The United States of America (album) - Release

Release

"It wasn't half bad. Some of it was embarrassing but some of it really stood up over time. My favourite cut is "Where is Yesterday." It represents the best synthesis of our talents and if we were given the chance at a second album, I think we should have gone in this direction."

Dorothy Moskowitz, on the album in 2003

Inter band arguments about the direction of the group between Byrd and the rest of his band mates led the band to split up within months of the album's release. The United States of America was first released in 1968 on Columbia Records. The album spent nine weeks on the charts in the United States, peaking at number 181 on the Billboard album charts in May 1968. The album failed to chart in Britain. The album was reissued on compact disc by Columbia Records in 1992 with two bonus tracks. In 1997, the album was re-issued in the United Kingdom on Edsel Records. On July 13, 2004 Sundazed Records re-issued the album on vinyl and compact disc with a new album cover from the original UK and Europe releases, and with the CD version containing 10 bonus tracks. USA member Joseph Byrd claims to have little input to the Sundazed re-release of the album. Byrd claims he was "interested in doing notes, and I figured this was a chance to get my voice heard - Dorothy and Rubinson had both done extensive interviews referring to me in unpleasant fashion (as justification for their coup, I imagine). I asked for $300 and got it. I've written elsewhere to you that Sundazed took out all references they found controversial, including one about Bill Graham."

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