Gene Clark - where to start?

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Which album is the best place to start?

― meister, Friday, 21 May 2004 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll say "No Other," assuming you've already heard the Byrds stuff.

― briania (briania), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"No Other" is great, I like also "White Light",that's more sparse and country-oriented.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:12 (twenty-two years ago)

there are already a few threads on the man:

Gene Clark S/D, C/D
No Other - Gene Clark
Gene Clark No Other reissued again!

been digging No Other a lot since finally acquiring the import reish w/ the extra tracks a couple weeks back. I'm still coming to terms with it, I think.

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Are the bonus tracks worth it? They're not on "White Light"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

eh ... I would say no, frankly. In other words, it's not worth trading in an older copy. However, if you don't already own the record (as I didn't) it may be worth hunting for. There is only one unreleased song ("Train Leaves Here This Morning"); the rest are alternate takes. I suppose it's interesting in that, against the supremely dense final versions, you get to hear some of these songs with less glop all over them. The version of "No Other" (the song) removes that production effect from his voice, giving the song an overall different affect. Although, most of these alternate vocal performances aren't too good; Clark's voice creaking and croaking in places. The alternate version of "Some Misunderstanding" is a good three minutes shorter, removing all the long instrumental coda and frankly tightening it up a bit. I suppose it all depends how big a fan of the man you are...

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmmmmm, I've got the vinyl and "Train Leaves Here This Morning" is on Dillard & Clark's first album, I don't know, still sounds interesting

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Flying High -- 2-disc German comp. A little pricey, but an astoundingly good overview.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:39 (twenty-two years ago)

i think it's worth it, but i'm obsessed.

xpost

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I've only heard White Light, but was amazed to see what a great songwriter he really was. "Because of You" particularly is a beautiful tune.

― Joe (Joe), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Preflyte!

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I love both Dillard and Clark albums. His version of 'Don't Let Me Down' shows just what a great interpreter he was, of his songs or others'. And he really had one of the best voices ever.
All his solo stuff has been rightly raved about by everyone on those other threads, so I don't need to do it.

― de, Friday, 21 May 2004 16:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't forget all the Byrds stuff...the CD reissues of their first 2 albums with all the extra tracks are essential for Clark fans, as is Preflyte, as mentioned.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh and 'Roadmaster' is indispensable.

― de, Friday, 21 May 2004 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the version of One In a Hundred that's on Roadmaster better then the one on White Light. And In a Misty Morning ends on the most beautiful and melancholy note...

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

That version of "One In a Hundred" on Roadmaster is the reunited Byrds version where they were all in diff. studios, yes? Because if that's the one, it's one of the greatest tracks in their history. And it's on Flying High...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck, what am I talking about "come to terms with" .. No Other is unequivocally great! What a collection of songs.

Talking about ending on a beautiful and melancholy note, isn't that little bit of violin that ends "Lady Of the North" (and the album) just wonderful??

I do have one reservation - does it bug anybody else the way he sings those long "i"s at the end of the verses on "Some Misunderstanding"; i.e. "to make it ri - i - iight.." or "my eyes are seeing twi - i - iiice". I dunno. Small nitpick, but it kind of bugs me. I suppose that is probably my least favorite track, though I do still like it. It just sort of plods a bit. The guitar solo is great.

i REALLY need to get Roadmaster, like yesterday.

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I think so matt, didn't know the full "different studios" story, but I think they cut that She's the Kind of Girl, which is just magnificent as well, as the 1969 Byrds or whenever that was.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

As per my interpreter comment above, his redoing of 'She Don't Care About Time' is sublime too. The title track is endearing in its non-Clarkian lewdness. It's all good.

― de, Friday, 21 May 2004 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I think so matt, didn't know the full "different studios" story, but I think they cut that She's the Kind of Girl, which is just magnificent as well, as the 1969 Byrds or whenever that was.

Yup, two of the best cuts in their catalog.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 21 May 2004 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

the Flatt/Scruggs cut on Roadmaster is beautiful too.

― Beta (abeta), Friday, 21 May 2004 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Definitely No Other. I lurve Gene, but I found White Light pretty dull.

(Irrelevant: Dan, you don't have a sister called Janine, do you?)

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Friday, 21 May 2004 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Nope. Jamie.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

"throw your troubles to the moon-trolls"

that 80's demo one is bleak and great too. wearing a bad weatshirt on the cover

― duke jefferson kaye, Saturday, 22 May 2004 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)

― duke martin, Saturday, 22 May 2004 00:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I would say that "With the Gosdin Brothers" is an excellent place to start myself.

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Saturday, 22 May 2004 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

The one-CD _American Dreamer_ comp on Raven is a great overview of his career (through _No Other_) and is very well-selected. If you can't spring for _Flying High_, give this one a try.

― Jeff Wright (JeffW1858), Saturday, 22 May 2004 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

It's Oberlin Co-op Week here at ILM...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 22 May 2004 04:17 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

two of gene's songs are going to be on that Robert Plant/Allison Kraus collab coming out soon. Polly & Through The Morning, Through The Night. don't really dig her that much, but plant has great taste in 60s head cases (skip spence, arthur lee) so maybe it won't be so bad

― gershy, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 05:47 (eighteen years ago)

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