The Dave Clark Five facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Dave Clark Five
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The Dave Clark Five in 1964.
L–R: Mike Smith, Lenny Davidson, Denis Payton, Rick Huxley, Dave Clark. |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Tottenham, London, England |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 1958–1970 (Dave Clark Five); 1970-1973 (Dave Clark & Friends spinoff) |
| Labels | Columbia (EMI), Epic, Capitol |
| Past members | Dave Clark Mike Smith Lenny Davidson Rick Huxley Denis Payton |
The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, was a popular English rock and roll band. They formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. The band's leader, producer, and a main songwriter was the drummer, Dave Clark.
In January 1964, the band had their first big hit in the UK. Their song "Glad All Over" became a top-ten single. It even knocked the Beatles' song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK Singles Chart. "Glad All Over" also reached No. 6 in the United States in April 1964. While this was their only UK No. 1 hit, they did reach No. 1 in the US in December 1965. This was with their cover of Bobby Day's song "Over and Over".
The Dave Clark Five were a very successful band during the British Invasion. This was a time when British bands became very popular in the US. The DC5 was the second British Invasion group to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States. They appeared on the show 18 times, which was more than any other British Invasion band. Between 1964 and 1967, they had 17 songs reach the top 40 in the US. In 1965, the band also starred in a movie called Catch Us If You Can. The group stopped performing together in early 1970. Later, in 2008, the band was honored by being added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Contents
The Band's Journey
The Dave Clark Five started in 1958. At first, they were a backing band for a singer named Stan Saxon. Dave Clark played drums and sang background vocals. The band's members changed often in the early days. Clark and guitarist Rick Huxley were part of the 1958 lineup.
In January 1962, Clark and his bandmates decided to form their own group. They practiced at the South Grove Youth Club in Tottenham, London. The final lineup for the band was Dave Clark on drums, Rick Huxley on bass, Lenny Davidson on lead guitar, Denis Payton on saxophone, and Mike Smith on keyboards and lead vocals.
The Dave Clark Five's sound was called the "Tottenham Sound." It was a strong and loud style of music. This sound was different from Liverpool's Mersey Beat sound. The "Tottenham Sound" featured Clark's powerful drumming, Payton's saxophone, and Smith's strong vocals. Dave Clark also produced the band's music. He worked with sound engineer Adrian Kerridge.
Dave Clark was also the band's manager. He made deals that allowed him to produce their music. He also owned the original recordings. Most of the band's songs were written by Clark, or by Clark and Smith together. Sometimes, Clark wrote songs with Davidson or Payton.
The Dave Clark Five had 12 songs in the Top 40 in the UK between 1964 and 1967. They had 17 songs in the Top 40 of the US Billboard chart. Their song "Over and Over" reached No. 1 in the US on Christmas Day 1965. This was even though it did not sell as well in the UK.
In 1965, the band released a movie called Catch Us If You Can. It was directed by John Boorman. The movie was released in the US as Having a Wild Weekend. The band also made a short film called Hits in Action.
The band mostly stuck to their rock and roll style. They did not follow the psychedelic music trend much. Their popularity in the US began to slow down by 1967. However, they continued to have hit songs in Britain for three more years. The Dave Clark Five officially broke up in 1970.
After 1970, Davidson, Huxley, and Payton left the band. Alan Parker and Eric Ford joined on guitar and bass. This new group was called "Dave Clark & Friends." They performed together until 1972. For many years, it was hard to buy their music. But in 2008, a collection of their hits was released. Later, in 2009, their music became available on iTunes. In 2019, almost all of their music was available on Spotify.
After the Band: What Members Did Next
After the Dave Clark Five broke up, Dave Clark started a media company. He bought the rights to a 1960s TV show called Ready Steady Go!. He also wrote and produced a musical in London in 1986 called Time – The Musical. Famous artists like Julian Lennon, Freddie Mercury, and Stevie Wonder recorded music for this musical.
Mike Smith worked with another musician, Mike d'Abo, on an album in 1976. He also released a CD in 2000 called It's Only Rock & Roll. Mike Smith started performing again in 2003. He formed a band called Mike Smith's Rock Engine. Sadly, Mike Smith passed away on February 28, 2008, due to health problems after an injury.
Denis Payton passed away on December 17, 2006, after a long illness. Rick Huxley passed away on February 11, 2013. Lenny Davidson taught guitar for many years at a school in Cambridgeshire, where he lives.
In 2014, Dave Clark created a TV documentary. It was called The Dave Clark Five and Beyond: Glad All Over. He wrote, produced, and appeared in the film.
Joining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Dave Clark Five were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. On December 13, 2007, it was announced that the band would be added to the Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place on March 10, 2008.
The band was introduced by actor Tom Hanks. He had written and directed a movie called That Thing You Do!. This movie was about an American band that became popular during the British Invasion.
Three of the surviving members of the DC5 attended the ceremony. The families of Lenny Davidson, Rick Huxley, and Denis Payton's two sons were also there. Mike Smith had planned to attend but passed away just 11 days before the event. Dave Clark said he felt like he was at the Oscars. Lenny Davidson noted that they arrived in New York City exactly 44 years after their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Other famous musicians honored the Dave Clark Five at the ceremony. Joan Jett performed "Bits and Pieces." She was joined by John Fogerty, John Mellencamp, Billy Joel, and other artists to perform "Glad All Over."
Band Members
The Dave Clark Five had several members over the years.
Classic Line-up
- Dave Clark – drums, backing and occasional lead vocals (1959–1970; continued with Dave Clark and Friends until 1972)
- Mike Smith – lead vocals, keyboards (1961–1970; continued with Dave Clark and Friends until 1973; died 2008)
- Lenny Davidson – lead and rhythm guitars, backing and lead vocals (1961–1970)
- Rick Huxley – bass guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1959–1970; died 2013)
- Denis Payton – tenor and baritone saxophones, harmonica, rhythm guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals (1962–1970; died 2006)
Early Members
- Stan Saxon – lead vocals, saxophone
- Mick Ryan – lead guitar
- Chris Walls – bass
Dave Clark & Friends Members
- Alan Parker – lead guitar
- Eric Ford – bass
Timeline of Members
Discography
Studio Albums
- Glad All Over (US, 1964)
- The Dave Clark Five Return! (US, 1964)/A Session with The Dave Clark Five (UK, 1964)
- American Tour (US, 1964)
- Coast to Coast (US, 1964)
- Weekend in London (US, 1965)
- Having a Wild Weekend (US, 1965)/Catch Us If You Can (UK, 1965)
- I Like It Like That (US, 1965)
- Try Too Hard (US, 1966)
- Satisfied with You (US, 1966)
- 5 by 5 (US, 1967)
- You Got What It Takes (US, 1967)
- Everybody Knows (US, 1968) / Everybody Knows (UK, 1967)
- 5 By 5 (1964–69) (UK, 1968)
- If Somebody Loves You (UK, 1970)
- The Dave Clark Five Play Good Old Rock & Roll (UK, 1971)
- Dave Clark & Friends (UK, 1972)
See also
In Spanish: The Dave Clark Five para niños
