Opinions On Joe Byrd & The Field Hippies

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I just read with considerable interest a board from earlier this year on early synth recordings of the 1960's - and saw a lot of mentions of The United States of America. I wondered about opinions on Joseph Byrd's second record, Joe Byrd and the Field Hippies, the American Metaphysical Circus, which was in the Columbia Masterworks catalog for nearly 20 years. Opinions? Thanks in advance.

― Tom Meek (fusion07), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 12:00 (seventeen years ago) link

I only know one track, the one with the refrain "Waiting To Die..."

Search that one, definitely.

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 13:14 (seventeen years ago) link

underrated. Moonsong:Pelog or whatever, the one that segues out of Waiting To Die for the 17th Time etc, beautiful.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 13:48 (seventeen years ago) link

"the american metaphysical circus" is great.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 13:49 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah it's really nice album. When I'm in the right mood I like it more than the USA album.

― disappointing goth fest line-up (orion), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 13:52 (seventeen years ago) link

i like it more too.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:01 (seventeen years ago) link

i heard it first though. that might have something to do with it. the usa album just didn't hit me as hard when i finally heard it.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:01 (seventeen years ago) link

i don't like it quite as much as the usa , the tendency to hair style wig out disturbs me a bit, but it is a fantastic record nonethless esp. moonsong pelog. it's kindof more expansive than the first one but also more of a period piece. did joe byrd do anything after this.

― cw (cww), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:17 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.gatefoldrecords.com/images/taklp1051.jpg

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:35 (seventeen years ago) link

don't know the chrnology but he produced a track on Phil Och's Pleasures of the Harbour.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:38 (seventeen years ago) link

his wikiwiki page is actually pretty informative:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Byrd

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:40 (seventeen years ago) link

I TOO LIKE THE AMERICAN METAPHYSICAL CIRCUS MORE THAN THE USA ALBUM

― chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 16:09 (seventeen years ago) link

"yankee transcendoodle" is just ok, but i love the cover.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 16:22 (seventeen years ago) link

I can't stand it. Just thought I'd mention it.
I don't really like the second side of the American Metaphysical Circus, either.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 16:44 (seventeen years ago) link

There's been a sealed copy of that Yankee Transcendoodle record at the shop for MONTHS, but I haven't had any desire to buy it.

― disappointing goth fest line-up (orion), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 16:50 (seventeen years ago) link

uh, it's nice but never thought it held a candle to the USA album.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Thursday, 5 October 2006 04:09 (seventeen years ago) link

Joe also put out an LP of XMAS songs performed on synthesizer on Fahey's Takoma label. I bought a sealed copy from a guy with a knick-knack shop in Provincetown for like $3 about 8 years ago. He had about 40 copies. I'm sure they're still there. It's not very good.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Thursday, 5 October 2006 04:15 (seventeen years ago) link

i bought a copy of it for my roommate, ian.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 5 October 2006 04:15 (seventeen years ago) link

There's one or two songs on that album that I remember being really good. The rest sounds like what you might prejudge it to sound like.

― Cunga (Cunga), Thursday, 5 October 2006 05:23 (seventeen years ago) link

When I'm in the right mood I like it more than the USA album.

Aye, right. First side is fucking great but the second side is useless.

― TS: Mick Ralphs v. Ariel Bender (Dada), Thursday, 5 October 2006 10:38 (seventeen years ago) link

... that's 1st + 2nd side of the Field Hippies elpee, in case of confusion

― TS: Mick Ralphs v. Ariel Bender (Dada), Thursday, 5 October 2006 10:43 (seventeen years ago) link

ten months pass...

holy shit i had no idea that San Fernando Valley jazz legend Ted Greene played on this!! (RIP)

― I am Robocop, Wednesday, 29 August 2007 23:47 (sixteen years ago) link

seven years pass...

was listening to bits & pieces off the field hippies album and noticed byrd samples a minute or so from the folkways lp of indian ragas he and dorothy moskowitz were involved with a few years earlier. anyhow... careful programming makes this a decent (if short) album.

― no lime tangier, Tuesday, 19 May 2015 10:47 (eight years ago) link

San Fernando Valley jazz legend Ted Greene played on this!! (RIP)
This is deep

― Lemmy Cauchemar (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 19 May 2015 22:09 (eight years ago) link

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