"Gene Clark Interview"-11/3/83

[@noexcessbaggae]

I did this interview with Gene. The date was actually November 3, 1983 in Victoria, BC. Trace Harrill was in the band at the time and he was gone from the band by the end of that year or by early '84, replaced by Mike Hardwick. I loved Gene's version of "She Loves You". That pumping bass line with those chiming guitars made the song sound like the Hollies meet Rockpile. I told Gene he should release it as a single and I still to this day believe he should have. ~Mike Griffiths

[@jrh11254]

Mike Griffiths - what are the circumstances of this interviews? Were you a journalist working for a radio station? Did you arrange the interview yourself? Where are you now and what are you doing? Thanks for sharing.

[@Jefferson1969-u4s]

Nice interview Mike. Did you get to hang out with him a little? If so what was he like? Thank you 🙏

[@Howlinjack]

What a great experience to be a part of. I absolutely love Gene Clark’s music. In my opinion “Some Misunderstanding “ is one of the best and most underrated songs of all time. That song moves you!❤❤❤

[@VideoByPatrick]

How far did the Michelle Phillips go ?

[@ejectorerector]

i've never seen an interview with gene before. this is great. he is my favorite.

[@nataliabarker2321]

I like him seems a nice fella. He has a nice soothing voice

[@deathkampdrone]

Gene seems to have been a really nice guy. Needless to say, he is an iconic songwriter, at least to those of us who are lucky enough to have discovered his pure brilliance. A craftsman and a songwriter of the highest standard. Greatly missed forever, but man have we got a lot of great evergreens because of Mr Clark. Bless him.

[@belair90210]

Very cool guy, love his music.

[@genericgeorge]

Great to see this. Feel A Whole Lot Better is one of those magical songs that never wears. And I first heard the song in 1978! World Turns All Around Her, If You're Gone, White Light and No Other albums. The dude was special.

[@mjanovec]

"That's such a classic question" sounds like Gene's very tactful way of saying he's heard that question countless times before.

[@PAULLONDEN]

Yeah......such an eloquent well spoken man......

[@lastnamefirst4035]

Crosby to this fkn day fuels that fear of flying bs. Gene was by far a. greater talent than crosby. Crosby was jealous of Gene-still is

[@lbshore]

What a huge talent and what a lovely guy. So sad that he never got his due.

[@donnaburke664]

Gene is hands down my favorite musician ever. I love this interview as I haven't seen Gene interviewed before.

[@ChicagoKid5]

I agree, mcd. He was in such good form. If only he could have stayed that way, he'd still be alive today. I miss Gene.

[@SuperAnimelover100]

Wow , Late Great Brian Jones helped to create Eight miles high !!!

[@pcsbeat]

Amazing...he's very much missed.

[@anthonymartin777]

I never thought I will see and interview oh Gene,thx u so much.

[@muscles2feel]

Christian, Thanks so much for your continuing efforts to keep what is probably America's best rock band in the public eye. Its sad to see when the latest youtube sensation or Pink Floyd gets 25 million hits, while America's greatest band, The Byrds still hasn't reached 750,000 hits with any song yet. With you educating the public, maybe many more will realize the heritage that we all share with The Byrds. RIP Gene.

[@mojostephen]

I've been a Byrds fan since '66. As of this moment, I'm now Gene Clark's newest fan...

[@ceejay1794]

Gene Clark AND Brian Jones (yes, he could write).

[@davidmurray2539]

@Musical Box Nonsense Both those jealous egomaniacs would've declared in skywriting that it was their creation within an hour of dropping their pens on the original lyric sheet. Bad enough I've never heard McGuinn give Gene credit for this song, (or much else) and all in all HE was little more than guitarist/arranger, not to diminish the importance of those duties mind you. He excelled.

[@davidmurray2539]

@Musical Box Come on now. Neither of the two leaders, it is fair to say, would've considered generosity and inclusiveness as being personal character traits, despite the group's being on the cusp of the hippie era. And look there's Dave a few years later yukkin it up at Woodstock, all peace, love and music, (and money!) Crickets from Crosby, personal credit taken unabashedly from McGuinn when it comes to who authored 8 Miles High and judging from the menial quality of McGuinn's post Notorious work until his group mercifully expired, I wouldn't put any stock in what he says.

[@13loomisst]

Great stuff. Wish only that there were more of it. Thanks very much.

[@gerardusch]

Very insightful, thanks !

[@Multi80schick]

Thanks for posting this. I love Gene, and never saw him interviewed before.

[@sebastiansaville2043]

My understanding is that Gene witnessed a plane crash (I don't know how big or small) when he was young. This impacted on his being ill at ease at flying. I saw him in concert with Roger and Chris at the Sydney Town Hall in Sydney Australia in 1979. So they would have flown for that. I have heard the story of him writing Eight Miles High with Brian Jones before. The only thing was that he seemed so resigned or at ease for not getting any credit or royalties. In any event RIP Gene. You are still missed.

[@KMGDA49]

Saw Gene with Firebyrd in Atlanta August 25 1984, excellent concert, Michael Clarke on drums. They both signed LPs, fine gentleman. Saw them later Dec 1986 in Macon GA at country club Whiskey River on a Thursday night! Crowd not Byrds fans but loved them, great to see people dancing to Byrds and Gene Clark songs. Wonderful moment!

[@ardalla535]

I was just thinking Gene looks like he has a bit of Native American in him. Looked it up: yep, he does.

[@TonyWebb56]

mike--thanks so much for this.

[@Tom-bs3zh]

So what I get from this is his "fear of flying" is more of a metaphor for his fear of success, rather than a literal fear of getting on an airplane. Crosby and Mcguinn seem to bask in the success, but Gene just wanted to perfect his songwriting art in peace.

[@PrestonBealle]

It's also been said that a couple of the band members were envious of his songwriting royalties because he cranked out deep and interesting songs with appareant ease. So early in the Byrds' life two of them bought Porsches, relatively cheap in 1963-64, but Gene bought a Ferrari with his higher earnings.

[@catoohey]

Thanks for uploading this Christian!!

[@mandernu]

Gene was the Best! Like another one of my all time favorites, Phil Ochs, they both were such great songwriters and singers. But the pressures of fame, et. al...got to both of them way way too soon. All of the the songwriters moved up one when Gene passed!!!

[@dbailey62]

True although it's great to hear his answer first hand which for me is a first.

[@TheFpCassini]

whoa, did i double dip by accident or did i just hear gene say that he co-wrote "8 miles high" with BRIAN JONES?? 0:51

[@lamper2]

i think brian was in the room but history has shown he had NO songwriting ability!-beware the hate responses from wussy fanboys

[@mauricioochoa4179]

You heard correctly. From the horse’s mouth.

[@phillipleighton-daly2480]

@@lamper2 Who's wussy?

[@phillipleighton-daly2480]

Gene was a wonderful singer, songwriter who fell foul of corrupt and money hungry music industry.

[@hollies65]

Gene was King. Long live Gene.

[@pcsbeat]

Very nice, straightforward interview, Mike. You asked the questions that most of us Byrds' fans would ask. Thanks to you, and mcd220 for posting! rockinghamsixtiesdotcom

[@munimathbypeterfelton6251]

I always find it interesting how the members of the original lineup of The Byrds refer(red) to each other by their last names in conversation: "McGuinn", "Crosby". It's true for David and Roger too.

[@RockinAllDay]

You've got a point here. I do wonder sometimes if they were even firends.

[@daft_j]

@@RockinAllDayI think Michael and Chris were friends at one point, but stopped talking later on. I only heard Michael in an interview refer to Chris, Gene, and even Gram Parsons by their first names

[@whocares1694]

Charlie Green & Brian Stone (LA producer's) introduced me to Gene in LA 1967. He was very friendly, and as time proved became a major creative artist. If he stayed w/ The Byrds, we may have had twice as many album's out then we have!

[@phillipleighton-daly2480]

The Byrds defined him. He was better than that. The Byrds were not a cohesive group. Antagonisms in them caused him and others to leave.

[@anneraso5621]

I hear that he did not do interviews to promote any of his projects after he left The Byrds and he is actually a very good interview subject as shown here. He seems honest and unrehearsed. There should have been a big media blitz backed by the record company where when his first solo album came out. Also, I have to add that it is all over the internet that he had major drug and alcohol problems but he does not look stoned in any photos or KZbin footage--plus, all his performance footage is strong, even at the end of this life.

[@MrPhilfridge]

Anne, there are a couple of biogs on Gene , John Einerson's 'Mr Tambourine Man ' and also John Rogan's 'Requiem for the Timeless Vol 2, contains a complete biog of Gene. He was a complex individual in some ways but basically a nice guy who possibly was bi polar. Read them , buy his records -all of them! (the legit ones , not one of the many bootlegs that seem to be everywhere) you wont be disappointed.

[@mauricioochoa4179]

So true, Gene never looks drunk or high in any of his interviews

[@lastnamefirst4035]

@@mauricioochoa4179 never and ive seen quite a few. He did die from alcohol abuse. He had periods when he was alcohol and drug free. Sure wish he was stilk w us. Such a slow painful way to die. His manager found him on the floor of his house curled in fetal position. He had an affair w michelle Phillips of mamas and papas when she was still married. She went back to her husband after some time w gene. He had never stopped loving her. My God!!! I sound like a tabloid magazine

[@phillipleighton-daly2480]

@@mauricioochoa4179 His smoking did much damage as he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

[@mauricioochoa4179]

@@phillipleighton-daly2480 Yes, his voice changed over the years because of his smoking. Compare his voice during his time with the Byrds with that in No Other or even White Light, which was just 5-6 years later. Big difference. But he still sang well through it all up until the end

[@bareknuckles2u]

@thebyrdsmusic Great comment! I agree 100%

[@Ram44]

Gene always reminded me of Eddie Van Halen when he talks.

[@mauricioochoa4179]

Ram4 He looks like Eddie here as well

[@lastnamefirst4035]

@greenmean1 dont think so pal

[@pcsbeat]

Gene Rules.

[@KMGDA49]

Correction: Gene and FireByrd was in Macon at Whiskey River, December of 1985! Such a great concert and overall musical moment!

[@RoyFive]

Not sure, but I think Chris Hillman gave this same explanation in an issue of a rock magazine in the '70s--Circus if I remember right.

[@jezebeljones659]

It. wasn't fear of flying, it was fear of David Crosby.

[@mauricioochoa4179]

Abrupt ending to the interview. Interviewer does not seem to appreciate that he's got a true gem of an artist from the 1960's right there before him. Boring questions.

[@PAULLONDEN]

Understandable sentiments....it takes time to truly appreciate a legend....Clark wasn't yet so fully appreciated as these days......Around that time even I considered him a hasbeen trying to get back in the game.... 😔

[@zenglobal8789]

I know the interviewer and he had a great appreciation for Gene but he was not a professional interviewer by any means..

[@mauricioochoa4179]

In retrospect, not a bad interview at all. I take back what I originally said. There were good questions for Gene. Considering the few televised interviews Gene had, this wasn’t bad at all. Interviewer had to end discussion for commercials. Not his fault. By the way, Gene looking in fine form here

[@KariaVendetta]

wow that's what I heard too!!

[@kevinkhoy7171]

I wonder how true the fear of flying was? (Beach Boys Brian Wilson) Or was it an Excuse get out of touring! Because Gene's his Publishing💲was Making more Then the Band/Byrds

[@cobraristein]

The Byrd's "Younger Than Yesterday" and "Fifth Dimension" LPs are staples in any classic rock listener's library. The 12 string Ric sound blew us away. The music is 40 years old and still hasn't gotten outdated. Pink Floyd music is great too. You can't compare the two. Different styles both good in their own right.

[@ajt0214]

I disagree with the comment that it was inappropriate to ask about Gene's fear of flying. If you read up on him, such a big deal of it, it was good to hear his side of it, which I'll take as the truth. If I hadn't stumbled on this clip, I'd still be thinking he was scared to death of getting on an airplane.

[@bzfgt1]

+Alan Tipping Check out his biography ("Tambourine Man") if you're so inclined, it probably wasn't the main reason he left the Byrds but he did sometimes panic when having to fly, apparently. He's not entirely forthright with "I love flying."

[@phillipleighton-daly2480]

@@bzfgt1 To tour overseas with young immature group is good enough reason to find an excuse to walk off the plane.

[@roneugenius]

Just discovering Gene's music and having lived in Macon, Ga I am amazed he played at the River, and I can honestly say, that's the last good band to play there in my opinion...cheers Mate !

[@ccryder6605]

Nice (but then, I could sit and listen to Gene read from a dictionary for hours and be quite happy!)

[@TraceHarrill]

Flying with Gene was easy.Trace Harrill

[@Warp75]

Über talent Gene

[@3chrds]

uh oh, writing in a hotel room with Brian Jones? that only means one thing - doin' drugs. i dont mean this in a critical way.

[@gerrymarks7527]

I often wonder why isnt it that gene couldent reach the same hights as he did when he was with the byrds.?seems he couldent reach the same noderity as he done with the byrds.still think he done ok.

[@MrBruceBarham]

that was ok

[@keaton1895]

Well that is a critical way. Doin' drugs is a bad thing.

[@lastnamefirst4035]

Well, if you say so