By Bob Berry

I got to thinking about cruising music today, “gotta-have’s” for the roll-up to Saturday’s Woodward Dream Cruise. Motown, done. Beatles, done. Soul, from Memphis and Muscle Shoals, Philly, New Orleans.

And hey, load up the local heroes! The Rationals. The Shy Guys. Tim Tam and The Turn-on’s, SRC, The Woolies and The Underdogs! Plus Key Man of Music Pat St. John’s fave: Richard the the Young Lions!

But what about something to cut through revs and the rumble of a well tuned set of Hedman Headers? Try some Dave Clark Five, the British Invasion version of the Big Block V-8 on those woofers and tweeters!

Dave just pounding his drums into the floor. Mike Smith’s great lead vocals (with lots of reverb). Denis Payton blowing up his saxophone, plus Lenny Davidson’s lead guitar and Rick Huxley’s fat bass,  all mixed with an extra touch of compression that even the Motown engineers would have been proud of!

Yeah, the DC5 were Go Big or Go Home LOUD! And they sounded great at The Totem Pole and Ted’s and they’ll sound great Saturday. Here’s a reminder, in 2:41.

Mike Smith, the lead singer of the Dave Clark 5, passed away on February 28th, less than two weeks before the group was scheduled to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Smith’s supercharged vocals were part of the mix that brought the DC5 to the front lines of the British Invasion. The band charted 18 times on Keener beginning with “Bits and Pieces”, which peaked at number 2 on the WKNR Music Guide in April of 1964, and ending with “Everybody Knows” which had a?two week run in November of 1967. After the?DC5 broke up,?Smith?fronted his own band?until a freak accident in 2003 left him paralyzed below the ribcage. He was 64.?Smith was the second band member to pass, preceded by saxophone player Denis Payton, who succumbed to cancer in December of 2006.

More Links:
USA Today Appreciation?- AP London?- Rare Film Footage?- Susan Whitall’s Blog?-? Pat St. John Remembers?- Official Mike Smith Website?- DC5 Discography?- USA Today: Accolades finally arrive