Re February Echoes newsletter. As much as I enjoyed Ken Claybaugh’s tale of how he nearly collaborated with Gene on a song about Iron Eyes Cody, I think he might’ve buried the lede a bit. As an “almost-happened,” the Cody story sort of cuts itself off at the knees. The big story for me was the news that Gene had submitted material to the Traveling Wilburys. I guess that’s also a bit of a non-story since they obviously didn’t record Gene’s material, but it is a story in the sense that it happened, and increases our knowledge of the creative ways in which Gene was trying to kickstart his career.
I'm curious to know which song or songs it was. P.S. Gene wasn't too happy that Ken had leaked that bit out in his Byrds zine at the time.
Especially for Valentine's Day Episode 4 of Gene Therapy, the Gene Clark podcast: "Crazy Ladies" a discussion on the music of Gene Clark on soundcloud: Gene Therapy Episode 4 "Crazy Ladies" AND A playlist of Gene Clark Love Songs on spotify: Gene Clark Love Songs!, a playlist by Indigo Mariana on Spotify Happy Valentine's Day❣
Firebyrd is one of my favorites so I'd welcome some kind of alternate or expanded edition (especially with European photo cover below) but you do kind of have to listen through the period gloss. Way too much flute on a couple but what awesome vocals! Blue Raven is one of his best ever, and a cover of If You Could Read My Mind that actually stands as being as valid as the Lightfoot original!
I was pleasantly surprised with much of this album as well as the Carla Olsen one but the remake of Mr Tambourine man and Feel a whole lot better are kind of sad
I'd replace those two Byrds re-treads with live versions of decent quality with the Clarke and Oliva backing if possible, making the studio cuts some kind of extras near the end of an original album disc (I really do like that fuller-length version of Tambourine Man too though). I think maybe I was very lucky to have the European/UK LP rather than any of the CDs from the sounds of things! Rodeo Rider is decent enough, but too much 'stuff' on Rain Song... if something could be done with that it would rate higher with me. If you were listening to things like Fleetwood Mac's Mirage or The Hooters, Firebyrd didn't sound overdone at the time, but the 'too perfect' studio process now seems too much in contrast to the quality of the vocals. I even enjoy Bud Shank flute solo (did the music for some great early surf films), but on Blue Raven someone should've known where to fade him into the background in some places. He was doing what was asked of him, not a knock on him.
A few people have commented that Shank’s flute is mixed too loud in the mix—and I agree, even though I enjoy the part itself. This was entirely Jim Dickson’s doing, as he was responsible for: 1) removing the David Sanborn sax part, originally produced by Kandanes; 2) bringing in Shank to replace it; 3) doing the additional mixing. Of the innumerable budget label releases of Firebyrd, the cover of the one you posted is the best I’ve seen. At least they used a pic from the right decade, lol. Oh, on closer inspection, I see Phil Smee did it. That explains it.
Unfortunately, they did not correct the two misspelled surnames in the credits (Tickner and Pedersen).
As seen in the current issue of Echoes, Gene Clark's youngest son, Kai Clark is working on a new album featuring covers of some of his dad's best-loved songs. You can hear a couple of sample tracks which have been posted to Kai's EPK page on his website: https://www.kaiclarkmusic.com/epk
decades ago gene had borrowed some cash from my pop. decades after and just before he died, he cleared up his debt. that.. is a mensch.
Here's Part 3 of my continuing series on Firebyrd: The Firebyrd Project Part 3: Project update/Tolls and tales on Gene's road to The Firebyrds
The spectre of John Lennon’s death hangs over Gene’s work in the 1980-1984 period. Just as he had incorporated a Beatles tune into his last small-scale tour with the Silverados circa 1975 (I’ll Be Back), Gene worked up a breezy take of She Loves You. At a February 3, 1984 show he introduced it like this, his tone noticeably sombre: You know, I knew a fellow a few years ago. I met him actually in 1965 in London, England, at a club called Blaises. I was playing there [August 6th, 1965—Clarkophile] with my old pal back here on the drums. And there were these two guys that came into the audience. And they both had on suede leather-kinda Levi's jackets and sunglasses and it sorta looked like John Lennon and George Harrison to me, you know. And that's who it was. And so afterwards, John had came upstairs, and he says, "I want to talk to you." And he handed me one bottle of wine. And he says, "Come on, we got some talkin' to do." And we spent a lot of time together up there. I really loved that guy. And I'd like to dedicate this song to everybody, and to John Lennon...”
Interesting. I think the murder of JL shook a lot of musicians who were his contemporaries, quite badly. It probably didn't help that some of them were already in a shaky condition at the time (and I don't mean that lightly). I would give a lot to have been a fly on the wall during that conversation between Lennon and Gene. I bet it would have been a whole lot more enlightening than the Lennon-Dylan taxi ride.
I agree! The Lennon/Dylan meeting, though funny at times, was a disappointment (what was on film anyway). Gene & Lennon probably had a lot more depth. Gene was crushed by John's death (as most of us were). The story was told in Einarson's book "Mr. Tambourine Man".
good for you. we hear of dickson ( understandably ) but eddie tickner is often left out of much of their history..and shouldn't be.
It’s probably just a coincidence (or is it?), but I find it very moving that on the two occasions in which Gene had to swallow some pride and head out on humbling club-circuit tours (74-75, 83-84), he reached back to the music that changed his life for a jolt of inspiration. And that in ‘83 he picked She Loves You, a song that held so much significance in his personal mythology, was the kicker.
