![]() ![]() The song's lyrics are, for the most part, about the group's flight to London in August 1965 and their accompanying English tour, as hinted at by the opening couplet: "Eight miles high and when you touch down, you'll find that it's stranger than known." Although commercial airliners fly at an altitude of six to seven miles, it was felt that "eight miles high" sounded more poetic than six and also alluded to the title of the Beatles' song " Eight Days a Week". Top 20 hit, and was their last release before the departure of Clark, who was the band's principal songwriter at the time. "Eight Miles High" became the Byrds' third and final U.S. ![]() The song was also included on the band's third album, Fifth Dimension, which was released on July 18, 1966. "Eight Miles High" reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 24 in the UK Singles Chart. The failure of "Eight Miles High" to reach the Billboard Top 10 is usually attributed to the broadcasting ban, but some commentators have suggested the song's complexity and uncommercial nature were greater factors. The band strenuously denied these allegations at the time, but in later years both Clark and Crosby admitted that the song was at least partly inspired by their own drug use. radio ban shortly after its release, following allegations published in the broadcasting trade journal the Gavin Report regarding perceived drug connotations in its lyrics. Accordingly, critics often cite "Eight Miles High" as being the first bona fide psychedelic rock song, as well as a classic of the counterculture era. Musically influenced by sitar player Ravi Shankar and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, the song was influential in developing the musical styles of psychedelia and raga rock. ![]() It was first released as a single on March 14, 1966. Bang told me the interview was 'weird, but interesting.' I was never asked to do another one." Eight Miles High" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn (a.k.a. I was really embarrassed by it and never really listened to it after spot-checking the tape on the Sunday after. All I did was giggle in the background like a fucking idiot. He and his wife were the most dependable regular customers at Maxwell's back then. "That interview was basically conducted by Darren. I don't know how he knew they were fans, but he was knowledgeable too. I asked a couple of stupid questions and then my friend Darren came to my rescue and started asking them about professional wrestling. We were sitting at the little bar in the back room, and like I say, I was really drunk. "As often as not Steve used to like to hang out after hours so it wasn't unusual for some workers and an inner circle to be there till dawn and beyond. Bang showed up and gave me the tape recorder and. He was supposed to come over in the early evening with his tape recorder, but he didn't show up so I figured I was off the hook and proceeded to have a blast, going nuts during Hüsker's set, deejaying, swilling beer and toasting shots of tequila or whatever. ![]() It didn't occur to me to prepare any questions, I figured I talked with musicians all the time so it would come naturally. He asked me if I could interview Hüsker Dü at their upcoming Maxwell's gig and I agreed. he probably hung out at Maxwell's and knew my name from my short misadventure writing for The Rocker (at Glenn Morrow's urging). Ewald remembered the interview in 2013: "I remember it pretty well in spite of being totally drunk. On JHüsker Dü played at Maxwell's! Fans of Zen Arcade and Metal Circus will be pleased with the setlist at this gig, as the band played lots of classics from those two records, including "It's Not Funny Anymore," "What's Going On?," "Broken Home, Broken Heart," and "Diane." Maxwell's regulars/legends Darren Viola and Guy Ewald also conducted an interview after the gig, portions of which are available on Youtube. ![]()
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