“We were firmly in the American tradition of artistic and political radicalism intermixed with patriotism, and to thus establish a psychic ‘distance’ from The Beatles.”  So stated Joseph Byrd in a 2004 interview excerpted in the liner notes to Esoteric Recordings’ new reissue of 1969’s The American Metaphysical Circus.  The album, credited to Joe Byrd and the Hippies, exemplified the adventuresome spirit of the era which led the venerable Columbia Records label to sign a number of experimental artists to the home of Simon and Garfunkel and Barbra Streisand.  Byrd’s previous effort for…