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General Discussion => Historical Spaceflight => Topic started by: carmelo on 07/13/2007 10:48 pm

Title: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: carmelo on 07/13/2007 10:48 pm
In an old Italian magazine from 1965 I have read that the favourite singers of the crew of Gemini 5, Gordo and Pete, were The Byrds, with "Mr. Tambourine Man". I'm very surprised, I believe that in 60s the astronauts taste were more for Frank Sinatra or for Bobby Darrin at most!
Title: Re: Gordo,Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: Ankle-bone12 on 07/14/2007 09:09 pm
Gordo and Pete weren't like most astronauts.  ;)

Although there were only 16 of them then.
Title: RE: Gordo,Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: SpaceCat on 07/14/2007 09:25 pm
Interesting too, that a number of Byrds songs and the artwork on a few album covers had a space theme.  I'd suspect, despite some of their 'down-home, folksy roots,' Roger McGuinn and other Byrd members were space buffs in the '60's..... and like most space buffs from the '60's, are rather disappointed with where we are today.
Of course, Gordo and Pete would be pretty disappointed with where we are today, too! :)


.......and that's a poke at the political climates toward space of the past 3 1/2 decades; not at the agencies which do the best they can with what they have ;)
Title: RE: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: JMS on 07/14/2007 11:44 pm

As someone who's been the proverbial "lounge lizard" for nearly 30 years, I can tell you you'll usually get into trouble trying to judge a person's musical taste by their attire, position or background.
I'm sure the astronauts in the early days, or today, like any average size collection of people, had musical tastes from one of the spectrum to the other.

Title: RE: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: SpaceCat on 07/15/2007 05:25 pm
Just a couple covers before we run this topic into the ground..... IIRC, The Byrds "Preflyte" was released in the early '80's as a compilation of studio sessions before they hit it big in the '60's.  McGuinn released "Live From Mars" in the mid-'90's--- perhaps a way of saying that's where we should have been in the mid-'90's......
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: brihath on 07/15/2007 08:36 pm
"Hey, Mr. Spaceman!  Won't you please take me along, I won't do anything wrong.  Hey, Mr. Spaceman! Won't you please take me along for a ride."

The Byrds (ca. 1965)  Pete and Gordo had it right!
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: ApolloTalksPodcast on 08/08/2007 10:12 pm
Believe it or not, Roger McGuinn is a friend of mine and he's quite the space fan.  He was recently in Florida and spent alot of time with some of the Apollo Vets.  He blogs about it on his website at http://rogermcguinn.com
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: JMS on 08/09/2007 12:48 am
Excellent!
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: brihath on 08/09/2007 02:27 pm
Quote
ApolloTalksPodcast - 8/8/2007  6:12 PM

Believe it or not, Roger McGuinn is a friend of mine and he's quite the space fan.  He was recently in Florida and spent alot of time with some of the Apollo Vets.  He blogs about it on his website at http://rogermcguinn.com


Neat blog- Roger certaily hobnobbed with the Big Boys at KSC.  I still have (and listen to regularly) the Byrds Greatest Hits CD.  I had the original on vinyl when it first came out.  Lots o love to Roger, from a "child of the '60's".

BTW- Saw Roger on the PBS oldies special recently.  Lookin and soundin' good!
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: azman818 on 08/13/2007 01:28 am
Interesting.  I would think that as West Coast artists, the Byrds would would have been big proponents of using the NASA dollars for more down-to-earth humanitarian purposes.  Just shows what I know, but then again, I came of age during Disco.
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: JMS on 08/13/2007 04:11 am
Careful with the big brushes.
I am a humanitarian, left of center socially, (former) "west coast artist", and a life long avid space supporter.
I also know of "conservative" Republicans who are pro choice, and "liberal" Democrat's who are pro life.
My life experience tells me, people rarely fit into the neat little categories the mass media and pollsters would like to make us think they do.  
( I'm also, musically, an old "folkie" who doesn't believe Disco was ALL bad... :) )



Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: azman818 on 08/13/2007 05:36 am
JMS, you are exactly right, and I'm glad you pointed all of that out.
Title: Re: Gordo, Pete and the Byrds.
Post by: JMS on 08/13/2007 05:42 am
I'm rarely right, but always opinionated!  :)
Cheers-