Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke (born Michael James Dick; June 3, 1946 – December 19, 1993 ) was an American musician, best known as the drummer for rock group the Byrds from 1964 to 1968. Clarke was later an original for country rock group The Flying Burrito Brothers (1969–1971) and rock group Firefall (1974–1980).

Clarke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Byrds in 1991. He died in 1993, aged 47, from liver failure—a direct result of more than three decades of heavy alcohol consumption.

Early life Clarke was born in New York City. His father was a pipefitter and his mother was an amateur musician. Clarke left home when he was 17 years old and hitchhiked to California to become a musician.

Career

The Byrds Clarke was nineteen years old and a jazz drummer when he met David Crosby while he was hitchhiking in California. According to lead guitarist Roger McGuinn's web site, Clarke was hired by McGuinn and Gene Clark for his resemblance to the Rolling Stones' guitarist Brian Jones.

Born Michael Dick, he changed his surname to "Clarke" when he joined the Byrds, as he reportedly thought the surname Dick was "unpalatable". He changed it to Clarke due to his love of The Dick Clark Show, but added an extra "e" on the end so he wouldn't be confounded with Gene Clark.

Although not a prolific songwriter like the other members of the Byrds, Clarke’s compositional contributions with the band encompass co-writing credits for the songs "Captain Soul", an instrumental from the Fifth Dimension album (based on Lee Dorsey's "Get Out Of My Life, Woman"), 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 credited to Bob Gibson and songwriter/arranger Ricky Neff on the album itself).

In August 1967, during the recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers album, Clarke walked out on 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 did not particularly like the new material that the songwriting members were providing. but was reportedly fired from the band by McGuinn and Chris Hillman once The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was completed, on January 3, 1968. He soon returned to music and moved back to the United States, where Clarke played briefly with Gene Clark in Dillard and Clark, accompanying them in some early live performances, before following Hillman and Gram Parsons into country-rock pioneers The Flying Burrito Brothers, after their first album had been recorded. Clarke served with the Burritos between early 1969 and 1972, appearing with the band at the infamous Altamont Free Concert in California, headlined by the Rolling Stones, in December 1969.

Firefall

In 1974, Clarke was invited by Flying Burrito Brothers bandmate Rick Roberts to join his new group Firefall, formed by Roberts, with Jock Bartley, Larry Burnett and Mark Andes. Clarke was hired on the spot during the phone call between him and Roberts, and after landing in Colorado (where the group formed), they relocated to New York.

The bands biggest hit singles was "You Are the Woman" in 1976, which peaked at number 9 on the US charts. Clarke's excessive drinking meant he missed out on the entirety of a 1979 tour of Japan. A year later, after the release of their Undertow album, Clarke left the band.

His departure from Firefall was followed by a period as the drummer for Jerry Jeff Walker, ending in 1982.

Byrds lawsuit controversy and Hall of Fame induction 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". Many nightclubs simply shortened the billing to "The Byrds",

From 1987 until his death in 1993, Clarke toured as The Byrds featuring Michael Clarke. Skip Battin and John York, who had played with Roger McGuinn in later versions of the Byrds, also played at various points in The Byrds featuring Michael Clarke. Following the failure of McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman to obtain an injunction against Clarke, it was generally accepted that Clarke's continuing usage of the name was tantamount to ownership, particularly when not used by any other group member and where other group members, particularly Roger McGuinn, had repeatedly denied any interest in performing again under the Byrds name. At the time of his death, Clarke weighed only 47 kilos, and his liver was the size of a fifty pence piece. Susan Paul started a foundation in Clarke's name, called the Campaign for Alcohol-Free Kids. In 1994, a year after his death, Clarke's paintings were published in Dick Gautier and Jim McMullan's book, Musicians As Artists. He wrote a message about his struggles of alcohlism, his regrets of ever drinking, and encouragment of not wanting others to drink, which was released posthumously, published by Alcohelp.

In his memoir, Chris Hillman eulogized Clarke thus:

"Everyone loved Michael, who always lived in the moment and always had a beautiful woman on his arm. I don't think he ever made an enemy in the world and, despite his cunning and larceny, he was a joy to know. We (The Byrds) all forgave him because we loved him so much."

Discography With The Byrds

With The Flying Burrito Brothers

Burrito Deluxe (1970) The Flying Burrito Bros (1971) Last of the Red Hot Burritos (1972)

With Firefall Firefall (1976) Luna Sea (1977) Élan (1978) Undertow (1980) Other The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark – Dillard & Clark (1968) Barry McGuire And The Doctor – Barry McGuire (1971) Early L.A. Sessions – Gene Clark (1972) Roadmaster – Gene Clark (1973) Roger McGuinn – Roger McGuinn (1973) (one track) Terry Melcher – Terry Melcher (1974) Rumplestiltskin's Resolve – Shawn Phillips (1975) Spaced – Shawn Phillips (1977) Clear Sailin''' – Chris Hillman (1977) (one track) Cow Jazz'' – Jerry Jeff Walker (1980)