At long last, these 24 thought-to-be-lost recordings by the late, great Gene Clark are being released on Sierra High Fidelity as a 2XLP Set. And HYBRID SACD (plays on all players) These incredible recordings, which have never been released commercially, are from the original analogue master studio recording sessions held in Los Angeles between 1964 and 1982.

1964 SESSIONS
These Jim Dickson-produced tracks reveal a sensitive acoustic balladeer honing his songwriting craft. Already apparent are the unexpected chord changes, soaring tenor and preoccupation with heartache that would characterize his later, more well-known work, both with The Byrds and as a solo artist.
Recorded Spring 1964, World Pacific Studios, Produced by Jim Dickson; Original source: Scotch 201, 1/2″ 3-track analogue master, 15 ips; solo with 12-string guitar.

HUGH MASEKELA SESSIONS, 1967
On the verge of being dropped by Columbia following disappointing performance of his debut album, Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers, Gene hooked up with South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela to record several songs in the spring of 1967. Back Street Mirror, released later that fall by actor David Hemmings (produced by Dickson as well) on his Happens LP (using the same backing track), recalls the rich baroque stylings of ‘Echoes’; while the spirited ‘Don’t Let It Fall Through’ shows Gene was no slouch singing swinging, R&B-based rock.
Recorded January 26, 1967, Sound Recorders, Produced by Jim Dickson; Arranger, Leon Russell; Horn Section, Hugh Masekela; Mixer, Armin Steiner; Recorder, Cal Frisk; Original Source: Scotch 203, 8-track, 1″ 8-track analogue master, 15 ips; Full Band.

1969-1970 SESSIONS-SOLO
Virtually an album within an album, these seven tracks constitute a convincing, cohesive testament to Clark’s extraordinary growth as a writer, especially when juxtaposed with the 1964 material. Temporarily eschewing the pressures of life in LA for the pastoral peace of his Northern California retreat, Gene’s music reflected uncommon maturity, grace and scope, with songs that embraced philosophy, ecology and spirituality.
Recorded 1968-1970, Liberty/UA Recording Studios, Produced by Jim Dickson; Original Source: Scotch 150, 1/4″ full track mono, analog master, 15 ips; solo with acoustic guitar.

WITH THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS
Recorded in spring of 1970 before Gram Parsons’ firing, Gene revives a song that first appeared on the first Dillard and Clark album (also covered by Linda Ronstadt). This up-tempo interpretation shows how effortlessly Gene could have slipped into another band situation had he chosen to do so. One can’t help but think that this version, paired with Gene’s other Burritos-backed song, ‘Here Tonight,’ would have made a dynamite 45.
ecorded Spring 1970, Sound Factory, Produced by Jim Dickson: Original source: Scotch 206, 1/4″ 2-track analog master, 15 ips; with the “The Burrito Deluxe – Flying Burrito Bros”.

1972 SESSIONS
Similar to the situation with ‘Back Street Mirror,’ two of these tracks eventually saw release on Terry Melcher’s self-titled album from 1974; Gene’s vocals having been wiped and replaced by Melcher’s. Thankfully, Chris Hinshaw had the good sense and vision to record these featuring Gene’s original vocals. Jim Dickson always maintained that “these were the best Gene ever sounded!” One would be hard pressed to argue.
Recorded July – September 1972, Wally Heider Studio 4, Produced by Chris Hinshaw and Terry Melcher: Original source: Ampex 631, 1/4″ 2-track analog master, 15 ips; with Clarence White, Eric White Sr., Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Spooner Oldham, Byron Berline, Michael Clarke, Claudia Lennear and friends.

1982 NYTEFLYTE – Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, Al Perkins, Michael Clarke
The July 1982 “Nyteflyte” sessions were an effort by the team of Tickner & Dickson to reenergize country-rock in Nashville. Alas, they were too early; so-called “New Country” had not yet hit Nashville tune masters. Nyteflyte’s music, featuring Gene as lead singer, may not have caught on with the 16th Avenue Music Row crowd, but we may now enjoy these exciting, previously unreleased recordings. Sadly, this would be the final occasion in which ex-Byrds Clark, Hillman and Clarke would record together.
Recorded July 10, 1982, Criterion Recorders, Produced by Jim Dickson: Engineer, Captain Echo; Original source: Agfa PEM 408, 2″ 16-track analog master, 15 ips.

Catering to the “high end” audiophile listener who prefers vinyl as the THE medium for sound reproduction, these vinyl records will be pressed using special die molds made of Cr-Ni steel. These special die molds feature quick heating and cooling with rapid dismounting, patterned after both the ‘Fabelmo’ pressing molds from Belgium considered to have been the best ever produced and the record molds used by Japan Victor Company (JVC) of Japan in 1970s, to create a 180-200 gram, ultra high quality, flat profile, disc. Several special PVC compound formula are currently being tested, including one that was manufactured by the same chemical company that supplied JVC with a highly polymerized synthetic resin containing high vinyl acetate content, derived from a vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate co-polymer called ‘Super Vinyl’. Further, this improved compound will be free of “toluene,” tin or lead, making it also more environmentally friendly compared to compounds used in the past and by current so-called audiophile vinyl pressing plants.

The first album releases will utilize Sierra’s 1980’s original half-speed mastered, metal masters and mothers, processed by the late Richard ‘Slim’ Doss at the legendary Sheffield Lab Matrix processing plant. These original metal masters have been preserved from those days when many thought vinyl was dead! The albums will be mastered at some of the finest disc mastering studios today with metal process immediately following the cutting of the lacquers.

These audiophile releases will go beyond the “Americana” labelled music by exploring all forms of music genres, both vintage and new, unique in their performance and analog in their recording. We hope you will enjoy and support our efforts to bring you, our loyal fans, the quality of product and sound you’ve consistently demonstrated that you truly appreciate and deserve.