Dave Clark 5

Starting from Tottenham, North London, Dave Clark was the driving force for a rock n' roll band that started out as the "Dave Clark Quintet".

In 1962 when the band was playing in English pubs and for the US Troops stationed in England, when they changed their name to the "Dave Clark Five". 

The Dave Clark Five has sold more than 100 million records around the world and they created 15 consecutive Top 40 hit singles for the US market. Although the group struggled at first, between 1964 & 1970 they were constantly on the Top 40 charts in the US, Canada or the UK.  They spearheaded the British Rock and Roll invasion in the US, along with their rivals, the Beatles.

The Dave Clark Five was the first band to have their own private plane, which bore the DC5 insignia that the group later was fondly referred to, for shorthand.

Dave Clark's band had more appearances on the Ed Sullivan show than any other English group, including the Beatles.

Unlike the Beatles, who moved on to a phsychedelic sound, the DC5 remained true to their Tottenham Sound roots.

The Dave Clark Five was managed and produced by Dave Clark and had quite a few members throughout the years, almost always maintaining the quintet membership they grew from.  Although most report that the group disbanded in 1970, which is fairly accurate due to extreme personnel changes, "Dave Clark & Friends" actually continued on as a group until 1973.

The DC5 band not only drove the British Rock n' Roll Invasion, they were highly succesful rock n' rollers in three nations, and they even starred in a successful movie, a successful TV special, and had many other television apperances and credits.

Throughout Dave Clark's bands' history, members included:

1. Dave Clark - Drums, Lyrics, Manager & Producer (DCQ, DC5 and DC&F)
2. Dave Sanford - Lead Guitar (DCQ)
3. Chris Walls - Bass (DCQ)
4. Don Vale - Piano (DCQ)
5. Stan Saxon - Lead Vocals (DCQ)
6. Mike Ryan - Lead Guitar (DCQ)
7. Jim Spencer - Saxophone (DCQ)
8. Rick Huxley - Rythym Guitar, then Bass (DCQ, DC5)
9. Johnny Johnson - Lead Guitar (DCQ)
10. Roger Smedley - Piano (DCQ)
11. Mike Smith - Lead Vocals, Piano, Keyboard & some Lyrics Collaboration(DCQ, DC5 & DC&F)
12. Lenny Davidson - Lead Guitar & some Lyrics Collaboration (DCQ and DC5)
13. Denis (or 'Denny') Payton - Tenor, Baritone Sax, Harmonica, Guitar & some Lyrics Collaboration (DC5)
14. Alan Parker - Lead Guitar (DC&F)
15. Eric Ford - Bass (DC&F)

Key:

• DCQ = "Dave Clark Quintet" (1957 to 1962)
• DC5 = Dave Clark Five (1962 to 1970)
• DC&F = Dave Clark & Friends (1970 to 1973)

For more info on the band's history and a more in-depth timeline, see the Band's Background Info section.