December 3, 2024

Skylight Webzine

Online since 2000

Former Rockingbirds and Danny & The Champions Of The World bassist Chris Clarke launches his debut album

Electric Hero is the nom de plume of bass player and producer, Chris Clarke; erstwhile Holy Roader (Indie Legend Peter Astor’s ‘90’s outfit), Rockingbirds (North London country-rockers), Lost Son of Littlefield (cult country outlaws), one quarter of Horse Latitudes (90s Camden janglers) and Champion of the World (multi award-winning Americana).

Among his extra-curricular activities, Birmingham-born Chris has also played bass, produced and worked with diverse acts such as nocturnal chanteuse Sukie Smith aka Madam, greasy rock sensations The Jim Jones Revue and New Heavy Sounds (Too Pure’s Paul Cox latest label); film soundtrack – In The Land Of Blood And Honey (written, produced and directed by Angelina Jolie) with Dado Dzihan; showman and gypsy legend Donald Byron Wheatley; the funky instrumental pedal steel of Henry Senior Jnr and all-round heroes BJ Cole and Martin Stephenson.

A long-time member of London’s finest bluegrass band, Foghorn Leghorn, Chris has run their club at The Betsey Trotwood for the past 12 years, while for the past three decade he has played bass, engineered and produced hundreds of recordings for others, mainly in his very own ‘North London Stax’ recording complex, Reservoir Studios.

After being one of the driving forces behind Danny and The Champions of The World for the past decade, he decided to cut loose and make his own solo album. With the intention of a fresh start, he assembled a group of younger musicians to come along for the ride including his nephew Elliott on drums and guitar maestro Jamie Alex Pope, with Celina Liesegang and Steve Huddleston on backing vocal duty.

Holed up at Reservoir, Clarke set to realising the sounds in his head and wearing his influences on his sleeve. From the 1960’s psychedelia of Syd Barrett and The Who to Stealers Wheel, with a smattering of The Prefab Sprout, Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric, Another Time has a definite and unabashed slice of original Englishness at its heart.

Featuring the singles ‘Yesterday’s Tomorrows’ and ‘Good Times’

Catch Electric Hero live at…

Sept 28th – AAA Records, Newport, Isle of Wight

Sept 29th – Strings Bar & Venue, Newport, Isle of Wight

Oct 5th – Pink Flamingo, Southend-on-Sea

Oct 18th – Le Pub, Newport, Wales

Oct 30th – What’s Cookin’, Leytonstone, London

https://electrichero.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/TheChrisClarke

https://www.instagram.com/electric_hero_band

https://electrichero1.bandcamp.com