The Mick Clarke Band
Visit
Mick Clarke’s website. Click
here for
Tour Schedule "I’ll
find a new mountain to climb" was Mick’s thought before he set
out to record his fifth recording on Burnside Records ...and so he did. Every
new project is like climbin’ a new mountain. You never know how the journey
is going to go or what you’ll find at the top. All Mick knew about this
particular mountain was that he wanted to make an album that reflected the
way the band has sounded the last couple of years, playing at clubs and
festivals all over Europe. ‘New Mountain’ was recorded in Bromley, a suburb
of London. The band worked hard to lay down the tracks as fast as possible to
preserve the feel of the music. The songs are straight ahead blues and boogie
- pretty much the same as they play them on stage. Mick
assembled the same lineup that he’s been working with the past two years: Lou
Martin on keyboards. Mick and Lou’s association goes back to the late
‘60’s with their first band Killing Floor before Lou joined the Rory
Gallagher Band. Ian Ellis takes up duty on the bass, an affable
Scotsman with a penchant for Harleys and Sheepdogs. Ian’s early bands include
Clouds and Savoy Brown. Chris Sharley rounds out the
rhythm section on drums. Chris spent a spell with the Welsh rockers Sassafras,
and has been working with the Mick Clarke Band for the last eight years. Mick
was born in London in 1950 and brought up in Wimbledon. In 1965, his life
changed forever as a result of seeing Eric Clapton play at his
school’s fair. Realizing that he had been bitten by the blues bug, Mick
formed his first professional band in 1968 called Killing Floor (named
after a Howlin’ Wolf song) which was chosen to back up Texas blues
star, Freddie King on his tour of the United Kingdom. During the a
subsequent tour with Freddie, the band was fortunate to meet and jam with
many blues greats, including Otis Spann and Howlin’ Wolf.
When the band broke up in 1972 Mick went on to work and tour with ‘60’s pop
star Cliff Bennett and Daddy Longlegs, before forming the
powerful rock-blues band Salt, which was very popular on the British
club and college circuit. In
1984 the Mick Clarke Band was formed and the first album "Looking For
Trouble" was released followed by "Rock Me" and "All
These Blues" on the Italian label, Appaloosa. After a successful
U.S. West Coast tour Mick recorded ‘West Coast Connection’ in Portland Oregon
that featured former members of the Robert Cray Band. Additional
albums soon follow on several different lables. He has released four titles
on Burnside Records: ‘Steel & Fire’ (featuring Fleetwood Mac
producer, Mike Vernon), ‘Tell The Truth,’ ‘No Compromise,’ and ‘Happy
Home’, all which placed Mick firmly in the lap of blues enthusiasts
everywhere as a premiere British blues guitarist. Over
the last 15 years the Mick Clarke Band has become one the most
successful and hard working blues/rock bands in Europe, touring constantly in
every country from Finland down to Italy. He has gathered some talented
musicians and created a recording overflowing with original material and
blues standards. Mick’s brand of rocking blues never fails to deliver the
goods. As one U.S. reviewer put it - "if you don’t see the Mick
Clarke Band Kick yourself!" -
This second Burnside release
from Mick Clarke is packed full of more great electric blues rock. His lead
and slide work is spellbinding! "Tell The Truth" contains 12 tracks
(9 of which ane originals} including an intimate tribute to the late Stevie Ray
Vaughan, "A New Star Over Texas" Mick's band is stronger than ever
including the playing of ex-Rory Gallagher keyboardist Lou Martin, Mick
Phillips on bass, Mike Hersh on drums and exceptional newcomer Dave Newman on
harp.
The long-awaited third
Burnside release from British guitarist Mick Clarke. Twelve new songs (10 original)
that show why Mick is one of the finest exponents from the late '60s British
blues/rock explosion.
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