Eddie Clarke
Encyclopedia
Edward Allan Clarke better known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke, is a guitarist
who was a member of British
heavy metal
bands
Fastway
and Motörhead.
and by the time he was aged fifteen had been through many local bands, one of whom went under the name of The Bitter End. He continued playing local gigs
until 1973, when he turned professional by joining Curtis Knight
’s band, Zeus, as lead guitar
ist. In 1974, the band recorded
an album
called The Second Coming at Olympic Studios
. Clarke wrote the music
to Knight’s lyrics
, on a track
entitled "The Confession".
Clarke also recorded the album Sea Of Time with Zeus. Later with guitarist friend Allan Callan, keyboard
player Nicky Hogarth, and drummer
Chris Perry, Clarke attended a recorded jam session at Command Studios in Piccadilly
. As a result of the tracks from this session, the quartet secured a deal with Anchor Records
, and called the band Blue Goose. With a recording contract
secured, Clarke, Hogarth and Perry left Zeus to focus on their own project with Callan. Knight was so angry with their behaviour, he put the word around that if he ever met up with them again, he would beat them up for leaving him in the lurch.
An argument soon erupted between Clarke and Callan, because Callan did not have any amplifier
s. Clarke had allowed him to share his during rehearsals, but Clarke then found he could not hear his solos
because Callan was drowning him out. The argument ended with Clarke being sacked. Still short of amps, the band asked him to re-join a few days later. Clarke refused, feeling that they were doing Anchor Records an injustice because they had been paid an advance to record an album, but had done nothing productive towards making it. Blue Goose finally released their eponymous album through Anchor in 1974, crediting an instrumental
track, entitled "Over The Top", to Clarke-Hogarth-Perry.
Clarke soon formed another band with Be-Bop Deluxe bassist, Charlie Tumahai, vocalist Ann McCluskie and Jim Thompson on drums. Called Continuous Performance, this line up lasted until early 1975, when their demo tracks failed to secure them a record deal and then band split up. Still out to secure a record deal, Clarke then formed a group with Nicky Hogarth from Blue Goose, bass player Tony Cussons and drummer Terry Slater. Their efforts to get a deal were also unsuccessful, and Clarke temporarily gave up the music industry.
, Overkill
, Ace of Spades
, Bomber
, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith
and Iron Fist
albums plus a string of hit singles to their credit. He performed a lead vocal on five Motörhead songs: Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers
(on which he traded vocals with Lemmy), "I'm Your Witchdoctor
" (on which he duets
vocals with Lemmy), "Step Down" and an alternate version of "Stone Dead Forever" (which later appeared on the Bomber
Deluxe Edition), and "Emergency" one of the B-side tracks on The St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP, upon which they performed Please Don't Touch, with Girlschool, under the combined band names of HeadGirl.
. Becoming unhappy at the results of the Iron Fist album, the recording sessions with the Plasmatics
were the final straw. For the B-side
of the Stand By Your Man EP
the bands take turns in covering
each other's songs, Clarke felt that this compromised the band's principles and resigned, Clarke was replaced by former Thin Lizzy
and Wild Horses
lead guitarist Brian Robertson
after Anvil
frontman Lips (Steve Kudlow) turned down the offer to play with Motorhead. Clarke’s last gig with Motörhead took place at the New York
Palladium on May 14, 1982. Another cameo from Clarke on a later Motörhead album was on 2000's Live at Brixton Academy
, released in 2003, on which the band featured many guest appearances from other guitarists, of which he was one of, playing on the songs "No Class
", "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch", and "Overkill
".
bassist Pete Way
was keen to leave that band, the two met and decided their new band's name would be an amalgamation of their own two names, resulting in Fastway
. They advertised in the music press for a drummer and a vocalist. Meanwhile, a rehearsal was organised for which The Clash
drummer, Topper Headon
, filled in on drums. Headon was doing this as a favour so that Clarke and Way could rehearse. The ads began showing positive results, cassettes from potential band members arrived; one of these was from a young, Dublin-based singer by the name of Dave King. Clarke was impressed with his voice and financed a trip to London for King and, after an audition together, he became the Fastway vocalist. Ex-Humble Pie
member, Jerry Shirley, became the drummer.
The band sent out demo tapes and were approached by CBS Records
for a recording deal. Way announced his departure to play bass for Ozzy Osbourne
’s Blizzard of Ozz
just as they were about to sign the deal, however, CBS had faith in Fastway and decided to sign them despite this setback.
Touring had been strenuous for the band and, upon returning to Britain, they decided to split. Clarke stayed in London and soon received a call from King about giving Fastway another go. Clarke agreed and moved to Ireland
. With another album for CBS in view, they rehearsed with three of King's friends, guitarist and keyboard player Shane Carroll, drummer Alan Connor and Paul Reid on bass. The record label
was happy with the sound and had them record at London’s Abbey Road Studios
, releasing Waiting For The Roar in 1986.
Clarke toured America with Fastway, supporting AC/DC
, followed by a lengthy Europe
an tour, which produced 1992's Say What You Will - Live album. Fastway were also engaged to provide music for the Trick Or Treat film
soundtrack
, for which they composed the title track and performed "Heft" and "If You Could See" from their albums.
. Clarke's record deals had now expired, so the pair took a demo tape to Douglas Smith (Clarke’s former Motörhead manager) at GWR Records
, who willingly signed a deal. Still using the name Fastway, they recorded the On Target album. It featured Don Airey
and Paul Airey on keyboards, Neil Murray
on bass, plus Bram Tchaikovsky
of The Motors
and Christine Byford as backing vocalist
s.
Clarke's group now consisted of Riff Raff on drums, keyboards and bass, plus assorted friends helping out; Biff Byford
and Nigel Glockler of Saxon
, Don Airey, and Kim McAuliffe and Cris Bonacci
of Girlschool
. Following the production of two albums, Clarke and Hart split up.
However, the excesses he had indulged in with Motörhead had taken their toll, and led to Clarke being admitted to hospital, spending time afterwards in recuperation. Having recovered, Clarke released a solo album, It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over, which blends Motörhead and Fastway styles. Lemmy also helped out on the album by writing and singing the track "Laugh At The Devil".
The double CD
release, Fast Eddie Clarke Anthology, on Sanctuary Records
showcased a collection of Clarke's music spanning his career before and after Motörhead. It also marked a return to live performances with a re-formed Fastway. During summer 2007, the band will be playing festival
dates across Europe
including an appearance at the UK's
Download Festival
.
In an interview with Komodo Rock at the Hard Rock Hell Festival in November 2007, Eddie Clarke confirmed that he and Toby Jepson would be working on new material for Fastway. He said "Toby and I are going to sit down and maybe do a few tunes over the winter. See if we can write some tunes."
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
who was a member of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Fastway
Fastway (band)
Fastway is a British heavy metal band formed by guitarist, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, formerly of Motörhead, and bassist, Pete Way, formerly of UFO.-Career:...
and Motörhead.
Early days
Clarke began playing guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and by the time he was aged fifteen had been through many local bands, one of whom went under the name of The Bitter End. He continued playing local gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
until 1973, when he turned professional by joining Curtis Knight
Curtis Knight
Curtis Knight was an American music artist and band leader who is known for his connection to Jimi Hendrix....
’s band, Zeus, as lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist. In 1974, the band recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
called The Second Coming at Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
. Clarke wrote the music
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
to Knight’s lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
, on a track
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
entitled "The Confession".
Clarke also recorded the album Sea Of Time with Zeus. Later with guitarist friend Allan Callan, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player Nicky Hogarth, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Chris Perry, Clarke attended a recorded jam session at Command Studios in Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
. As a result of the tracks from this session, the quartet secured a deal with Anchor Records
Anchor Records
Anchor Records was a U.K.- based record label co-founded by Ian Ralfani and the American Broadcasting Company, which owned ABC Records in the United States, in 1974. ABC Records marketed Anchor albums in the USA, and Anchor Records issued many ABC albums in the United Kingdom as "ABC Records...
, and called the band Blue Goose. With a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
secured, Clarke, Hogarth and Perry left Zeus to focus on their own project with Callan. Knight was so angry with their behaviour, he put the word around that if he ever met up with them again, he would beat them up for leaving him in the lurch.
An argument soon erupted between Clarke and Callan, because Callan did not have any amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
s. Clarke had allowed him to share his during rehearsals, but Clarke then found he could not hear his solos
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
because Callan was drowning him out. The argument ended with Clarke being sacked. Still short of amps, the band asked him to re-join a few days later. Clarke refused, feeling that they were doing Anchor Records an injustice because they had been paid an advance to record an album, but had done nothing productive towards making it. Blue Goose finally released their eponymous album through Anchor in 1974, crediting an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
track, entitled "Over The Top", to Clarke-Hogarth-Perry.
Clarke soon formed another band with Be-Bop Deluxe bassist, Charlie Tumahai, vocalist Ann McCluskie and Jim Thompson on drums. Called Continuous Performance, this line up lasted until early 1975, when their demo tracks failed to secure them a record deal and then band split up. Still out to secure a record deal, Clarke then formed a group with Nicky Hogarth from Blue Goose, bass player Tony Cussons and drummer Terry Slater. Their efforts to get a deal were also unsuccessful, and Clarke temporarily gave up the music industry.
Motörhead
Clarke worked on re-fitting a houseboat, where he met drummer Phil Taylor. Taylor had recently joined Motörhead and introduced Clarke to Lemmy; it was not long before he was playing with them. In the early days Eddie rehearsed with Motörhead at Sound Management studios, under "The Furniture Cave" in Lots Road, Chelsea before going on the road. Motörhead became more popular and produced more and more UK chart successes. The threesome (Lemmy, Clarke, Taylor) are considered the classic Motörhead line-up and have the MotörheadMotörhead (album)
Motörhead is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead, released in 1977.-History:On April 1, 1977, after nearly two years of toiling in obscurity hoping for a record deal, Motörhead decided to perform their last show at the Marquee Club in London. They asked Ted Carroll, head of...
, Overkill
Overkill (album)
Overkill is the second album released by Motörhead, in 1979, and their first for Bronze Records. It peaked at number 24 on the UK charts.It had a big impact in the British punk culture of that time, paving the way for UK82. Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No...
, Ace of Spades
Ace of Spades (album)
Ace of Spades is the fourth album by the British band Motörhead. Released on 8 November 1980, it peaked at #4 on the UK album charts and reached Gold status by March 1981...
, Bomber
Bomber (album)
Bomber is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. It was recorded in 1979, the same year as Overkill. The album reached number 12 on the UK charts and brought some of Motörhead's most popular songs, like "Bomber", "Dead Men Tell No Tales" and "Stone Dead...
, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith
No Sleep 'til Hammersmith
No Sleep ’til Hammersmith is the first live album by Motörhead. Released on 27 June 1981, it peaked at #1 on the UK album charts. It was followed by the release of the single "Motorhead" on 11 July, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #6.-History:With the exception of "Iron Horse / Born To...
and Iron Fist
Iron Fist (album)
Iron Fist is the fifth album by the British band Motörhead. Released on 17 April 1982, it peaked at #6 on the UK album charts. It was preceded by the release of the title track "Iron Fist" as a single on 3 April, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #29...
albums plus a string of hit singles to their credit. He performed a lead vocal on five Motörhead songs: Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (EP)
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers EP is a 1980 release of a 1977 recording session by the English band Motörhead.- Overview :The songs were recorded during the Motörhead album sessions but, considered outtakes, they only saw a belated release as the band's popularity was at a high with the commercial...
(on which he traded vocals with Lemmy), "I'm Your Witchdoctor
I'm Your Witchdoctor
"I'm Your Witchdoctor" is a 1965 single by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers composed by Mayall, produced by Jimmy Page, and issued on the Immediate label. The song was originally recorded at Decca's studios in West Hampstead for release on their own label...
" (on which he duets
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
vocals with Lemmy), "Step Down" and an alternate version of "Stone Dead Forever" (which later appeared on the Bomber
Bomber (album)
Bomber is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. It was recorded in 1979, the same year as Overkill. The album reached number 12 on the UK charts and brought some of Motörhead's most popular songs, like "Bomber", "Dead Men Tell No Tales" and "Stone Dead...
Deluxe Edition), and "Emergency" one of the B-side tracks on The St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP, upon which they performed Please Don't Touch, with Girlschool, under the combined band names of HeadGirl.
Departure from Motörhead
Clarke left Motörhead in 1982, whilst on tour of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Becoming unhappy at the results of the Iron Fist album, the recording sessions with the Plasmatics
Plasmatics
The Plasmatics were an American heavy metal and punk band formed by Yale University art school graduate Rod Swenson with Wendy O. Williams. The band was a controversial group known for wild live shows that broke countless taboos...
were the final straw. For the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of the Stand By Your Man EP
Stand by Your Man (EP)
Stand by Your Man is a 7" EP by Lemmy of the British band Motörhead and Wendy O. Williams of the American punk rock band Plasmatics, recorded and released in 1982.-History:...
the bands take turns in covering
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
each other's songs, Clarke felt that this compromised the band's principles and resigned, Clarke was replaced by former Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
and Wild Horses
Wild Horses (British band)
Wild Horses were a British rock band, active during the late 1970s and early 1980s.-History:Wild Horses was formed in the summer of 1978 by ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson and ex-Rainbow bassist Jimmy Bain...
lead guitarist Brian Robertson
Brian Robertson
Brian "Robbo" David Robertson is a Scottish rock guitarist, best known for his work with Thin Lizzy and Motörhead.-Early life:...
after Anvil
Anvil (band)
Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band comprising Steve "Lips" Kudlow , Robb Reiner , and Glenn Five...
frontman Lips (Steve Kudlow) turned down the offer to play with Motorhead. Clarke’s last gig with Motörhead took place at the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Palladium on May 14, 1982. Another cameo from Clarke on a later Motörhead album was on 2000's Live at Brixton Academy
Live at Brixton Academy (Motörhead album)
Live at Brixton Academy is the fourth official live album by the British band Motörhead. Recorded at their 25th anniversary concert on October 22, 2000 at the Brixton Academy, London, UK. Various guests made appearances, including Queen's Brian May and ex-Skunk Anansie guitarist Ace...
, released in 2003, on which the band featured many guest appearances from other guitarists, of which he was one of, playing on the songs "No Class
No Class
"No Class" is a song by the heavy metal band Motörhead. It was released in 1979, in 7" vinyl pressings. The song first appeared on the 1979 album Overkill, and became one of the "cornerstones" of the classic 1981 live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith...
", "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch", and "Overkill
Overkill (song)
"Overkill" is a song by the band Motörhead. It was released in 7" and 12" vinyl pressings in 1979. It is backed with B-side "Too Late Too Late" which appears on the CD re-issues of the Overkill album. Early copies came with a free "Overkill" badge...
".
Fastway
Hearing that UFOUFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
bassist Pete Way
Pete Way
Peter 'Pete' Frederick Way is a bass player.He is the bassist of UFO, Waysted and formerly, Fastway and Ozzy Osbourne....
was keen to leave that band, the two met and decided their new band's name would be an amalgamation of their own two names, resulting in Fastway
Fastway (band)
Fastway is a British heavy metal band formed by guitarist, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, formerly of Motörhead, and bassist, Pete Way, formerly of UFO.-Career:...
. They advertised in the music press for a drummer and a vocalist. Meanwhile, a rehearsal was organised for which The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
drummer, Topper Headon
Topper Headon
Headon was extensively interviewed for the Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten documentary film about the late Clash frontman. He related his experiences during this period, how he became addicted to heroin and how there were problems before his dismissal...
, filled in on drums. Headon was doing this as a favour so that Clarke and Way could rehearse. The ads began showing positive results, cassettes from potential band members arrived; one of these was from a young, Dublin-based singer by the name of Dave King. Clarke was impressed with his voice and financed a trip to London for King and, after an audition together, he became the Fastway vocalist. Ex-Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
member, Jerry Shirley, became the drummer.
The band sent out demo tapes and were approached by CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
for a recording deal. Way announced his departure to play bass for Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
’s Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz is the first solo studio album by British singer/songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, recorded in Surrey, UK and released on September 20, 1980 in the UK and on March 27, 1981 in the U.S.. It is the comeback album of Osbourne following his firing from Black Sabbath the previous year...
just as they were about to sign the deal, however, CBS had faith in Fastway and decided to sign them despite this setback.
Touring had been strenuous for the band and, upon returning to Britain, they decided to split. Clarke stayed in London and soon received a call from King about giving Fastway another go. Clarke agreed and moved to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. With another album for CBS in view, they rehearsed with three of King's friends, guitarist and keyboard player Shane Carroll, drummer Alan Connor and Paul Reid on bass. The record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
was happy with the sound and had them record at London’s Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
, releasing Waiting For The Roar in 1986.
Clarke toured America with Fastway, supporting AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, followed by a lengthy Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an tour, which produced 1992's Say What You Will - Live album. Fastway were also engaged to provide music for the Trick Or Treat film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, for which they composed the title track and performed "Heft" and "If You Could See" from their albums.
Later days
After the band split up again, Clarke moved back to London and met up with Lea Hart, a solo artist in the Far EastFar East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. Clarke's record deals had now expired, so the pair took a demo tape to Douglas Smith (Clarke’s former Motörhead manager) at GWR Records
GWR Records
GWR Records was a record label active in the UK from 1986 through to 1991.By 1984, Gerry Bron's Bronze Records were in financial difficulty leading to a hiatus in recording activity for Motörhead...
, who willingly signed a deal. Still using the name Fastway, they recorded the On Target album. It featured Don Airey
Don Airey
Donald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
and Paul Airey on keyboards, Neil Murray
Neil Murray (British musician)
Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish bass player, best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.-Early days:Originally a drummer, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 and his musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians,...
on bass, plus Bram Tchaikovsky
Bram Tchaikovsky
Bram Tchaikovsky is the lead singer of an eponymous power pop band. The group scored a U.S. Top 40 hit in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979, with "Girl Of My Dreams". In the Netherlands "Sarah Smiles" was a minor hit, reaching #33 in February 1979.Tchaikovsky was vocalist and guitarist for his band...
of The Motors
The Motors
The Motors were a British pub rock/punk band, formed in London in 1977 by former Ducks Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster together with guitarist Rob Hendry and drummer Ricky Slaughter...
and Christine Byford as backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
s.
Clarke's group now consisted of Riff Raff on drums, keyboards and bass, plus assorted friends helping out; Biff Byford
Biff Byford
Peter Rodney "Biff" Byford is an English rock singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Saxon. Byford formed Son of a Bitch with guitarists Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn, bassist Steve Dawson and drummer Pete Gill in 1976...
and Nigel Glockler of Saxon
Saxon (band)
Saxon are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As front-runners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they had 8 UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including 4 UK Top 10 albums. Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart...
, Don Airey, and Kim McAuliffe and Cris Bonacci
Cris Bonacci
Cristina "Cris" Bonacci is an Australian-born producer, songwriter and musician. She is best known for her stint as lead guitarist in the British heavy metal band Girlschool and for her session guitar work.-Career:...
of Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
. Following the production of two albums, Clarke and Hart split up.
However, the excesses he had indulged in with Motörhead had taken their toll, and led to Clarke being admitted to hospital, spending time afterwards in recuperation. Having recovered, Clarke released a solo album, It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over, which blends Motörhead and Fastway styles. Lemmy also helped out on the album by writing and singing the track "Laugh At The Devil".
The double CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
release, Fast Eddie Clarke Anthology, on Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
showcased a collection of Clarke's music spanning his career before and after Motörhead. It also marked a return to live performances with a re-formed Fastway. During summer 2007, the band will be playing festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
dates across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
including an appearance at the UK's
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
.
In an interview with Komodo Rock at the Hard Rock Hell Festival in November 2007, Eddie Clarke confirmed that he and Toby Jepson would be working on new material for Fastway. He said "Toby and I are going to sit down and maybe do a few tunes over the winter. See if we can write some tunes."
Albums
- 1974 Curtis Knight Zeus -The Second Coming
- 1974 Curtis Knight Zeus - Sea Of Time
- 1983 Fastway - FastwayFastway (album)Fastway is the first album by the band, Fastway.Though credited, Pete Way did not actually play on the album. By the time the recording sessions began he had already left the band...
- 1984 Fastway - All Fired UpAll Fired UpAll Fired Up is the second album by the hard rock band Fastway. It was released in 1984.-Track listing:# All Fired Up - 2:43# Misunderstood - 3:22# Steal the Show - 3:38# Station - 2:56# Non-Stop Love - 4:52# Hurtin' Me - 4:30# Tell Me - 3:50...
- 1986 Fastway - Waiting for the RoarWaiting for the RoarWaiting for the Roar is the third album by the heavy metal band Fastway. It was released in 1985.-Track listing:# "The World Waits For You" - 6:24# "Kill Me With Your Heart" - 4:49# "Tired of Your Love" - 3:57# "Change" - 4:52# "Move Over" - 4:05...
- 1986 Fastway - Trick Or Treat (soundtrack album)
- 1988 On Target - On Target
- 1990 On Target - 1990
- 1992 On Target - On Target / Bad, Bad Girls
- 1993 The Muggers - The Muggers Tapes
- 1994 Solo album - It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over
- 2003 Motörhead - Live at Brixton AcademyLive at Brixton Academy (Motörhead album)Live at Brixton Academy is the fourth official live album by the British band Motörhead. Recorded at their 25th anniversary concert on October 22, 2000 at the Brixton Academy, London, UK. Various guests made appearances, including Queen's Brian May and ex-Skunk Anansie guitarist Ace...
- 2007 Fast Eddie Clarke Anthology
- 2009 Curtis Knight Zeus -The Second Coming - first time on CD with bonus track.
- 2010 Fastway - Steal The Show - 4 CD Live Box Set.
- 2011 Fastway - Eat Dog Eat
Singles
- 1974 Curtis Knight and Zeus - "Devil Made Me Do It" / "Oh Rainbow"
- 1974 Curtis Knight and Zeus - "People, Places and Things" / "Mysterious Lady"
- 1983 Fastway - "Easy Livin’" / "Say What You Will"
- 1983 Fastway - "Easy Livin’" / "Say What You Will" / "Far, Far From Home"
Guest appearances
- 1990 MotorheadThe Birthday PartyThe Birthday Party (video)The Birthday Party is a 1985 video by Motörhead. It features the band's 10th anniversary show at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. During the performance of "Motörhead" all of the past members and Thin Lizzy bassist Phil Lynott joined the band onstage...
(1990)[Album & Video][Recorded in 1985] - 1994 J.B.O.J.B.O.J.B.O. is a heavy metal band from Erlangen, Germany. J.B.O. was founded in 1989 by Vito C. and Hannes "G.Laber" Holzmann and is known for parodies of rock and pop songs...
BLASTphemie - on "Greetings from Fast Eddie Clarke" - 2000 Necropolis End Of The Line - solo on "A Taste For Killing"
- 2001 Motorhead 25 & Alive Boneshaker25 & Alive Boneshaker25 & Alive Boneshaker is a live DVD featuring Motörhead's 25th anniversary concert at Brixton Academy, on October 22, 2000. The concert has also been released as a CD entitled Live At Brixton Academy....
(DVD) – live at their 25th anniversary show Brixton, 13 November 2000 DVD & CD - 2003 ChinchillaChinchilla (band)Chinchilla is a heavy metal band from Germany. The group was originally founded by guitarist Udo Gerstenmeyer in 1988, and released an EP entitled No Mercy in 1990. This incarnation of the band broke up just after the release of the album, but Gerstenmeyer reformed the band in 1994 and recorded a...
Madtropolis - solo on "When The Sand Darkens The Sun" - 2004 Classic Albums - Ace Of Spades - Interviewed and plays guitar on this DVD celebrating the 1980 Motorhead album.
- 2005 Masque Look Out - solo on "I've Had Enough Of The Funny Stuff"
- 2008 Sheep In Wolves' Clothing Motorheadbangers fan club tribute CD - lead guitar on GirlschoolGirlschoolGirlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
's re-mixed version of Motörhead's "Metropolis" song. - 2008 LegacyLegacy (Girlschool album)Legacy is the eleventh studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on Wacken Records in 2008. This album celebrates the 30th anniversary of Girlschool, making it the longest running all-female metal band in activity. A few musicians that the band befriended in the many years of...
album by Girlschool - lead guitar on their cover version of Motorhead's "Metropolis" song. - 2010 Saxon Heavy Metal Thunder The Movie - Interviewed several times on this DVD.
Motörhead
- MotörheadMotörhead (album)Motörhead is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead, released in 1977.-History:On April 1, 1977, after nearly two years of toiling in obscurity hoping for a record deal, Motörhead decided to perform their last show at the Marquee Club in London. They asked Ted Carroll, head of...
- September 1977 - OverkillOverkill (album)Overkill is the second album released by Motörhead, in 1979, and their first for Bronze Records. It peaked at number 24 on the UK charts.It had a big impact in the British punk culture of that time, paving the way for UK82. Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No...
- March 24, 1979 - BomberBomber (album)Bomber is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. It was recorded in 1979, the same year as Overkill. The album reached number 12 on the UK charts and brought some of Motörhead's most popular songs, like "Bomber", "Dead Men Tell No Tales" and "Stone Dead...
- October 27, 1979 - Ace of SpadesAce of Spades (album)Ace of Spades is the fourth album by the British band Motörhead. Released on 8 November 1980, it peaked at #4 on the UK album charts and reached Gold status by March 1981...
- November 8, 1980 - No Sleep 'til HammersmithNo Sleep 'til HammersmithNo Sleep ’til Hammersmith is the first live album by Motörhead. Released on 27 June 1981, it peaked at #1 on the UK album charts. It was followed by the release of the single "Motorhead" on 11 July, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #6.-History:With the exception of "Iron Horse / Born To...
- June 27, 1981 - Iron FistIron Fist (album)Iron Fist is the fifth album by the British band Motörhead. Released on 17 April 1982, it peaked at #6 on the UK album charts. It was preceded by the release of the title track "Iron Fist" as a single on 3 April, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #29...
- April 17, 1982 - BBC Live & In-SessionBBC Live & In-SessionBBC Live & In-Session is a compilation by the British band Motörhead which contains the band's appearances on BBC Radio 1 and a concert recording from Paris Theatre, London.-Track listing:...
- September 20, 2005