Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (June 3, 1946 – December 19, 1993), born Michael James Dick, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the 1960s rock group The Byrds from 1964 to 1967. He died in 1993, at age 47, from liver failure, a direct result of more than three decades of heavy alcohol consumption.
Clarke was born in Spokane, Washington. His father was an artist and his mother was a musician. Clarke ran away from home when he was 17 years old and hitchiked to California to become a musician. In legend, Clarke was said to have been discovered by Byrds' founder David Crosby while playing bongos on the beach. In fact he was discovered by singer-songwriter Ivan Ulz, in North Beach, San Francisco and was introduced to other group members by Ulz.
Clarke was not an accomplished musician prior to joining The Byrds. He had never played drums and, after joining The Byrds, not having a drum set, practiced on cardboard boxes and a tambourine. According to lead guitarist Roger McGuinn's web site, Clarke was hired by McGuinn and Gene Clark (no relation) for his resemblance to Rolling Stones' guitarist Brian Jones. Clarke's strength as a drummer is considered to be illustrated by his jazz-oriented playing on The Byrds' "Eight Miles High",[1] on the Fifth Dimension album.
Unlike the other members of The Byrds, Clarke was not a songwriter. His compositional contributions with the band encompass co-writing credits for the songs "Captain Soul", from the Fifth Dimension album, and "Artificial Energy" from The Notorious Byrd Brothers. He was also given an arrangement co-credit for two traditional songs that appeared on Fifth Dimension: "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley" (although the latter is erroneously credited to Bob Gibson and Ricky Neff on the album itself).
In August 1967, during the recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers album, Clarke walked out of The Byrds and was temporarily replaced by session drummers Jim Gordon and Hal Blaine. Clarke had recently become dissatisfied with his role in the band and didn't particularly like the new material that the songwriting members of the band were providing. However, Clarke continued to honor his live concert commitments with the band, appearing with them at a handful of shows during late August and early September 1967. Clarke returned from his self-imposed exile in time to contribute drums to the song "Artificial Energy" in early December 1967, but was subsequently fired from the band by McGuinn and bass player Chris Hillman once The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was completed.
After a short stint in Hawaii as a painter and working in a hotel, Clarke played briefly with Gene Clark in Dillard and Clark, before following Hillman to The Flying Burrito Brothers, after their first album. Clarke was with the Flying Burrito Brothers between 1969 and 1973, including appearing with the band at the infamous Altamont Free Concert, headlined by The Rolling Stones, in 1969. During the 1974-1981 period, Clarke was a member of Firefall, followed by a period as the drummer for Jerry Jeff Walker, ending in 1982.
Between 1983 and 1985, Clarke joined former Byrds' singer Gene Clark in The Firebyrds, a touring band which had been put together to promote Gene Clark's 1984 solo album Firebyrd.In 1985, following the breakup of The Firebyrds, Clarke and Clark again joined forces for a series of controversial shows billed as a "20th Anniversary Tribute to The Byrds".Other musicians involved in this project were John York, another ex-Byrd from the late 1960s line-up of the group, ex-Firefall singer Rick Roberts, ex-member of The Beach Boys early 1970s line-up Blondie Chaplin, and Rick Danko, formerly of The Band. Many clubs simply shortened the billing to The Byrds, and the pair soon found themselves involved in acrimonious court battles with Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman over use of the group's name.
Clarke was born in Spokane, Washington. His father was an artist and his mother was a musician. Clarke ran away from home when he was 17 years old and hitchiked to California to become a musician. In legend, Clarke was said to have been discovered by Byrds' founder David Crosby while playing bongos on the beach. In fact he was discovered by singer-songwriter Ivan Ulz, in North Beach, San Francisco and was introduced to other group members by Ulz.
Clarke was not an accomplished musician prior to joining The Byrds. He had never played drums and, after joining The Byrds, not having a drum set, practiced on cardboard boxes and a tambourine. According to lead guitarist Roger McGuinn's web site, Clarke was hired by McGuinn and Gene Clark (no relation) for his resemblance to Rolling Stones' guitarist Brian Jones. Clarke's strength as a drummer is considered to be illustrated by his jazz-oriented playing on The Byrds' "Eight Miles High",[1] on the Fifth Dimension album.
Unlike the other members of The Byrds, Clarke was not a songwriter. His compositional contributions with the band encompass co-writing credits for the songs "Captain Soul", from the Fifth Dimension album, and "Artificial Energy" from The Notorious Byrd Brothers. He was also given an arrangement co-credit for two traditional songs that appeared on Fifth Dimension: "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley" (although the latter is erroneously credited to Bob Gibson and Ricky Neff on the album itself).
In August 1967, during the recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers album, Clarke walked out of The Byrds and was temporarily replaced by session drummers Jim Gordon and Hal Blaine. Clarke had recently become dissatisfied with his role in the band and didn't particularly like the new material that the songwriting members of the band were providing. However, Clarke continued to honor his live concert commitments with the band, appearing with them at a handful of shows during late August and early September 1967. Clarke returned from his self-imposed exile in time to contribute drums to the song "Artificial Energy" in early December 1967, but was subsequently fired from the band by McGuinn and bass player Chris Hillman once The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was completed.
After a short stint in Hawaii as a painter and working in a hotel, Clarke played briefly with Gene Clark in Dillard and Clark, before following Hillman to The Flying Burrito Brothers, after their first album. Clarke was with the Flying Burrito Brothers between 1969 and 1973, including appearing with the band at the infamous Altamont Free Concert, headlined by The Rolling Stones, in 1969. During the 1974-1981 period, Clarke was a member of Firefall, followed by a period as the drummer for Jerry Jeff Walker, ending in 1982.
Between 1983 and 1985, Clarke joined former Byrds' singer Gene Clark in The Firebyrds, a touring band which had been put together to promote Gene Clark's 1984 solo album Firebyrd.In 1985, following the breakup of The Firebyrds, Clarke and Clark again joined forces for a series of controversial shows billed as a "20th Anniversary Tribute to The Byrds".Other musicians involved in this project were John York, another ex-Byrd from the late 1960s line-up of the group, ex-Firefall singer Rick Roberts, ex-member of The Beach Boys early 1970s line-up Blondie Chaplin, and Rick Danko, formerly of The Band. Many clubs simply shortened the billing to The Byrds, and the pair soon found themselves involved in acrimonious court battles with Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman over use of the group's name.
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| Clarke in Center with Blue coat |
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