The recording begins a few minutes into the standard opener of this era, McGuinn's "Lover Of The Bayou." They continue with one of Dylan's unreleased Basement Tapes compositions, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," with full electric instrumentation, unlike the version featured on the Sweethearts Of The Rodeo album several years before. This was a key ingredient to the cohesiveness and strength of the group's live performances during this era. He was equally potent in both acoustic and electric settings and possessed the all-too-rare ability to think in terms of a soulful unified sound. White was an utterly unique talent, with blazing guitar chops, a razor sharp sound, and astounding musical sensibilities. This was due in no small part to the contributions of ex-Kentucky Colonels guitarist, Clarence White, whose innovative stringbending techniques, combined with McGuinn's signature sound, extended their exploration of country music elements within a heavier rock framework. The group's extensive touring schedule during this era developed a new legion of fans and the Byrds had finally gained a deserved reputation as a compelling live band. White, Battin, and Parsons all contributed material during the sessions, which displayed a solid group effort, rather than being an overt vehicle for McGuinn. When many of their contemporaries had broken up or were nearing the end of their creativity, the double album Untitled, released the previous year, had redefined the Byrds' sound. Following numerous personnel changes throughout the late 1960s, the Byrds had sustained a consistent lineup for nearly two years by 1971, a major accomplishment. Recorded in Amsterdam during the European leg of the Byrds 1971 tour, this previously unheard recording captures the group just a month prior to the release of Byrdmaniax. Roger McGuinn - guitars, vocals Clarence White - guitars, mandolin, vocals Skip Battin - bass, vocals Gene Parsons - drums, banjo, vocals Jim Seiter - congas, percussion (on tracks 10 & 11)
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