Clive Brooks
Encyclopedia
Clive Colin Brooks is a drummer, best known for his work in the English
progressive rock
band Egg
.
, a blues-rock group formed by City of London School pupils Dave Stewart (keyboards), Mont Campbell
(bass and lead vocals) and Steve Hillage
(guitar and vocals). (The band re-grouped later under the name Arzachel and released one album in 1969.) With Hillage's departure in mid-1968, the remaining three continued as a trio and became Egg in January 1969. The band signed with Decca and released two albums on the label, splitting up in July 1972 (although they came back together to record a final album, The Civil Surface
in 1974).
Egg's members first played together in Uriel, a Hendrix / Cream / blues / psychedelic group formed by school friends Steve Hillage (guitar), Mont Campbell and Dave Stewart. The line-up was completed when Clive Brooks answered their 'drummer wanted' ad in Melody Maker. Uriel began gigging in 1968 and in the summer of that year decamped to the Isle of Wight to play a club residency. Events from this trip were later immortalised in Egg's anthemic 'A Visit To Newport Hospital'.
At the end of the IOW stay Steve Hillage left the group to pursue his academic studies, later rising to fame as a '70s guitar hero. Uriel continued as an organ trio and fell in with a management company who forced a name change of 'The Egg' on the band. After signing with Decca in mid-1969 the band evolved into a hard-working live unit who won many fans on their travels round the UK. Under the musical leadership of Mont Campbell, short songs began to give way to long complex instrumentals influenced as much by Stravinsky as by the odd time signatures of Soft Machine. Psychedelia continued to loom large in Egg's consciousness, and when the group were let loose in a recording studio for the first time they revelled in the new sonic possibilities it offered, creating the deranged soundscape 'Boilk' on their first eponymous LP.
Egg and Decca parted company after the release of their second album The Polite Force, considered by many to be one of the finest prog albums ever recorded. Combining musical ingenuity, instrumental dexterity and super-tight performances, The Polite Force (produced by Neil Slaven) featured the much-loved 'A Visit To Newport Hospital' (whose opening fuzz organ riff is often mistaken for heavy metal guitar), the thoroughly mad 'Contrasong' and the intricacies of 'Long Piece no. 3', an extended instrumental piece in four movements. Accompanying these compositions is the nine-minute 'Boilk II', a multi-layered sound collage with psychedelic overtones.
Egg battled on for another couple of years before disbanding in 1972. Happily, a 1974 studio reunion enabled the trio to record several of Mont Campbell's excellent compositions which otherwise would have been lost to posterity. Entitled The Civil Surface, this album was to be Egg's last for 33 years.
, recording two albums, Hogwash
(1972) and Solid (1974).
Following a riding accident in the United States in which Tony McPhee
broke his wrist and so cut short the Who Will Save the World?
tour. The following album, Hogwash, was a more experimental affair, as McPhee was temporarily limited on the guitar. A mellotron
which was used on the previous album and synthesisers were brought into the band's music. Drummer Ken Pustlenik left and ex-Egg drummer Brooks was brought in to replace him.
In 1977, Brooks joined the UK band Liar
recording two albums, Straight From the Hip and Set the World on Fire. A third album was recorded in Los Angeles but never released.
, working with the band through to 1994. On 13 June 1981, the opening night of the last leg of The Wall
tour, Brooks filled in for drummer Willie Wilson who had been taken ill.
Brooks was re-united with Stewart in 2000 for the recording of a cover version of Soft Machine's "As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still" eventually released on Jakko Jakszyk
's The Bruised Romantic Glee Club (2006).
Brooks has also worked as a drum technician for bands such as Toto
, Robbie Williams, Jeff Wayne
's "The War of the Worlds
" 2007 tour and the well known tribute show to Pink Floyd, The Australian Pink Floyd Show
. As of March 2008, he is currently working as the touring backline drum tech for Leonard Cohen.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Egg
Egg (band)
Egg were an English progressive rock band formed in January 1969.-Career:The founding members of the group were Dave Stewart who played organ , Mont Campbell on bass and vocals and drummer Clive Brooks...
.
Uriel/Egg
Answering a Melody Maker ad in early 1968, Brooks joined UrielUriel (band)
Uriel were an English psychedelic/blues band formed in 1968, consisting of Steve Hillage , Dave Stewart , Clive Brooks and Mont Campbell...
, a blues-rock group formed by City of London School pupils Dave Stewart (keyboards), Mont Campbell
Mont Campbell
Hugo Martin Montgomery Campbell , formerly known as Mont Campbell, now Dirk Campbell is a British progressive rock musician, best known as a member of progressive rock band Egg.-Biography:...
(bass and lead vocals) and Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
(guitar and vocals). (The band re-grouped later under the name Arzachel and released one album in 1969.) With Hillage's departure in mid-1968, the remaining three continued as a trio and became Egg in January 1969. The band signed with Decca and released two albums on the label, splitting up in July 1972 (although they came back together to record a final album, The Civil Surface
The Civil Surface
The Civil Surface is Egg’s third and final album. It was released in 1974. The band had broken up in 1972, not before performing some new material during their last concerts. The new songs were very well received by the audience, so the trio decided to re-unite to record these songs...
in 1974).
Egg's members first played together in Uriel, a Hendrix / Cream / blues / psychedelic group formed by school friends Steve Hillage (guitar), Mont Campbell and Dave Stewart. The line-up was completed when Clive Brooks answered their 'drummer wanted' ad in Melody Maker. Uriel began gigging in 1968 and in the summer of that year decamped to the Isle of Wight to play a club residency. Events from this trip were later immortalised in Egg's anthemic 'A Visit To Newport Hospital'.
At the end of the IOW stay Steve Hillage left the group to pursue his academic studies, later rising to fame as a '70s guitar hero. Uriel continued as an organ trio and fell in with a management company who forced a name change of 'The Egg' on the band. After signing with Decca in mid-1969 the band evolved into a hard-working live unit who won many fans on their travels round the UK. Under the musical leadership of Mont Campbell, short songs began to give way to long complex instrumentals influenced as much by Stravinsky as by the odd time signatures of Soft Machine. Psychedelia continued to loom large in Egg's consciousness, and when the group were let loose in a recording studio for the first time they revelled in the new sonic possibilities it offered, creating the deranged soundscape 'Boilk' on their first eponymous LP.
Egg and Decca parted company after the release of their second album The Polite Force, considered by many to be one of the finest prog albums ever recorded. Combining musical ingenuity, instrumental dexterity and super-tight performances, The Polite Force (produced by Neil Slaven) featured the much-loved 'A Visit To Newport Hospital' (whose opening fuzz organ riff is often mistaken for heavy metal guitar), the thoroughly mad 'Contrasong' and the intricacies of 'Long Piece no. 3', an extended instrumental piece in four movements. Accompanying these compositions is the nine-minute 'Boilk II', a multi-layered sound collage with psychedelic overtones.
Egg battled on for another couple of years before disbanding in 1972. Happily, a 1974 studio reunion enabled the trio to record several of Mont Campbell's excellent compositions which otherwise would have been lost to posterity. Entitled The Civil Surface, this album was to be Egg's last for 33 years.
Groundhogs and Liar
After the demise of Egg, Brooks joined The GroundhogsThe Groundhogs
Groundhogs are a British rock band founded in late 1963, that toured extensively in the 1960s, achieved prominence in the early 1970s and continued sporadically into the 21st century.-Career:...
, recording two albums, Hogwash
Hogwash (album)
Hogwash is a 1972 blues-rock album recorded by The Groundhogs, originally released by United Artists Records in 1972, catalogue number UAG 29419. The most recent CD reissue is that of 2008 by BGO Records, catalogue number BGOCD787. The album mixes bottleneck blues, hard edged rock power chords,...
(1972) and Solid (1974).
Following a riding accident in the United States in which Tony McPhee
Tony McPhee
Tony McPhee is an English blues guitarist, and founder of The Groundhogs....
broke his wrist and so cut short the Who Will Save the World?
Who Will Save the World?
Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Groundhogs is a 1972 blues-rock album recorded by The Groundhogs, originally released by United Artists Records in 1972, catalogue number UAS-5570...
tour. The following album, Hogwash, was a more experimental affair, as McPhee was temporarily limited on the guitar. A mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
which was used on the previous album and synthesisers were brought into the band's music. Drummer Ken Pustlenik left and ex-Egg drummer Brooks was brought in to replace him.
In 1977, Brooks joined the UK band Liar
Liar (band)
Liar were a UK band formed in 1975. They released two albums, Straight from the Hip and Set the World on Fire and two singles, and toured internationally. A third album was recorded in Los Angeles but never released.-History:...
recording two albums, Straight From the Hip and Set the World on Fire. A third album was recorded in Los Angeles but never released.
Drum technician and later years
Brooks then became a regular drum technician for Pink FloydPink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, working with the band through to 1994. On 13 June 1981, the opening night of the last leg of The Wall
The Wall
The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. Released as a double album on 30 November 1979, it was subsequently performed live with elaborate theatrical effects, and adapted into a feature film, Pink Floyd—The Wall.As with the band's previous three...
tour, Brooks filled in for drummer Willie Wilson who had been taken ill.
Brooks was re-united with Stewart in 2000 for the recording of a cover version of Soft Machine's "As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still" eventually released on Jakko Jakszyk
Jakko Jakszyk
Jakko M. Jakszyk is an English guitarist, singer-songwriter , multi-instrumentalist and producer...
's The Bruised Romantic Glee Club (2006).
Brooks has also worked as a drum technician for bands such as Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
, Robbie Williams, Jeff Wayne
Jeff Wayne
Jeffry "Jeff" Wayne, born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, is a musician best known for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, his musical version of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds...
's "The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff Wayne, retelling the story of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Its format is progressive rock and string orchestra, using narration and leitmotifs to carry the story via rhyming melodic lyrics that express...
" 2007 tour and the well known tribute show to Pink Floyd, The Australian Pink Floyd Show
Australian Pink Floyd Show
The Australian Pink Floyd Show, more frequently referred to as the Australian Pink Floyd, are a Pink Floyd tribute band formed in 1988 in Adelaide, South Australia. Their live shows attempt to recreate the look, feel, and sound of Pink Floyd's later world tours, employing visual aids such as...
. As of March 2008, he is currently working as the touring backline drum tech for Leonard Cohen.