line-up became the most stable and longest-lived of any configuration of the Byrds. [256][258], In June 1988, McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman appeared at a concert celebrating the reopening of the Ash Grove folk club in Los Angeles. I just want to be a solo artist. McGuinn and I started picking together in The Troubadour bar which was called "The Folk Den" at the time We went into the lobby and started picking on the stairway where the echo was good and David came walking up and just started singing away with us doing the harmony part We hadn't even approached him. The fact that the only professional live recording we have of the original band is Monterey, at which Mike (and the band in general) did not have a great day, also doesn't help. [71][73] This natural aloofness was compounded by the large amounts of marijuana that the band smoked and often resulted in moody and erratic live performances. [1] Their members included Jim McGuinn (who later changed his name to Roger), David Crosby, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke. [227] Despite the band's dissatisfaction with the finished product and its poor critical reception, Byrdmaniax made a respectable showing on the U.S. charts, peaking at number 46. [213] To help with the editing of the live recordings, the band's ex-manager Jim Dickson, who had been fired by the group in June 1967, was invited back into the Byrds' camp. [260] McGuinn had actually attempted to trademark the Byrds name himself during the 1970s, in order to prevent its misuse, but his application had been turned down. [184] York had previously been a member of the Sir Douglas Quintet and had also worked as a session musician with Johnny Rivers and the Mamas & the Papas. [262] During an interview with music journalist John Nork, McGuinn replied "absolutely not", when asked if he had any plans to revive the Byrds, explaining, "No, I don't want to do that. [94] Any hopes that Dickson had of being allowed to produce the band himself, however, were dashed when Columbia assigned their West Coast head of A&R, Allen Stanton, to the band. [213] However, it was also felt that the band had a sufficient backlog of new compositions to warrant the recording of a new studio album. [125] Despite this relatively poor chart showing, "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" has become one of the Byrds' best-known songs in the years since its initial release, inspiring cover versions by the likes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the Patti Smith Group amongst others. [81], For their third Columbia single, the Byrds initially intended to release a cover of Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (it was even premiered on the California radio station KRLA),[82] but instead they decided to record "Turn! Score: 4.3/5 (31 votes) . [110] Clark, who had witnessed a fatal airplane crash as a youth, had a panic attack on a plane bound for New York and as a result, he disembarked and refused to take the flight. Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. [17] In addition, McGuinn and Hillman have both suggested that with the exception of Gene Clark, the songwriting members of the band were reluctant to bring their strongest compositions to the recording sessions, preferring instead to hold those songs back for their own solo projects. Ohio band member and family shot, killed in murder-suicide before eviction from foreclosed home: police Ohio police found five bodies when they arrived at the home to serve an eviction notice. May 26, 1940, Elaine, Arkansas, U.S.d. A further distinctive aspect of the Byrds' image was their unsmiling air of detachment, both on stage and in front of the camera. March 22, 1943, Richmond, Surrey, Englandd. An excerpt from the song "Old John Robertson", highlighting the Byrds' extensive use of, An excerpt from "Kathleen's Song", highlighting the prominent, Ersatz Byrds and further reunions (19891991; 2000). [235] Rogan has concluded that, ultimately, the rapidity with which the Byrds planned and recorded Farther Along resulted in an album that was just as flawed as Byrdmaniax and as a result, it failed to rehabilitate the band's ailing commercial fortunes or increase their declining audience. (to Everything There Is a Season)". Clark's last live performance would be with original Byrds members following the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 1991. [42], As the only original band member left, McGuinn elected to hire bassist John York as Hillman's replacement. Consequently, the album includes musical contributions from all of the key players in the Byrds' convoluted history, including Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons, Clarence White, and the group's only consistent member, Roger McGuinn . But it hurt like hell. [2] The last time that all five members had worked together as the Byrds was in 1966, prior to Clark's departure from the band. [16][229], In October 1971, CBS Records in the UK issued The Byrds' Greatest Hits Volume II to capitalize on the group's recent appearance at the Lincoln Folk Festival and perhaps as a reaction to the chart failure suffered by Byrdmaniax. . [23][30] Dickson began utilizing World Pacific Studios to record the trio as they honed their craft and perfected their blend of Beatles pop and Bob Dylan-style folk. [256] As the band continued to tour throughout 1985, they eventually decided to shorten their name to the Byrds themselves, prompting McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman to berate the tribute group in interviews, with McGuinn deriding the act as "a cheap show". [47] The band's regular appearances at Ciro's during March and April 1965 allowed them to hone their ensemble playing, perfect their aloof stage persona, and expand their repertoire.