1974 Gene Clark – No Other

clark-gene-1974No Other is the fourth solo studio album by Gene Clark. On release in late 1974 it was a critical and commercial failure; the studio time and cost were seen as excessive and indulgent. The record label, Asylum Records, did not promote the album, and by 1976 had deleted it from their catalog. Clark never recovered from the failure of the album. Just after Clark’s death in 1991, “No Other” was reissued in its entirety on CD. In 1998, a double disc compilation, Flying High, was released with three songs from No Other. Then in the early 2000s, No Other was reissued a second time in its entirety to positive critical reappraisal.

In late 1972, Clark was invited to join a reunion of the original Byrds line-up on Asylum Records. The resulting album was a showcase for Clark, who sang on two Neil Young covers and two original songs. By the strength of his contributions to the album, Clark was signed to Asylum as a solo artist by David Geffen.

While preparing to record, Clark briefly joined the backing group of former Byrds colleague Roger McGuinn; the two even shared a home together during the period in the Hollywood Hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. During an engagement at The Troubadour in Los Angeles with McGuinn, he introduced a song that would remain in his repertoire for the rest of his career, “Silver Raven”; it would be recorded in an arrangement featuring Jesse Ed Davis and L.A. session player Danny Kortchmar on No Other.

Tracks

1  Life’s Greatest Fool (Gene Clark) 4:44
2  Silver Raven (Gene Clark) 4:53
3  No Other (Gene Clark) 5:08
4  Strength Of Strings (Gene Clark) 6:31
5  From A Silver Phial (Gene Clark) 3:40
6  Some Misunderstanding (Gene Clark) 8:09
7  The True One (Gene Clark) 3:58
8  Lady Of The North (Gene Clark, Doug Dillard) 6:09

Musicians

1 Life’s Greatest Fool

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Guitar Jesse Ed Davis
Guitar Steve Bruton
Keyboards Mike Utley
Percussion Joe Lala
Background Vocals Carlene Williams
Background Vocals Cindy Bullens
Background Vocals Claudia Linnear
Background Vocals Clydie King
Background Vocals Ronnie Barron
Background Vocals Sherlie Matthews
Background Vocals Venetta Fields
Vocals Gene Clark


2 Silver Raven

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Danny Kortchmar
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Guitar Jesse Ed Davis
Keyboards Mike Utley
Background Vocals Timothy B. Schmit
Background Vocals Cindy Bullens
Background Vocals Claudia Linnear
Background Vocals Ronnie Barron
Vocals Gene Clark


3 No Other

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Butch Trucks
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Keyboards Mike Utley
Percussion Joe Lala
Background Vocals Cindy Bullens
Background Vocals Claudia Linnear
Background Vocals Ronnie Barron
Background Vocals Timothy B. Schmit
Vocals Gene Clark


4 Strength Of Strings

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Buzz Feiten
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Keyboards Craig Doerge
Keyboards Mike Utley
Violin Richard Greene
Background Vocals Cindy Bullens
Background Vocals Claudia Linnear
Background Vocals Ronnie Barron
Background Vocals Timothy B. Schmit
Vocals Gene Clark


5 From A Silver Phial

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Guitar Jesse Ed Davis
Mandolin Chris Hillman
Keyboards Mike Utley
Vocals Lalah Hathaway
Background Vocals Timothy B. Schmit
Vocals Gene Clark


6 Some Misunderstanding

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Buzz Feiten
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Guitar Steve Bruton
Keyboards Mike Utley
Organ Bill Cuomo
Violin Richard Greene
Background Vocals Carlene Williams
Background Vocals Cindy Bullens
Background Vocals Claudia Linnear
Background Vocals Clydie King
Background Vocals Ronnie Barron
Background Vocals Sherlie Matthews
Background Vocals Venetta Fields
Vocals Gene Clark


7 The True One

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Butch Trucks
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Keyboards Mike Utley
Percussion Joe Lala
Vocals Gene Clark

8 Lady Of The North

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Gene Clark
Guitar Jerry McGee
Guitar Mike Utley
Keyboards Craig Doerge
Violin Richard Greene
Vocals Gene Clark

Liner Notes

Producer – Thomas Jefferson Kaye
Arranged By – Gene Clark, Thomas Jefferson KayeEngineer (Mixing) – Mallory Earl
Engineer (Recording) – Tony Reale
Engineer (Recording Assistant) – Joe Tuzen

Art Direction, Design – John Dietrich
Artwork – Ea
Photography – Linda Dietrich

Mixed At Wally Heider Recording
Recorded At The Village Recorder
Phonographic Copyright Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records
Copyright Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records