Mr. Hyde - a name loading a meaning both in a literary and a musical sense. Where Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel deals with the duality of human existence with its gothic kind of doppelganger theme, rock music fans will immediately think of one particular band when they hear this name - The Byrds. And that's because this extremely influential group from California chose "Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde" as the title of their 1968 LP, the first one officially featuring new members Clarence White/Gene Parsons and the current Taxim artist John York. It might not be considered as their best album, but it still ranks amongst the batch of albums that are canonised as classic Byrds. Music that belongs in every decent collection of classic rock and country rock. Which leads us to a new CD by a band with the name Mr. Hyde, whose album attempts to be both: an artistic homage to the classic sounds of the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, Uncle Jim's Music and the early Eagles - and a presentation of a band with an authentic and unique character of its own making. So is this a case of old Stevenson's doppelganger theme here, at work in a musical sense? That is exactly the case.
So who's behind Mr. Hyde? It is a group of distinguished first generation country rock veterans from the late '60s. First in line is guitarist and steeler Boomer Castleman, an old buddy of the late Gram Parsons. In 1967 he and country rocker Michael Murphey founded the Lewis & Clarke Expedition - today considered a cult group with some commercial success. The indispensable 12-string Rickenbacker electric is played by Bob Hatter, whose personal fascination for the sound of the Byrds goes back to seeing the band live at Chicago's Arie Crown Theater in 1965. Even if Bob Hatter's career cannot be associated with famous names so far, the in-crowd considers him to be one of the most capable proprietors of this classic style of electric guitar playing. Bob's guitar is an integral part of Mr. Hyde. Drummer Rick Lonow has been around as well and has played with versions of FBB and Poco and also the late lamented Richard Manuel and Nicolette Larson. Last but not least, Chris James completes this quartet of fine players. He's also the initiator of this project. Encouraged by the legendary Al Perkins, who raved about the band's first performances, Chris James turned a loose aggregate into a tight unit, losing founding member Scott Baggett foro studio work. Chris James' singing has an uncanny similarity to McGuinn and he's an excellent songwriter.
