Gary Clark (musician)
Encyclopedia
Gary Clark is a Scottish
musician who formed a band
with his brother Kit Clark, and long time friend, Ged Grimes in 1984, initially under the name of Spencer Tracy. After objections from the estate of Spencer Tracy
they changed their name to Danny Wilson
, as taken from the 1952 Frank Sinatra
film, Meet Danny Wilson.
Initially spotted busking around Dundee, they signed to Virgin Records
in 1986. The following year saw the release of the band's first album Meet Danny Wilson
. The first single, "Mary's Prayer", written by Clark, was a worldwide hit, reaching number 3 in the UK, and #26 on the United States
Billboard Hot 100
chart, earning him a BMI
award, and a nomination for an Ivor Novello
award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. A second album Bebop Moptop
was released in 1989, including hit single "Second Summer of Love" which reached number 23 in the UK Singles Chart
. The band split in 1991.
Following the break-up of Danny Wilson, Clark embarked on a solo career, he released a single You Can't Turn Around Me on Seven Records under the name of Eleven in 1991, and he released his solo album Ten Short Songs About Love on Circa Records in 1993. In 1995, he released an album A Great Day For Gravity on Virgin Records
under the name of King L, followed by a release in 1998 on Interscope Records
/Virgin Records with Eric Pressly and Keely Hawkes under the name of Transister
. Their music was used extensively on films such as Nightwatch
, Jawbreaker
, Wild Things
and Charlie's Angels
. Around this time, Clark was increasingly working as a songwriter and record producer, and left Transister
to devote more time to this.
Clark has worked with numerous artists and writers, including Natalie Imbruglia
, Lloyd Cole
, Liz Phair
, Skin (Skunk Anansie
), Melanie C, Emma Bunton
, Cathy Dennis
, Ashley Parker Angel
, Nick Carter
, Skye Edwards
(Morcheeba
), Lauren Christy
, Julia Fordham
, Shannon Noll
, Mark Owen
(Take That
), Eddi Reader
, Rachel Stevens
, David McAlmont
and Boo Hewerdine
.
In 2007, Clark moved from London
to the United States. Clark co-wrote and co-produced the Ferras
record Aliens And Rainbows with The Matrix for Capitol Records
, tracks for Clique Girlz
and British Band McFly
. He recently produced and co-wrote the song "Got Dynamite" for Demi Lovato
on her #1 album Here We Go Again.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
musician who formed a band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
with his brother Kit Clark, and long time friend, Ged Grimes in 1984, initially under the name of Spencer Tracy. After objections from the estate of Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
they changed their name to Danny Wilson
Danny Wilson (band)
Danny Wilson were a New Wave group formed in Dundee, Scotland.-History:Having been initially formed in the early 80's performing under the names Perfect Strangers and then Dream Kitchen, brothers Gary Clark and Kit Clark formed a band with friend Ged Grimes in 1984, initially under the name...
, as taken from the 1952 Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
film, Meet Danny Wilson.
Initially spotted busking around Dundee, they signed to Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in 1986. The following year saw the release of the band's first album Meet Danny Wilson
Meet Danny Wilson
Meet Danny Wilson was the debut album from the Scottish pop group Danny Wilson. It became a significant hit in America, on the strength of the hit single, "Mary's Prayer."- Track listing :# "Davy" # "Aberdeen"...
. The first single, "Mary's Prayer", written by Clark, was a worldwide hit, reaching number 3 in the UK, and #26 on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, earning him a BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
award, and a nomination for an Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello
David Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. A second album Bebop Moptop
Bebop Moptop
Bebop Moptop was the second album from Scottish pop group Danny Wilson.- Track listing :# "Imaginary Girl"# "The Second Summer of Love"# "I Can't Wait"# "If You Really Love Me "# "If Everything You Said Was True"# "Loneliness"...
was released in 1989, including hit single "Second Summer of Love" which reached number 23 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The band split in 1991.
Following the break-up of Danny Wilson, Clark embarked on a solo career, he released a single You Can't Turn Around Me on Seven Records under the name of Eleven in 1991, and he released his solo album Ten Short Songs About Love on Circa Records in 1993. In 1995, he released an album A Great Day For Gravity on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
under the name of King L, followed by a release in 1998 on Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
/Virgin Records with Eric Pressly and Keely Hawkes under the name of Transister
Transister
Transister is an alternative rock band, formed in late 1995 in Los Angeles, by music industry veterans from both the United States and the United Kingdom. Despite only having released one album to moderate sales, their work has been featured on a number of film soundtracks...
. Their music was used extensively on films such as Nightwatch
Nightwatch (1997 film)
Nightwatch is a 1997 American horror-thriller film directed by Ole Bornedal, and starring Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Josh Brolin and Nick Nolte. It is a remake of the Danish film Nattevagten , which was also directed by Bornedal.-Plot:...
, Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (film)
Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
, Wild Things
Wild Things
Wild Things is a 1998 erotic thriller film starring Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, Theresa Russell and Bill Murray. It was directed by John McNaughton. In some countries the film was released as Sex Crimes...
and Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels (film)
Charlie's Angels is a 2000 American action comedy film directed by McG, starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as three women working for a private investigation agency...
. Around this time, Clark was increasingly working as a songwriter and record producer, and left Transister
Transister
Transister is an alternative rock band, formed in late 1995 in Los Angeles, by music industry veterans from both the United States and the United Kingdom. Despite only having released one album to moderate sales, their work has been featured on a number of film soundtracks...
to devote more time to this.
Clark has worked with numerous artists and writers, including Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
, Lloyd Cole
Lloyd Cole
Lloyd Cole is an English singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989, and for his subsequent solo work.-Early life:...
, Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
, Skin (Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
), Melanie C, Emma Bunton
Emma Bunton
Emma Lee Bunton is an English pop singer/songwriter and TV and radio presenter. She was a member of the 1990s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member. In 2010, she joined the judging panel on ITV's Dancing on Ice...
, Cathy Dennis
Cathy Dennis
Cathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress...
, Ashley Parker Angel
Ashley Parker Angel
Ashley Parker is an American singer and actor also known as Ashley Parker Angel.-Early years:Ashley Parker was born Ashley Ward Parker, the child of Darren and Paula Parker, and raised in the town of Redding, California. His grandparents are of German and Irish descent...
, Nick Carter
Nick Carter (musician)
Nickolas Gene "Nick" Carter is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer and actor. He is best known as a member of the pop group, Backstreet Boys. He went on to release a solo album called Now Or Never during their hiatus. He has made occasional television appearances and...
, Skye Edwards
Skye Edwards
Skye Edwards is a British singer-songwriter, born in East London. Her career began in 1994 when she and the Godfrey brothers formed the band Morcheeba, which released five albums with Skye as lead vocalist...
(Morcheeba
Morcheeba
Morcheeba are a British band, mixing influences from trip hop, rock, R&B, and pop.They have produced 7 albums since 1995, two of which reached the UK top ten.-Biography:...
), Lauren Christy
Lauren Christy
Lauren Christy is an English singer-songwriter and music producer.-Early life and education:Christy was born in London, England. She studied at the Bush Davies Ballet School as a child, before she decided to become a musical artist.-Music career:...
, Julia Fordham
Julia Fordham
Julia Fordham is a British singer-songwriter based in California. Her professional career started in the early 1980s, under the name "Jules Fordham", as a backing singer for Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde.-Career:...
, Shannon Noll
Shannon Noll
Shannon Noll first came to prominence as runner-up of the first series of Australian Idol which led to him being signed to Sony BMG. Since then he has released five Top 10 albums and ten Top 10 singles. His first two albums That's What I'm Talking About in 2004 and Lift in 2005 debuted at No...
, Mark Owen
Mark Owen
Mark Anthony Patrick Owen , is an English singer-songwriter. He is a member of pop band Take That. The band were hugely successful during the 1990s and have enjoyed even more success since their reunion in 2005...
(Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
), Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
, Rachel Stevens
Rachel Stevens
Rachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
, David McAlmont
David McAlmont
David McAlmont is a British vocalist and songwriter.-Early years and Thieves:...
and Boo Hewerdine
Boo Hewerdine
Boo Hewerdine is an English singer-songwriter. His work includes lead singer and creative force behind The Bible, formed in the 1980s, and reformed in 1994, as well as solo recordings and work for film. He lives in Ely....
.
In 2007, Clark moved from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to the United States. Clark co-wrote and co-produced the Ferras
Ferras
Ferras Alqaisi , known as Ferras, is a Jordanian-American Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter who has signed with EMI as part of Capitol Records.-Career:Ferras grew up feeling out of place in a small Illinois town called Gillespie...
record Aliens And Rainbows with The Matrix for Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, tracks for Clique Girlz
Clique Girlz
Clique Girlz were an American girl group consisting of sisters Destinee and Paris Monroe and Ariel Moore. The group split up in 2009.-2004–2007: as Clique:...
and British Band McFly
McFly
McFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
. He recently produced and co-wrote the song "Got Dynamite" for Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato
"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...
on her #1 album Here We Go Again.