Chanteur Country US né le 17 novembre 1944 à Tipton (Missouri). Gene Clark a
été membre fondateur des "Byrds" et des "Flying Burrito Bros." de
Gram Parsons. Il est décédé le 24 mai 1991 à Sherman Oaks
(Californie).
Gene Clark
will always be best remembered for his two-year stint as a vocalist with the
Byrds between 1964 and 1966. A fine legacy to be sure, but the shame of it is
that there was far more to Clark's body of work than that; he was a superb
songwriter, one of the founding fathers of country-rock, and recorded a number
of fine albums with an impressive array of collaborators whose quality far
outstripped their modest sales figures.
Gene Clark was born in Tipton, MO, in 1944. Clark's father was an amateur
musician with a passion for country music which rubbed off on young Gene; he
began learning the guitar at age nine and was soon picking out
Hank Williams tunes, as well as
material by early rockers such as Elvis
Presley and the Everly Brothers.
Before long, Clark started writing his own songs, and at 13, he cut his first
record with a local rock & roll combo, Joe Meyers and the Sharks, but Clark
developed an interest in folk music after the Kingston Trio rose to popularity.
Clark began performing with several folk groups working out of Kansas City which
led to a more lucrative position with the New Christy Minstrels, a well-scrubbed
folk-pop ensemble who scored a hit single with "Green Green." However, Clark
longed to perform his own songs and didn't care for life on the road; after
hearing the Beatles for the first time, Clark decided he wanted to form a rock
band and he quit the NCM and moved to Los Angeles. There, he met a fellow folky
who had his head turned around by the Beatles, Jim McGuinn (he would later
change his name to Roger) and in 1964 they started assembling a band that would,
in time, come to be known as the Byrds.
Gene Clark quickly became the Byrds' dominant songwriter, penning most of their
best-known originals, including "Feel a Whole Lot Better," "Here Without You,"
and "Eight Miles High," and was one of the group's strongest vocal presences.
However, Clark's less-than-impressive skills as a guitarist often made him look
like a backing vocalist on-stage and the combination of Clark's dislike of
traveling (including a fear of flying) and resentment that his songwriting
income made him the best-paid member of the group led to tensions within
the Byrds, and in 1966, Clark opted to leave the group. Columbia Records,
the label
the Byrds recorded for, signed Clark as a solo artist, and in 1967, he
released his first solo set,
Gene Clark With the Gosdin Brothers, a pioneering fusion of country
and rock. However, Clark's album was released almost simultaneously with
the Byrds'
Younger Than Yesterday, and Clark's set was a commercial bust. With
the future of his solo career in doubt, Clark briefly rejoined
the Byrds in 1967, but by the end of the year, he once again parted ways
with the group.
In 1968, Clark signed with A&M Records and, once again following his interest in
blending country with rock, he began a collaboration with virtuoso multi-instrumentalist
Doug Dillard.
Dillard & Clark recorded a pair of fine albums for A&M, but they fared no
better at the marketplace than Clark's efforts with
the Gosdin Brothers, and in 1969, Clark began work on his first proper solo
album, recording a pair of tracks with several members of
the Byrds. However, legal problems prevented their release at the time, and
it wasn't until 1971 that a Gene Clark solo set finally emerged, entitled
White Light. A strong, primarily acoustic set,
White Light sold poorly in America but was an unexpected hit in the
Netherlands. Clark's next album,
Roadmaster, combined new material with the unreleased 1969 tracks cut
with
the Byrds; while it was a strong album, A&M chose not to release it and it
was initially released only in Holland. Clark left A&M just in time for
the Byrds to cut a reunion album with their original lineup; Clark
contributed a pair of fine songs to the project, "Full Circle" and "Changing
Heart," but most of the album sounded uninspired and the reunion quickly
splintered.
In 1974, Clark signed to Asylum Records and cut the polished but heartfelt
No Other. Clark, however, had hoped to release the set as a double
album, which did not please labelhead
David Geffen, and the album stalled in the marketplace without promotion. In
1977, Clark returned with a new album,
Two Sides to Every Story, and put his fear of flying on hold to mount
an international tour to promote it. For his British dates, Clark found himself
booked on a tour with ex-Byrds
Roger McGuinn and
Chris Hillman; audiences were clearly hoping for a
Byrds reunion and while the three men had planned nothing of the sort, they
didn't want to let down their fans and played a short set of
Byrds hits as an encore for several dates on the tour. This led the three
men to begin working up new material together once they returned to America, and
in 1978, they began touring as
McGuinn, Clark, and Hillman. After a well-received acoustic tour, the trio
signed a major deal with Capitol Records and released their self-titled debut in
1979. However, the slick production (designed to make sure the group didn't
sound too much like
the Byrds) didn't flatter the group, and the album was a critical and
commercial disappointment. Clark soon became disenchanted with the project, and
on their second album, 1980s
City, the billing had changed to
Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman, with Gene Clark. By 1981, Clark had left
and the group briefly continued on as
McGuinn/Hillman.
After splitting with
McGuinn and
Hillman, Clark stayed on the sidelines of music for several years,
assembling a band called
Flyte that failed to score a record deal. Clark finally re-emerged in 1984
with a new band and album called
Firebyrd; the rising popularity of jangle-rockers
R.E.M. sparked a new interest in
the Byrds, and Clark began developing new fans among L.A.'s roots-conscious
paisley underground scene. Clark appeared as a guest on an album by
the Long Ryders, and in 1987, he cut a duo album with
Carla Olson of
the Textones called
So Rebellious a Lover.
So Rebellious was well-received and became a modest commercial success (it
was the biggest selling album of Clark's solo career), but Clark began to
develop serious health problems around this time; he had ulcers, aggravated by
years of heavy drinking, and in 1988, he underwent surgery, during which much of
his stomach and intestines had to be removed. Clark also lost a certain amount
of goodwill among longtime
Byrds fans when he joined drummer
Michael Clarke for a series of shows billed A 20th Anniversary Celebration
of the Byrds. Many clubs simply shortened the billing to
the Byrds, and Clarke and Clark soon found themselves in an ugly legal
battle with
Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman over use of the group's name.
The Byrds set aside their differences long enough to appear together at
their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in January of 1991, where the
original lineup played a few songs together, including Clark's "Feel a Whole Lot
Better." However, Clark's health continued to decline as his drinking
accelerated, and on May 24, 1991, not long after he had begun work on a second
album with
Carla Olson, Gene Clark died, with the coroner declaring he succumbed as a
result of "natural causes" brought on by a bleeding ulcer.
Talents : Singer, Songwriter, Guitar, Tambourine, Harmonica
Style musical : Country Rock, Folk-Rock, Progressive Bluegrass, Pop
Années en activité :
| 1910 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 2000 |
DISCOGRAPHIE
Singles
| 1966 | SP COLUMBIA 43903 (US) | Echoes / I Found You |
| 1967 | SP COLUMBIA 44088 (US) | Is Yours Mine / So You Say You Lost Your Baby |
| 1968 | SP A & M 995 (US) | DILLARD & CLARK - Out On The Side / Train Leaves Here This Morning |
| 1969 | SP A & M 1033 (US) | DILLARD & CLARK - Don't Be Cruel / Lyin' Down The Middle |
| 1969 | SP A & M 1087 (US) | DILLARD & CLARK - Radio Song / Why Not Your Baby |
| 1970 | SP A & M 1165 (US) | DILLARD & CLARK - Don't Let Me Know / Rocky Top |
| 1977 | SP RSO 876 (US) | Home Run King / Lonely Saturday |
Albums
| 19?? | LP 12" TOGETHER ? (US) |
 |
GENE CLARK | ||
| 1967 | LP 12" COLUMBIA CL 2618 (mono) / CS 9418 (mono) (US) |
 |
GENE CLARK AND THE GOSDIN BROTHERS - Echoes / Think I'm Gonna Feel Better / Tried So Hard / Is Yours Is Mine / Keep On Pushin' / I Found You / So You Say You Lost Your Baby / Elevator Operator / Same One / Couldn't Believe Her / Needing Someone / Tried So Hard | ||
| 1968 | LP 12" A & M4158 (US) |
 |
THE FANTASTIC EXPEDITION OF DILLARD AND CLARK - (Doug DILLARD & Gene CLARK) - Out On The Side / She Darked The Sun / Don't Come Rollin' / Train Leaves Here This Mornin' / With Care From Someone / The Radio Song / Git It On Brother (Git In Line Brother) / In The Plan / Something's Wrong | ||
| 1969 | LP 12" A & M 4203 (US) |
 |
THROUGH THE MORNING, THROUGH THE NIGHT - (Doug DILLARD & Gene CLARK) - No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine / Through The Morning, Through The Night / Rocky Top / So Sad / Corner Street Bar / I Bowed My Head And Cried Holy / Kansas City Southern / Four Walls / Polly / Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms / Don't Let Me Down | ||
| 1971 | LP 12" A & M 4292 (US) |
 |
WHITE LIGHT - The Virgin / With Tomorrow / White Light / Because Of You / One In A Hundred / For A Spanish Guitar / Where My Love Lies Asleep / Tears Of Rage / 1975 | ||
| 1973 | LP 12" DEMON 198 (US) |
 |
ROAD MASTER - She's The Kind Of Girl / One In A Hundred / Here Tonight / Full Circle Song / In A Misty Morning / Rough And Rocky / Roadmaster / I Really Don't Want To Know / I Remember The Railroad / She Don't Care About Time / Shooting Star | ||
| 1973 | LP 12" A & M 87 584 IT (D) |
 |
ROAD MASTER - She's The Kind Of Girl / One In A Hundred / Here Tonight / Full Circle Song / In A Misty Morning / Rough And Rocky / Roadmaster / I Really Don't Want To Know / I Remember The Railroad / She Don't Care About Time / Shooting Star | ||
| 1974 | LP 12" ASYLUM 7E 1016 (US) |
 |
NO OTHER - Life's Greatest Fool / Silver Raven / No Other / Strength Of Strings / From A Silver Phial / Some Misunderstanding / The True One / Lady Of The North | ||
| 1975 | LP 12" ARIOLA 86027 (US) |
|
GENE CLARK & DOUG DILLARD | ||
| 1975 | LP 12" ARIOLA 86436 (US) |
|
KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN - (Doug DILLARD & Gene CLARK) | ||
| 1975 | LP 12" COLUMBIA 31123 (US) |
|
COLLECTOR'S SERIES - EARLY L.A. SESSION | ||
| 1976 | LP 12" COLUMBIA32998 (US) |
|
COLLECTOR CLASSICS | ||
| 1977 | LP 12" RSO RS-1-3011 (US) |
|
TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY | ||
| 1979 | LP 12" CAPITOL ST 11910 (US) |
|
McGUINN, HILLMAN, CLARK - (Roger McGUINN, Chris HILLMAN, Gene CLARK) | ||
| 1980 | LP 12" CAPITOL ST 12043 (US) |
 |
CITY - (Roger McGUINN, Chris HILLMAN, Gene CLARK) - Who Taught The Night / One More Chance / Won't Let You Down / Street Talk / City / Skate Date / Givin' Herself Away / Deeper In / Painted Fire / Let Me Down Easy | ||
| 1987 | LP 12" RHINO RNLP 70832 (US) |
 |
SO REBELLIOUS A LOVER - (Gene CLARK & Carla OLSON) - Drifter / Gypsy Rider / Every Angel In Heaven / Del Gato / Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos) / Fair And Tender Ladies / Almost Saturday Night / I'm Your Toy (Hot Burrito No. 1) / Are We Still Making Love / Why Did You Leave Me Today / Don't It Make You Want To Go Home | ||
| 1987 | LP 12" TAKOMA 8112 (US) |
 |
FIREBYRD - Mr. Tambourine Man / Something About You Baby / Rodeo Rider / Rain Song / Vanessa / If You Could Read My Mind / Feel A Whole Lot Better / Made For Love / Blue Raven | ||
| 09/1991 | CD SONY 48523 (US) |
 |
ECHOES - Boston / For Me Again / I Knew I'd Want You / Here Without You / Set You Free This Time / If You're Gone / Is Yours Is Mine / So You Say You Lost Your Baby / Tried So Hard / Needing Someone / Echoes / The Same One / Couldn't Believe Her / Keep On Pushin' / I Found You / Elevator Operator / Think I'm Gonna Feel Better / The French Girl / Only Colombe / So You Say You Lost Your Baby | ||
| 1998 | 2 CD A & M 540725 (US) |
 |
FLYING HIGH :
|
||
| 10/2001 | CD EVANGELINE ? (US) |
 |
GYPSY ANGEL - THE GENE CLARK DEMOS 1983-1990 - Pledge To You / Mississippi Detention Camp / Kathleen / Rock Of Ages / Last Thing On My Mind / Dark Of My Moon / Your Fire Burning / Freedom Walk / Love Wins Again / Back In My Life Again / Day For Night / Gypsy Rider | ||
| 12/2003 | CD DELTA DELUXE 723839 (US) |
 |
UNDER THE SILVERY MOON - Mary Sue / Carry On / Don't You Know / Nothing But An Angel / More Than That Now / Sleep Will Return / Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow / Immigrant Girl / Rest Of Your Life / My Marie / Fair And Tender Ladies / Can't Say No / Dangerous Games / You Just Love Cocaine | ||
| 09/2007 | 2 CD COLLECTOR CHOISE 08392 (US) |
 |
GENE CLARK WITH CARLA OLSON IN CONCERT
:
|
||
| 06/2008 | CD COLLECTOR CHOISE 924 (US) |
 |
SILVERADO'S '75 - LIVE & UNRELEASED - Long Black Veil / Kansas City Southern / Spanish Guitar / Home Run King / Here Without You / No Other / Daylight Line / Set You Free This Time / She Darked The Sun / In The Pines / Train Leaves Here This Morning / Silver Raven |
© Rocky Productions 12/06/2008
