So you want to be a rock'n'roll star (The Byrds) (LP 4239 - 4243)

The Byrds  Live in Rome 1968 (Vinyl, 1960's Records Limited,?) *  

The Byrds  Straight for the Sun 1971 College Radio Broadcast (Vinyl, Let Them Eat Vinyl, 2013) ***  

The Byrds  The 1978 Reunion Concert (Vinyl, Let Them Eat Vinyl, 2018) ***  

The Byrds  The Byrds Live (CD, Immortal, 2010) *** 

The Byrds  History of The Byrds (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1973) ***** 

Genre: Folk rocky, country rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hey Mr. Tambourine Man (The Byrds Live)

Gear costume: He Was a Friend of Mine (The Byrds Live)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Byrds is not a band that is well served by live albums. Beware the Live at Rome 1968 album - the sound is sourced from a radio performance and it's below par. To the extent that it detracts from the full enjoyment of the Sweethearts of the Rodeo band. Gram Parsons is there so I guess there is a lot of historical value but this is one for hard-core collectors.

Better is the 1971 set which is spread over a double album - Straight for The Sun. It's the same band as (Untitled) so this is a nice adjunct to that album's concert album.

Better yet is the 1978 Reunion concert, another radio broadcast. During 1977 and 78 they performed in various combinations. This one, at The Boarding House in San Francisco on February 9, 1978 has four of The Byrds in attendance (no Michael Clarke). The band is introduced one member at a time to do a couple of songs. First Chris Hillman, then Roger McGuinn, then Gene Clark, then David Crosby. 

The largely acoustic format suits them as you can hear the harmonies and the songs shine in this setting. Highlights are Mr. Tambourine Man, You Ain't Going Nowhere.

The Byrds Live is a compilation of songs in various live settings from 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1990 (with Bob Dylan). The two Dylan tracks are the pick of the bunch (as in the fab/gear sections above).

I only have the one compilation - History of The Byrds takes a chronological approach so you trace their developing style in the context of their history from 1965 to 1971.

All of the big hits are present and correct, plus there's the first appearance on an album of the non-album single Lady Friend and the 1965 B-side She Don't Care About Time. The double album has a terrific gatefold with Pete Frame's Family Tree for the band. Great to have that on its own.

Where do they all belong? That's it for this seminal American band.