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Biography
Use dmy dates|date=May 2012distinguish|The ByrdsInfobox musical artist | name = The Birds| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = London, England| genre = Rhythm and blues|R& B , Blues rock , Psychedelic rock | occupation =| years_active = 1964–1967| label = Decca Records|Decca , Reaction Records|Reaction | associated_acts = The Creation (band)|The Creation | current_members =| past_members =Ali McKenzie Tony Munroe Ronnie Wood Kim Gardner Bob Langham Pete McDaniels| website =| notable_instruments = The Birds were a popular rhythm and blues band in the United Kingdom during the mid 1960s, although they recorded fewer than a dozen songs and released only four single (music)|singles . Starting out with a hard R& B sound, they later began infusing it with Motown Records|Motown -style vocal harmonies.Cite news |last=Wells |first=David |title=Bird Song |magazine=Record Collector |pages=60–66 |date=March 2007 The best known former member of The Birds is Ronnie Wood , who went on to join Faces (band)|Faces and later The Rolling Stones .cite web |first= |last= |url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p15821/biography|pure_url=yes |title=Biography by Bruce Eder |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=6 July 2009
Career
Several members of The Birds grew up in the same neighbourhood in Yiewsley , west London , and began playing together in 1964, while still in their teens. At first calling themselves The Thunderbirds, they started out playing local clubs and a neighbourhood community centre, but they soon expanded to a larger club circuit. When they were hired to play on the same bill as Chris Farlowe , whose back-up band was also called The Thunderbirds, they shortened their name to The Birds & ndash; a decision which would have significant ramifications later.
Their hard Rhythm and blues|R& B sound was good enough to get them into in a battle-of-the-bands contest held under the show Ready Steady Go! . When the band made their first television appearance, they caught the eye of Decca Records|Decca record company executives. The ensuing recording contract resulted in their first two singles, "You Don't Love Me" and " Leaving Here ". The Birds seemed destined for stardom with their loud rhythm-and-blues based music, receiving equal billing with The Who at some concerts.
However, in the spring of 1965, the Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles -based band, The Byrds , was dominating the UK Singles Chart with " Mr. Tambourine Man ", released by the newly formed British CBS Records . When The Byrds arrived in England for their first British tour that summer, The Birds' manager, Leo de Clerck, took legal action to prevent them from using the name; the action failed, amid a flurry of national press and television coverage. The group parted ways with de Clerck soon afterwards.
After releasing the third Decca records|Decca single in late 1965, the band moved to Reaction Records , whose director, Robert Stigwood , suggested they change their name to "The Birds Birds", to distinguish themselves from the American band. In 1966, the band did a cameo appearance in the horror film The Deadly Bees , performing their song "That's All I Need",cite web |title=Full Cast and Crew for The Deadly Bees |publisher=Internet Movie Database |url= http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061557/fullcredits#cast |accessdate=23 February 2008 which would later be seen on Mystery Science Theater 3000 . By 1967 the group had disbanded.cite web |last=Zentgraf |first=Nico |title=Woodworks 1957-1975 |url= http://www.nzentgraf.de/books/tcw/works1.htm|accessdate=23 February 2008 Both Gardner and Wood went on to join The Creation (band)|The Creation , with Gardner then joining Ashton, Gardner and Dyke .
Lemmy , who was a fan of The Birds, also recorded " Leaving Here (Motörhead song)|Leaving Here " with his band, Motörhead .
In 2010, Ali McKenzie started to play in gigs as The Birds with the members of Small Faces tribute band, Small Fakers.cite web|title=Home - Small Fakers|url= http://smallfakers.co.uk/#/home/4538772480|accessdate=15 June 2010
Band members
Ali McKenzie - Vocals, harmonica
Tony Munroe - Guitar, vocals
Ronnie Wood - Guitar, vocals
Kim Gardner - Bass, vocals
Bob Langham - Drums
Pete McDaniels - Drums
Chris the bird man Johnson- on charges
Session musician:
Clem Cattini (drums on "Granny Rides Again", recorded in December 1966)
Discography
Singles
"You're On My Mind" (Ronnie Wood) / "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)" ( Ellas McDaniel ) (November 1964, Decca Records|Decca F 12031) ( Record producer|Producer : Franklyn Boyd)
" Leaving Here " ( Holland–Dozier–Holland ) b/w "Next in Line" (Ronnie Wood) (April 1965, Decca F 12140) (Producer: Franklyn Boyd) - UK Singles Chart|UK #45
"No Good Without You Baby" ( William "Mickey" Stevenson|William Stevenson ) / "How Can It Be? " (Ronnie Wood) (October 1965, Decca F 12257) (Producer: Franklyn Boyd)
"Say Those Magic Words" (Bob Feldman, Doc Pomus , Jerry Goldstein (record producer, musician)|Jerry Goldstein , Mort Shuman , Richard Gottehrer ) b/w "Daddy Daddy" (Ronnie Wood/Tony Munroe) (as "The Birds Birds", September 1966, Reaction 591 005)
"That's All That I Need You For" (Ronnie Wood, Tony Monroe, Ali MacKenzie) / "If I Were A Carpenter" ( Tim Hardin ) (February 2011, Birdsong Records ALI 001)
cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 58
'' The Collector's Guide to Rare British Birds - CD compilation album, released 20 June 2005, Deram Records
References
reflist
External links
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p15821/biography|pure_url=yes Biography at Allmusic.com
http://www.thebritishbirds.co.uk The Birds website (www.thebritishbirds.co.uk)
DEFAULTSORT:Birds, The Category:Psychedelic rock music groups Category:Musical groups from London Category:Musical groups established in 1964 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1967
