Clark Datchler was just a teenager when he released his first single
titled
'You Won't Get Fooled Again' (1981). The single featured the
drummer and bassist from reggae group Aswad.
Following this record, Clark signed up with Warner Bros. Records and
moved to the States, Los Angeles, where he began writing songs for
various bands.
He returned to the UK, London, and here he joined a band called Hot
Club with Calvin Hayes,
James Christopher Stevenson of
Generation X, and
Glen Matlock of
Sex Pistols. The band released one
single, 'It Ain't Me Girl' (1983), but Clark was subsequently signed to
RAK Records as a solo artist and while with RAK he released his second
and third singles
'I Don't Want You' (1984) and
'Things Can't Get Any Worse' (1985). The single were produced by
Mickie Most,
who had previously produced bands such as
The Animals and
Hot Chocolate.
In 1986, Clark formed the band
Johnny Hates Jazz with
Calvin Hayes and
Mike Nocito and they released their first
single 'Me And My Foolish Heart'. But it was not until a move from RAK
Records to Virgin Records - and the single 'Shattered Dreams' - that
Clark gained the success and recognition as a singer/songwriter that he
had been working for the last half-decade. The song soared up the UK
charts, reaching No. 5 (1987), and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot
100 in the USA (1988). It was a big hit across Europe and also made No.
2 in Japan. The black and white video (the USA variant) was directed by
David Fincher.
The next single, an anti-war anthem titled
'I Don't Want To Be A Hero',
made No. 11 (1987) in the UK, cementing the success of
Johnny Hates Jazz
and solidifying Clark's talent as a songwriter. The record made No. 31
in the States and would have likely climbed higher if the record
company had not been concerned about the ant-war lyrics, written in the
first person narrative, and conveyed from the viewpoint of a soldier
who does not want to be a part of an unjust war.
'Turn Back The Clock' (1987) was the third successive hit for
Johnny Hates Jazz
and featured the backing vocals of Kim Wilde.
The song - and video - are reminiscent of the
Stephen King novella and film
Stand by Me: Das Geheimnis eines Sommers (1986). This wistful
ballad, that tells of the happy and occasionally sad aspects of
childhood, reached No. 12 in the UK.
1988 and the first Johnny Hates Jazz
album appeared: 'Turn Back the Clock'. It went straight to No. 1 in the
UK and was a further hit on the other side of the Lake. The album went
Double Platinum and spawned the top-twenty single
'Heart of Gold' (No. 19) and the band's final hit 'Don't Say It's Love' (which peaked at No. 48 in the UK). Clark would leave Johnny Hates Jazz
in 1988, when the band were at their most successful, and be replaced
by Phil Thornalley.
Clark again embarked upon a solo career, moving to Amsterdam, where he
began working on the album 'Raindance' (1990). Two singles - 'Crown of
Thorns' and 'Raindance' - were released in 1990 before Clark began work
on his second album 'Fishing for Souls' (1992). The latter album has
since been re-released on Clark's own record label, InterAction Music
(2010). The single 'The Last Emotion' was also released in 1992.
Singer, songwriter, and record producer, Clark is also a proficient
multi-instrumentalist. He plays bass, guitar, drums and percussion,
keyboards and piano, and the bouzouki. His music from the
'Raindance'
album onwards has conveyed a strong environmental theme, and maintains
the lyrical depth (missed by critics; but not fans) that is evident in
the Johnny Hates Jazz
songs and those written before. He mixes folk and contemporary
instruments in order to achieve his own unique sound.
His album
'Tomorrow' was released through InterAction Music in 2007 and
featured the talents of drummer Phil Gould,
of Level 42, and David Rhodes (the guitarist
for Peter Gabriel. Other musicians include
Hugh Marsh (fiddle), Phil Beer (mandolin), and Joji Hirota
(shakuhachi). A new version of 'Shattered Dreams' is included on the
album. 'Tomorrow' has been recently digitally remastered and
re-released (2009) by Stephen W Taylor who also re-worked 'Fishing for
Souls'). 'Tomorrow' is dedicated to keeping the planet safe.
Clark's father was Fred Datchler, singer and saxophonist of jazz bands
The Polkadots and The Stargazers, the latter achieving two number one
singles during the 1950s,
'Broken Wings' and 'I See The Moon', and a
third number one with Dickie Valentine
called
'Finger of
Suspicion'. Fred also provided backing vocals for The Beatles
and Frank Sinatra.
Clark, Calvin and Mike reformed the original
Johnny Hates Jazz in 2009 and began
touring Europe. They are working on a new album and plan to release it
in 2011 and follow it up with a UK tour.
Clark is an authority on the Philosophy of Indigenous Peoples and a
member of the Green Party.
