Mick's first band, originally formed in 1968, have just released their first new album in 32 years! Over one hour of powerful blues rock featuring twelve brand new band compositions and two blues standards - Slim Harpo's Strange Love and the classic Bring it on Home. Mick's powerful and eloquent guitar and slide blend with Bill Thorndycraft's deep gut vocals and swamp harp. Acoustic guitars add extra texture, complemented by Lou Martin's world class piano. The unique bass guitar style of Mac McDonald drives the band along with Chris Sharley or Bazz Smith providing the percussive power. A unique and unforgettable slab of pure British Blues Rock Class.
"Simply Phenomenal" Bobtjeblues
Reviews
Listen to a complete track from the album...Bill Thorndycraft rips into the vocal on "Sperm Bandit" with Lou on piano, Mick on slide guitar and Bill himself on the harp. Mac and Chris rock it home.
SPERM BANDIT..
REAL AUDIO
MP3 NORMAL MODEM
MP3 BROADBANDTrack listing:
1. Burnout (Thorndycraft / Clarke)
2. Prozac Blues (Thorndycraft / Clarke)
3. Calm Down (Smith / Martin / McDonald / Thorndycraft / Clarke)
4. Sperm Bandit (Thorndycraft / Clarke)
5. The Big Issue (Thorndycraft/Clarke)
6. Strange Love (Slim Harpo)
7. Zero Tolerance (Thorndycraft / Clarke)
8. Run On(Thorndycraft / Clarke)
9. Iron Ewe (McDonald / Davies)
10. What is it about you? (Thorndycraft / Clarke)
11. Road of Diamonds (Thorndycraft/Clarke)
12. The Radnor Rumble (McDonald / Davies)
13. Fred McDowell (Thorndycraft / Clarke)
14. Bring it on Home (Sonny Boy Williamson)
Bill Thorndycraft - Vocals / harp / acoustic guitars
Mick Clarke - Vocals / electric and acoustic guitars
Stuart (Mac) McDonald - Bass
Lou Martin - Keyboards
Chris Sharley - Drums
Bazz Smith - Drums (tracks 3 and 12)
Produced by Mick Clarke
Executive Producer: Franco Ratti
Recorded at The Moat Studio, London. www.themoat.demon.co.uk
Engineered by Lee Bowman
Many thanks to Toby Hrycek-Robinson
Additional recording by Mick Clarke at various locations in South and West London
Mixed by Mick Clarke and Killing Floor
Mastered by Lee Bowman at The Moat Studio
Mick writes..
This is the first new Killing Floor recording project for 32 years! The idea of Franco Ratti at Appaloosa Records in Milan, Italy, the album was written and recorded throughout 2002 into 2003 and includes the entire original line-up of the band from 1968. As I've written on the album notes..
When Franco first suggested the idea I was sceptical, but after contacting the guys involved I knew that there was a real energy and enthusiasm for the project. I then spent a holiday in Brittany mumbling ideas into a dictaphone to the accompaniment of a field full of hens and cockerels, and once I finally got together with Bill we quickly wrote a total of nine original songs. Bill had already written lyrics such as "Prozac Blues" and "The Big Issue", and "Calm Down" was to come together live in the studio. With two contributions from Mac and a couple of blues standards we were ready to rock!
One big problem was that we couldn't find Bazz.. no-one had heard from him since the seventies. Eventually we decided to go ahead with Chris Sharley on drums, a man who had already been working with me in my band for the last ten years. Subsequently Bazz made contact..alive and well and living in Neuchatel, Switzerland. He was able to fly in and play on two tracks of the album. We had a great time making the album, and in the pub afterwards. I hope you enjoy the 21st century Killing Floor. And do me a favour..just keep rockin'...