When Mike Smith had his accident and became handicapped that was the true end of the DC5. Mike was the mainstay of the Dave Clark five. He was the primary writer, arranger and lead singer.
You might want to research Ron Ryan, the real writer of a lot of their hits. None of them played instruments on the recordings either and you will find ZERO Live video of them as they are always lip synching. My theory is they didn't even play Live when they toured in the 60s. Anybody that was there is WAY older than 70 today and easily didn't know JACK about audio or stage shows back in '64. I'm 70 and I wouldn't believe anything I saw at age 11. But one thing is clear, Mike Smith had PIPES.
Mike Smith was one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time and he doesn't get enough credit. For me, Smith's vocals and keyboards and Denny Payton's saxophone were what made the band great.
I agree it was so tragic and to lose his ability to play keyboards and sing must have been torture. So very sad, I was young then but still danced round and loved their songs. Still do.
I was the 'ghost writer' for the DC5, my Brother Mick was the guitarist in the Band and left just before they made it. As for Dave being 'close' to anyone in the Band, well let's put it like this he had the Band under contract and paid them a weekly wage, also if any of the Band wrote a song Dave had to have his name on it as 'co-writer' (the same went for me), so that he could claim 50% of the songs royalties. By the way I used to visit Mike in hospital and sadly he could only move one arm, not two as Dave stated. I used to cook curries the night before going to see him as he hated hospital food and take them in for him, the Nurses said they also knew when I had been to visit him as the Ward smelt like a Curry House!! I also used to take my guitar with me and sit by his bed and sing him his favourite Rock&Roll, Country, and old London sing-along songs, he could not sing or talk only in a whisper but I could see his lips moving as he mouthed the words.
@@kermsroomy The strange part is that everyone knew how good Mike was except one, and that was Mike himself!! he could never understand why people thought he was great. When I wrote a new song for the Band Dave would drop Mike over to my home, then he would go off somewhere as he didn't understand 'musicians speech', and Mike and I would sit at my piano and I would play and sing him the song, and then Mike would transpose it to a key that suited his voice as I mainly wrote in the key of 'C' as it suited my bass/baritone voice, Mike would sing in keys like in keys like 'A', F', 'G', for example I wrote 'Because' in 'C', and Mike ended up singing it in 'G'. He would often turn to me and say 'I wish I could sing deep like you Ron', and I always said, I don't mind swooping voices mate, but I don't think your fans would be to happy'!!!
Ron, I really wish you would write the definitive DC5 biography. I suspect it would be great and much closer to the truth than some of the other things I've read.
@@ijeff2005 The book on the DC5 has I bet already been written I suspect by someone who knows more about the DC5 than anyone outside the Band, his name is John Briggs who lives in Darlington in the North of England. John was a personal friend of Mike Smith, he is also a personal friend of Lenny Davison, and he also wrote the Bands fan magazine 'Bit's and pieces ' namde after one of the songs I wrote for the Band. If you want to know some of my involvement with the DC5 there is a long and very frank interview I did with John Briggs in an American magazine called 'Ugly Things', they have a website and sell back copies on-line, my interview is in issue #29.
@@b.j.doubleu3477 Depends what you call 'fair'?, if you think it's 'fair' to put the rest of the Band on a set weekly wage while he had the lions share of the Bands earnings to him self,'fair' and if you think that it was written in the other Band members contracts that every song a Band member wrote had to have Dave Clark's name on it as 'co-writer' even though he had nothing to do with writing the song so he could collect 50% of the song's royalty 'fair', then it's fair, myself I think it's very far from 'fair'.
@@davidkent8606 You know, I find the story in bad taste. I'd love for someone to explain the joke to me. Mike Smith, to do that, is absolutely ballsy. Maybe it speaks that he is powerful. And like it or not, Smith, great musician, refused to speak about the controversies in the Dave Clark Five that would ruin his relationship with Dave Clark. He was also along for that ride when Ron Ryan was kicked out. Just a theory, because its very possible for a human being to be this way... Or we can look at it as something absolutely made up. Doesn't take away from the fact that he was a fantastic musician.
I think Dave Clark is a throughly nasty piece of work. How he could tell a story like that and think it is funny is beyond me. He is regarded as some musical genius for the way he made money. He did it by being a bigger bastard than anyone else in management, but worse than that, he did it from within his own band to his own mates. Horrible.
So sad he passed just two weeks before they were inducted into the The Rock 🤘and Roll Hall of Fame. But I am sure his was there in spirit. Bless you Mike, you are missed.
@Susam Marks Yes it was bittersweet but at least he knew he was being inducted. He got the news from DC at the end of 2007 and shared it with his fans on his now defunct blog page. Even sadder is that the band was slated to be inducted in 2007 but were bumped in favor of someone else. ☹️
Mike Smith had a great voice for the "pop" sound of the British invasion... Dave was the face of the DC5, but Mike was the voice of this popular band. We teenagers were "glad all over" for their music!
Pop speaks the Supremes and the Beatles during that time. DC5 was really putting their sound on the edge for that time, and it was fantastic party music.
Dave Clark was in a genius in the sense of robbing everyone. Dave Clark imo was not a player on the records. Mike Smith was the arranger and vocalist. The rest were session musicians like Bobby Graham and such. I'm sure they had great studio engineers. And let's not dismiss the possibility of ghost writers, and I am sure Ron Ryan's story is true. Anyhow, could they have gotten to where they are without Clark? No. Does that excuse Clark for screwing everyone over and being arrogant and selfish? Nope.
Dave's tribute to Mike was fittingly touching. Mike was a great rocker, and it saddens me that he spent his last years handicapped. May God rest his soul.
i was so lucky to get to see & hear Dave Clark rehearse-a-sound-check one Sat. when i was about 11, & big smile, was on my face, & his, b/c the talent, & joyfulness that he had, for what he could do, was so much fun. ✨💫✨💖
Dave Clark was probably the smartest for his time. He controlled EVERYTHING, from songs, to name, merchandise, gigs, production and everyone in the band was an "employee". Kind of like Don Henley/Glen Fry did w/ the Eagles,,,the band was incredible and he kept the $$$.
You are correct and that is the reason that they were on the Ed Sullivan show more than any other band. Ed Sullivan also controlled everything and booked all entertainment on his show all by himself. So, Ed and Dave directly dealt with each other each time. They both liked and respected each other. Dave learned a lot from Ed and it carried over into his own business ways.
@Ken Saber Probably they were too young to know all the ramifications of what they were signing. I read that Mike was too young so his father signed for him.Maybe it was better than their day jobs were paying🤷🏻♀️
@stantheman5657 Agree about Mike’s vocal talents but I ‘m not so sure if they were mates Take a listen one of Mike’s interviews from the 80’s ua-cam.com/video/8dKAvx-1vic/v-deo.html Enjoy
Dave - Loved the story & it made me laugh. I so miss Mike as I know you do too. You two were so fortunate to be together for the exciting journey of a lifetime. Thanks for enriching my life through your music and your kindness.
Priscilla Presley is one among many who have OD'd on fillers, botox and surgery, wrecking their faces beyond safe repair. No one wants to get old, but come on already.
We all looked better when we were young. Dave got older and tried to retain his earlier good looks but there came a time when the plastic surgeries didn't work anymore. The same thing happened to Micheal Jackson
Watching all the old videos of them playing its really hard to see them now and to learn what happened to a lot of musicians. Still LOL great sense of humor
i have a problem with Dave Clark , he made millions but the band were only employees and only received a paycheck and Mike Smith was the DC5 and i wish people would wake up to the fact the Mike had one of the all time great R&R voices 2nd to none , i have listened to "You got what it takes " a thousand times and still get chills every single time , RIP Mr Smith
In fairness to Dave, he's not the only "bandleader" to put his bandmates under salary. BTO and others had similar arrangements. It gave the other guys the security of a steady income, and freed them up to compose and play. It was a big deal for the DC5 and others to take the jump, leave their day jobs, and fully "go pro." Dave and Randy Bachman and others did the heavy lifting and operated as managers in addition to performing. Did Dave take advantage of their success? Probably, but he also took big risks as they were coming up. I don't approve of a lot of what he did, either, but it's not as one-sided as it's often made out to be. Mike Smith was the key to it all, as was Denis Payton, (with a big assist from Ron Ryan, who also got ripped off), and Dave was the least-talented of the Five.
Very touching. I saw Mike Smith perform in Cleveland in 2002. He was fantastic! He did all the DC5s hits, and put on a great show. Such a tragedy. R. I.P. Mike.
Mike Smith is right up there with Gillan, Plant, Daltrey etc vocal wise. If only he could have got a great band behind him in the the 70’s, who knows what he would have achieved throughout that decade and beyond ?
My growing up in the Sixties sure would have been a lot different, and quite boring, had I not loved the DC 5 so much. I got to meet all of the boys one time, and ran into Dave Clark twice. All of the boys, including Dave, were exceptionally pleasant and well-mannered. ❤️
Daisy Cassidy you were very fortunate to meet the DC5. I had a huge crush on Dave in mid sixties. I was only twelve and would have given anything to have seen him in the flesh.
@@shebuckley260 Dave was as handsome in person as he was in pictures. We had a good conversation and he was very kind and considerate. His speaking voice was awesome!
I heard a Mike Smith interview when he said that Dave Clark got all the money and the rest were just paid musicians fees. It is also alleged that Dave Clark didn't even play his own drums most of the time, it was a stand in!
According to the late great British session drummer Bobby Graham, who is also heard on the early hits by the Kinks, Clark produced the recording sessions and Graham did the drumming during the early days when the likes of Glad All Over where hits. He is generous enough to say that he only played on the singles, stating that Clark played on the albums, but I would think that highly unlikely; Graham would likely have done the complete sessions. Another London session ace, Clem Cattini did some of the late 60s session as well as for Dave Clark & Friends recordings. As for the pay situation, it was Dave Clark's band in the same way John Mayall's Bluesbreakers was Mayall's band or the Jimi Hendrix experience was Jimi's band - they are the employer and the others are employees. I would think the lads in the DC5 did all right. Indeed, without Dave Clark's business savvy they would likely never made it out of Tottenham.
Mike was cowriter on many of the groups hits so I would think he got songwriting royalties. But I did read he had didn't have lots of money when he passed so who knows.
@@zog97xy -Dave was the businessman / owner of the group. He was more like a stand-in drummer when live TV performances were needed and they played along to prerecorded tracks.
Dave was a very determined man and was quite ruthless. He was in many ways ahead of the industry- the band were never filmed playing live so Dave could control the sound that was on the film - the band was his project and he was in charge. He was aware there were better drummers and it would be quite in character to use one if it made a better record. DC5 fans are split into those who love him and those who hate. I admire him, but not sure I would like him if we met.
Opinion: ----"we were very close".....yet when mike toured solo he forbid mike to make any mention of or state on any advertising that he was formally of the DC5.
So glad us "Oldies" have the memories of the Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll! Give a listen again when the young know- it- alls give you the "ok boomer" or "you go ahead dear" treatment!
Thank you Dave for creating one of my favorite all-time bands, the DC5. You picked 4 GREAT musicians, & wonderful Human Beings to project "Love Transformed Into Sound", my definition of Good Music! God Bless you & Lenny Davidson, & RIP Mike, Dennis, & Rick. Viva Dave Clark 5! (A Puerto Rican/American Fan.)
I know he looks awful these days. I know many thought he was a complete so and so, and a talentless rogue who fed off the talent of others, but he created one of the best, and best turned out, bands of the sixties, recording some of the most fantastic beat music. I love the DC5 to this day. They still make me feel glad all over. Thank you Dave, Mike, Lenny, Rick, and Denis 👏
Don't listen to the Trolls that stalk this site, If it wasn't for Dave they would have remained at their ordinary jobs. Even the great Mike Smith, as superhuman as his voice was he still needed someone to guide the band to success and, hey look!
@pmbh7639 Dave Clark Biggest Rip off merchant of the 60s He Couldn't even play the Drums on their Records as he wasn't good enough. I know because I was there.
OH! shocked at seeing this, I had no idea Mike suffered that accident. I was a firm follower of The Dave |Clark 5, and still am, at 75 yrs of age. Actually, today, I played all their songs on my computer. Sad to hear.
Thank you Dave for being a really great friend to Mike when you both really needed it. I’’ll tell you why from personal experience if you want to send me a pm. Good luck; live well. Mark
That areal true friend for u, I still sing bits and pieces around the house now and again. Remember going into the cafe and banging the tables with our knife and forks and getting told off, brilliant tune 🎵 🎵 👏👏👏👏👏 great memories thank you
Dave Clark took care of his band. He was the manager and a great businessman . Yes, his plastic surgeries finally caught up with him just as Micheal Jackson's did with him. But this doesn't change the fact that Dave Clark was a good person and the leader of the best British Invasion band of the 60s.
I guess we’ll never know the Sunday School Truth about the Dave Clark Five, individually or collectively, and that is a very sad thing, especially for those of us that have tried to keep up with any tidbit of info since Glad All Over. There is one story that would outsell anything they’ve ever recorded. I can imagine that any book written by Dave or Lenny would be big news though each would have its different view of history, but unless the other three left behind memoirs they are all we have. Afterwards, 3rd party acquaintances will publish hearsay stories that will be assumed to be true; Hollywood will do a cheezy little movie which will have less factual information than “Braveheart”!
@@funeralangel8262 There is so much more to learn about the individual members and the group collectively. For example, they went around the world together; there has to be dozens of interesting stories about people and shows. Things in the recording studio. Demos. Childhood mentors, siblings, etc.. Not just a book about how wonderful DC thinks he is. Why didn’t Rick Huxley write ‘anything’? Or was he a ghost writer for Dave? Those are questions worth asking. Why weren’t Lenny and Denis allowed to sing lead on songs they wrote? I want answers from official sources, not ‘he said, she said’ or the infamous, ‘they say’. ‘They’ usually get it wrong!
John Lennon can be heard speaking to Ringo on the recent Abbey Rd outtakes, he says to Ringo "You sound like Dave Clark!" It wasn't a compliment. I met Mike Smith in 1994 at Clive Langer's London Studio. He was one of the nicest Blokes you could ever wish to meet. Dave Clark was a Business man , the other four were real musicians and writers. Dave has had ample opportunity to provide the fans with a Comprehensive DC5 Box Set, 10 yrs worth of recordings the fans would love , as well as helping the families of the Deceased members , and of course Lenny Davison.
It would be nice if some of the money went to the families, but remember this is the same person who supposedly didn’t help out Mike when he needed that special wheelchair and van.Apologies if I’m repeating the wrong set of facts.....I would love to be wrong on that one!
I hope the nurse wakes up one day and realizes that those words, from a quadriplegic man were as a harmless as could be. Sometimes people are just too full of themselves
Dave clark is an absolute genius. He never allowed the dc5 to be ripped off. He controlled everything from managing the band, publishing, records the list goes on
He was a business genius from a very early age. Would have been a millionaire from property development if he hadn’t have given it up to be a pop star.
Of course we all age. I think the issue has more to do with the extreme work he's had done to his face! I bet he'd have looked better if he hadn't had anything done and aged gracefully. I've no issue with people indulging in cosmetic surgery, each to their own. But he's gone too far with it! He looks scary. :-/
They say that in the end you get the face you deserve. From all accounts, Dave was not a very nice person, and he looks positively evil in his old age. On the contrary, Mike had that same sweetness and joy in his face, even after his accident.
Someone somewhere in youtube land commented on how much dissing there was of Dave Clark, and I agree there is a lot of dissing of him on social media, (FB), on what are supposed to be DC5 fanpages. I think I need to start my own just to give the man adoration and respect I think he deserves. No I wasn't barely born when they hit big, but nonetheless, I am a DC5 fan. I am kind of tired of the nonsense though, he has stated in interviews that he has not had plastic surgery. Good enough, leave it alone ffs. I don't look the same as when i was in my 20s either, thankfully! Time changes people, and these comments are superficial and callous. And so what if he had work done at one point? Like do you think he is the first to have? And it's really none of anybody's business anyways. As for whether or not he was fair, or 'nice', or stole royalties by having 50%, I don't know much about it for sure but that he is a savvy businessman who made some good deals (masters) and decisions. Whatevers, this was what, almost 60yrs ago?? Could there not be a bit of jealousy and resentment still lingering here, maybe, and I am not talking about Mr. Ryan by the way, I have the utmost respect for you, it's the other yokels who pipe in and hop on the bandwagon when people start pointing, that's it that's all. I am a true blue Dave Clark fan, and I realize I won't be in anybody's popularity books for saying my piece, nor do I give a shit. :D I do not think he is what people are harping on about, and as far as I am concerned, anyone who was as good a friend to the eternal legend Freddie during his last few years as Dave was, is deserving of all my love and respect as well!
@pambh65 My Sentiments Exactly! The Envious Haters should get a life. A lot of them seem to be pitting Dave against Mike for some reason. Mike was so talented - he had that flirtatious grin - my girlfriend at the time had me feeling insecure! LOL 😂
I figured Mike Smith was a fun and funny guy. Gone way too soon!! I don’t care about the politics of the band. The DC5 were a sweet and cute bunch of guys! I was and still am a fan who loves their music!! A wonderful part of my youth! ✌️❤️⭐️
Because was my favorite song they did, it was better than any Beatles song and I always thought his voice was as good as John Lennon, they should have continued perform
One of my fave bands of all time. Mike Smith one of the nicest rockstars of all time. When a terrible terrible thing to happen. Love Tabitha Twitchit....how come that was never a hit???
Mike Smith made that band a success. As far as I'm concerned. Dave should have let Mike use the " former member of dc5 " moniker. What happened to Mike Smith and his son a short time prior to his paralyzing fall, is a true tragedy. R.I.P. fella's.
In my opinion, Mike Smith was one of the most underrated singers of the Rock era.
Definitely a big fan of Denis Payton and Mike Smith!!
@@suewilson4794 Loved the group..
Best ever Mike Smith 🇬🇧 ❤
No doubt about it, underrated.
Mike Smith had a powerful , melodic, voice 🇬🇧 💔
When Mike Smith had his accident and became handicapped that was the true end of the DC5. Mike was the mainstay of the Dave Clark five. He was the primary writer, arranger and lead singer.
You might want to research Ron Ryan, the real writer of a lot of their hits. None of them played instruments on the recordings either and you will find ZERO Live video of them as they are always lip synching. My theory is they didn't even play Live when they toured in the 60s. Anybody that was there is WAY older than 70 today and easily didn't know JACK about audio or stage shows back in '64. I'm 70 and I wouldn't believe anything I saw at age 11. But one thing is clear, Mike Smith had PIPES.
Mike Smith was one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time and he doesn't get enough credit. For me, Smith's vocals and keyboards and Denny Payton's saxophone were what made the band great.
I agree with you. It always bothered me that the RNRHOF didn't give each of them a special award at the ceremony .
I loved the song Because .. mikes vocals on that song are beautiful
@@SuperC888 I agree, great track. Just as good as any Beatles ballad.
100 percent agree. Mike was a sensationall rock singer, and Denis' sax was an absolute blast !! God bless the DC5.
sylmarmusic2012 Julian Lennon covered even and did a sensational job on it.
It saddens me what happened to Mike Smith. Breaks my heart when I see the early videos of a vibrant young talented man
I agree it was so tragic and to lose his ability to play keyboards and sing must have been torture. So very sad, I was young then but still danced round and loved their songs. Still do.
It Saddens me to see Dave looking like some Space Alien
I was the 'ghost writer' for the DC5, my Brother Mick was the guitarist in the Band and left just before they made it.
As for Dave being 'close' to anyone in the Band, well let's put it like this he had the Band under contract and paid them a weekly wage, also if any of the Band wrote a song Dave had to have his name on it as 'co-writer' (the same went for me), so that he could claim 50% of the songs royalties.
By the way I used to visit Mike in hospital and sadly he could only move one arm, not two as Dave stated. I used to cook curries the night before going to see him as he hated hospital food and take them in for him, the Nurses said they also knew when I had been to visit him as the Ward smelt like a Curry House!! I also used to take my guitar with me and sit by his bed and sing him his favourite Rock&Roll, Country, and old London sing-along songs, he could not sing or talk only in a whisper but I could see his lips moving as he mouthed the words.
Thanks for your story, Ron. I absolutely loved Mike's vocals.
@@kermsroomy The strange part is that everyone knew how good Mike was except one, and that was Mike himself!! he could never understand why people thought he was great.
When I wrote a new song for the Band Dave would drop Mike over to my home, then he would go off somewhere as he didn't understand 'musicians speech', and Mike and I would sit at my piano and I would play and sing him the song, and then Mike would transpose it to a key that suited his voice as I mainly wrote in the key of 'C' as it suited my bass/baritone voice, Mike would sing in keys like in keys like 'A', F', 'G', for example I wrote 'Because' in 'C', and Mike ended up singing it in 'G'. He would often turn to me and say 'I wish I could sing deep like you Ron', and I always said, I don't mind swooping voices mate, but I don't think your fans would be to happy'!!!
Ron, I really wish you would write the definitive DC5 biography. I suspect it would be great and much closer to the truth than some of the other things I've read.
@@ijeff2005 The book on the DC5 has I bet already been written I suspect by someone who knows more about the DC5 than anyone outside the Band, his name is John Briggs who lives in Darlington in the North of England. John was a personal friend of Mike Smith, he is also a personal friend of Lenny Davison, and he also wrote the Bands fan magazine 'Bit's and pieces ' namde after one of the songs I wrote for the Band.
If you want to know some of my involvement with the DC5 there is a long and very frank interview I did with John Briggs in an American magazine called 'Ugly Things', they have a website and sell back copies on-line, my interview is in issue #29.
@@b.j.doubleu3477 Depends what you call 'fair'?, if you think it's 'fair' to put the rest of the Band on a set weekly wage while he had the lions share of the Bands earnings to him self,'fair' and if you think that it was written in the other Band members contracts that every song a Band member wrote had to have Dave Clark's name on it as 'co-writer' even though he had nothing to do with writing the song so he could collect 50% of the song's royalty 'fair', then it's fair, myself I think it's very far from 'fair'.
RIP Mike Smith. Such a wonderful singer/musician.
Smith was an equal to any so called top singer.Wonderful voice,excellent range.
And don't forget he was also a superb keyboard player. He was so good that he was sent to a musical college in London at the age of 13.
Smith Rules! Has a smile that is Magical... Love and respect him forever!!
Love how Dave tells this story about Mike, very humorous and yet sad. I would love to hear more stories.
You like fairy tales then?
@@davidkent8606 You know, I find the story in bad taste. I'd love for someone to explain the joke to me. Mike Smith, to do that, is absolutely ballsy. Maybe it speaks that he is powerful. And like it or not, Smith, great musician, refused to speak about the controversies in the Dave Clark Five that would ruin his relationship with Dave Clark. He was also along for that ride when Ron Ryan was kicked out. Just a theory, because its very possible for a human being to be this way... Or we can look at it as something absolutely made up. Doesn't take away from the fact that he was a fantastic musician.
I think Dave Clark is a throughly nasty piece of work. How he could tell a story like that and think it is funny is beyond me. He is regarded as some musical genius for the way he made money. He did it by being a bigger bastard than anyone else in management, but worse than that, he did it from within his own band to his own mates. Horrible.
So sad he passed just two weeks before they were inducted into the The Rock 🤘and Roll Hall of Fame. But I am sure his was there in spirit. Bless you Mike, you are missed.
@Susam Marks
Yes it was bittersweet but at least he knew he was being inducted. He got the news from DC at the end of 2007 and shared it with his fans on his now defunct blog page.
Even sadder is that the band was slated to be inducted in 2007 but were bumped in favor of someone else. ☹️
Mike Smith had a great voice for the "pop" sound of the British invasion... Dave was the face of the DC5, but Mike was the voice of this popular band. We teenagers were "glad all over" for their music!
Pop speaks the Supremes and the Beatles during that time. DC5 was really putting their sound on the edge for that time, and it was fantastic party music.
Nah, Mike was the true face of the DC5. Dave was the name (and the smirk) of the band.
Just a great great band....Dave Clark and Mike Smith were geniuses...I wish they DC5 were still around today.
Dave Clark was in a genius in the sense of robbing everyone. Dave Clark imo was not a player on the records. Mike Smith was the arranger and vocalist. The rest were session musicians like Bobby Graham and such. I'm sure they had great studio engineers. And let's not dismiss the possibility of ghost writers, and I am sure Ron Ryan's story is true. Anyhow, could they have gotten to where they are without Clark? No. Does that excuse Clark for screwing everyone over and being arrogant and selfish? Nope.
Dave's tribute to Mike was fittingly touching. Mike was a great rocker, and it saddens me that he spent his last years handicapped. May God rest his soul.
i was so lucky to get to see & hear Dave Clark rehearse-a-sound-check one Sat. when i was about 11, & big smile, was on my face, & his, b/c the talent, & joyfulness that he had, for what he could do, was so much fun. ✨💫✨💖
Besides being 1 helluva singer Mike was a handsome man!
Fantastic smile and what a face to front that band!
God Bless you Mike!
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Dave Clark was probably the smartest for his time. He controlled EVERYTHING, from songs, to name, merchandise, gigs, production and everyone in the band was an "employee". Kind of like Don Henley/Glen Fry did w/ the Eagles,,,the band was incredible and he kept the $$$.
You are correct and that is the reason that they were on the Ed Sullivan show more than any other band. Ed Sullivan also controlled everything and booked all entertainment on his show all by himself. So, Ed and Dave directly dealt with each other each time. They both liked and respected each other. Dave learned a lot from Ed and it carried over into his own business ways.
Sounds like he was greedy. Why were his terms accepted by the others? They got robbed, it seems.
@Ken Saber
Probably they were too young to know all the ramifications of what they were signing. I read that Mike was too young so his father signed for him.Maybe it was better than their day jobs were paying🤷🏻♀️
@@fangirllinda where did u read that?
he was a scheming scumbag sack of shit. He wasn’t smart. He was a viper, tiger, laying in wait for prey to walk by so he could pounce on them.
As others have said Mike Smith had one the great voices of that era.
Great to see Dave Clark remembering his long time mate.
@stantheman5657
Agree about Mike’s vocal talents but I ‘m not so sure if they were mates
Take a listen one of Mike’s interviews from the 80’s
ua-cam.com/video/8dKAvx-1vic/v-deo.html
Enjoy
Great story. Mike Smith had a great voice.
Dave - Loved the story & it made me laugh. I so miss Mike as I know you do too. You two were so fortunate to be together for the exciting journey of a lifetime. Thanks for enriching my life through your music and your kindness.
I thought it was a cool story too!
Great band remember them fondly coming over airwaves filled my teen years with many great songs and where those take me back
Had the pleasure of meeting Dave in 2017 when my band - Steamboat-played at the London Mews he lives in... a gentleman indeed
Thankyou Dave for the wonderful music that I grew up with in the day !
Wonderful story. Very appreciable sense of humor, as well as a great spirit.
Mike had a great rock voice!
@@b.j.doubleu3477 I have to agree.
Dan Meredith Yes, sir. Not nearly the credit he or the band deserves.
Dave Clark one of the best looking guys in r&r in the 60s WTF!
Yeah. ..what's happened to him?? ..he lookes in "bits and pieces " now!!! 😭🙋
What happened looks worse than Fred kruger
He was a close friend of Freddie Mercury.
Priscilla Presley is one among many who have OD'd on fillers, botox and surgery, wrecking their faces beyond safe repair. No one wants to get old, but come on already.
We all looked better when we were young. Dave got older and tried to retain his earlier good looks but there came a time when the plastic surgeries didn't work anymore. The same thing happened to Micheal Jackson
Just a great, bitter - sweet, story. Great humour&humanity here.
Bless you Mike,&Dave.
Watching all the old videos of them playing its really hard to see them now and to learn what happened to a lot of musicians. Still LOL great sense of humor
i have a problem with Dave Clark , he made millions but the band were only employees and only received a paycheck and Mike Smith was the DC5 and i wish people would wake up to the fact the Mike had one of the all time great R&R voices 2nd to none , i have listened to "You got what it takes " a thousand times and still get chills every single time , RIP Mr Smith
Sounds like Dave Clark was very greedy.
In fairness to Dave, he's not the only "bandleader" to put his bandmates under salary. BTO and others had similar arrangements. It gave the other guys the security of a steady income, and freed them up to compose and play. It was a big deal for the DC5 and others to take the jump, leave their day jobs, and fully "go pro." Dave and Randy Bachman and others did the heavy lifting and operated as managers in addition to performing. Did Dave take advantage of their success? Probably, but he also took big risks as they were coming up. I don't approve of a lot of what he did, either, but it's not as one-sided as it's often made out to be. Mike Smith was the key to it all, as was Denis Payton, (with a big assist from Ron Ryan, who also got ripped off), and Dave was the least-talented of the Five.
@@lesaber251 No he was smart.....
Dave Clark was smart and ahead of his time....everybody knew what was going on so what?
@@thehaughtcorner it was as one sided with the DC5 , the band had zero security , Mike died with 60 grand , big freaking deal
Very touching. I saw Mike Smith perform in Cleveland in 2002. He was fantastic! He did all the DC5s hits, and put on a great show. Such a tragedy. R. I.P. Mike.
I'm from Cleveland, where was the venue? thanks for sharing
@@brucetowell3432It was at the Cleveland Convocation Center. Peter Noone, Jay Black and the Spinners were also on the bill. It was a great show.
@@gns423 Oh , I'm sure it was, thanks for sharing, oh I almost forgot, and idea who was part of Mike's band?
@@brucetowell3432I don’t remember who backed him up that night. He was on keys, and the band was pretty good.
@@gns423 Would love to get that LP 'Rockin and a Rolling"... or something like that but only scalpers are selling it...thanks for sharing!!!
Those eyebrows have their own postcode!
😱 Scary stuff *!!*
We'll see what your look like when you're 77 years old.... Bozo !
lmao
Talk about a creepy drag queen ?
I’ve always said that smoking a lot of weed arches one’s eyebrows ! If you’re stoned right now, just think about that ✌️
I'm avid fan of Dave Clark 5 in the middle 60's, Dave Clark was my crush in 1966 during my teens then.
Great story Dave. I wished I had the opportunity just to meet Mike Smith. I love people with a great sense of humor.
Mike Smith is right up there with Gillan, Plant, Daltrey etc vocal wise. If only he could have got a great band behind him in the the 70’s, who knows what he would have achieved throughout that decade and beyond ?
Could have made the perfect fifth Beatle!
LOVED THEIR MUSIC!
I recently picked up a 2-disk cd collection of the DC5. They were truly magnificent.
This came up in my recommended and it reminded me of my late mother, Lynda, who was a Dave Clark mega fan. God rest her soul.
DAVE'S BAND WAS ONE OF THOSE GREAT SOUNDS OF THE ERA (60's)
My growing up in the Sixties sure would have been a lot different, and quite boring, had I not loved the DC 5 so much. I got to meet all of the boys one time, and ran into Dave Clark twice. All of the boys, including Dave, were exceptionally pleasant and well-mannered. ❤️
It was in their contracts
Daisy Cassidy you were very fortunate to meet the DC5. I had a huge crush on Dave in mid sixties. I was only twelve and would have given anything to have seen him in the flesh.
@@shebuckley260
Dave was as handsome in person as he was in pictures. We had a good conversation and he was very kind and considerate. His speaking voice was awesome!
Saturday night at the basildon larcono 1965 always there was they were great Mike was always my favourite
A wonderful band! Saw them in concert in the 70s! Got to met them..... exciting time! ✌️❤️
Wow! Were they a good live band?
I heard a Mike Smith interview when he said that Dave Clark got all the money and the rest were just paid musicians fees. It is also alleged that Dave Clark didn't even play his own drums most of the time, it was a stand in!
According to the late great British session drummer Bobby Graham, who is also heard on the early hits by the Kinks, Clark produced the recording sessions and Graham did the drumming during the early days when the likes of Glad All Over where hits. He is generous enough to say that he only played on the singles, stating that Clark played on the albums, but I would think that highly unlikely; Graham would likely have done the complete sessions. Another London session ace, Clem Cattini did some of the late 60s session as well as for Dave Clark & Friends recordings.
As for the pay situation, it was Dave Clark's band in the same way John Mayall's Bluesbreakers was Mayall's band or the Jimi Hendrix experience was Jimi's band - they are the employer and the others are employees. I would think the lads in the DC5 did all right. Indeed, without Dave Clark's business savvy they would likely never made it out of Tottenham.
Mike was cowriter on many of the groups hits so I would think he got songwriting royalties. But I did read he had didn't have lots of money when he passed so who knows.
@@wayneblanchard97 He couldnt play.
@@zog97xy -Dave was the businessman / owner of the group. He was more like a stand-in drummer when live TV performances were needed and they played along to prerecorded tracks.
Dave was a very determined man and was quite ruthless. He was in many ways ahead of the industry- the band were never filmed playing live so Dave could control the sound that was on the film - the band was his project and he was in charge. He was aware there were better drummers and it would be quite in character to use one if it made a better record. DC5 fans are split into those who love him and those who hate. I admire him, but not sure I would like him if we met.
Dave was cute when younger. Love his smile along with Mike.
And how!
Now he's the kind of guy you wouldn't like to bump into on a dark night . I wouldn't even like to bump into him in the daylight .🤭
Great story thanks for sharing.....
So much talent, all of the band !!!
Dave Clark was a heart throb back in 1965. Time has a way sucking the life out of you.
Jesus... I thought I was aging poorly. 😱
@Jim McCracken bad face lift maybe?
@Jim McCracken LOL...
However he looks he is a very clever man, they had a better recording contract than The Beatles, trust me the DC5 were not ripped off by anyone.
@@PaulBriden Nice to hear, in an industry of snakes! Good for them.
He's turned into a Klingon.
BECAUSE is a great great song and a great recording that still stands up - truly matched the Beatles standards on Because
The elusive Mister Clark finally becomes transparent in an interview setting. That is encouraging.
Too bad it's 100% BULL!!!!!
Opinion: ----"we were very close".....yet when mike toured solo he forbid mike to make any mention of or state on any advertising that he was formally of the DC5.
So glad us "Oldies" have the memories of the Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll! Give a listen again when the young know- it- alls give you the "ok boomer" or "you go ahead dear" treatment!
I loved Mike Smith, what a singer and keyboard player.
Because is such a good tune. So is Over and Over and Over Again.
Thank you Dave for creating one of my favorite all-time bands, the DC5. You picked 4 GREAT musicians, & wonderful Human Beings to project "Love Transformed Into Sound", my definition of Good Music! God Bless you & Lenny Davidson, & RIP Mike, Dennis, & Rick. Viva Dave Clark 5! (A Puerto Rican/American Fan.)
Unixilandia read my comment all this. azz did was stick his name on everything he couldn’t even play the drums!
I know he looks awful these days. I know many thought he was a complete so and so, and a talentless rogue who fed off the talent of others, but he created one of the best, and best turned out, bands of the sixties, recording some of the most fantastic beat music. I love the DC5 to this day. They still make me feel glad all over. Thank you Dave, Mike, Lenny, Rick, and Denis 👏
Paul Hann the band minus Dave Clark would have given the Beatles a run for their ! Mike’s voice & talent was super hero-like!
Don't listen to the Trolls that stalk this site, If it wasn't for Dave they would have remained at their ordinary jobs. Even the great Mike Smith, as superhuman as his voice was he still needed someone to guide the band to success and, hey look!
@pmbh7639
Dave Clark Biggest Rip off merchant of the 60s
He Couldn't even play the Drums on their Records as he wasn't good enough. I know because I was
there.
Dave morphed into the Master from Dr Who.
Dave Clark was very lucky to to have a front man like Mike Smith it should have been the MS5
Because my favorite song of Dave clark 5
So glad to have seen Mike Smith when he toured in the US in the early 2000s with his Rock Machine. Its was sublime.
Me too - I saw him twice. Always gave a great show.
Mr. Spocks half brother.
Bad Plastic Surgery.. 😊
Dave Clark looked like Checkov in his youth, now he rather resembles a Klingon.
Shakari
OH! shocked at seeing this, I had no idea Mike suffered that accident. I was a firm follower of The Dave |Clark 5, and still am, at 75 yrs of age. Actually, today, I played all their songs on my computer. Sad to hear.
Thank you Dave for being a really great friend to Mike when you both really needed it. I’’ll tell you why from personal experience if you want to send me a pm. Good luck; live well. Mark
Dave needs to listen to George Harrison's "Within you, without you" There's more to life than money and we sure as hell don't take a penny with us.
Life must've been bad for Dave. When I was a kid and read comic books he looks like Sinistro Green Lantern's arch enemy.
That areal true friend for u, I still sing bits and pieces around the house now and again. Remember going into the cafe and banging the tables with our knife and forks and getting told off, brilliant tune 🎵 🎵 👏👏👏👏👏 great memories thank you
Great story of a great singer...
Can’t believe Dave Clarke looks like a Klingon from star trek
Q’apla
he had a car accident that disfigured his face. Don't be a trump making fun of people.
zurdo z when I’ve checked and found nothing about that
@@tonyc6979 he didn't want to publish it. He had surgery in the right side of his face, almost lost the eye.
zurdo z how did you know about it then can’t find any evidence about it
His face looks like Jack Nicholson's in The Shining breaking through a bathroom door with an axe.
Fuck the axe. He could do it with his fuckin head.
Here's Johnny!
@Jim McCracken Good one. Here, do you have a brother called Phil?
@Jim McCracken 😆👍
Yeah, he aced the interviews at the Hallmark Halloween cards and toys division back in 2015. The male Elvira is HERE!
Dave Clark's a great guy with the freakiest eyebrows. I loved Mike and the band in my youth.
Half Klingon?
I want to give this man a hug
It's true, the saying that eventually everybody gets the face they deserve!
What did Dave do that was wrong?
Dave Clark took care of his band. He was the manager and a great businessman . Yes, his plastic surgeries finally caught up with him just as Micheal Jackson's did with him. But this doesn't change the fact that Dave Clark was a good person and the leader of the best British Invasion band of the 60s.
I guess we’ll never know the Sunday School Truth about the Dave Clark Five, individually or collectively, and that is a very sad thing, especially for those of us that have tried to keep up with any tidbit of info since Glad All Over. There is one story that would outsell anything they’ve ever recorded. I can imagine that any book written by Dave or Lenny would be big news though each would have its different view of history, but unless the other three left behind memoirs they are all we have. Afterwards, 3rd party acquaintances will publish hearsay stories that will be assumed to be true; Hollywood will do a cheezy little movie which will have less factual information than “Braveheart”!
@@lordjohndebrusch3597 ~ The man who wrote many songs for DC 5 can tell you much about the group. 👍
@@funeralangel8262 There is so much more to learn about the individual members and the group collectively. For example, they went around the world together; there has to be dozens of interesting stories about people and shows. Things in the recording studio. Demos. Childhood mentors, siblings, etc.. Not just a book about how wonderful DC thinks he is. Why didn’t Rick Huxley write ‘anything’? Or was he a ghost writer for Dave? Those are questions worth asking. Why weren’t Lenny and Denis allowed to sing lead on songs they wrote? I want answers from official sources, not ‘he said, she said’ or the infamous, ‘they say’. ‘They’ usually get it wrong!
Mike Smith was amazingly talented. Rest in peace, Sir.
What a beautiful video.
He understood the business side of music and made a fortune with his shout! Videos among other ventures.
looks like he's had a good time
God he used to be so good looking.
Mike Smith ~ Superb !! Dave Clark allied to The Klingons !!! DC5
1990s I asked Dave to name your price for 1 DC5 concert, Never got back to me.
Great musician and businessman, so I hate to ask: did anybody else, at first glance, think he resembled a Star Trek Klingon?
Great musician? Are you trying to be funny?
Michael Mcneese I hope Dave Clark burns in Hell forever
John Lennon can be heard speaking to Ringo on the recent Abbey Rd outtakes, he says to Ringo "You sound like Dave Clark!" It wasn't a compliment. I met Mike Smith in 1994 at Clive Langer's London Studio. He was one of the nicest Blokes you could ever wish to meet. Dave Clark was a Business man , the other four were real musicians and writers. Dave has had ample opportunity to provide the fans with a Comprehensive DC5 Box Set, 10 yrs worth of recordings the fans would love , as well as helping the families of the Deceased members , and of course Lenny Davison.
😆😆yes I thought the same. ...no disrespect. ...loved them in the sixties. ..great times!!!!
It would be nice if some of the money went to the families, but remember this is the same person who supposedly didn’t help out Mike when he needed that special wheelchair and van.Apologies if I’m repeating the wrong set of facts.....I would love to be wrong on that one!
I hope the nurse wakes up one day and realizes that those words, from a quadriplegic man were as a harmless as could be. Sometimes people are just too full of themselves
Very tragic story about Mike. I had a huge crush on Denny when I was a teenager. Another sad ending.
Dave clark is an absolute genius. He never allowed the dc5 to be ripped off. He controlled everything from managing the band, publishing, records the list goes on
He allowed his band mates to be ripped off - by himself
He was a business genius from a very early age. Would have been a millionaire from property development if he hadn’t have given it up to be a pop star.
He looks like something out of Jeff Dunham’s suitcase!!!
Hey people, chill! We all age. Cut him some slack. Jeez. Efn trolls.
That's EweToo(baa'a).
Of course we all age. I think the issue has more to do with the extreme work he's had done to his face! I bet he'd have looked better if he hadn't had anything done and aged gracefully. I've no issue with people indulging in cosmetic surgery, each to their own. But he's gone too far with it! He looks scary. :-/
Agreed, Norman. We all should be thankful for all the great tunes Dave and his friends gave us.
agree....has any of these....trolls....looked in a mirror lately!?
Why didn't he leave hi face alone ,and age normal,
Back in the early eighties my roommate was a big fan of DC5 and from that moment on I’ve been a fan.
I never knew Dave Clark was a Klingon ! Fantastic Dave 😂😂
They say that in the end you get the face you deserve. From all accounts, Dave was not a very nice person, and he looks positively evil in his old age. On the contrary, Mike had that same sweetness and joy in his face, even after his accident.
DC does look like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining."
How do a person's eyebrow end up being arches over his eye? With age or with training?
Dave Clark made an LP called, The Big Big hits of 62. I wish I could find a copy of it.
Awesome!
Not one recording of them on tour...
Someone somewhere in youtube land commented on how much dissing there was of Dave Clark, and I agree there is a lot of dissing of him on social media, (FB), on what are supposed to be DC5 fanpages. I think I need to start my own just to give the man adoration and respect I think he deserves. No I wasn't barely born when they hit big, but nonetheless, I am a DC5 fan. I am kind of tired of the nonsense though, he has stated in interviews that he has not had plastic surgery. Good enough, leave it alone ffs. I don't look the same as when i was in my 20s either, thankfully! Time changes people, and these comments are superficial and callous. And so what if he had work done at one point? Like do you think he is the first to have? And it's really none of anybody's business anyways. As for whether or not he was fair, or 'nice', or stole royalties by having 50%, I don't know much about it for sure but that he is a savvy businessman who made some good deals (masters) and decisions. Whatevers, this was what, almost 60yrs ago?? Could there not be a bit of jealousy and resentment still lingering here, maybe, and I am not talking about Mr. Ryan by the way, I have the utmost respect for you, it's the other yokels who pipe in and hop on the bandwagon when people start pointing, that's it that's all. I am a true blue Dave Clark fan, and I realize I won't be in anybody's popularity books for saying my piece, nor do I give a shit. :D I do not think he is what people are harping on about, and as far as I am concerned, anyone who was as good a friend to the eternal legend Freddie during his last few years as Dave was, is deserving of all my love and respect as well!
Well said, why do , people have to be so darn nasty.
@@shebuckley260 They're just shallow and likely envious.
@@pambh65 No, we're telling the truth...wake up and learn that truth!
@pambh65
My Sentiments Exactly! The Envious Haters should get a life. A lot of them seem to be pitting Dave against Mike for some reason. Mike was so talented - he had that flirtatious grin - my girlfriend at the time had me feeling insecure! LOL 😂
I figured Mike Smith was a fun and funny guy. Gone way too soon!! I don’t care about the politics of the band. The DC5 were a sweet and cute bunch of guys! I was and still am a fan who loves their music!! A wonderful part of my youth! ✌️❤️⭐️
I had no idea this happened to him RIP 🙏
Because was my favorite song they did, it was better than any Beatles song and I always thought his voice was as good as John Lennon, they should have continued perform
I loved Mike Smith and that cheeky smile he made the band anyone could have did the drumming DC was nothing special and oh how bad does he look now .
One of my fave bands of all time. Mike Smith one of the nicest rockstars of all time. When a terrible terrible thing to happen. Love Tabitha Twitchit....how come that was never a hit???
This is the best Stevie Riks impersonation yet!
mike smith the best
You could land a cessna on that forehead. He used to be handsome. Now he looks like Ming on Flash Gordon.
Mike Smith made that band a success. As far as I'm concerned. Dave should have let Mike use the " former member of dc5 " moniker. What happened to Mike Smith and his son a short time prior to his paralyzing fall, is a true tragedy. R.I.P. fella's.
May the force be with you !.