The Hall of “Shame”?
Okay … how many of you remember The Dave Clark Five? These five performers — Mike Smith (now tetraplegic after a tragic fall in 2003), organ; Lenny Davidson (now performing freelance), guitar; Rick Huxley (electrical manager, freelance performing), bass; Denis Peyton (deceased; cancer, 2006), sax; Dave Clark (producer), drums (except on DC5 hits) — are due for induction into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in March.
They played the Charlotte Coliseum in November, ‘65, with Dave doing a sharp version of Sandy Nelson’s Let There Be Drums. In fact, all the guys did a good job on the show, and the audience loved it! Naturally, most parents here (and around the nation, for that matter) approved of the DC5 because they were the “clean-cut, melodic” answer to The Beatles and Rolling Stones. They composed catchy songs like “Bits and Pieces,” beautifully romantic tunes like Because, and …
NO, THEY DIDN’T!!
In fact, Dave Clark ripped off the real composer of those tunes, an amazing young guitarist/singer/songwriter named Ron Ryan, who’s profiled in a four-parter on my site here (you’ll have to go back to Part I for his info). Actually, when Ron wrote and delivered the songs to Dave, he asked Ron for permission to include his name on credits, with the promise of shared royalties. Instead, Clark took full credit, refused to pay Ron anything in royalties, and a battle ensued.
As for his drumming: As I said, Dave was a competent drummer, but, on the LPs and 45s, he used session man Bobby Graham on the drums! He also controlled the other four in the group by paying them weekly salaries while he took the lion’s share of profits … and forbade them from talking with Ron (who’s a good friend of mine)! He also took footage of Gerry and The Pacemakers’ fans and spliced them into one of their “live” performances to make it appear more exciting! Apparently, this was unauthorized, according to my contacts in Liverpool.
So, as good as they were in Charlotte and other live gigs, there was much more goin’ on behind the scenes … and it was all kept on the Q.T. around the fans. So, IMHO, I believe the DC5’s induction is a shame. Better to include the real stars, including Ron Ryan and Bobby Graham. Of course, you’ve gotta include Mike Smith; after all, he was the DC5 … it was his vocal prowess that made the group!
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February 28th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
[...] a completely different take on why The Dave Clark 5 shouldn’t have been inducted at all click here. Published [...]
August 25th, 2008 at 1:05 am
I think Chuck Hinson’s comment on why the Dave Clark Five should not have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,is a bit sour grapes to me.
Sure they were not the world’s greatest musicians, and apart from Mike Smith didn’t project any memorable personalities!
But they left us with a string of great single records, that have stood the test of time!
Dave Clark proved himself to be a rather astute businessman, which made up for his lack of prowness behind the drum kit!
If Ron Ryan wasn’t savvy enough to get a written contract between him and Dave, then more fool him.
I’m no high flyer, when it comes to business, but if I know I have a bankable product, there is no way I would commit it to just a verbal agreement!!
Ron shouldn’t be complaining now.He had an opportunity and he blew it…….Full Stop.
Also Ron Ryan only wrote about half a dozen or so of their songs, and not their whole showcase, as comes across in Hinson’s article.
The DC5 deserve to be honoured, and I support that decision 100%