Clive Parker

Clive Parker

Clive Parker (standing) 1975
Background information
Also known as CP, CP Snare
Origin Camberley, Surrey

Clive Parker (born 1960) also known as Clive Parker-Sharp, is a British drummer, active in the punk, post-punk and New Wave genres. He was a member of the bands The Members, Spizzenergi/Athletico Spizz 80, Big Country, and Scary Thieves. He went on to play with John Moore in The Expressway.[1]

Parker had his own bands The Planets, Lopez & the Waveriders, Kingfishers Catch Fire, Holy Trinity, Barra (Sony-ATV/English Garden Records), and electronic guitar duo Marshall Star.[2] He went on to production and management, forming his own small record label.

In 1992, Parker had a minor dance hit with UK soul singer, Kasie Sharp, co-writing as part of the pop dance production team One Horse Man, who were also released by Arcade Records in Europe.[3][4]

Contents

Personal background

Parker was born in 1960, in Windlesham, Surrey. He lives in East Sussex with his wife. He is now also a writer & published author,[5] and plays guitar and keyboards.

Professional background

From the age of nine, Parker played in local show bands and working men's club's. He also joined punk rock groups in Camberley, the Home Counties, and West London circuits, often as support band to groups like The Members, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and others who performed at The Moonlight Club in Hampstead, and Nashville Rooms in West Kensington.[6]

Parker plays with a traditional and matched grip, later double-bass drums, heavily influenced by Keith Moon and John Bonham, style non-strict and sometimes experimental or chaotic.

In 1979, Parker joined Spizzenergi, after auditioning at a small rehearsal room in arches at Waterloo, London. Spizzenergi was a late 1970s punk rock/new wave band that changed its name several times during its existence. Alternate names including Spizzoil and Athletico Spizz 80.

In 1980, as Athletico Spizz 80, Parker played on the album, Do a Runner, which spent five weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 27.[7] The album was recorded and mixed at Berry Street studios in London over the spring bank holiday weekend, and featured Jim Solar, Mark Coalfield, and Dave Scott in the line up.

In 1980, the group appeared at the Futurama festival, along with Gary Glitter[8] and Joy Division.[9] The festival, which was recorded for the film Urgh! A Music War, took place at Leeds Queens Hall.

Tours

In 1980, after signing with A&M Records, the band toured the United States with 999. During the tour, and with Solar, Spizz and Lu Edmonds from The Damned as the line up, they played the Palladium in New York City as support band to Siouxsie and the Banshees.[10]

Spizz

Parker toured with Spizz, extensively in Europe and the United States, in support of The Clash, The Only Ones, and the Human League. Support bands for Spizz tours included Tenpole Tudor, Altered Images, Department S, and The Mo-dettes. The band played a week of sold-out shows at London's Marquee Club, with a matinee for younger fans.[11]

Big Country

Parker toured with Big Country, playing at the Dunfermline Glen Pavilion (first ever BC gig), and dates with Alice Cooper Armed Forces tour.[12]

Scary Thieves

Parker toured the UK with Scary Thieves and Nik Kershaw.[13]

John Moore

Parker toured the UK with John Moore and Pop Will Eat Itself, Crazyhead, and Living Colour. Dates in the United States, in addition to solo appearances, included performances with My Bloody Valentine.

Kingfishers Catch Fire

Kingfishers Catch Fire played support to Deacon Blue, and toured the UK college circuit after a favourable showing in Melody Maker, by writer Helen Fitzgerald.

Discography

Singles

Spizz

Athletico Spizz 80, BBC John Peel session 30 April 1980 [14]

Scary Thieves
Kingfishers Catch Fire
Kasie Sharp
One Horse Man
Marshall Star

Albums

Spizz
Big Country
Scary Thieves
Barra
Marshall Star

Compilation albums

Spizz
Scary Thieves;
Kasie Sharp

References

  1. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBrJbklyYr0
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj94s-FXDvI
  3. ^ http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kasie+Sharp
  4. ^ http://www.discogs.com/One-Horse-Man-Fuego-Bamba-Generation/release/1877290
  5. ^ http://www.strandpublishing.co.uk/ Book ISBN; 9781907340154
  6. ^ http://www.punk77.co.uk/punkhistory/venues_nashville.htm
  7. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 32. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  8. ^ http://www.songkick.com/festivals/27561-futurama-2/id/663018-futurama-2-festival-1980
  9. ^ http://www.joydiv.org/c080979.htm
  10. ^ http://www.thebansheesandothercreatures.co.uk/kaleidoscopetour.htm
  11. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/Spizz+Energi
  12. ^ http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/artists/Big-Country/biography/
  13. ^ http://www.songkick.com/concerts/683812-nik-kershaw-at-hmv-hammersmith-apollo
  14. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/a/athleticospizz80/ Athletico Spizz 80 Peel session
  15. ^ http://www.trackrecords.co.uk/catalogue/track/big_country/tra1037.php

Further reading

External links