On BBC2 tonight....

[anniv 63]

The DC5 documentary certainly had a good array of rare colour and b/w footage in better quality than
some that are posted on You Tube.
As it was produced and directed by Dave Clark himself , the story was told from his perspective only.
I would guess he started to make this documentary some 20 years ago around the Time musical, judging
from a youthful Cliff chatting with him.
None of the band members have ever given any in depth interviews, even before their untimely deaths
in the last decade or so.
It is well documented elsewhere that other parties were involved in songwriting and recording session work
for the group. No band alone could have produced so many albums for the American market as they did between
1964- 1966 in particular.
It would have been nice to have seen them being acknowleged as part of the bands success.

Mike

[drakula63]

...which is more or less analogous to the point I was making.

It looked great, yes, but it was very, very selective about what it actually said. There didn't actually seem to be a very interesting story there, to be honest, just a fairly standard one about a pop group that makes it and shines brightly for a few years then disappears. Was it a doco about the DC5 or about Dave Clark? What happened to the others after the band split up? Surely the others must have achieved things too?

Still, full marks to the guy, that's the way to do it! Make a two hour, self-indulgent programme about yourself and sell it to the BBC!

[Paul Childs]

The DC5 doc was brilliant.

Genuinely informative: I was not aware of their material from the later sixties, when they sounded almost psychedelic and progressive. Mind you, I was surprised by their fifteen consecutive hits in that period. I didn't recall many from the second half of the decade and can only assume that the later hits registered in the USA rather than the UK.

But even without the history of the group, and the reminder of all their achievements, the film and video archive was fascinating. I'd forgotten that Mike Smith and Denny Payton sometimes played guitar instead of keyboards and saxophone respectively. And there were an incredible array of contemporary guitars and basses on display, including:

Gibson 330
Fender Stratocaster (sunburst)
Rickenbacker 365 (6-string)
Burns Split Sound 6-string bass
Vox Phantom Mk VI (white - played by Denny Payton)
Vox VG6 guitar (1969-ish MIJ copy of Gretsch Country Gentleman)
Vox VG4 bass (1969-ish MIJ copy of Gretsch double-cut bass)
Gibson J45 (played by Danny Peyton)
Fender Precision Bass (sunburst, used c. 1963/64, well used and worn)
Fender Precision Bass (black with tort [unlikely factory combination] - might have been the above refinished)
Fender Jazz Bass (sunburst)
Vox Symphonic Bass (UK-made Precision-esque, in white)
Vox Soundcaster guitar (UK-made Stratalike, in white).

And an unbelievable display of Vox amplification ranging from the AC30 to the AC100 Beatle amp.

But just the one double-manual Vox Continental organ.

Also noticed in one clip they had Jennings copies of Strat & P.bass, a step backward from real Fenders?
The Shadows had them in a scene in Wonderful Life when they blew the fuses on the ship but that was acting and not playing.

[JimN]

Also noticed in one clip they had Jennings copies of Strat & P.bass, a step backward from real Fenders?
The Shadows had them in a scene in Wonderful Life when they blew the fuses on the ship but that was acting and not playing.

The copies of (not exactly slavish copies, but highly influenced by) the Stratocaster and Precision Bass were the Soundcaster and Symphonic Bass, mentioned above.

[JimN]

Soundcaster (RHS):



Symphonic Bass:

[Martin Page]

It was good to see some film of the Tottenham Royal again. My group at the time played in a band competition there around late '63. The DC5 had a residency (as mentioned on the programme) so we found ourselves mingling with the group as we set up our gear. There was a revolving stage so groups would set up behind the scenes and then be rotated into view. I remember how unbelievably loud Lenny's Vox AC30 was. Our singer swapped phone numbers with Dave Clark as they were both into cars in a big way.

We didn't win by the way...

Martin.

[Fenderman]

Little has been heard of Dave Clark for 20 years or so, he seems to live quietly and comfortably now.
He bought the rights to RSG years ago and now owns that.

[Paul Childs]

Soundcaster (RHS):



Symphonic Bass:

The nearest you could get to copies back then in the days before Squier copies and the likes.
Don't know why they used them after having real Fenders? They couldn't have been as good?

[MikeAB]

The DC5 were hyped mercilessly - some parties (southerners?) were desperate to de-throne/replace the Fab 4. Pathetic then - and certainly now.

[Iain Purdon]

Was it worth a slot on BBC2? Why not? It's of legitimate interest.

Dave Clark is being entirely consistent in his behaviour if he made this doc. He also bought up Rediffusion's Ready Steady Go archive and repackaged the shows for later transmission on the BBC. His compilations always seemed to include the DC5 ...