Allan Clarke

HOLLIES’ VOICE

What music are you currently grooving to?

Having been involved with writing and producing my album for the last few years, there’s not been a lot of time for grooving to anything else.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

I met the Buffalo Springfield at the Whisky A Go-Go in 1967, when they asked me to listen to their new album [Buffalo Springfield Again]. I became an instant admirer and still play it today. Neil Young’s Expecting To Fly just took me to another place.

What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?

In the early days I didn’t have the money to buy records. But I do remember buying Love Me Do by The Beatles.

Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

I admired plenty of guys in the late ’50s, but it wasn’t about wanting to be any of them. We just wanted to be a part of what they were doing at that time. To be able to play guitar like Buddy Holly, the piano “It just took me to another place.” ALLAN CLARKE HEARS EXPECTING TO FLY like Little Richard, to sing like The Everly Brothers, and have the rhythm of Jerry Lee Lewis. That was everybody’s dream.

What do you sing in the shower? It’s not something I do, but when I forget myself it’s usually rock’n’roll. Showers have that inbuilt echo that makes you want to sing Be-Bop-ALula just like Gene Vincent.

What is your favourite Saturday night record?

We went over to South Carolina to visit a friend back in 2000. We were taken by the laidback approach to life, and decided to look for a place there. Ending the day sitting on our deck listening to Slim Harpo, Muddy Waters and more of the greats – so relaxing.

And your Sunday morning record? If I was going to choose anything to wake me up first thing, it would be Joe Bonamassa’s Just Got Paid, Live From The Royal Albert Hall. What a great musician. Allan Clarke’s new album Resurgence is out on September 20 through BMG