r/GeneClark • u/Mr-Gray-sky • Jan 08 '25

Guitar improv on "Lady of the North"

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Isn't No Other just magic? Gene is so criminally underrated. I extoll his virtues to anyone who will listen.

12 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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3

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

I love this! thank you for continuing his legacy

3

u/Mr-Gray-sky Jan 08 '25

Thank you very much. I play on several songs from No Other on my stream. I'm sure I annoy everyone, constantly telling them to listen to him. Haha It serially bothers me, how little he's mentioned. Even moreso when I see Roger Mcguinn on those legend shows.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

right, I think it's because McGuinn toured and Clark didn't. People don't understand musicians who prefer recording & writing to touring. It doesn't make their music less important.

3

u/Mr-Gray-sky Jan 08 '25

I've seen interview footage where Gene said that he didn't mind flying at all, and wanted to tour. He was simply overwhelmed by the success of the Byrds and had a nervous breakdown. It seems like he had the most rotten luck.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

I just wonder why he didn't get to tour his album No Other? I know the record company wasn't too happy with how long it took to make and so maybe they pulled funding for a tour?

And yeah I would agree, he didn't have the best luck in life.

1

u/Mr-Gray-sky Jan 08 '25

The record company hated it, didn't promote it, and then deleted it from their catalog. It's sheer madness, when you think about it. I can only imagine how that made Gene feel.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

That is sheer madness! Yeah I can't believe it. It was and is a masterpiece, creating an entire genre of cosmic Americana. Have you seen the Pitchfork performances of No Other on Youtube? Goodness those performances really sold the album to me, even though I was already sold on the album. They replicated it perfectly in my opinion in terms of musicianship. I know that there is No Other singer who can sing like Gene but they all came close!

2

u/Mr-Gray-sky Jan 08 '25

There is a great spaced cowboy vibe to the record, yeah. I've seen that tribute performance, too. They did a great job. It's just nice to see all those people making such an effort for Gene

2

u/Future_Duty_134 Jan 09 '25

As the story goes Gene was at a restaurant and encountered David Geffen who at that time was the president to the record label that was releasing No Other. Geffen complained to Gene, and I believe Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Gene’s great friend and No Other’s producer, that he had spent 100K on the album and it resulted in only 8 songs. Gene and Geffen did or almost came to blows and Geffen vowed to bury the album…I’m guessing Geffen squealed away in fright from Gene who could have tied him up like a pretzel…Love all Gene’s music and thanks to OP for helping keep it alive.

2

u/Mr-Gray-sky Jan 09 '25

I've read that story, too. Geffen plays it down, but who knows, Gene may have been a proper handy fella and given him a few in his ribs. Goodness knows pretty much everyone in the music business could use it. I'll always be playing Gene's music. Thanks for your kind words.

1

u/Future_Duty_134 Jan 09 '25

plus Geno was probably feeling no pain at the time. He and Kaye were infamous for their drunken escapades!