Gene Clark

Subject: Gene Clark
From: number 6
Date: 24 Jan 06 - 11:11 PM

Any Gene Clark fans around.

Been listening to an old recording of his "white light" ... one track in particular, which I'm also picking around on my guitar tonite, is "For a Spanish Guitar", it is in my opinion an outstanding song.

The late Gene Clark a fine musician and songwriter.

sIx

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: number 6
Date: 24 Jan 06 - 11:16 PM

"And the right and the wrong and insane
And the answers they cannot explain
Pulsate from my soul through my brain
In a spanish guitar

To play on a spanish guitar
With the sun shining down where you are
Skipping and singing a bar
From the music around

Just to laugh through the columns of trees
To soar like a seagull in breeze
To stand in the rain if you please
Or to never be found "

excerpt from For a Spanish Guitar by Gene Clark

sIx

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: GUEST,Wayne
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 07:30 AM

I was lucky enough to see Gene Clark in concert supporting Lindisfarne in Swansea in the mid 80's. I wasn't a folkie in those days (I regarded Lindisfarne as a rock band - aah the naivete of youth!)and I remember grumbling about having to sit through some tedious old fart from a forgotten 60's combo. But what an experience! A real road to Damascus. By the end of his short set the crowd was roaring for more and he obliged us with a beautiful, plaintive version of Mr Tambourine Man. Marvellous.

The very next day I blew a whole week's wages on Gene Clark and Byrds albums - and my metamorphosis from a human being to a folkie had begun. NO OTHER is my favourite solo album even if it is slightly atypical. It's one of the most underrated records of the seventies.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: GUEST,Texas Guest
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 10:39 AM

I've read in several places that the Byrds were the Beatles favorite American band. One can hear the Byrds influence on the Fab Four by listening to their(I believe it is titled)"Yesterday And Today" album. Hear any Byrds in there?

Oh, what I would have given to have been a Byrd. They were certainly one of my very favorite bands from that time - Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Michael Clark and Chris Hillman. Even today, and I don't listen to pop or country radio much, you can hear the Byrds influence on recordings from New York to Nashville to L.A.
Gene Clark has been missed since his death but his recordings live on whether in a Byrd line-up, some other project or a solo work. Thanks for the Clark/Byrds thread - much love and respect for him/them down here in Hockeytown South. Cheers.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Wesley S
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:20 AM

I don't have it with me so I can't remember the title - but I'd like to rave about Chris Hillmans newest CD. Very fine songs and picking throughout. An acoustic CD with a fine version of "8 miles high". It's one of my favorites. I'm thinking that if you like Gene Clark then you would enjoy this one too.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: number 6
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 04:25 PM

"One can hear the Byrds influence on the Fab Four by listening to their" ....... definately hear their influence on Rubber Soul Texas Guest.

Wesley ... I'll admit that I'm not all tha familiar with the works of Chris Hillman but will make an effort to do so.

sIx

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 09:47 PM

Chris has been playin' mostly alt country and some mainstream country ever since the Byrds took on new members, with various groups including the Desert Rose Band....

BTW, some of th Later Byrds LP's wren't all that hateful after most of the group had split... Skip Batton, if my memory serves me correctly, had a few memorable tunes... But I might not have the right name since my LP's are packed away at present...

And Gram Parsons was in on "Sweetheart of the Radio", again if my feeble memory holds up and that was arguablly the Byrds best offering...

The old mind is a terrible thing...

But one thing fir sure is that no one will evr forget the soaring sound of Roger McGwinn's 12 string....

Bobert

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Auggie
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 10:09 PM

Always loved Clark's "Changing Heart" and "Full Circle", both off the self-titled Byrds album back in the early 1970's.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: GUEST,Anonny Mouse
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:00 PM

Was a major Byrds fan...sad to say I didn't even know Gene Clark had died. See where Martin has a McGuinn 7 string guitar--the "G" wound is octaved like on a 12. Strange lookin' git-but supposedly has a unique sound.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: GUEST,Anonny Mouse
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:06 PM

Had to look up what happened to Gene-died of a bleeding ulcer after years of being addicted to heroin. Geez! That's a sorry mess. Didn't realize he wrote "Feel A Whole Lot Better" and "8 Miles High"-two of my fav Byrds' songs...great McGuinn 12-string break in "Feel...".

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: number 6
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:32 PM

I dug out my old Turn Turn Turn album tonite ... I haven't listened to it in decades ... I must say I was reimpressed with 2 songs specifically "if your gone" and 'He was a friend of mine".

Yeah, Gene is gone Anonny, and Gram Parsons too ... seems the best of them go pretty fast.

Bobert ... "But one thing fir sure is that no one will evr forget the soaring sound of Roger McGwinn's 12 string...." ... you certainly got it there!!

sIx

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:48 PM

All alone you say
            
The power is perfection

Is the power of peace or merely the connection

To the God of love that powers the protection

From the tide of life that flows in each direction

When the stream of changing days

Turns around in so many ways

Then the pilot of the mind must find the right direction

                                                 gene clark

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: michaelr
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:59 PM

I'm a huge Gene Clark fan. Saw him do a solo show in the late 80s, not long before he died. Myself and a number of other musicians around here (Northern California, where he lived for a long time) are discussing plans for a tribute concert.

"Spanish Guitar" is one of the gems of his folkier output, coming on the heels of "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark". And for psychedelic country rock nothing can touch his 1973 "No Other" album. 1977's "Two Sides to Every Story" is a great country/folk album, featuring a rerecording of his hit "Kansas City Southern". And his 1987 duo effort with the Textones' Carla Olson' "So Rebellious a Lover", contains wonderful renditions of "Deportee", "Fair and Tender Ladies", and more.

Essential reading is John Einarson's 2005 biography "Mr. Tambourine Man" (Backbeat Books). It appears GC was treated very shabbily by his Byrds bandmates, and after leaving the group sadly never managed to launch a solo career commensurate with his songwriting talents.

Another in a long line of too-sensitive, troubled geniuses who couldn't stick around, Harold Eugene Clark is sorely missed.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: number 6
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 12:12 AM

Thanks for that info Michael. I will certainly get a hold of that book "Mr. Tambourine Man". I also heard he was treated much the same way by the New Christy Minstrels.

These lyrics from his song "set you Free this time" sorta says it all:

"I have never been so far out in front
That I could ever ask for what I want
And have it any time"

sIx

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Gedpipes
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 09:19 AM

...and if you like clark and Hillman I daresay you might also like the 2 Manassas Albums. Cracking stuff
Blue skies
Ged

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: open mike
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 11:48 AM

I have sent a link to this thread to a fellow who knew and played
with Gene. His bio here has some background. www.peterolivamusic.com
Peter Oliva will be presented in concert in Chico, CA (that's california
not Canada) Saturday, Feb. 25 at Moxies. Show time 8 pm.
Peter's web site has info about his new c.d.
Postcard from the Promised Land.

Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen played in Chico recently.
they have a new c.d. called Way Out West.

here is a previous discussion of Gram Parsons on the mudcat
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=30584#393444

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: M.Ted
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 12:45 PM

There was a time that I listened to Gene Clark a lot, and I am really happy to know that a few of my fellow travellers here(the usual suspects) feel the same way I do about him--

I remember seeing McGuinn, and Clark, then McGuinn, Hillman, and Clark, and finally McGuinn, Hillman and Clark with David Crosby sitting in   at various venues in Northern California, back in 1977-78, with the the final "reunion" at the Boarding House---wonderful showsand exciting show--and not just for sentimental reasons--It seemed for a very short time that they were really going to take off again--

Gene Clark was a great creative talent --sad that people forget that he wrote some of the Byrds most memorable songs--He left the Byrds early in the game, though, the reason given at the time was that he didn't like to fly. They were never quite the same without him.

As to his being treated shabbily, his personal demons undermined his reliability as a performer, and that can create a lot of friction in a working band. McGuinn and the others did reunite with him several times, so it's not like they didn't try--still, when you look at some of mediocre talent from his time that have gone on to become wealthy pop icons, you can't help but think that he deserved a lot more than he ever got----

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: number 6
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 04:07 PM

I appreciate all who posted to this thread ... great info was provided and a lot was shared.

Gene Clark certainly is worthy of our accolades

sIx

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: closet-folkie
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 04:27 PM

Gene was a talent wasn't he?
Back in 91, I was out on tour with McGuinn, playing as part of his band, and on the eve of the very last show of the tour (here in St.Pete, Fl.), we heard the news that Gene had passed away. I remember thinking how strange it must have been for Roger, going out and singing those songs written by his departed friend. It was quite a poignant gig, really.
I agree that it's a shame for us that he never got to release more music.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 12:41 PM

closet
Was that the tour to promote McGuinn's Back from Rio album? If so, I saw you in Boulder CO at the Boulder Theater. Great show!

LEJ

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: closet-folkie
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 10:23 AM

LEJ, thanks! Yes it was the Back From Rio tour. I remember the Boulder Theatre show well; nice venue.
Do you live in Boulder? If so, perhaps you could give me a little guidance--my brother in law keeps after us to move out there, and the missus is all set to go. I'm open to the idea, but I'm not sure. It seems like a great area to live, and to be honest, the idea of getting away from the Florida summers is most attractive. Any thoughts,tips, suggestions? Cheers, Steve R.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:00 AM

closet-folkie
I'll send you a personal message.
Yes, Roger was in good voice that night and the band was tight. Lots of old Byrds fans there, and a real emotional moment when McGuinn's Rickenbacker rang out on My Back Pages. Rio was a great album, and I suppose McGuinn's last rock album. I heard him say the only money made was by the record company.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 02:30 PM

Agree that Gene Clark's personal demons never allowed him to achieve the renown he deserved. Hard to believe, however, that all this Byrds discussion has gone on without a mention of the most talented member of all- Clarence White. He was a huge part of their sound, even further back than Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and went on to make them one of the most thrilling bands of all to experience LIVE. We can only imagine how they would have sounded if Gene had continued.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 02:52 PM

Clarence was amazing. I saw him, Roger, Skip Battin, and Gene Parsons at Freedom Hall in Louisville KY in 1971. There were probably 200 people in a venue designed to hold 12,000. That didn't stop them from performing a great show when the house lights went down and the stage lights came up. I remember Clarence as the short bearded guy with flying fingers who coaxed everything from steel-guitar whines to ripping country leads to cascades of notes that sounded like sonic waterfalls.
I think it was just a year later that White was hit and killed by a car while loading an amp into his back seat. Gram Parsons remembered him in In My Hour of Darkness...

Another young man safely strummed
His silver-stringed guitar
and played to people everywhere
some say he was a Star
But he was just a country boy
his simple songs attest
and the music he had in him
so very few possess

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 09 Feb 06 - 12:30 AM

Closet Folkie
For some reason I can't get your handle to come up for a personal msg.
No, I don't live in Boulder, but I lived in Evergreen Colorado for almost 20 years. Boulder area is nice, but quite expensive. They have a fairly restrictive no-growth policy, which is good from the standpoint of reducing people concentration, but makes real estate a sky-high proposition. Most reasonable property is in the surrounding areas like Broomfield, Ault, etc. Colorado is quite temperate with lots of sun, and snow doesn't stay long. Access to camping, fishing, skiing, climbing, biking, etc is excellent, as you probably know.
If you would like to ask more questions, try PMing me and maybe that will work.

Subject: RE: Gene Clark
From: closet-folkie
Date: 09 Feb 06 - 10:38 AM

LEJ, thanks for the info. You say the housing is expensive, but from what I can gather, it's a bargain compared to what houses are going for here in St.Pete,FL. I'm thinking I can sell my house here and make a little money on the deal.
I was curious about the music scene there. I've heard that it's pretty good as far as the acoustic/folkie thing goes; would you agree?
I'm not sure why the PM thing doesn't work, but if you want you can e-mail me via my site; there's a pic or two from a couple of McGuinn shows there in case you fancy a look (none from the Boulder show, though, I'm afraid). Thanks again, Steve R.

Steve Robinson