Clover (band)

Last updated
Clover
Origin Mill Valley, California, United States
Genres Rock
Years active1967 (1967)–1978 (1978)
Labels Fantasy, Mercury
Past membersAlex Call
John McFee
John Ciambotti
Mitch Howie
Huey Lewis
Sean Hopper
Marcus Grossman (aka Marcus David)
Kirk Harwood
Micky Shine
Tony Braunagel
Kevin Wells
Daniel Lenard

Clover was an American country rock band formed in Mill Valley, California and active from 1967 to 1978. [1] Clover are best known as the backing band for Elvis Costello's 1977 debut album My Aim Is True (recorded in the UK), and for its members going on to greater success with Huey Lewis and the News, the Doobie Brothers, and Lucinda Williams.

Contents

History

Formed by members of the band Tiny Hearing Aid Company, [1] Clover's sound moved on from Bay Area psychedelia to the burgeoning country rock sound, similar to Creedence Clearwater Revival. The original line-up was based out of San Francisco, and was a quartet consisting of Alex Call (lead vocals, guitar), John McFee (guitar, pedal steel), John Ciambotti (bass) and Mitch Howie (drums). [1] 1970 saw their debut self-titled album released on Fantasy Records. A 1971 follow-up titled Fourty Niner[ sic ] appeared on the same label. [1]

Later the band moved to the UK, and the line-up was shuffled somewhat. By late 1976, Clover's new drummer was Micky Shine. The group added Huey Lewis (then billing himself as Huey Louis) as a second lead vocalist and harmonica player, and Sean Hopper was keyboard player. This sextet (Call, Louis, McFee, Hopper, Ciambotti and Shine) signed to the UK's Vertigo label, and worked with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange on Clover's 1976 non-LP single "Chicken Funk", and the group's early 1977 album entitled Unavailable. Later that year, McFee, Ciambotti, Hopper and Shine (but not Louis or Call) backed Elvis Costello on his debut album My Aim Is True . [1] These musicians were not credited on the release for contractual reasons; some contemporary publicity for the album identified Costello's backing band as "The Shamrocks".

Clover's Unavailable album was retitled Clover for North American release. Later in 1977, Micky Shine left the group. For the group's second album of 1977, Love on the Wire, [1] session drummer Tony Braunagel was employed, but was not an official member of the band. This album was also produced by Lange, who co-wrote a few songs. However, as with all other Clover releases, the album spun off no hits and did not chart.

Clover toured as the support group for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thin Lizzy and Graham Parker and the Rumour in the UK during the late 1970s.

After Clover

After Clover originally disbanded in 1978 the ex-members returned home to the U.S. [1] Alex Call recorded as a solo artist and wrote hits for Huey Lewis and many other artists. He co-wrote Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny" with the band's guitarist Jim Keller. Lewis and Hopper formed Huey Lewis and the News; a few of their hits were written or co-written by Lange. [1] McFee co-founded the band Southern Pacific and joined The Doobie Brothers, [1] and also played sessions for Elvis Costello. Ciambotti played sessions for Lucinda Williams, John Prine, and Carlene Carter, and became a chiropractor in Toluca Lake, California. Shine briefly became a member of Tommy Tutone but left the band before they recorded Call's "867-5309".

Carlene Carter covered two of Clover's songs ("Love Is Gone" and "Mr. Moon," both written by Call), then later recorded two songs, "Ring of Fire" and "Too Proud," with McFee, Ciambotti and Hopper.

Founding member Dr. John P. Ciambotti died on March 24, 2010, in Glendale, California at the age of 67. He had undergone surgery for an abdominal aneurysm. [2]

Reunions

John McFee, John Ciambotti, and Sean Hopper reunited for two concerts backing Elvis Costello in San Francisco on November 8, 2007. The drummer for the occasion was Pete Thomas of The Attractions. The concerts raised funds for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Fund, a non-profit organization designed to help those with Prader-Willi Syndrome. [3]

In 2016, founding members Alex Call, Mitch Howie, and John McFee were working on a new album entitled Homestead Redemption. The album was released on July 17, 2018. It includes 12 re-recordings of songs from Clover's first two albums on Fantasy Records plus one new recording "Go Raise Hell Up in Heaven." Gia Ciambotti became Clover's new official fourth member, in place of her late father John Ciambotti, providing backing vocals and occasional duet and lead vocals. [4] The album includes guest appearances by Huey Lewis, Sean Hopper, Pete Thomas and Elvis Costello. [5] [6] [7]

Members

Founding members

Later members

Discography

Singles

Albums

With Elvis Costello

Compilations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huey Lewis and the News</span> American pop rock band

Huey Lewis and the News is an American pop rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Mainstream Rock charts. Their sound draws upon earlier pop, rhythm & blues and doo-wop artists, and their own material has been labeled as blue-eyed soul, new wave, power pop, and roots rock.

<i>My Aim Is True</i> 1977 studio album by Elvis Costello

My Aim Is True is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, originally released in the United Kingdom on 22 July 1977 through Stiff Records. Produced by Stiff artist and musician Nick Lowe, the album was recorded from late 1976 to early 1977 over six four-hour studio sessions at Pathway Studios in Islington, London. The backing band was the California-based country rock act Clover, who were uncredited on the original release due to contractual difficulties. At the time performing as D.P. Costello, Costello changed his name to Elvis after Elvis Presley at the suggestion of the label, and adjusted his image to match the rising punk rock movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huey Lewis</span> American singer and actor

Hugh Anthony Cregg III, known professionally as Huey Lewis, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor.

<i>Time Flies... The Best of Huey Lewis & the News</i> 1996 greatest hits album by Huey Lewis and the News

Time Flies is a greatest hits album by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1996. The album also features four previously unreleased tracks. This marks the first time "The Power of Love" was available on an International Huey Lewis and the News album. The song "So Little Kindness" was later included on the 2001 album Plan B as Lewis felt it needed a second chance. The song "100 Years from Now" was originally conceived for a planned Huey Lewis solo album that was later cancelled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Attractions</span> UK musical group

The Attractions were an English backing band for the English new wave musician Elvis Costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. They consisted of Steve Nieve (keyboards), Bruce Thomas, and Pete Thomas (drums). They also released one album as an independent entity, without Costello, in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Thomas (drummer)</span> British musician

Peter Michael Thomas is an English rock drummer best known for his collaboration with singer Elvis Costello, both as a member of his band the Attractions and with Costello as a solo artist. Besides his lengthy career as a studio musician and touring drummer, he has been a member of the band Squeeze during the 1990s and a member of the supergroup Works Progress Administration during the early 2000s.

Bruce Thomas is an English bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record.

<i>Repeat When Necessary</i> 1979 studio album by Dave Edmunds

Repeat When Necessary is the fifth album by Welsh rock musician Dave Edmunds. Produced by Edmunds, it was released in 1979 by Swan Song Records. It was recorded and released at the same time as Nick Lowe's Labour of Lust, and features the same lineup of musicians: Edmunds, Lowe, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams.

<i>Taking Liberties</i> 1980 compilation album by Elvis Costello

Taking Liberties is a compilation album by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, consisting of tracks not previously released on his albums as released in the United States. It is largely made up of B-sides, but features three previously unreleased recordings. It was released only in the US and Canada; its track listing is very similar to that of the UK release Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers. The differences are that on the latter, the tracks "Night Rally", "Sunday's Best" and "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" are replaced by "Watching the Detectives", "Radio, Radio" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetwalkers</span> Musical artist

Streetwalkers were an English rock band formed in late 1973 by two former members of rock band Family, vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney. They were a five piece band which evolved from the Chapman Whitney Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John McFee</span> American musician

John McFee is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long-time member of The Doobie Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Babbington</span> English rock and jazz bassist

Roy Babbington is an English rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock band Soft Machine.

<i>Live at 25</i> 2005 live album by Huey Lewis and the News

Live at 25 is a live album by Huey Lewis and the News celebrating the 25-year anniversary since the band's formation in 1979. The performance was recorded in December 2004 at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California. The album was released along with a separate DVD in 2005 by Rhino Records. This was the last album the band made with saxophonist Ron Stallings, who died in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Keller</span> American guitarist

Jim Keller is an American musician, producer, manager, publisher, and composer whose work in the music business spans more than 40 years. He was the co-founder, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the American rock band Tommy Tutone based in San Francisco, California, and was co-writer of that band's most famous single, 867-5309/Jenny. Since 1992, Keller has worked with Philip Glass, first running Glass's publishing company and eventually managing his career as director of Dunvagen Music. In 1999, Keller founded St. Rose Music as a publishing and management company for friends and associates. Their roster has grown to include Nico Muhly, Rachel Portman, Angélica Negrón, the music theater works of Tom Waits, Jeff Beal, Paul Leonard-Morgan, Ravi Shankar, and Anoushka Shankar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect World (Huey Lewis and the News song)</span> 1988 single

"Perfect World" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News and released as the first single from the album Small World in late June 1988. The single peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #48 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes</span> 1977 single by Elvis Costello

"(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" is a song written and recorded by Elvis Costello for his 1977 debut album My Aim Is True. Written by Costello on a train ride to Liverpool in 1976, the song features lyrics, according to Costello, about "romantic disappointment". The song features Byrds-inspired music with an intro contributed by John McFee of Costello's then-backing band Clover.

<i>Clover</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Clover

Clover (1970) is the first album by Clover.

<i>Fourty Niner</i> 1971 studio album by Clover

Fourty Niner (1971) is the second album by Clover.

<i>Unavailable</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Clover

Unavailable (1977) is the third album by Clover. It was released on Vertigo Records in the UK. In the United States and Canada, it was titled Clover and released on Mercury Records.

<i>Love on the Wire</i> 1977 studio album by Clover

Love on the Wire (1977) is the fourth album by Clover. It was released on Vertigo Records in the UK. In the United States, it was released on Mercury Records.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 275/6. ISBN   1-85227-745-9.
  2. "The Dead Rock Stars Club January to June 2010". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. "Costello and Clover wow S.F. in two shows". Mercurynews.com. 10 November 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  4. "Bay Area country rock band Clover returns after nearly 50 years". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  5. "Elvis guesting on Clover reunion album, 2018 – Elvis Costello Fan Forum". Elviscostello.info. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  6. "Clover: What's New?". Clover-infopage.com. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  7. "Homestead Redemption". Cloverband.net. Retrieved 4 September 2018.