Clive Smith - Clem Cattini: My Life, Through The Eye of A Tornado

Clem Cattini

MY LIFE,
THROUGH THE EYE
OF A TORNADO

Written by
Clive Smith and Bip Wetherell

Foreword by
Jimmy Tarbuck MBE

MANGO BOOKS

First edition published 2019

The right of Clive Smith and Bip Wetherell to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior permission in writing of the publishers.

ISBN: 978-1-911273-72-1 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-911273-73-8 (ebook)

All images are from the authors collection unless otherwise stated.

www.ClemCattiniBook.com

Published by Mango Books

18 Soho Square
London W1D 3QL

www.MangoBooks.co.uk

MY LIFE,
THROUGH THE EYE
OF A TORNADO

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my wife Anna and daughters Giulia, Daniella and Victoria, my grandchildren Tomas, Louis, Freddie and Isobel, and to the memory of my brothers Laurie and Terry.

I would like to thank all the great musicians I have had the pleasure of working with that made my career more than I deserved.

Thanks also to Clive and Bip for all the hard work you did in bringing the book to fruition.

Clem

Session Ma n by The Kinks
From Face To Fac e , 1966

He never will forget at all
The day he played at the Albert Hall.
A million sessions ago it seems.
He is a session man,
A chord progression,
A top musician.

Rock n roll or vocal star
A philharmonic orchestra,
Everything comes the same to him.
He is a session man,
A chord progression,
A top musician.

Hes not paid to think, just play,
A session man
A session man
A session man
Playing at a different studio every day.

He reads the dots and plays each line,
And always finishes on time.
No overtime nor favours done.
He is a session man,
A chord progression,
A top musician.

Hes not paid to think, just play,
A session man
A session man
A session man

Writer: Ray Davies
Publisher: Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Foreword

by Jimmy Tarbuck MBE

Clem Cattini is an Arsenal fanatic - he loves his club.

Oh yes, he plays the drums as well!

He is, as they say in showbiz terms, a Great Driver of the Band... and what bands! They include Johnny Kidd ( Shakin All Ove r - one of the best British rock songs), Tornados, Billy Fury, Cliff, Marty, Gene Vincent. The word was, Need a drummer? Get Clem!

The Guvnor.

More important than his prowess on the drums, Clem Cattini is a nice man, great company, good cook and one of the lads.

I always enjoy his company, the laughter and his love of life and The Arsenal. Im always pleased to say hes a friend of mine - so is Big Elsie from Bradford.

Read and enjoy this book about one of the true rockers. In the words of John Lennon, Rock & Roll should be called Chuck Berry.

Rock on.

JIMMY TARBUCK

Introduction

by Clive Smith and Bip Wetherell

It was 2016 when I received a text message off my old friend Bip Wetherell, asking if Id be interested in helping to write a biography of one of the worlds most famous drummers. Bip and I have been friends since we were in the 3rd Corby Cubs, our paths crossing many times since those days back in the late 1950s. Growing up in the same area, playing football, chatting the same women up, working together.

I remember Bip playing with his first group The Pacifics when we were 15; the start of a career in the music business, singing in numerous bands, a disc jockey in venues all round Northamptonshire, radio presenter, night club owner, hotelier, during the 1980s and 90s, keyboard player with The Tornados, which is where his friendship with Clem Cattini began.

I was in America when I received the text off Bip, touring Memphis and New Orleans on the trail of the famous music venues and studios: Sun, Stax, Beale Street, Bourbon Street.

I wasnt sure how serious Bip was about the project until I got home and bumped into him in his hotel, The Raven, when buying tickets for a forthcoming blues gig.

Writing has been a hobby for a number of years. Three books on the local music scene covering the 1950s through to the 70s have been published: Its Steel Rock and Roll To M e , Alive In The Dead Of Nigh t and No Occupation Roa d , all reflecting the social side and the steady demise of the steel industry in the town. Ive also been a feature writer for local magazine The Pilo t , wrote features for a Royal Mail monthly magazine, wrote a feature for the Rod Stewart Fan Club magazine and been programme editor for the local football team, Corby Town, when Bip happened to be the Chairman in the early 90s.

Sitting down in The Raven, we discussed how we could go about researching and writing Clems biography; what was occurring, the worldwide events, during the various aspects of his career. Everyone knows about Telstar , and Shakin All Over , two massive number one hits in the early 60s which had Clems stamp all over them. It would be fun finding out more about these two great seminal records, but what about the rest of Clems story?

Thus began a trail, another one, of studying and researching Clems career. From working in his dads restaurant on leaving school to the beginnings of his musical career in Soho, playing initially the washboard with Terry Kennedys Rock n Rollers; the start of a journey that would lead Clem to play drums with Terry Denes Dene Aces and Johnny Kidd and The Pirates during the British rock and roll era. The Joe Meek, Tornados and Billy Fury years. The Merseybeat years, working and becoming friends with The Beatles, The Kinks, The Hollies and all the other great names of the time. The 1960s and 70s session man period, racking up over 40 number hit records to his name. The Top Of The Pops Orchestra decade backing hundreds of top line artists, including American icons Stevie Wonder, The Jacksons and Gladys Knight, and some not so top line... who we wont mention here! Sessions with a plethora of 1970s Progressive Rock outfits, requests to play on albums by Lou Reed, Ralph McTell, Ike and Tina Turner, head-hunted to join the emerging Led Zeppelin and Paul McCartneys Wings. Tours with The Kids From Fame and The Rocky Horror Sho w in the 90s. So much more... a daunting but exciting prospect for us, it seemed.

Tracking down and meeting many of Clems contemporaries and hearing their memories and anecdotes, their obvious pleasure and pride to be associated with him, has been an amazing and wonderful experience. And much fun.

When I mentioned to Fairport Convention and former Joe Cocker, Cat Stevens and Jethro Tull drummer Gerry Conway after a recent Fairport gig that Clem had told me a story about him for the book, his eyes lit up. How do you know Clem? he asked. Caught him by surprise, I admit; we were washing our hands after shaking hands with the vicar, but the instant recognition and esteem he held for Clem was clear.

Throughout the process, Clem has remained unpretentious and humble. Meetings with Clem and his lovely wife Anna, going to lunch at the local Tali, going over different tales, reminding him he once played with The Yardbirds, for instance: Did I? Oh yeah... forgot about that!

I tell folk that meeting Clem is like talking to somebody who plays dominoes in the pub! Remarkable. This guy is a much-revered and absolute legend! A word much overused nowadays, but not in this case. Clem would baulk at being called a celebrity.

I just hope that between us, Bip and I have done his story justice. A fascinating and amazing story it has been.