For a brief moment, ever so fleetingly, the Dave Clark Five challenged the Beatles’ leadership of the 1964 British Invasion. They are, however, less remembered than many acts of that era. In reality, they were never truly competitors. The Beatles had twenty of their singles reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Dave Clark Five had one (it’s the final song in today’s medley).
Although they were one of the top selling pop acts of the British invasion with sales of 100 million records, The Dave Clark Five is little-remembered today. Despite a (belated) 2008 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, if you are much younger than say 60, chances are you’ve never heard of them, or heard any of their music.
The band never really progressed musically. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, The Hollies, Manfred Mann, The Animals and others were moving to more a complicated sound (towards Rock rather than Pop) and to more mature lyrics. The DC5 failed to do so. That was one of the reasons the hits stopped coming and led to the band’s breakup in 1970.
Today many of their songs are all but forgotten and there is only one person to blame for that … Dave Clark.
Between 1978 and 1993, none of the band’s music was available to be purchased in any commercial format due to rights-holder Clark declining to license the group’s recordings. In 1993, he made a deal with Hollywood Records to issue a double CD History of the Dave Clark Five. The project flopped. No DC5 material was then legally available until 2008.
Clark hadn’t realized that by keeping the records out of the stores for nearly twenty years, he had diminished their value. Oldies radio programmed less of the hits, as they were not available to the stations. Whatever residual presence the Dave Clark Five records had, had dissipated, and much of the band’s great music faded from memory.
The best thing the band had going for it was keyboardist and lead singer Mike Smith. A powerhouse vocalist, Smith co-wrote many of the DC5 songs. Unfortunately, he had to share co-writing credits with Clark as part of his “deal” with Dave even though Clark had no more to do with writing the songs than I did.
The band also had a very competent guitarist in Lenny Davidson, the thunderous bass of Rick Huxley, and the sledgehammer saxophone of Denis Payton. All three of them, in addition to Smith, did not make a fortune even though the group sold millions of records. They were each paid a weekly salary by Clark and when the group disbanded in 1970, the paychecks stopped.
The lost songwriting royalties for Smith due to the recordings being unavailable for a total of 30 years is staggering. It also impacted Lenny Davidson, who also wrote several songs, although he too had to share songwriting credits with Clark.
But enough of my griping about the greedy drummer (and no, he didn’t play on many of their recordings. British session drummer Bobby Graham handled that). Let’s celebrate the music of – as I like to call them – The Mike Smith Four.
It’s a loud way to begin your day. 🙂
Memories … That’s What We’re All About
Play button is on the left … Volume slider is on the right
The Dave Clark Five Medley
Thanks for the real story of the DC5. Amazing that in this case it was the artist who torpedoed his own career, unlike Credence and others whose management was the villain. I think that most listeners like to believe that groups that make such joyful music consist of a bunch of great friends, when in reality they are composed of individuals who often put their own best interests ahead of the groups welfare. When the royalty checks start rolling in and the songwriter gets that extra share many groups can not withstand the division that ensues. We don’t have to look further than the Beatles with John & Paul shutting George out for so many years. The reality is that it is called the music “business “ for a reason. Thank you for a good but sad story. As a postscript, SIRIUS has “discovered” the Dave Clark 5 and often plays them.
Thanks, Don. The same thing happened with The Byrds. McGuinn and Crosby resented the fact that Gene Clark was making more money than them because he was writing more of the songs. The division led to Clark moving on.
The DC5 story is indeed very sad. The other four members of the group were left with little money even though they were the ones who created that “Tottenham Sound”.
Thanks for the backstory and medley. Too bad he screwed himself but especially how his actions screwed over the other members. I honestly didn’t remember they weren’t played on the radio or other venues….because these tunes have always been in my life. Thanks to you, most of these songs in the medley are very familar to me and I enjoyed it very much! 🙂 XOXOXOXO 🙂
Thank you, Wendyl. ❤️
When I mentioned that people under 60 might not remember the DC5, I thought to myself that I could think of one person who would. 😉
I think it’s pretty clear that I don’t think much of Dave Clark but I sure respected the other four … and yeah, he screwed them over!
Stay Safe (and warm)
❤️XOXOXOXO❤️
what great songs! I did NOT know the story behind the group and how sad for those who deserved recognition and royalties all from one greedy man! Because of him, there was such a loss to the world of some great music and musicians!
Thank you, Penny. You absolutely nailed it! 🥰
Thank you Ray for the great backstory on the Dave Clark five. It’s always interesting to know what actually caused us a band to either make it or not. In this case they did have some good hits but nothing was kept alive past the hit dates. Couple of these songs I never even heard. It was a good lesson that you taught us one that may not have been considered previously. Certainly not by me. It’s always interesting to me and I did appreciate your collection! Thanks so much
Thank you, Sandy. What happened to the rest of the band after their time in the spotlight was an outrage. Hell, what happened to them during their glory days as just as bad!
I’m glad you enjoyed the music and the memories! 🥰
Ray thanks for the reminder of what an asswipe Dave was!! Greed has ruined so many great people!! They in my opionion would have been one of the greats!! Anyway you want it along with others were such great songs!! I’m sitting here chair dancing to don’t let me down little did we know the true story!! I still love their music!! At least you are keeping the Mike Smith Four alive in our minds!! Didn’t Mike die just before the Hall Of Fame was voting them in?? Got Screwed Over and Over Again!! love ya stay warm!!
Thank you, Fred.
Mike died less than two weeks before the Hall of Fame induction. I have always loved the DC5 music. I’ve never been crazy about the drummer, though. He is as despicable as they come.
It’s going to be 40 degrees here tomorrow. Break out the shades!
Love ya, Buddy!
Now there’s an interesting back story
Always thought Dave was too egocentric and this story bears it out
Too bad he ruined things for his bandmates
Good tunes
Thanks, Mary Helen, I’m glad you enjoyed the music. 🥰
Money is like water: in sufficient volume, it erodes the bedrock of principle and cuts its own channel.
Yikes! I loved the DC5 when they came onto the scene — or more appropriately onto the Ed Sullivan show. I never knew the behind-the-scenes deviance in Dave Clark. Another example of what can happen to members of a group with a greedy “head”. it explains why their songs never seemed to be played over the years.
Thanks for the education … an added benefit to the music of the 60’s. Hope you’re out there rockin’ ….
Thanks, Barbara.
They appeared on the Sullivan show an amazing 18 times. Dave Clark’s dictatorial “leadership” of the group wasn’t public knowledge back then but I wanted people to be aware of it now.
Keep On Rockin’!