Backwoods Gothic Survival in the Rock 'N' Roll Wilderness by Tom Sandford
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Two Sides To Every Story Gene Clark Backwoods Gothic Survival In The Rock 'N' Roll Wilderness by Tom Sandford WHEN WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT THAT even the most mundane events will be preserved for posterity on a smartphone or surveillance camera, it seems odd to think that, in the almost 40 years since bassist Duke Bardwell and guitarist Roger B. White first hopped into Gene Clark’s big ol’ broken-down Dodge van to begin a nearly two-year ride across the U.S., not a single photograph of the three has emerged. When asked in 2013 why he felt this period of the ex-Byrd’s career was so poorly documented, had magnanimously afforded Gene the Duke’s response was unvarnished. “You know opportunity to create No Other based on what it was, Tom?” says the Baton Rouge, LA the excellence of his contributions to The native, who in 1975 was fresh off a stint play- Byrds’ otherwise ill-fated reunion album in ing bass for Elvis Presley. “I think we were 1973. Whether due to Gene’s alleged public just holding on. I mean that.” outburst or the failure to deliver an album with obvious commercial potential—or One needs to know the Silverados’ side of possibly a combination of the two—Geffen the story to appreciate what Bardwell—the exercised his considerable power to smack only living member of the original trio—is down the erratic ex-Byrd. saying. This was not a time in which reporters, photographers and fans hounded the ex- There is something sad about the idea of "AS ROUGH AS THAT SILVERADOS LIVE STUFF IS, I THINK IT CAME CLOSE TO REALLY CAPTURING THE SOUL AND THE FUN AND THE RAW, ORGANIC NATURE OF THE WHOLE THING." -Duke Bardwell Byrd as they had ten years earlier, after the Clark touring his now undisputed masterpiece one-two punch of the albums Mr. Tambourine not in limos and private jets (like, say, CSNY), Man & Turn! Turn! Turn! made Gene Clark a but in a van stuffed full of guitars and drum star. In 1975, Gene Clark was alone in the cases, with a mattress piled on top. And yet the rock wilderness, in survival mode. Or as music he created with both the three-piece Duke says, “just holding on.” and five-piece incarnations of the Silverados was both fresh and vibrant—evidence of * * * which is found in the crowd response on these recordings. The band’s approach was anathema to the grandiosity of No Other: t the outset of 1975, the future banjos replaced synthesizers; three-part must have appeared bleak for harmony (along with the occasional yodel!) AClark. Asylum Records’ refusal replaced choral backing; and country pickin’ to promote 1974’s No Other or sponsor a replaced Spectoresque bombast. Remarkably, major tour—especially after a notorious in spite of the hardships they faced on the confrontation with label cofounder David road (which included never-ending money Geffen (which Geffen fervently denies)— woes, van troubles, and containment of effectively sealed the fate of Gene’s Grand Clark’s personal demons)—or quite possibly Artistic Statement, and cast it headlong because of them—Gene, Roger and Duke into the ignominy of the cutout bins. Geffen gelled as a unit. Accordingly, a fresh batch of songs were alongside peerless Dillard & Clark material written by Clark and summarily road-tested like “The Radio Song” and “She Darked the by the band: “Daylight Line” (a foot-stomping Sun.” In the decade spanning 1965 to 1975 sing-along); “What Is Meant Will Be” Gene had created an astonishing body of (anthemic, slow-burning soul); and hoedown- work; one that made choosing set lists akin ready “Wheel Of Time.” (Inexplicably, none to shooting fish in barrel. I defy anyone to of these songs were included on Two Sides glance at the titles featured herein and for a To Every Story, nor would they see release in moment question the uncommon excellence Clark’s lifetime.) of Gene Clark’s back pages. Clark’s music in the preceding decade This collection is essential listening for encompassed a wide variety of styles— anyone seeking to find the missing link everything from folk-rock and baroque between the grandiosity of No Other and pop to psychedelia, bluegrass, even the its mainly synth-less, back-to-basics follow- pulsing dark funk and quasi-prog leanings up, Two Sides To Every Story. The Silverados of No Other—yet all were reconciled into assisted in the development of fully half of the a singular musical vision. With buoyant new ten songs that would later see release on the arrangements, soaring three-part harmonies Two Sides LP. But compare “Home Run King” (courtesy of Roger White), Gene and the as performed by the five-piece Silverados with Silverados recast the previous ten years of the slick, Tommy Kaye-produced studio cut. Gene’s career amidst a backwoods gothic Which one swings more? Similarly, “Kansas backdrop, and got down to the bucolic soul City Southern” (originally a Dillard & Clark inside the very bones of the songs. From Sneaky Pete pedal-steel-driven amalgam of his past came Byrds pop (“She Don’t Care bluegrass and country-rock) is recast as a About Time” and “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot straight-ahead rocker on Two Sides. With Better,” his signature song), which fit nicely this collection, one can now understand that Gene and the Silverados’ original intent was otherworldly trilling sound at the beginning to remain true to the country spirit of the of “Silver Raven” is Marc Singer on flexitone, D&C original but infuse it with foot-stomping a modern percussion instrument used for its Stones-y swagger. glissando effect in many genres, from classic cartoons to classical music.) Of the new * * * material, “Daylight Line” benefitted most from the beefier, full-band arrangement, and was transformed into a chunky, Springsteen- ene and the Silverados continued the esque rocker. A new song, “Hear the Wind,” tour as a trio well into 1975 and later sounded peppier and poppier than the version Gthat autumn augmented the lineup that would later grace Two Sides To Every Story. with drummer Marc S. Singer (who had a Roger White’s vocal arrangements added home studio in which the band rehearsed and strategically placed Eagles-style harmonies recorded) and John Detheridge (previously that significantly ratcheted up its commercial identified as “Guthridge”) on piano. “We potential—a hit single aching to be recorded. were rehearsing at my place,” said Marc in a recent interview, “and then we went down to As for covers, “I’ll Be Back,” the dark-hued Silverado Canyon—that’s where the name of final track from The Beatles’A Hard Day’s Night "HONESTLY, THE POETRY THAT GENE LEFT BEHIND WAS EVERY BIT AS VALID AS THE STUFF THAT LEONARD COHEN HAD WRITTEN. EVERY BIT." -Duke Bardwell the band came from—to rehearse at Duke’s album, improbably reinterpreted as a banjo- place. He had a house in Silverado Canyon driven barnburner, loses none of the ominous in Orange County. We stayed there and got longing of the original. It makes a classy ready [to go] out on the road.” companion piece to Gene’s other homage to the Fabs, “Don’t Let Me Down,” on Dillard The recorded evidence herein provides & Clark’s second album, Through the Morning, ample proof that the five-piece band could Through the Night. It’s a shame it was never rock, roll, stomp and swing with the best properly recorded in the studio because it’s a of them. Moreover, faced with the task of truly inspired reading. “In the Pines” feels more playing the daunting material from No Other, natural, less forced than the Thomas Jefferson the band acquitted itself nicely. Powered by Kaye-produced cut. Duke Bardwell, for one, raw energy and snappy arrangements, the prefers the more rustic interpretations, warts Silverados cannily sidestepped No Other’s and all. “As rough as that Silverados live stuff is,” elaborate production by bringing it all he says, “I think it came close to really capturing back home to Gene Clark’s early roots in the soul, the fun and the raw, organic nature of country music. (An aside for trivia buffs: The the whole thing.” The long-awaited appearance of previously undocumented when at this moment— unreleased Clark-penned gems like “Wheel thanks to the enormously successful No Of Time” and “What is Meant Will Be” Other tour mounted by members of bands furthers the contention that Gene Clark’s like Beach House, The Walkmen and Fleet castoffs were oftentimes better than many Foxes, among others—the world is finally artists’ best work. Bardwell was in awe on the brink of appreciating the genius of of Gene’s uncanny facility with words. Gene Clark. This rare interview segment is a “Honestly, the poetry that Gene left priceless glimpse inside the mind of the man behind was every bit as valid as the stuff whose extraordinary poetic vision is finally that Leonard Cohen had written. Every bit.” gaining traction beyond Clark’s fiercely loyal Peter Oliva, who knew Gene for over 20 cult of fans. years and played bass for him in both the KC Southern Band and the Firebyrds, concurs. Whether one prefers the Silverados’ “Everybody talks about John Lennon,” he rollicking unpredictability or the polished says. “I think Geno had it over John Lennon. L.A. sound favored by Tommy Kaye, High Way over him.” Moon’s exquisite, definitive release provides the opportunity to treasure both sides of Two The final live track, a mysterious 1984 solo Sides To Every Story.