Clark -- a founding member, and the original creative force in The Byrds -- was born 75 years ago in Tipton, and got his start living in, and performing with folk and country outfits in the Kansas City area.
He's the guy responsible for the Byrds sound, and the writer of most of their early hits (the ones that weren't Dylan covers). Jim McGuinn and Byrds management forced him out of the group due to jealousy over songwriting royalties and Clark's pathological fear of flying that impacted touring schedules.
Sadly, Gene drank and drugged himself into an early, early grave.
But in 1967, he recorded his first solo album, with the Gosdin Brothers supplying backing vocals, and the Wrecking Crew supplying the music (they'd just finished doing Pet Sounds for the Beach Boys). So this Gene Clark solo album has Glenn Campbell on guitar, Leon Russell and Van Dyke Parks on keys and string arrangements, the Byrds' Chris Hillman on bass. If you've never heard it and dig on '60s country/folk/rock it's worth seeking out. It might be the best album of that era in that vein.
In fact, this might be my favorite song of the 1960s that was recorded by an American artist. It is perfect in every way:
Anyway, do your liver some damage today in Geno's memory.
He's the guy responsible for the Byrds sound, and the writer of most of their early hits (the ones that weren't Dylan covers). Jim McGuinn and Byrds management forced him out of the group due to jealousy over songwriting royalties and Clark's pathological fear of flying that impacted touring schedules.
Sadly, Gene drank and drugged himself into an early, early grave.
But in 1967, he recorded his first solo album, with the Gosdin Brothers supplying backing vocals, and the Wrecking Crew supplying the music (they'd just finished doing Pet Sounds for the Beach Boys). So this Gene Clark solo album has Glenn Campbell on guitar, Leon Russell and Van Dyke Parks on keys and string arrangements, the Byrds' Chris Hillman on bass. If you've never heard it and dig on '60s country/folk/rock it's worth seeking out. It might be the best album of that era in that vein.
In fact, this might be my favorite song of the 1960s that was recorded by an American artist. It is perfect in every way:
Anyway, do your liver some damage today in Geno's memory.
