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Modern Folk Quartet

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537:, and more college dates, a breakthrough eluded them and they disbanded by July 1966. Band members felt that the material and direction given to them by record producers were partly to blame. According to Faryar: "I think Herbie steered us into some situations, like with Charlie Calello, where they wanted us to think this kind of song, they wanted us to think that kind of song, and we did not thrive in the hands of that kind of direction. We were most successful inventing our own stuff". Yester added: "I wished we would have recorded that , but we never did. The group didn't embrace original material as readily as I thought it should have. If we would have stuck with Chip's and my songs, we would have gotten further in the folk-rock days". 33: 261:) for Warner Brothers Records. MFQ performed with an array of popular folk group instruments, including guitar, banjo, ukulele, bass, and percussion, and four-part vocal harmonies. An album review called their material "a superbly chosen selection of concurrently new traditionals and original adaptations of standards from the folk music canon" that benefit from the group's fresh approach. 362:. A single "Every Minute of Every Day", backed with "That's Alright with Me" was released in April 1965 by Warner Bros. It was largely unnoticed and Faryar felt that the material was wrong for them. The group moved back to Los Angeles and debuted their folk rock set at their old haunt, the Troubador. Faryar recalled reactions similar to 303:(aka Dino Valente). A third album for Warner Bros. was not forthcoming. Yester explained "we were on the road so much that when we were off, we didn't really want to work ... We basically performed with those two albums worth of material. I don't think we had enough for another album until we changed into folk-rock". 545:
Two years after MFQ disbanded, a second Dunhill MFQ single, the double A-side "Don't You Wonder" backed with "I Had a Dream Last Night", was released in 1968. The various members went on to develop their own careers. They re-formed between 1975 and 1978, and they released a third album "Live at The
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We started going up to Spector's house every day. We'd spend two hours waiting around before he even appeared, and there were all these karate-type bodyguards hanging around. Eventually, he'd appear at the top of the stairs and say, 'Hi, guys!' He'd sit there with a twelve-string and we'd sing all
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became interested in the group. According to Henry Diltz, "we'd heard that Spector was looking for a folk-rock band ... The word was that he really wanted the Lovin' Spoonful, but he couldn't get them. So he came down to see us instead". Spector went as far as to join MFQ onstage at a local
287:. A review noted "with an ear toward sustaining the fresh sound of their predecessor they blend their arrangements and adaptations to another impressive lineup of modern compositions from the group's contemporaries". These include early songs written by 188:. Although MFQ received a fair amount of exposure, their rock-oriented recordings failed to capture their sound or generate enough interest and they disbanded in 1966. Subsequently, MFQ re-formed several times and made further recordings. 338:
In 1965, MFQ began exploring a rock sound. Faryar saw the progression "as a logical outcome of how we think. We would have had to change our whole mental attitude to stay where we were". He also admitted being influenced by other bands:
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whet our appetites for folk-rock. Whatever sweet music the Byrds came up with, they legitimized this transition from folk to folk-rock ... We had developed a rock set when we played with the
1136: 219:. The MFQ adopted a similar approach to vocalization; a fellow folk musician commented: "They were singing diminished, flatted ninths, jazz chords ... really advanced stuff". 462:. We were supposed to be in it, because we were on his label, for god's sake. But we ended up being the entertainment for everybody while they were setting up for the next band". 32: 172:
group that formed in the early 1960s. Originally emphasizing acoustic instruments and group harmonies, they performed extensively and recorded two albums. In 1965, as the
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and we were all suddenly electric and cranking out electric tunes. The folkies were largely horrified. There were a lot of purists there, into the whole
823: 703: 207:, and Stan White formed the quartet in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1962, after Faryar had returned from the mainland U.S. after a period singing with 1143: 558:
On MFQ's singles releases, the group is variously listed as "Modern Folk Quartet", "M.F.Q.", "MFQ", "Modern Folk Quintet", and "the MFQ".
1251: 992: 967: 790: 733: 1116: 550:, joined in 1988. After a 12-year break they reformed again in 2003 for a tour of Japan, where they have remained popular. 1228: 1210: 606: 577: 413: 283: 477:, and the Mamas and the Papas. After Frank Zappa made some disparaging comments about New York, MFQ took the place of 546:
Ice House 1978, and again in the 1980s, again becoming the Modern Folk Quintet when Yester's brother Jim, formerly of
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and were renamed "officially the Modern Folk Quintet, but prefer to be known as the MFQ". Producer
883: 750: 689: 211:'s Whiskeyhill Singers. They took the name Modern Folk Quartet as a conscious parallel with the 313:
We watched , and it was like, this bolt of electricity went through everybody's brain. That was
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got an electric bass, I got an electric guitar, and in less than a year, we were a rock band.
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Despite their exposure at the clubs, an appearance on the television music variety show
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Fisk, Thermon (July 9, 1966). "Gene Clark: 'You Have to Hear It and See It Yourself'".
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sometimes also sat in on drums with the MFQ between playing sets at a nearby club).
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Waiting for the Sun: Strange Days, Weird Scenes, and the Sound of Los Angeles
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The transition was complete in September 1965 when they added rock drummer
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recordings, rather than a folk rock sound reminiscent of the Byrds with
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club. After White became ill, he was replaced by local singer-guitarist
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The group released a second album in 1964 for Warner Bros. titled
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Mr. Tambourine Man: The Life and Legacy of The Byrds' Gene Clark
573:"Every Minute of Every Day" / "That's Alright with Me" (4/1965) 253:
The quartet recorded their debut album in 1963. Simply titled
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The group moved to Los Angeles, where they became regulars at
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performances in Los Angeles. In early 1966, MFQ signed with
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The MFQ performed frequently at Hollywood clubs, such as the
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For much of 1963 to 1965, MFQ was based in New York City's
1101: 442: 440:" and "forgot all about the Modern Folk Quartet [ 586:"Don't You Wonder" / "I Had a Dream Last Night" (5/1968) 934:
Deck, Carol (November 6, 1965). "Modern Folk Quartet".
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The Best of The Modern Folk Quartet - From 1963 To 1995
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People reeled aghast and some fled as I brought out my
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Their first attempt to record rock was with producer
570:"The Love of a Clown" / "If All You Think" (10/1964) 985:The Bitter End: Hanging Out at America's Nightclub 901: 521:-style vocals. The single reached number 122 on 1243: 982: 904:Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution 395:club with a twelve-string guitar and performed " 215:, who were known for their use of sophisticated 870: 868: 866: 864: 862: 822:: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( 702:: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( 1137: 908:. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. p. 64. 680: 678: 859: 953: 951: 949: 896: 874: 780: 1144: 1130: 1024:. St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 100–101. 1012: 1010: 1008: 1006: 1004: 781:Childs, Marti Smiley; March, Jeff (1999). 675: 31: 1102:Official MFQ website (mostly in Japanese) 983:Colby, Paul; Fitzpatrick, Martin (2002). 957: 946: 776: 774: 719: 717: 715: 713: 497:. "Night Time Girl", a song written by 404:kinds of songs. This went on for weeks. 1151: 1016: 1001: 583:"Night Time Girl" / "Lifetime" (3/1966) 242:became their manager (later manager of 1244: 929: 927: 925: 723: 1125: 1112:Sleeve notes for reissued first album 771: 710: 469:and the Trip. They appeared with the 1117:Interview with Henry Diltz about MFQ 1069: 933: 751:"Modern Folk Quartet – Album Review" 493:, where they recorded with producer 987:. Cooper Square Press. p. 90. 922: 306: 13: 836: 748: 351:in the Village" (the Spoonful's 14: 1263: 1095: 1082: 1063: 1038: 976: 191: 1045:"Bubbling Under the Hot 100". 890: 886:. Collector's Choice. CCM-524. 830: 799: 742: 553: 540: 412:followed where they recorded " 176:, they ventured into electric 1: 728:. Jawbone Press. p. 98. 692:. Warner Bros. 1963. WS 1511. 668: 526:magazine's extended pop chart 1252:American folk musical groups 942:(34). BEAT Publications: 12. 509:, with its eastern-sounding 487:Exploding Plastic Inevitable 452:, the 1966 follow-up to the 416:", cowritten by Spector and 180:and recorded with producers 7: 1078:(17). BEAT Publications: 3. 810:– Music from the Soundtrack 471:Paul Butterfield Blues Band 420:. The song bore Spector's 170:American folk music revival 37:The Modern Folk Quartet at 10: 1268: 650:Live at The Ice House 1978 561: 438:River Deep – Mountain High 1220: 1202: 1159: 593: 232:the New Christy Minstrels 230:, who had performed with 124: 120: 106: 90: 76: 65: 55: 50: 30: 23: 16:American folk music group 839:"Changes – Album Review" 724:Priore, Dominic (2007). 505:, has been described as 479:the Mothers of Invention 61:MFQ, Modern Folk Quintet 1211:This Could Be the Night 958:Einarson, John (2005). 884:The Modern Folk Quartet 882:(Album reissue notes). 690:The Modern Folk Quartet 686:The Modern Folk Quartet 656:MFQ Live Archive Series 600:The Modern Folk Quartet 578:This Could Be the Night 414:This Could Be the Night 255:The Modern Folk Quartet 236:Les Baxter's Balladeers 483:the Velvet Underground 408:Recording sessions at 406: 384: 364:Dylan's electric debut 327: 51:Background information 41:in 1965 with producer 783:Echoes of the Sixties 519:Mamas & the Papas 401: 372: 368:Newport Folk Festival 311: 1107:Jerry Yester website 808:Palm Springs Weekend 726:Riot on Sunset Strip 275:Palm Springs Weekend 1153:Modern Folk Quartet 1088:Priore 2007, p. 98. 898:Unterberger, Richie 876:Unterberger, Richie 818:cite AV media notes 785:. Billboard Books. 698:cite AV media notes 528:on April 16, 1966. 317:. No more haircuts. 213:Modern Jazz Quartet 174:Modern Folk Quintet 162:Modern Folk Quartet 25:Modern Folk Quartet 962:. Backbeat Books. 614:Moonlight Seranade 513:accompaniment and 1239: 1238: 994:978-0-8154-1206-9 969:978-0-87930-793-6 837:Planer, Lindsay. 792:978-0-8230-8316-9 749:Planer, Lindsay. 735:978-1-906002-04-6 410:Gold Star Studios 380:Appalachian thing 266:Greenwich Village 158: 157: 39:Gold Star Studios 1259: 1146: 1139: 1132: 1123: 1122: 1089: 1086: 1080: 1079: 1067: 1061: 1060: 1042: 1036: 1035: 1014: 999: 998: 980: 974: 973: 955: 944: 943: 931: 920: 919: 907: 894: 888: 887: 872: 857: 856: 854: 852: 834: 828: 827: 821: 813: 803: 797: 796: 778: 769: 768: 766: 764: 746: 740: 739: 721: 708: 707: 701: 693: 682: 449:The Big TNT Show 334: 320: 307:Folk-rock period 127: 93: 70:Honolulu, Hawaii 58: 35: 21: 20: 1267: 1266: 1262: 1261: 1260: 1258: 1257: 1256: 1242: 1241: 1240: 1235: 1216: 1198: 1155: 1150: 1098: 1093: 1092: 1087: 1083: 1068: 1064: 1044: 1043: 1039: 1032: 1018:Hoskyns, Barney 1015: 1002: 995: 981: 977: 970: 956: 947: 932: 923: 916: 895: 891: 873: 860: 850: 848: 835: 831: 815: 814: 805: 804: 800: 793: 779: 772: 762: 760: 747: 743: 736: 722: 711: 695: 694: 688:(Album notes). 684: 683: 676: 671: 596: 564: 556: 548:the Association 543: 491:Dunhill Records 360:Charles Calello 345:Lovin' Spoonful 336: 329: 318: 309: 194: 151: 147: 143: 141: 137: 133: 125: 101: 99: 97: 91: 56: 46: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1265: 1255: 1254: 1237: 1236: 1234: 1233: 1224: 1222: 1218: 1217: 1215: 1214: 1206: 1204: 1200: 1199: 1197: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1181: 1176: 1171: 1166: 1160: 1157: 1156: 1149: 1148: 1141: 1134: 1126: 1120: 1119: 1114: 1109: 1104: 1097: 1096:External links 1094: 1091: 1090: 1081: 1062: 1037: 1030: 1000: 993: 975: 968: 945: 921: 914: 889: 858: 829: 798: 791: 770: 741: 734: 709: 673: 672: 670: 667: 666: 665: 659: 653: 647: 641: 635: 629: 623: 617: 611: 603: 595: 592: 591: 590: 587: 584: 581: 574: 571: 568: 563: 560: 555: 552: 542: 539: 467:Whisky a Go Go 397:Spanish Harlem 353:John Sebastian 316: 310: 308: 305: 270:the Bitter End 224:the Troubadour 193: 190: 156: 155: 128: 122: 121: 118: 117: 108: 104: 103: 94: 88: 87: 78: 74: 73: 67: 63: 62: 59: 53: 52: 48: 47: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1264: 1253: 1250: 1249: 1247: 1231: 1230: 1226: 1225: 1223: 1219: 1212: 1208: 1207: 1205: 1201: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1185: 1182: 1180: 1177: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1161: 1158: 1154: 1147: 1142: 1140: 1135: 1133: 1128: 1127: 1124: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1105: 1103: 1100: 1099: 1085: 1077: 1073: 1066: 1058: 1054: 1050: 1049: 1041: 1033: 1031:0-312-17056-4 1027: 1023: 1019: 1013: 1011: 1009: 1007: 1005: 996: 990: 986: 979: 971: 965: 961: 954: 952: 950: 941: 937: 930: 928: 926: 917: 915:0-87930-703-X 911: 906: 905: 899: 893: 885: 881: 877: 871: 869: 867: 865: 863: 846: 845: 840: 833: 825: 819: 811: 809: 802: 794: 788: 784: 777: 775: 758: 757: 752: 745: 737: 731: 727: 720: 718: 716: 714: 705: 699: 691: 687: 681: 679: 674: 663: 660: 657: 654: 651: 648: 645: 642: 639: 636: 633: 632:MFQ Christmas 630: 627: 626:Bamboo Saloon 624: 621: 620:Live in Japan 618: 615: 612: 609: 608: 604: 601: 598: 597: 588: 585: 582: 579: 575: 572: 569: 566: 565: 559: 551: 549: 538: 536: 535: 529: 527: 525: 520: 516: 512: 508: 504: 500: 496: 495:Jack Nitzsche 492: 488: 484: 480: 476: 472: 468: 463: 461: 457: 456: 455:T.A.M.I. Show 451: 450: 445: 444: 439: 435: 431: 430:Terry Melcher 427: 423: 422:Wall-of-Sound 419: 418:Harry Nilsson 415: 411: 405: 400: 398: 393: 389: 383: 381: 377: 371: 369: 365: 361: 356: 354: 350: 346: 342: 335: 333: 326: 324: 314: 304: 302: 298: 294: 290: 286: 285: 279: 277: 276: 271: 267: 262: 260: 256: 251: 250:and others). 249: 245: 241: 237: 233: 229: 225: 220: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 198: 189: 187: 186:Jack Nitzsche 183: 179: 175: 171: 167: 163: 154: 150: 146: 140: 136: 132: 129: 123: 119: 116: 112: 109: 105: 95: 89: 86: 82: 79: 75: 71: 68: 64: 60: 57:Also known as 54: 49: 44: 40: 34: 29: 22: 19: 1227: 1189:Jerry Yester 1174:Cyrus Faryar 1169:Chip Douglas 1152: 1084: 1075: 1071: 1065: 1046: 1040: 1021: 984: 978: 959: 939: 935: 903: 892: 879: 849:. Retrieved 842: 832: 806: 801: 782: 761:. Retrieved 754: 744: 725: 685: 661: 655: 649: 643: 638:MFQ Wolfgang 637: 631: 625: 619: 613: 605: 599: 557: 544: 532: 530: 523: 515:sunshine pop 503:Irwin Levine 464: 459: 453: 447: 441: 407: 402: 392:Phil Spector 385: 376:Rickenbacker 373: 366:at the 1965 357: 337: 332:Jerry Yester 328: 312: 297:John Stewart 282: 280: 273: 263: 254: 252: 228:Jerry Yester 221: 217:counterpoint 205:Chip Douglas 197:Cyrus Faryar 195: 192:Early career 182:Phil Spector 173: 165: 161: 159: 145:Jerry Yester 139:Chip Douglas 131:Cyrus Faryar 126:Past members 111:Warner Bros. 92:Years active 43:Phil Spector 18: 1164:Henry Diltz 847:. Rovi Corp 759:. Rovi Corp 580:" (11/1965) 554:Discography 541:Later years 473:, Donovan, 434:Tina Turner 301:Chet Powers 248:Tim Buckley 244:Frank Zappa 201:Henry Diltz 135:Henry Diltz 1194:Jim Yester 1184:Stan White 669:References 644:Highway 70 426:Beach Boys 240:Herb Cohen 209:Dave Guard 153:Jim Yester 142:Stan White 1179:Eddie Hoh 1072:KRLA Beat 1057:0006-2510 1048:Billboard 936:KRLA Beat 524:Billboard 507:raga rock 499:Al Kooper 475:the Byrds 388:Eddie Hoh 349:Cafe Wha? 341:The Byrds 293:Phil Ochs 289:Bob Dylan 178:folk rock 168:) was an 149:Eddie Hoh 100:1985–1991 98:1975–1978 96:1962–1966 85:folk rock 1246:Category 1213:" (1965) 1020:(1999). 900:(2002). 878:(2005). 851:March 5, 844:AllMusic 763:March 5, 756:AllMusic 534:Shindig! 511:bouzouki 460:TNT Show 424:used on 45:(center) 1229:Changes 1203:Singles 880:Changes 607:Changes 562:Singles 347:at the 284:Changes 115:Dunhill 1232:(1964) 1221:Albums 1055:  1028:  991:  966:  912:  789:  732:  664:(2017) 658:(2006) 652:(2005) 646:(1995) 640:(1991) 634:(1990) 628:(1990) 622:(1989) 616:(1985) 610:(1964) 602:(1963) 594:Albums 319:  299:, and 107:Labels 77:Genres 72:, U.S. 66:Origin 436:and " 323:Chip 259:Byrds 1053:ISSN 1026:ISBN 989:ISBN 964:ISBN 910:ISBN 853:2014 824:link 787:ISBN 765:2014 730:ISBN 704:link 501:and 234:and 184:and 164:(or 160:The 102:2003 81:Folk 485:'s 481:at 443:sic 166:MFQ 1248:: 1074:. 1003:^ 948:^ 938:. 924:^ 861:^ 841:. 820:}} 816:{{ 773:^ 753:. 712:^ 700:}} 696:{{ 677:^ 370:: 330:– 315:it 295:, 291:, 246:, 238:. 203:, 199:, 113:, 83:, 1209:" 1145:e 1138:t 1131:v 1076:2 1059:. 1034:. 997:. 972:. 940:1 918:. 855:. 826:) 795:. 767:. 738:. 706:) 576:" 517:/ 339:"

Index

The Modern Folk Quartet at Gold Star Studios in 1965 with producer Phil Spector (center)
Gold Star Studios
Phil Spector
Honolulu, Hawaii
Folk
folk rock
Warner Bros.
Dunhill
Cyrus Faryar
Henry Diltz
Chip Douglas
Jerry Yester
Eddie Hoh
Jim Yester
American folk music revival
folk rock
Phil Spector
Jack Nitzsche
Cyrus Faryar
Henry Diltz
Chip Douglas
Dave Guard
Modern Jazz Quartet
counterpoint
the Troubadour
Jerry Yester
the New Christy Minstrels
Les Baxter's Balladeers
Herb Cohen
Frank Zappa

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