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The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark

Product Description
In 1965 Missouri-born Gene Clark was riding the crest of unprecedented success and adulation as a member of the Byrds. Anointed as America's answer to the Beatles, the Byrds topped the charts with folk-rock anthems like "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and "Eight Miles High." Gene was front and center as tambourine player, singer and principal songwriter for the group. But in early 1966 he flew the Byrds' coop. A gifted songwriter, expectations ran high for a stellar solo career, but those hopes were dashed when his debut solo album and single both failed to chart. Dropped by Columbia Records the following year, Gene's career remained in limbo until teaming up with banjo player extraordinaire Doug Dillard.

What emerged from a series of informal jam sessions in and around Laurel Canyon was a loose-knit group of pickers seeking to break bluegrass music out of its traditional confines and redefine it in a contemporary country-rock context. The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark is a groundbreaking album that helped define country-rock and set the template not only for that genre but the entire alt.country, Americana and Roots Rock movements of the '90s. Together with future Eagle Bernie Leadon, who co-wrote "Train Leaves Here This Morning" with Gene (featured both on the Fantastic Expedition album and later on the Eagles' debut release), the Dillard & Clark merger represents a high-water mark in Gene Clark's impressive canon of recordings and one of the most satisfying periods in his often troubled career.

The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark ranks among a handful of seminal 1960s country-rock experiments. "I think we made our mark in country rock," muses Doug Dillard. "We didn't make the charts but we sure influenced a lot of people." To insure that their influence carries on, Sundazed proudly presents this newly mastered edition, sourced from the original A&M analog tapes, available on resonant vinyl and compact disc and packaged in a vibrant recreation of the original cover artwork. CD includes extra photos and new liner notes by Gene Clark biographer John Einarson. It's an expedition you'll want to take time and time again!

1. Out On The Side
2. She Darked The Sun
3. Don't Come Rollin'
­4. Train Leaves Here This Mornin'
4. With Care From Someone
5. The Radio Song
6. Git It On Brother (Git It In Line Brother)
7. In The Plan
8. Something's Wrong

CD:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLX39Y/?tag=imwan-20

LP:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLX37G/?tag=imwan-20

White Light

Product Description
As founding member of folk-rock pioneers the Byrds, Gene Clark had emerged as a uniquely gifted singer/songwriter and master of the minor key melancholy ballad. His departure from the group in 1966 was met with critical anticipation and commercial indifference. Tiring of the Hollywood fast lane by 1969, Gene and new wife Carlie moved up to Mendocino on the Northern California coast where the tranquility, pastoral beauty and laid back lifestyle of the coastal community appealed to his country boy roots. It inspired a body of songs unlike anything Gene had composed before. Their stark simplicity and stripped down arrangements--acoustic guitar, harmonica and voice--evidence a deeper insight into life and an overall optimism rarely found in his previous body of work.

The resulting album, White Light, produced by renowned guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, remains one of Gene's most accessible and much-loved recordings among fans and critics, topping several domestic Best Album of the Year lists and being voted "Album of the Year" by rock critics in the Netherlands. Songs like "For a Spanish Guitar," "With Tomorrow," and "Where My Love Lies Asleep" are delicately evocative while the title song draws on Gene's appreciation for country music. "One in a Hundred" harkens back to his finest Byrds compositions.

Buoyed by his new surroundings, friendships, marriage, a feeling of contentment in his rural retreat and the imminent birth of his first child, White Light reveals singer/songwriter Gene Clark at the top of his game. Rolling Stone declared the folk-based album "a fresh and innovative look at what came before in a new framework. One of the most interesting and exciting records of 1971." Relive that excitement on this Sundazed edition! Mastered directly from the original A&M analog session tapes, it is offered to you on compact disc and deep groove vinyl. CD includes extra photos and new liner notes by Gene Clark biographer John Einarson. Let White Light be your soundtrack for the road less traveled.

1. The Virgin
2. With Tomorrow
3. White Light
4. Because Of You
5. One In A Hundred
6. For A Spanish Guitar
7. Where My Love Lies Asleep
8. Tears Of Rage
9. 1975

CD:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLX2S6/?tag=imwan-20

LP:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLX28Q/?tag=imwan-20

Roadmaster

Product Description
By 1972, singer/songwriter Gene Clark had settled into a new life in Mendocino far from the intrusive media glare and fan adulation that still surrounded someone of his stature as a former member of the Byrds. However, he still owed A&M Records one more album. Gathering together the cream of the Los Angeles country-rock fraternity--innovative guitarist Clarence White, Chris Ethridge on bass, ex-Byrd and Burrito Brother Michael Clarke on drums, pedal steel guitarist extraordinaire Sneaky Pete, Byron Berline on fiddle and pianist Spooner Oldham--Gene set about recording an album of pure country rock unfettered by any commercial dictates.

Although the spring 1972 recording sessions were ultimately abandoned, Gene left eight precious songs in the vaults. "Full Circle Song" (later recorded by the reunited Byrds and a bona fide country-rock classic) and "Shooting Star" reveal a deep, introspective soul-searching. "I Remember the Railroad" and "In a Misty Morning" reflect a longing for the simpler days of his youth. The sessions also produced spirited versions of Flatt & Scruggs' "Rough and Rocky," the country standard "I Really Don't Want to Know," Freddie Weller's rollicking "Roadmaster" and a reinterpretation of his standout Byrds song, "She Don't Care About Time."

Gene's manager Jim Dickson took these eight tracks and paired them with three additional unreleased recordings to assemble Roadmaster. The unreleased tracks chronicled two previous attempts at a Byrds reunion ("One in a Hundred" and "She's the Kind of Girl") as well as the stunning "Here Tonight," with Gene backed by The Flying Burrito Brothers. Originally a 1973 European-only release, imported copies of Roadmaster soon found their way to North America as fans came to recognize the brilliance in the ill-fated sessions. "The album itself I was proud of," acknowledged Gene years later. "I was proud of the writing and proud of the bunch of people who played on it." This legendary recording makes its Sundazed debut on compact disc and wondrous vinyl. It has been painstakingly mastered from the original A&M session tapes and is packaged in new album artwork. CD includes extra photos and new liner notes by Gene Clark biographer John Einarson. Add this recording to your collection and bear full witness to Gene Clark's panoramic musical vision.

1. She's The Kind Of Girl
2. One In A Hundred
3. Here Tonight
4. Full Circle Song
5. In A Misty Morning
6. Rough And Rocky
7. Roadmaster
8. I Really Don't Want To Know
9. I Remember The Railroad
10. She Don't Care About Time
11. Shooting Star

CD:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLX2FE/?tag=imwan-20

LP:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FLX1TG/?tag=imwan-20

Wow, most welcomed news. Sundazed is probably one of my most favorite reissue labels so I will be looking at replacing my imports with these. Thanks Linda!

Rick A.

My order from Sundazed came a couple days ago, all three of these reissues. They've done their usual great job on these -- they sound great, and the packaging is excellent, with very nice booklets and extensive notes. Highly recommended.

but whatever happened to "two sides to every story"?

According to my buddy Tom ("Clarkophile" at the Hoffman board) Two Sides to Every Story was delayed a bit due to some legal issues and then problems with locating the master tape. That's all cleared up and the latest word is that it's been expanded to two discs and is being mastered by Dan Hersch. They haven't announced the new release date yet but it will likely be either later this year or the first half of 2012.