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DGA35
What is the approximate capacity for these venues for concerts? I"m assuming they're soccer stadiums?
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DGA35
What is the approximate capacity for these venues for concerts? I"m assuming they're soccer stadiums?
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Aquamarine
No, it was Keith who explained to Gram that bands didn't play South Africa because of the boycott, so Gram quit the Byrds and didn't go.
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Aquamarine
I wasn't claiming he was a saint. But I felt strongly at the time about the whole issue of the Byrds playing S.A., and I can see why McGuinn and Hillman would now want to cast it in a different light. I'm sure Parsons did want to hang with the Stones. It's Keith I'm attributing the moral sense to, not Gram.
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Aquamarine
I edited just as you posted. I don't disagree with you, though the Gram-as-southerner thing is a whole different issue in this context. But anyway, I was just describing the sequence of events. Keith says don't go, Gram doesn't go, probably because hey, it's Keith Richards!, rather than because of principle.
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Aquamarine
I wasn't claiming he was a saint. But I felt strongly at the time about the whole issue of the Byrds playing S.A., and I can see why McGuinn and Hillman would now want to cast it in a different light. I'm sure Parsons did want to hang with the Stones. It's Keith I'm attributing the moral sense to, not Gram.
No, I wasn't hinting at that, but you'd be surprised at how many Gram fans paint him as some sort of aint-Apartheid champion because of this. I know. I'm a Parsons fan and have played many of these Gram-fests here in California and have heard this nonsense. Hillman has said many times, with a chuckle, that here's Parsons who had black servants and maids growing up in the South, and suddenly in the middle of London after hanging out with Mick and Keith says, "hey, I'm not going." I believe Parsons even signed the contract to go.
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Aquamarine
Well, no, I don't think anyone would claim their visit affected the outcome of the nation--which is in a helluva better shape now than it was back then, whatever its current lingering woes.
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tomk
I do recall an interview with McGuinn where he says one of the main reasons for going was to try and help turn things around, try and affect some change. Now that's '60s naivete.
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birdie
Looks like four great nights in South Africa with over 60 different songs being played over the four nights!