A Fond Goodbye to Mike Smith of the DC5

Mike Smith, the voice and personality of the Dave Clark 5, died of pneumonia yesterday in a London hospital just 12 days before his band was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame.

As I’ve said in a previous posting the Dave Clark 5 was one of the most under-rated bands in the mid-’60′s rivaling with The Beatles in every way. Although far from being as artsy a band as the Liverpool 4 Dave Clark’s guys made up for this in loud, pounding rhythms and soulful ballads. One of the reasons they stood high on the podium was Mike Smith’s voice.

Smith was a Londoner, born on Dec. 12, 1943, at the height of World War II Britain. He began studying music at the age of 5 and entered the prestigious Trinity Music College at 13. He was the only member of the Dave Clark 5 to have had classical music training.

When Smith joined the DC5 in 1961 the band had been going for 3 years. His role as keyboardist became more notable with the emergence of the portable organ and Smith became the poster boy for the “combo organ player.” As well he was an ardent admirer of American soul and blues which showed up in his “whiskey voice.” His favorite performers were Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, The Isley Brothers and Lightnin’ Hopkins.

Things weren’t great for Mike the last 10 years. In 2003 his son was killed in a car accident and later that year he suffered a spinal cord injury from a fall. Hearing of his unfortunate situation help and support came from Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven Van Zandt, and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits who helped with his medical costs by arranging fundraisers. David Letterman’s “Late Show” bandleader, Paul Shaffer, also helped out. In August 2005 Shaffer was instrumental in organizing a benefit concert in New York which featured many “British Invasion” groups like The Zombies and Peter & Gordon. Sources say that a DVD of the benefit, Paul Shaffer and his British Invasion: A Tribute to Mike Smith will be released in March by VDI Entertainment.

Although I was only 12 at the time, I will always remember the DC5 at the 1965 Calgary Stampede. For the time it was amazingly loud and all you could hear above the screaming of the girls was Dave Clark’s drums and Mike Smith’s voice. Tonight I think I’ll dig out my old vinyl and put on a side or three of the group, especially Come Home. hen I’ll have a cold beer and toast Mike.