Gene Clark – (1944-1991) Gene Clark was a founding member of the seminal 1960s Rock group the Byrds and the principal songwriter for the band for its first three albums. He penned some of the most beautiful songs of the decade: “Here Without You,” “I Feel A Whole Lot Better,” “She Don’t Care About Time,” and “Set You Free This Time,” and the majestic “The World Turns All Around Her,” He also co-wrote the classic “Eight Miles High,” Clark departed the band in 1966 partly because of his deathly fear of flying and partly because McGuinn sang lead on the singles and Bob Dylan songs,
Also, there was the resentment of other band members that Clark was more highly paid because of his song writing credits. It was the group’s loss because they were never better than when he was in the band He was the heart and soul of the Byrds. Clark next signed as a solo artist with the Columbia label, releasing “Gene Clark and the Gosdin Brothers,” that also featured the Byrds Chris Hillman on bass. The album was a critical success, but because it was released at the same time as the Byrds “Younger Than Yesterday,” in 1967, it disappeared without a trace.
A short stint with the Byrds after David Crosby left ended after three weeks. In 1968, Clark hooked up with banjo player Doug Dillard, guitarist Bernie Leadon (later of The Flying Burrito Brothers and the Eagles), bassist David Jackson and mandolinist Don Beck – and for a short time Byrds drummer Michael Clarke joined the group, They delivered two albums, “The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark,” (1968) which was a landmark work of acoustic country rock, featuring a collaboration between Clark and Leadon on “Train Leaves This Morning,” (later covered by the Eagles), and “Through the Morning, Through the Night,” (1969) which leaned toward traditional bluegrass. Then Clark decided to move on. He continued to record quality solo albums such as “White Light,” (1971) which included perhaps Clark’s masterpiece “For a Spanish Guitar,” which Bob Dylan embraced. But Clark failed to promote the album, and it was a commercial failure except in the Netherlands. “Roadmaster,” was released in 1973 to the same fate. A reunion Byrds album in 1973 didn’t fare as well either.
David Geffen signed Clark to his new label Asylum Records in 1974, and the ensuing album “No Other,” over $100K in production costs. It featured the Allman Brothers Band and a host of other session musicians. The music was overarching in its ambition with a blend of Country Rock, Folk, Gospel, Soul and Choral Music. Clark’s songwriting included some of his finest work including “Silver Raven,” “Some Misunderstanding, “Life’s Greatest Fool,” and “No Other.” Critics loved it but Geffen agitated by the cost failed to promote it properly, “Two Sides to Every Story,” followed in 1977 with tracks such as “Hear the Wind,” and “Sister Moon.” Clark considered it his best album, but it was yet another failure on the charts. He regrouped with McGuinn and Hillman on the album “McGuinn, Clark, and Hillman,” in 1979, and had better luck. He contributed four songs including “Backstage Pass.” The album, though slick, was a success, . Unfortunately, Clark’s substance abuse and dissatisfaction with the production resulted in his leaving the band. Later in the 1980s, Clark recorded a highly acclaimed duo album with Carla Olson called “So Rebellious a Lover,’ (1986) which for a time rejuvenated his career. But ulcers and alcohol had left him with serious health problems. The Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and Clark performed together with the band for the last time. He died on May 24th, 1991 at age 46, another tragic casualty in the long line of Rock Stars succumbing to alcohol or heroin addiction.
Clark’s songwriting became revered after his death: his songs were covered by Tom Petty, Ian Matthews, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant – just a few of his fans. Clark was a hard-luck guy, who was unable to sustain a long career, but his songwriting craft has been rediscovered, and his Byrds’ compositions are timeless.
Originally released in September 1974, “No Other” is an absolutely extraordinary album of Country-steeped rock and roll balladeering from The Byrds founding member, Gene Clark. An LP of huge innovation and terrible luck.
By 1973, Gene Clark had ended his third stint with The Byrds, the hall of fame rock band he founded alongside Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman. As amicable and volatile as they ever were, 1973 found the original members back together and recording, although the album was an all-out critical and commercial disaster. With a renewed inspiration and the opportunities afforded to him by Asylum, Clark began work on his magnum opus.
This is another album that demands to be listened to as a whole flowing between musical styles in an easy manner. The album feels like it was delivered from the heavens to us to soothe our souls. Reading about how it was made and the fact that it apparently only made number 144 on the Billboard album chart reminds me that sometimes it takes time to recognise genius.
The album was reissued in 2019 with all of the bells and whistles including multiple versions of the tracks on the original.
Eight years and three solo albums after leaving the Byrds, Gene Clark released “No Other,” an album that truly lived up to its title. At the time, there was no other record like “No Other,” which cost more than $500,000 to produce and was seen as a masterpiece by Clark. However, the experimental use of overdubs and other effects were just a bit ahead of their time, leading to heavy criticism by the press, who called the effort bloated, pretentious and overproduced. (Fleetwood Mac used many of the same techniques just a year later to great success.) As a result, Asylum Records refused to promote the album and basically disowned it, damaging Clark’s career so badly that he would never recover. Sadly, it wasn’t until after the artist’s death in 1991 that “No Other” would see a reissue, re-evaluations by critics and the respect it (and Clark) rightfully deserved.
“No Other” is one of the most important albums of the 1970s. It has the Laurel Canyon vibe (although it was primarily written at his coastal home in Mendocino and recorded in downtown LA across various stints with producer Thomas Jefferson Kaye). It is also rich in Gospel stylings, with complex and full harmonies that would inspire many dozens of albums across the decade that followed. There are flashes of Country (the album includes a vast array of session musicians, including members of The Section and the Allman Brothers Band) and all bound to his wistful and spiritual songs. Although each of its nine tracks are different, they sit together beautifully and create the most vivid and coherent flow. Like all timeless albums, you can just keep flipping it over and bathing in the opulent world it creates.
But, like many classics, it was an album not of its time and failed to find an audience on release. It is tragic that this wonderful album’s renaissance would arrive after Clark had died, but it remains one of the most seminal albums of the period.
Misunderstood, mismanaged and one of the greatest ever fumbles (alongside Big Star’s #1 Record), “No Other” is a visionary work of such artistry. It is an album of dichotomy, both sonically and thematically focused on the balance between light and dark. Joyous and rousing, pensive and mournful, it really does cover the spectrum of emotions and there is not one wasted second.
A proper beauty then and a proper beauty now.
The Fat Angel Sings 