Gene Clark

Gene Clark was in the Byrds. No he’s not the dude with the funny glasses, that was Roger McGuinn. He’s not the guy in the suede fringe hunting jacket either, that was David Crosby. Gene never really had a persona or image. What he was though was the principal songwriter in the band between 1964 and 1966, writing or co-writing tunes such as “Here Without You” , “Set You Free This Time” , “I’ll feel a Whole Lot Better”, “She Don’t Care About Time” and most notably, “Eight Miles High”. Despite writing songs like this and being the lead singer casual fans of The Byrds probably could’nt even give you his name. All they know about is the guy with the funny glasses and the 12 string Rickenbacker singing Dylan. And that is a damn shame.

The Byrds burned brightly like a comet in the ‘60’s. Their influence reached across the globe. Even the Beatles were not immune, with George sporting a 12 string Rick of his own around the time of Rubber Soul. That album cover by the way shows The Beatles in suede hunting jackets through a fish eye lens, which was eerily similar to an album released by The Byrds just months prior.

Comets unfortunately burn out though, and there were just too many egos in the band to keep it going. The other members resented the fact that Gene’s songwriting royalties were netting him more dollars than the rest of them. So Gene was the first to leave in 1966. Looking at his early solo stuff with collaborators Doug Dillard and Chris Hillman, there is a definite leaning towards a country/western, bluegrass style. This was no accident. Clark after all was born in Tipton, Missouri and devoured Hank Williams records in much the same way as Brian Wilson glommed onto the Four Freshmen.

Much of what would become Country folk/rock in the early to mid seventies owe a considerable debt of gratitude to Gene. Bands like The Eagles, Pure Prairie League, even the later incarnations of Fleetwood Mac drew off of his influences.

Gene however, would never attain the solo success he so richly deserved despite continuing to work and releasing a sizeable solo output much of which was ignored by record promoters and radio. After kicking around the late ‘60’s writing songs for The Flying Burrito Brothers and others, Clark would finally release his first proper solo album in 1971. It was a long road to get there. The Burritos wanted Gene to replace Gram Parsons, but Gene had a drinking problem combined with a fear of flying that quickly scotched those plans. He even replaced Crosby in the Byrds for a month or two, before leaving the band again after one of his panic attacks.

So in 1971, Gene Clarks solo album came and went. It was only commercially successful in the Netherlands , of all places. Sometimes referred to as the “White Light” album, it is a revelation in the Psych/folk genre if there is such a thing. The album includes the gorgeous “For A Spanish Guitar”, the only song I’ve ever heard Bob Dylan ever quoted as one he wish he had written. If that praise is not high enough , check out Gene’s cover version of Dylan’s “Tears Of Rage” which is damn near if not the definitive version. Clark’s unwillingness and/or inability to do promotional tours of the material didn’t help matters either, and also contributed to the records quick disappearance.

A few years later, after recording more material that would not initially even be released and even rejoining and recording with yet another reincarnation of The Byrds , Gene Clark was signed to Asylum records as a solo artist in 1974. This would result in one LP, arguably his magnum opus. Titled “No Other”, it was produced with a large budget of session musicians, back up singers and eight of the greatest songs ever placed on a single LP. It seemed like Clark’s work was always ahead of the times by about two to three years. Listening to it today, it confounds the mind how this album could not have been a hit especially when compared stylistically to records like Rumours, Hotel California, and even Steely Dan’s Aja which all would be released just two to three years down the road.

There would be more albums and more collaborations as the years went on, but always in relative obscurity and without mainstream success. Serious health problems like ulcers and years of heavy drinking would eventually claim his life on May 24th 1991. His songs can be found on albums like Tom Petty’s “Full Moon Fever” and most recently the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss Grammy winner had three Gene Clark compositions included. Among critics and his peers, Gene Clark is a legend. However in the eyes of the general public he has still yet to have his day in the spotlight.