Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five

Subject: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five 28 Feb 08
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 01:29 AM

Bugger, another one hits the trail. RIP Mike

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 03:09 AM

Sad all over.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: ard mhacha
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 04:24 AM

Sorry to learn of his death, I was never into pop music but I will never forget the din when Tommy Docherty`s good Chelsea side of the mid 60s raced on to the field to the sound of Bits and Peices, those drums belting out, raised the roof.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: fat B****rd
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 04:35 AM

I was never a DC5 fan, but if I ever hear "Glad All Over" then I'm right back at Grimsby Mecca Christmas 1963. RIP Mr. Smith.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 06:59 AM

Strangley, for all the hits, Mike never became a household name. I was never in to that music but I liked Mike's "in your face" vocals.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 07:30 AM

The DC5 should really have been the MS5 but the powers that be decided that Dave, the drummer was better looking than Mike the Keyboards / singer and so they were the DC5.

I am so glad all over that things have changed. Just by way of a bit of history, what was the first DC5 single that Faron's Flamingos actually did a much better version of?

But still another good man gone.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 09:33 AM

Being of the 'Brtitsh Ivasion' age I recall always liking the DC5 very much. Always consisdered them as equal to the Stones, Beatles, etc. Every song had that 'drive'. A few years ago some local cable station played an hour+ worth of DC5 songs...uninterrupted by commercials. I sat there in shock and awe at the caliber of musicianship they displayed. All the songs were 'live' and they were phenomenal. It was black and white footage, 3 cameras and a live mix w/a plain background. I hadn't realized until then how much I'd taken them for granted and underappeciated how great they were. If anyone has any idea of the name and availability of this footage, I'd be interested in purchasing a copy. RIP, Mr. Brown.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: goatfell
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 09:36 AM

very sad indeed

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Wesley S
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 10:04 AM

I always wondered why they weren't more popular. He had a great voice for that style of music. I still have several of their 45's.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: fat B****rd
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 10:08 AM

Les, it was "Do You Love Me?"

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 10:33 AM

Rest in Peace...

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: PoppaGator
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 11:42 AM

I enjoyed the DC5 singles back in their heyday, but never knew that the frontman was this fellow Mike Smith and not somebody named Dave Clark. I suppose this might have been more common knowledge in the UK than in the US ~ ?? Also, of course, as a young male listener, I listened to the radio but did not read the fan magazines, where I might have learned more of the inside dope.

However, we all somehow became aware, early on, that the voice we heard on the "Spencer Davis Group" singles was not Spencer Davis, but a young kid named Stevie Winwood. I wish I had known about Mike Smith in the same way.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,old topper
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 11:55 AM

Never cared much for the band. The other four were stiffs. But Mike Smith had a hell of a voice for R&B style vocals. Too bad he didn't make it to the induction ceremony. He deserved to be in the Hall, even if the other four didn't.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Big Mick
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 12:00 PM

Having turned 13 in January of 1964, I well remember the cliques that sprung up over The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Dave Clark Five. Gerry and the Pacemakers were kind of in that bunch as well. Everyone had there opinion as to who was the best of the lot. As an aside, you should have heard the old Irish Republican immigrants bitch about us acting daft over Brit bands........ funny as hell, in the remembering. I really liked 'em all, with the exception of the Stones. I just didn't care much for them.

I used to love the DC5 R&B stuff. Mike Smith deserved to be around for his just due.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 12:16 PM

Funny really Mick about the old Irish Republican immigrants - loads of those bands were from Liverpool, and there's a music hall joke about Liverpool being the capital of Ireland.

Lots of us, whose parents came from that area consider themselves to be at least part Irish. Our parents lived in sort of Irish ghettoes up to about the early 1960's. I bet half the kids in those bands were Irish.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: PoppaGator
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 12:37 PM

When we first started to hear about the Beatles in the US, I was immediately struck that both Lennon and McCartney were Irish names, and that Harrison was about as likely to be an Irish as an English name. (Ringo may have been the only truly British Beatle!)

Also, since my grandparents had immigrated from Ireland to the US by way of a two-or-three-year stopover in Liverpool to earn enough money for the trip, I was aware that Liverpool was home to a great many Irish people

Incidentally, I have some relatives named McCartney. Before the Beatles, folks would always get the name wrong, assuming it was the more familiar "McCarthy." That certainly changed in a hurry!

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Beer
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 12:45 PM

One of my all time favorite groups.
Best wishes to Mike's love ones.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Big Mick
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 12:47 PM

Agreed, and there were comments about that. But the thing was called "The British Invasion" over here and that is what they were on about. Funny shit.

Mick

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST, Mikefule
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 01:01 PM

Sad, and so young, too.

For a period, the DC5 were right up there with the Beatles, in terms of hits, but now they are more or less forgotten by the mainstream. The fickle finger of fashion.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 01:47 PM

Yeah, I remember the Beatles, Stones, DC5, G&PM, Animals arguments from that time. I may have been 10-11. My older brother was a HUGE Stones fan and made fun of me because I liked 'The Searchers' who had a hit w/Needles and Pins. Years later as an experienced musician I went back and learned alot of those B.I. songs and was stunned to find out N&P was written by Sonny Bono!? Ferry 'Cross the Mersey and Don't Let the Sun are GREAT songs as are all of the DC5 hits. When I see old footage of those bands I become aware of how great and underappreciated their musicianship was over here. Gerry Mardsden was a great guitar player. Still is, I would imagine.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 02:33 PM

Yes, "Do you love me" was the missing single from Faron's Flamingos but I now realise that it was a hit for Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, er.... I think.

The DC5 / MS5 had some good singles but the Beatles and the Stones wrote far more exciting music and had a back catalogue of R & B and Motown covers that had made them great live bands. Which is still true for the Stones to this day.

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: MARINER
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 06:33 PM

poppagator ,you are correct in thinking Harrison could have been either Irish or English .George Harrison's grandfather was a police man in Gorey Co. Wexford and Aiden Ffrench a well known showband singer in the Wexford area was a (2nd)cousin of his .
Les,in Chorlton i never heard Faron's Flamingoes version of "Do you love me" but it would be hard for it to beat the original by the Isley Brothers.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: JennieG
Date: 29 Feb 08 - 08:37 PM

Aaargh! another slice of my giddy youth gone west.....I used to like their music very much, used to buy their records.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 02:26 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4yz7rsv-Gs

This is the U Tube of Faron's Flamingos at the Cavern

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4yz7rsv-Gs

Some of us think it might have been The Contours but it could be both. Either way it certainly would be difficult to beat the originals. I think it's fair to say the scouse, and other bands, that covered that amazing generation of black American R & B genuinely loved and revered the originals and did give the sings a re-interpretation. Some great tracks on the Beatles first album. But mostly 4 or 5 years of skinny white youth in hundreds of bands knocking out not bad covers.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: MARINER
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 03:40 AM

OOPS !!, Beware of late night postings .You are correct Les, I meant The Contours .I woke up with a start at 2 am thinking " What was I saying?" of course it was the Contours!!.They were a fine group. I have the 45 somewhere. I think ,think mind you, it was on the Oriole label over here .Brian Poole's version ,as you know was the big one in this part of the World.
But ,back to the subject of this thread.Mike Smith was a fine singer, with a great R'N'B voice and I am saddened to hear of his passing .

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 03:47 AM

Yes, he gave it much. Such a shame the drummer looked such a daft sod. Not so daft though. I seem to remember that he bought the recordings of Ready, Steady Go

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: MARINER
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 03:58 AM

Yep Dave was no fool ,apparently he's made a fortune from the old Ready Steady Go stuff. Just watched Faron on YouTube , God ,they were good !!Really rockin' it out ! I will have a look at all the others on there later, when I have time .I used to dry dock in Birkenhead in the early 60s and saw many bands ,some good ,some not so good but they all had that fire in them .Unfortunately many of our visits to clubs were fueled by Tetleys and Threlfalls and that tended to dim the memories .

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 04:01 AM

Do you remember Derrie Wilky and the Pressmen? One of my favourites. A black singer and two saxophones, they did R&B a bit well. The Undertakers were also excellent.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: MARINER
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 04:15 AM

I remember him ,but not sure if i saw him .Was said not to be the best singer in Liverpool.The Undertakers were hot ,as i remember

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 05:18 AM

A really great overall sound as I remember. The Undertakers were good. Brian Jones Played sax which certainly added much. I think the bass player was Jackie Lomax. The Undertakers popped it up a bit as the Takers and I think Jackie went on to have a solo carrer.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: jacqui.c
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 08:50 AM

I was a teenager in North London in the early 60's and would go on a Friday night to out local dance hall, the Royal, in Tottenham. The house band every other week were the Dave Clark Five. That was before they really took off, of course. I had the biggest crush on Mike Smith! I remember that there was a protest march down Tottenham High Street by local fans when they left the Royal. I always loved their music.

I'm sad to see that Mike's last few years were difficult. Condolences to his wife.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: John Hardly
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 09:08 AM

A few years back I madly surfed the internet to try to find any CDs of DC5 (one of my favorite bands). I was mystified as to why such a popular group had such a dearth of recordings available. This discussion explains some of the "why".

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: David C. Carter
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 09:19 AM

They used to practice across the street from me in Lordship Lane Tottenham.The neighbours used to complain about the noise,untill they became famous,that is.Not my cup of tea,but I knew them and they were nice guys.

RIP
David

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: MARINER
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 01:57 PM

Yes Les ,As I remember Jackie Lomax recorded an album for Apple?? called "Sourmilk Sea"

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 02:29 PM

I seem to remember it being Apple - his old scouse mates I guess?

I didn't realise that the DC5 had such a local fanbase. They always looked a bit manufactured - apologies to them and their fans.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 01 Mar 08 - 06:02 PM

Not hugely relevant but not sure how anyone could think Dave Clark better looking than Mike Smith-----Mike was certainly the one the girls swooned for. Sounds like he had a really rough time the past few years - so sad.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 02 Mar 08 - 06:13 AM

Some in did, the drummer is not often the front man

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: BretonCap
Date: 02 Mar 08 - 10:12 AM

Blimey Jaqui,

Small world init.

I spent a lot of my time as a lad in the Tottenham royal.

Might I have tried my chat-up lines on you? Such as they were they were never very successful on whoevere I tried them on.

Such was the way of things for North London teenagers.

Dave

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 02 Mar 08 - 11:00 AM

BretonCap and Jaqui: Talking of the Royal, are you aware of this piece of pop history?

Youtube: Dave Clark Five at the Royal

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Mar 08 - 11:21 AM

Mr Smith, You will be sadly missed by all your fans around the world. Your infectious smile,that powerful voice, the red vox organ and the songs you made famous will continue to reverberate on the air waves and in our hearts for generations to come. Thank you for the joy you brought all of us with your talents. Deepest sympathy to the family.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST,I'm in Bits and Pieces
Date: 02 Mar 08 - 07:52 PM

As a 13 yr old teenager during the British invasion I was really into the music of all the bands, but the DC5 were amazing and Mike Smith had the best rocker voice of all. Just listen to TRY TO HARD or YOU"VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES...Old boomer Smith was the best. RIP Mr. Smith and thanks for all the joy!!!!!!..Steve

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 01:39 PM

The DC5 beautiful harmonies, beautiful music makers. I would
   be very much surprised if Dave Clarke and the late Mike Smith
   were not of Irish descent as are most of the so ca

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: jacqui.c
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 08:32 PM

Tunesmith! Thank you for that. It took me straight back to some of my happiest memories as a teenager. Mike was just incredibly good looking to a mid-teenager.

Breton Cap - small world indeed. When did you haunt the Royal? Time lines are a bit hazy but I think my time there was from 1961 to 1964, on and off. Where in North London did you live? I was in Edmonton.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five
From: BretonCap
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 05:29 PM

I was going to the Royal 64/65 (a year or two either way - memory being what is is these days)

I was living in Stamford Hill and Upper Clapton during those years. Mum and Dad moved to Brighton in 67 and we boys went with them.

Found Folk music at about that time and lost interest in Pop/Rock .

Dave