Dave Clague

1967-1968

Bass Guitar

Here's the whole story according to Dave!

"I had seen them in the London pubs, and was called in to do some sessions for the Gorilla album in the second half of 1967 ( I knew Gerry Bron, and had done sessions for him before, through a guy called Tony Hazzard that I was in a college band with. Tony wrote 'Ha Ha Said The Clown' and 'Fox on The Run' which were hits for Manfred Mann. Anyway, I did the recordings with these loony guys and then Gerry asked if I would join the band (Vernon was ill and some of them wanted Sam out - I found out later that they hadn't told Sam where and when the studio was booked.

"I played bass (had just got a white Fender Precision that I decorated - just after the Beat Club video where it was still white). For buffs, it was a pre CBS L model - worth a fortune now, but it was stolen in Brixton, London where I was living. Serial No. L25488 if anybody finds it - I have photos too.

" They were half way through Do Not Adjust Your Set, which was done live with an audience one day a week, and I was on the payroll (I think we were getting about 30 quid a week). They were also opening for the BeeGees at the Savile Theatre, London in a few days. "You'll soon pick it up" they said "just run through The Head Ballet a couple of times , put on this orange survival suit and go for it". The BGs were good - Marshalls not flat out ! Never heard of that before ! Singing in tune too - and you could hear the vocals .Wow.

" So that went offf ok, and then we were doing "doubles up North" - that means a cabaret spot in two clubs each night - setting up our own gear at the start. Then eventually we got a roady/driver (first a guy called Roy, and then Fred Munt, and then we got to go to gigs in taxis too. We still had to come down to London now & then for recording & visit to Germany (The Blowup Club, Munich was one) and Bremen several times (that must have been Beat Club).

" We played somewhere in East London on Christmas Eve '67, and then took a break to rehearse a new act. We used the Ballet Rambert studios in West London. I had bought a banjo to play in 'Jollity Farm' and had put together an electric guitar - thats me doing the fuzz guitar break in 'Humanoid Boogie'. I also bought Viv's old Bill Lewington cornet, which I stiil have - its the one in the photo in the 'Anthropology' booklet.

"So I was around when we did Equestrian Staue', 'Urban Spaceman' and some of the tracks for 'Doughnut' and 'Tadpoles'.

"It's some time ago, but I think I was on:

Gorilla:

Equestrian Statue, Monster Coming, Intro/Outro, Piggy Bank Love

Doughnut:

We Are Normal, Zelda, Hello Mabel, Humanoid Boogie, Trouser Press,

Tadpoles:

Shirt, maybe Monster Mash, Urban Spaceman, Canyons

"My mugshots are on the Equestrian Statue sheet music and the Dezo Hoffman photos, one of which is on the 'Bestiality' CD, where I'm dressed in newspaper (seemed a good idea at the time !)

I" was chucked out (asked to leave by Gerry Bron) sometime towards the Summer of 1968, and met up with Nick Cudworth and Kevin Coyne (who lived iN Lancashire at the time). We got the band SIREN together, put out 2 albums with John Peel's Dandelion label - and on Jac Holzman's Elektre label in the USA.

" Both sank, but have since been re-released on CD."

Much thanks to Dave for sharing this with us!  For more information visit his website at www.jacana.demon.co.uk/djc