BIO

British Blues Guitarist Mick Clarke presents the new album "Steppin' Out" - CD release on Rockfold Records plus streaming on Spotify and Apple. The album includes the single "Honky Tonk Blues".

Mick has become an established name on the international touring scene and has played regularly in Europe, Asia and the USA. Praised for his fiery "straight from the wood" guitar sound, Mick is the winner of the 2014 Artist Aloud Awards "Best International Act" and appeared at Sweden Rock Festival in June 2018, sharing the bill with metal legends Iron Maiden.

The Mick Clarke Band was established in the early 80s and has appeared on numerous festivals with artists such as Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter and Joe Bonamassa. Recent shows have included festival appearances in Italy, Belgium and India, and in July 2017 Mick appeared at the Mostar Blues & Rock festival in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Mick has released nineteen solo albums so far.

Mick began his career with KILLING FLOOR part of the British blues boom of the late 60s. The band backed Texas blues guitar star Freddie King and toured with legends Howlin' Wolf, Otis Spann and Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. Two albums were released - the first, "Killing Floor" is one of Classic Rock Magazines "20 greatest British blues albums 1967-1970". In 2003 Killing Floor reformed for recording and tour projects, and recent live work has included several European blues and rock festivals.

In the mid 70s Mick co-formed SALT with British singer Stevie Smith, a powerful blues-rock act who were a big hit in the UK playing regularly at London's Marquee Club and other top venues. The band played at the Reading Festival and also opened for Muddy Waters at his first major London concert. In 1978 the band morphed into RAMROD with ex Rory Gallagher Band members Lou Martin and Rod De'Ath, touring in Ireland and again playing extensively in London, opening for Muddy at his Rainbow Theatre concert.

THE MICK CLARKE BAND originally started working around the London area in the early 80s, but quickly received offers of work from mainland Europe and the United States. Early festival appearances such as the Belgium R&B Festival in Peer confirmed their appeal for continental audiences, while the US tours established a world wide reputation for the band.

Mick's first solo album "Looking For Trouble" came out on the Italian label Appaloosa in the early 80s and sold well. More albums quickly followed including "West Coast Connection" recorded in Portland, Oregon with an all star line-up including Curtis Salgado, Rod DeAth (Rory Gallagher Band) and Dover Weinberg (Robert Cray Band). Later releases were on the German label Taxim, including the classics "No Compromise" and "Roll Again". "Happy Home" on Mick's U.S. label Burnside featured just Mick with Lou Martin on piano and some old favourite songs. "Live in Luxembourg" was Mick's first live album, recorded in 2002 at the "Big Blues" in Luxembourg, and the 2007 "Solid Ground" contains thirteen original blues rock compositions.

"The Rambunctious Blues Experiment" was recorded at Mick's home studio in Surrey, "Rockfold" and features Mick with Russell Chaney on drums and Dangerous Dave Newman on harp. "Ramdango","Crazy Blues" and 2015's "Shake It Up" were also recorded at Rockfold, but by Mick alone, on a variety of instruments - real drums, but not necessarily all at once. The live "Ruff'n'Roar" showcases the band's down home blues side, live in a small club with Chris Sharley on drums and Eddie Masters on bass. "Diggin' Down", "Bent Frets" and the current "Steppin' Out" have continued Mick's solo approach to studio recording, although "Steppin' Out" features a guest appearance by harp player Dangerous Dave Newman.

Recent tours have included appearances at the Baden Blues Festival in Switzerland, "Blues Express" Luxembourg, "Rock at Sea" in Stockholm, Sweden, "Seven Nights to Blues" in France and the Bragdoya Blues Festival in Norway. In 2014 the Mick Clarke Band headlined the "Simply The Blues" Festivals in Mumbai and Bangalore, India. Recent European festival dates have included the Mostar Blues and Rock Festival, Bosnia-Herzegovina in July 2017.

In the U.S.A. Mick has appeared with artists such as Johnny Winter, Canned Heat, Foghat and C.J.Chenier. The Southern California Blues Society called him "One of the finest blues players to come out of England".

The Mick Clarke Band usually features Chris Sharley on drums and Eddie Masters on bass, either as a three piece or augmented with Dave Lennox on keyboards or Dangerous Dave Newman on harp.

In June 2018 Mick played at Sweden Rock Festival, one of Europe's major rock events, with Chris Sharley and Stuart McDonald (Killing Floor) on bass. The festival was headlined by Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne. In July 2019 a new single, the Jimmy Rogers classic "Walking By Myself" was released, and the band headlined the Blues Night at the Karlshamn Baltic Festival, Sweden. 36 years from its formation the MC Band continues to rock the blues.

Discography

MICK CLARKE
Looking For Trouble Appaloosa (Italy) 1984
Rock Me Appaloosa (Italy) 1986
All These Blues Appaloosa (Italy) 1988
West Coast Connection Brambus 1989 (Switzerland) NebulaCircle (USA) BGO (UK)
Steel and Fire Line (Germany) 1990 Burnside (USA) BGO (UK)
Tell the Truth Taxim (Germany) 1991 Burnside (USA) BGO (UK)
No Compromise Taxim (Germany) 1993 Burnside (USA) BGO
Roll Again Taxim (Germany) 1995 BGO
Happy Home Burnside (USA) 1998 Allegro (USA)
New Mountain Burnside (USA) 2000 Allegro (USA)
Live in Luxembourg Taxim (Germany) 2003 BGO
Solid Ground Taxim (Germany) 2008
The Rambunctious Blues Experiment Rockfold (UK) 2011
Ramdango Rockfold (UK) 2013 BGO (UK)
Crazy Blues Rockfold (UK) 2014 BGO (UK)
Shake It Up Rockfold (UK) 2015 BGO (UK)
Ruff'n'Roar - Live at Scratchers Rockfold (UK) 2016
Diggin' Down Rockfold (UK) 2017
Bent Frets Rockfold (UK) 2018
Steppin' Out Rockfold (UK) 2019

KILLING FLOOR
Killing Floor Spark (UK) 1969 Sire Records (USA)
Out of Uranus Penny Farthing 1970 Repertoire (Germany), Akarma (Italy), Mailbox (Japan)
Zero Tolerance Appaloosa (Italy) 2004
Rock'n'Roll Gone Mad Rockfold (UK) 2012

SALT
The Cobra's Melodies Rockfold (UK) 2011



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What the papers say

"Excellent, Excellent British Guitarist"
Living Blues Magazine (USA)

"Clarke proves that he can hold his own among todays blues rock stars"
Blues Revue (USA)

"One of the finest blues players to come out of England"
The Southern California Blues Society, Los Angeles, California

"The ultimate tip for all blues brothers"
Metal Hammer Magazine, Germany

"Clarke has "The Tone" most guitarists search for like the Holy Grail"
The River Reporter, Narrowsburg, N.Y.

"A lethal mixture of people like Rory Gallagher, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Roy Buchanan, Albert Collins etc."
Deuce Magazine, Switzerland

"Smashing guitar work"
Blueprint Magazine, England

"Clarke chews off big, gritty chunks of the blues with his guitar style,thick, timeless and true"
Willamette Week, Portland, Oregon

"Raw,Roadhouse blues and boogie (from) ace blues guitar hero"
Time Out, London

"A journeyman musician who always delivers the goods"
Rock'n'Reel Magazine, (USA)

"Exciting guitar and great compositions"
Buscadero, Italy

"A hot guitarist with a good ear for material and a tight band"
L.A.Reader, Los Angeles, California

"this band knows what the blues is all about"
Blues Bytes(USA)

"Mick Clarke came on like a steamroller out of control...a burning night of electric blues"
Cascade Blues Society, (USA)

"The man holds back nothing and gets his audience involved from the start"
Positively Entertainment, Portland, Oregon

"Some of the hardest rocking blues you'll ever get a chance to shake a leg to"
Detroits Magazine, Olympia, Washington

..a guitarist who's qualities of passion and consistency have never been compromised by changing fads or the slightest suggestion of a Hendrix/SRV fixation
Soundcheck Magazine, London

"A premier British blues guitarist"
Music City Blues, (USA)

Live Highlights

Mojo Festival 2019, Bishops Castle, Shropshire

Simply The Blues, Mumbai, India 2014

Mostar Blues and Rock Festival, Bosnia-Herzegovina 2017

Sweden Rock Festival, Solvesborg, Sweden 2018 w/ Iron Maiden

Tring Blues and Beer Festival UK 2016

Blueshappening Zelzate, Belgium 2015

Seven Nights To Blues Festival 2013, Lille, France

Norretljes Blues Festival 2011, Sweden

Blues Express, Luxembourg 2013

Fiamene, Italy 2014

Viana Do Castello Blues Festival 2007, Portugal

Simply The Blues, Bangalore, India 2014

Trescore British Blues Festival 2007, Italy (Killing Floor)

Rockland BluesRocking Summerfest 2007, Sweden w/ Joe Bonamassa

Baden Blues Festival 2006, Switzerland

Open Air Gross Lindow 2006, Germany (Killing Floor)

Harelbeke Rock & Blues 2006, Belgium (Killing Floor)

Willem Tell 10th Anniversary 2006, Belgium

Sweden Rock Festival 2012 (Killing Floor)

Bluezy Blues Festival, Netherlands 2012

Patersdreef Blues Festival 2005 & 1992, Tielt, Belgium

Trescore British Blues Festival 2007, Italy (Killing Floor)

Rock at Sea 2004, Stockholm, Sweden w/ Nazareth

Reading Festival 1977, England (SALT)

Rocking the Blues Festival 2005, England w/ The Yardbirds

Big Blues 2002, Luxembourg, w/ Bo Diddley

Belgium R&B Festival, Peer, Belgium, w/ Robert Cray

Bonn Blues Festival, Bonn, Germany, w/ Rory Gallagher

Tanzbrunnen Open Air, Cologne, Germany, w/ Johnny Winter

Blues'd Up Festival 2005, Belgium

Blues at Sea 2006, Stockholm, Sweden (Killing Floor)

Rock at Sea 2006, Stockholm, Sweden (Killing Floor)

Bragdoya Blues Festival 2004, Norway

New Victoria Theatre, London (SALT) w/ Muddy Waters

Farmer Phil's Festival 2004, 2003 & 2001, United Kingdom

Bergen Jazz and Blues Festival 2005 & 2002, Netherlands

Darlington Blues & Brews 2004, United Kingdom

Harderwijk Blues Route 2003, Netherlands

Great British R&B Festival 2005, Colne, England (with British Blues Allstars)

Piazza Blues Festival 2004, Bellinzona, Switzerland

Alcamo Blues 2000, Sicily

The Rainbow, London (Ramrod) w/ Muddy Waters

Welons Open Air 2003, Wintelre, Netherlands

Harelbeke Rock and Blues 2002, Belgium, w/ Tony Joe White

Easter Rock Festival 1972, Hamburg, Germany (with Killing Floor) w/ Black Sabbath

Amersfoort Blues Festival 2001, Netherlands

BohRock Xtra, Bocholt, Germany, w/ John Mayall

Kirkby Rock and Blues 2000, Kirkby, United Kingdom

Carrot Blues Festival 2003, Wervershoof, Netherlands

Live in Reitwein 2001, Frankfurt(Od) Germany

Blues Route, Utrecht, Netherlands

Thun Blues Festival 2002, Switzerland

Manchester Free Trade Hall 1969, England (with Killing Floor) w/ Howlin' Wolf, Freddie King

White and Blues Festival 2000, Sora, Italy

Blaublues 2002, Belgium

Belgian Blues/Rock Festival Houthem, Belgium

Bury Blues Festival 2002, United Kingdom, w/ Hubert Sumlin

Assen T T Nacht 2000 and 2002, Assen, Netherlands

Jazz in Duke Town, Den Bosch, Netherlands

Ehornli Rock 98, Eschenbach, Switzerland

Kajaani International Jazz Festival, Kajaani Finland

Burnley Mechanics Blues Festival, Burnley, United Kingdom

Open Air, Empfenbach, Germany

Bonn Blues Festival, Bonn Germany w/ Canned Heat

Fiamene, Verona, Italy

Swing 90 and 94, Wespelaar, Belgium

Open Air Aarau, Switzerland

Waterfront Blues Festival, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A w/ Elvin Bishop, Jessie Mae Hemphill

Nuvolaro 2000, Cuneo, Italy

Frog and Roll Festival, Lillers, France w/ The Troggs, the Pretty Things

Woodstock 90, Lugano, Switzerland

Kwadendaam Blues-Rock, Netherlands

Granicher Hohlenfest, Switzerland

Kijk Uit, Beernem 90 & 92, Belgium

Take a Walk Festival, Sittard, Netherlands

Bemd Festival, Arendonk, Belgium

Ichtygem Blues Festival, Belgium

Zweissimen Rock, Switzerland

Pump Up The Blues, Geertruidenberg, Netherlands

Big Day Out, Henstridge 99, United Kingdom w/ Ze 'Amsters!

Midzommer Blues Festival, Wychen, Netherlands

Roots Rock Festival, Nidrum, Belgium (two years)

Ravenna Blues Festival, Italy w/ Little Charlie and the Nightcats and Sonny Rhodes

Handzamme Blues Festival, Belgium (two years) w/ Louisiana Red

Detroits, Olympia Washington USA w/ Johnny Winter

Chapella Festival, Switzerland

Heineken Blues, Emmen, Netherlands

Blandford Music Festival, Blandford Forum, United Kingdom

Drijf-in Blues Festival 99, Giethoorn, Netherlands w/ The Animals

Swelmpop, Holland 99 w/ The Animals

Fort Festival, Einsedeln, Switzerland

Sommerrockfest, Eichstatt, Germany

Harley Davidson Super-Rally, Murrazano, Italy

Nave Blues, Italy

Ovezande Blues Festival, Netherlands

Beach Party, Gersau, Switzerland

Open-Air Nunningen, Switzerland w/ Luther Allison