Mike Clark

LinearDrummer

Silver Member
Did a search and I'm pretty sure theres nothing here on him....

C'mon all you Funk Drummers - surely there are some Mike Clark fans...Everyone always thinks of Garabaldi and Cobham etc...but Mike was doin some cool stuff back in the day also..

The Headhunters are a must for any funk/fusion drummers cd collection...Is this guy underrated or what...
 
LinearDrummer said:
Did a search and I'm pretty sure theres nothing here on him....

C'mon all you Funk Drummers - surely there are some Mike Clark fans...Everyone always thinks of Garabaldi and Cobham etc...but Mike was doin some cool stuff back in the day also..

The Headhunters are a must for any funk/fusion drummers cd collection...Is this guy underrated or what...

Wow. I almost started a thread about him yesterday.

I actually don't know much about him nor am I sure what popular songs he plays drums on. I only know him from the video.... "Funky Drummers".....which gives about a 15 minute segment from his own video with him and a bass player. I was definitely impressed and know he is a top notch drummer. I'll have to check out The Headhunters. I'm sure I'll love it.
 
Bad dude, no doubt.

Get the Herbie albums "Thrust" and "Flood."

(Flood might be hard to find, but it's worth it)
 
capnrusty said:
Get the Herbie albums "Thrust" and "Flood."

(Flood might be hard to find, but it's worth it)

Cool - I'll see if I can find those cds....

Also check out Mike's solo joint Actual Proof....I like the way he does those quick-snapping open hi-hat licks like Garabaldi does on Soul Vaccination....
 
A groove machine.

I have his book "Innovative grooves and advanced concepts". Loaded with 16th notes syncopated odd-accented patterns. He demonstrates a few bars of many patterns on the CD, at around 110 bpm, and his hands are sooooo controlled.

His linear patterns are great as well.
 
shuffle said:
A groove machine.

I have his book "Innovative grooves and advanced concepts". Loaded with 16th notes syncopated odd-accented patterns.

I saw he has a book out but I didn't pick it up yet....

My plate is full with Gratton, Chaffee and Frankie Malabe :)

It says on his site that a new DVD is in the works...sweet!
 
I' ve read here and there that Mike Clark was "the most sampled drummer"....

Does anyone know songs that contains samples from him ? I guess we would find that in hip-hop, and I know nothing about hip-hop....

And why would he be sampled more than others ?
 
shuffle said:
I' ve read here and there that Mike Clark was "the most sampled drummer"....

Does anyone know songs that contains samples from him ? I guess we would find that in hip-hop, and I know nothing about hip-hop....

I think the title of "Most Sampled Drummer" is probably goin to go to one of James Brown's drummers like Clyde or Jabo....since alot of Hip-Hop and R&B have used those beats...

Herbie's Chameleon might be what your thinking of in terms of Mike being sampled alot....I know Snoop used it for sure..
 
LinearDrummer said:
I think the title of "Most Sampled Drummer" is probably goin to go to one of James Brown's drummers like Clyde or Jabo....since alot of Hip-Hop and R&B have used those beats...

Herbie's Chameleon might be what your thinking of in terms of Mike being sampled alot....I know Snoop used it for sure..


Harvey Mason played drums on the original recording of "Chameleon," not Mike Clark.
 
capnrusty said:
Harvey Mason played drums on the original recording of "Chameleon," not Mike Clark.

Oh...Ma bad!

I guess Mason was on alot of Herbies solo work with Mike being on alot of the Headhunters....

I've been listenin to alot of the Mike Clark Band more.....
 
'Thrust' is one of the greatest drumming albums of all time. I'm too young to remember when it first came out, but I have read that it set the drumming world on fire when it was released. Mike Clark is so funky and cool on that record. I saw him about two years ago with his trio. It was him, a sax player and an organ player. He was playing a little four piece DW jazz kit with hi-hats, one crash and a ride. He tore it up man.

Please, check out 'Thrust' by Herbir Hancock's Headhunters. You won't be sorry!
 
Pocketman said:
'Thrust' is one of the greatest drumming albums of all time. I'm too young to remember when it first came out, but I have read that it set the drumming world on fire when it was released. Mike Clark is so funky and cool on that record. I saw him about two years ago with his trio. It was him, a sax player and an organ player. He was playing a little four piece DW jazz kit with hi-hats, one crash and a ride. He tore it up man.

Please, check out 'Thrust' by Herbir Hancock's Headhunters. You won't be sorry!

Have you heard "Flood"? It's the live version of "Thrust." If you think Thrust is good...
 
capnrusty said:
Have you heard "Flood"? It's the live version of "Thrust." If you think Thrust is good...

I'll have to check it out. Thanks!
 
I looooooove Mike Clark. He's one of those guys who never really comes up when asked about who my favorite drummers are, but he's definitely one of them, and he's definitely shaped my drumming. His playing on "Butterfly" is just so tasteful and soulful. Thrust overall is amazing, and same for Flood. That 8th-note pulse of his just grooves on by while he does some hip 16th note syncopation on top.

Pocketman, I think I saw him during the same tour. He had a young, rising-star sax player who tore it up too. I also saw Mike 2 or 3 years ago in NYC playing with the Headhunters band. That band is true musical gospel.
 
KzSgDrummer said:
I looooooove Mike Clark. He's one of those guys who never really comes up when asked about who my favorite drummers are, but he's definitely one of them, and he's definitely shaped my drumming. His playing on "Butterfly" is just so tasteful and soulful. Thrust overall is amazing, and same for Flood. That 8th-note pulse of his just grooves on by while he does some hip 16th note syncopation on top.

Pocketman, I think I saw him during the same tour. He had a young, rising-star sax player who tore it up too. I also saw Mike 2 or 3 years ago in NYC playing with the Headhunters band. That band is true musical gospel.

I'm hoping to catch a Headhunters show at some point in time. I'll go see Mike in any capacity.
 
man, i saw mr. clark a couple of months ago at a rock venue here in tallahasse and it was amazing. he came with an organ and sax and that was it. he played his dw floor tom and snare and used the house bass drum which is a tiger print rogers 20 inch drum that was left there a few years ago, hats, crash and two rides. the bass drum sound was a little garrish becuase the sound guy eq'd it like any other night, but the show was absolutely amazing.
he did some funk stuff, a herbie tune, and a few straight ahead peices that were crazy. its insane to me how he can be swinging so deep and comping with his left hand and then just slide in downbeat for a couple bars. really spectacular. his chops were out of this world but jesus, that guy just ooozes music.
 
Did a search and I'm pretty sure theres nothing here on him....

C'mon all you Funk Drummers - surely there are some Mike Clark fans...Everyone always thinks of Garabaldi and Cobham etc...but Mike was doin some cool stuff back in the day also..

The Headhunters are a must for any funk/fusion drummers cd collection...Is this guy underrated or what...

If you can find it, try to pick up the 1983 June Modern Drummer. There's a terrific interview with Mike. I still have mine and re-read it from time to time. It's the 83 issue with Bill Bruford on the cover. I've had that issue for 23 years. :)
 
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