Also known as CP, CP Snare Albums Classic Big Country Role Singer | Name Clive Parker Origin Camberley, Surrey | |
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Record labels Rough Trade Records, Cherry Red Records Similar People Bruce Watson, Tony Butler, Mark Brzezicki, Stuart Adamson, Pete Wishart | ||
Music group Big Country (1981 – 1982) | ||
Clive Parker (born 1960) also known as Clive Parker-Sharp, is an English drummer, active in the punk, post-punk and new wave genres. He was a member of the bands The Members, Spizzenergi/Athletico Spizz 80, Big Country, and Scary Thieves. He went on to play with John Moore (Jesus and Mary Chain.) in The Expressway.
Contents
- Personal background
- Professional background
- Tours
- Literary
- Film
- Singles
- Albums
- Compilation albums
- References
Parker had his own bands The Planets, Lopez & the Waveriders, Kingfishers Catch Fire, Holy Trinity, Barra (Sony-ATV/English Garden Records), and electronic guitar duo Marshall Star. He went on to production and management, forming his own small record label (Furry Records UK)
In 1992, Parker had a minor dance hit with UK soul singer, Kasie Sharp, co-writing as part of the pop dance production team One Horse Man, who were also released by Arcade Records in Europe.
Personal background
Parker was born in Windlesham, Surrey. He lives in East Sussex with his wife. He is now also a writer & published author, and plays guitar and keyboards.
Professional background
From the age of nine, Parker played in local show bands and working men's club's (Frimley Green;Camberley). He also joined punk rock groups in Camberley, the Home Counties, and West London circuits, often as an opening act to groups like The Members, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and others who performed at The Moonlight Club in Hampstead, and Nashville Rooms in West Kensington.
Parker plays with a traditional and matched grip, later double-bass drums, heavily influenced by Keith Moon and John Bonham, style non-strict and sometimes experimental or chaotic.
In 1979, Parker joined Spizzenergi, after auditioning at a small rehearsal room in arches at Waterloo, London. Spizzenergi was a late 1970s punk rock/new wave band that changed its name several times during its existence. Alternative names including Spizzoil and Athletico Spizz 80.
In 1980, as Athletico Spizz 80, Parker played on the album, Do a Runner, which spent five weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 27. The album was recorded and mixed at Berry Street studios in London over the spring bank holiday weekend, and featured Jim Solar, Mark Coalfield, and Dave Scott in the line up.
In 1980, the group appeared at the Futurama festival, along with Gary Glitter and Joy Division. The festival, which was recorded for the film Urgh! A Music War, took place at Leeds Queens Hall.
Tours
In 1980, after signing with A&M Records, the band toured the United States with 999. During the tour, and with Solar, Spizz and Lu Edmonds from The Damned as the line up, they played the Palladium in New York City as support band to Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Parker toured with Spizz, extensively in Europe and the United States, in support of The Clash, The Only Ones, and the Human League. Support bands for Spizz tours included Tenpole Tudor, Altered Images, Department S, and The Mo-dettes. The band played a week of sold-out shows at London's Marquee Club, with a matinee for younger fans.
Parker toured with Big Country, playing at the Dunfermline Glen Pavilion (first ever BC gig), and dates with Alice Cooper Armed Forces tour.
Parker toured the UK with Scary Thieves and Nik Kershaw.
Parker toured the UK with John Moore and Pop Will Eat Itself, Crazyhead, and Living Colour. Dates in the United States, in addition to solo appearances, included performances with My Bloody Valentine.
Kingfishers Catch Fire played support to Deacon Blue, and toured the UK college circuit after a favourable showing in Melody Maker, by writer Helen Fitzgerald.
Literary
2013–2014; Parker toured his show, ‘Sex Drugs & Music-Hall‘, the adaptation of his book ‘The Box’ which took a skewed view of UK cultural populist history; Bingo, and Music-Hall, using spoken-word, drama, and music, with Parker playing guitar, keyboards, and wood-blocks. This was played in unusual venues, such as Museums, Libraries, Almshouses, and some Theatres.
Film
Urgh! A Music War. 2 songs from Athletico Spizz 80.
'Unbidden' 2016 – Director; Quentin Lee. Marshall Star contribute music to this release.
My Name Is Lenny. 2017 - Director; Ron Scalpello. The British Sports drama movie features the Athletico Spizz 80 track 'Red & Black' (writer 'Spizz'), along with a Marshall Star song 'The Narcissist', (Parker).
Singles
Athletico Spizz 80, BBC John Peel session 30 April 1980 Athletico Spizz 80, BBC Mike Read session 2 October 1980