Clover with Huey Lewis (1972-1978)

Everybody knows Huey Lewis: the lead singer and harmonica player in the band Huey Lewis and the News, which he'd fronted since 1979.

But, before that, both he and News keyboardist/singer Sean Hopper were members of Clover, another Bay Area faction that was moonlighting as a country-rock band (both Lewis and Hopper first joined Clover in 1972). Despite all the great talent in the band (also including guitarist/fiddler John McFee, who later joined the Doobie Brothers; Alex Call, who co-wrote Tommy Tutone's #4 hit "867-5309/Jenny"; and Jeff Porcaro, who later joined his younger brothers Mike and Steve in Toto), they could never break through nationally for some reason. Huey's harmonica playing goes back to his high school days, when he'd hitchhiked around Europe from 1967-68 following his father's decision for him not to attend college yet.

In early 1976, in a bid to be more successful, Clover (without Jeff Porcaro, who had joined his two younger brothers to be part of Boz Scaggs' backing band, soon to become Toto) then moved to London, England to moonlight as a pub-rock band, just as punk rock was making itself known over there. This meant that when Clover tried to play to their British fans, the band were booed mid-set and could never finish the night's concert. However, at that same time, Huey Lewis made himself known as a session harmonica player for artists/bands like Thin Lizzy (bassist/singer Phil Lynott became good friends with Lewis) and Dave Edmunds, while his fellow Clover members played with Van Morrison and Elvis Costello. After their last album, 1977's Unavailable (known as simply Clover here in the US), had fizzled on the charts, the band then left London to return to San Francisco.

HISTORY OF CLOVER'S FORMER MEMBERS AFTER 1978 DISBANDING:
Both Huey Lewis (vocals and harmonica) and Sean Hopper (keyboards and vocals) form Huey Lewis and the News with former Soundhole/SVT members Mario Cipollina (bass), Bill Gibson (drums) and Johnny Colla (sax and rhythm guitar). Lead guitarist Chris Hayes joined the other five members shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, John McFee (guitar, fiddle and vocals) was hired by The Doobie Brothers to replace Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, who in turn had quit the group over differences in the band's musical direction after a fight with singer/keyboardist Michael McDonald.

Alex Call co-wrote "Bad is Bad" with Huey Lewis and Clover's other then-current members and initially gave the song to Dave Edmunds, who included it on his 1979 album, Repeat When Necessary; Lewis then re-recorded the song in 1983 with The News for inclusion on their third album, Sports. Call also co-wrote "867-5309/Jenny" for Tommy Tutone, which reached #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1982.

~Ben

 

Nice piece about a severely underrated band. But I saw them regularly in London during this period and they always went down well. They were really popular around here

 

But not on the same level as fame as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, though...

~Ben

 

And of course made a great job on the early Costello stuff (and Twiggy!)

 

I always liked Clover. I must ask, though, how was the band moonlighting? The term means to take on an extra job on the side, outside the hours of your main job (usually at night - thus the “moon” reference).

 

Sorry, I was saying that for lack of a better term.

~Ben

 

First band I ever saw, supporting Thin Lizzy on the Johnny The Fox tour. Can’t remember much about it though!

 

I wrote this on the RS500 thread about the band appearing on My Aim Is True, so will repeat it here...

There's a story behind Clover being on this album which I'll summarise - I first read it in a Zigzag article about a tour of the US by Dr Feelgood back in early-76. On tour with the band and their tour manager Jake, was one Nick Lowe. When they were out there, Nick Lowe initiated a search for this band called Clover that the band that Nick was in, Brinsley Schwarz, had been into in the early 70s. They were also label-mates in the UK.

So anyway, they find Clover playing two nights in North Hollywood and go and see them with Lee Brilleaux joining them on stage at one point.

Long story short - Feelgood come back to Britain and the tour manager Jake (Riviera) founds a new record label called Stiff with his mate Dave Robinson (manager of Graham Parker & The Rumour)...and one of their earliest signings was, of course, Elvis Costello. By this time Clover had migrated to the UK and made an album for Vertigo.

Interestingly, one of the other people who joined the Feelgood tour was ex-Chilli Willi drummer Pete Thomas...and we know where he ended up...

 

Correction, regarding Jeff Baxter’s departure from The Doobie Brothers. It wasn’t because of a fight. Tensions had brewing between Jeff and Michael, for some time and strictly music related. It was practically a him or me situation. Jeff has said he decided he would leave, as he felt he’d accomplished everything he wanted musically, with The Doobies. It all worked out, though.

 

When I completed my hunt for original Brinsley Schwarz vinyl, I started the search for Clover - surprisingly, I haven't come across them that often in the wild. This is my only find so far, the U.S. version of their 1977 album that was titled Unavailable in the UK but self-titled in the U.S. (despite that being the name of their debut LP as well).

Mutt Lange's production is a little slick but it doesn't overwhelm the charm of their twangy, harmony-laden pop-soul originals. My favorite track is "Fairweather Fan"

 

Founding drummer John Hartman also left at the same time, because he felt the group had been changing members too much and therefore didn't want to be part of the lineup now featuring John McFee, Chet McCracken (Hartman's successor) and Cornelius Bumpus.

~Ben

 

Lewis would later turn to "Mutt" Lange -- by then producing for Def Leppard -- for a song of his called "We Both Believe in Love," but under Lewis it was retitled "Do You Believe in Love," which broke Lewis and the News into the US Top 10 of the Hot 100 in the spring of 1982, and also helped propel the band's second album, Picture This, up to Number 13 in the Billboard 200.

Lewis would call on "Mutt" again for another song, the "Layla" soundalike "It Hit Me Like a Hammer," for the band's 1991 album Hard at Play; but Lewis actually co-wrote that song, which reached number 21 on the Hot 100.

~Ben

 

For some reason I don’t think Steve Lawrence was saying that Clover’s popularity was on the same level as The Beatles
or The Stones. Which makes your response very, very laugh out loud funny.
:—)

 

If there is but one question that begs to be answered about Clover, it's this: didn't they cut an early version of the organ-and-harmonica-driven "Workin' for a Livin'" (and, for a few times, perform the track live) prior to their 1978 breakup? And then, when Huey Lewis dusted off the track for the News's 1982 album Picture This, lead guitarist Chris Hayes added a few new verses to the song.

~Ben

 

Some great information here…. Thanks

 

There is a very good Huey Lewis interview on the Broken Record podcast.

 

The only Elvis Costello album that I like is the first one My Aim Is True.
The thing I like about this album over those that came later is due to backing band Clover who are more in my line of thinking what a band should sound like.

 

Total respect for the man Huey.
He and Phil were good pals, and aside from both playing with each other's bands (Phils last demos had "The News" as his backing band) which is a show of respect and non insecurities.
I can oddly hear Phil being well suited to sing many of songs off Sports, I didn't recognize that till end of last century. And this is no knock on the man Huey by any means.
Phil was and could cover about every style vocally that exists.
Both are great. And an add note they were such good friends Phil gave him a pair of his boots and Huey the cool man he is himself even announced it after Phil's passing.
They obviously were close, in what reasons, I don't have that info.
But they were though, the history is there.

 

During his England days Huey played on George Hatcher's Talkin' Turkey album:



Much more info:
Clover: Discography Huey Lewis

 

I think Clover was perfect for Costello's debut - their rough edges perfectly conveyed the necessary attitude (and of course The Attractions were great for the run of albums that followed).

It's cool that Elvis respected John McFee's guitar skills enough to invite him back for future recordings - he lays down some nice country licks on Almost Blue and is pictured on the back cover. Elvis also discusses him in the expanded edition liner notes (I don't recall if it was the early 90s Ryko or the later 2-CD Rhino edition).

 

I totally agree. Clover brought a lightness of touch that was jettisoned for a more standard “new wave “ sound

 

I even think Phil could have sang a few songs from Picture This ("Workin' for a Livin'" to name one) as well as "The Power of Love" from the Back to the Future film soundtrack.

~Ben

 

Hmm, Pete Thomas's powerhouse, classic-rockish drums distinguish the Attractions from most New Wave bands, to my ear. I think they looked a lot more New Wave than they actually sounded. (Steve N. kinda bridged the gap with his zany keys arsenal.)

I do love the first album, too.

 

I used to have that album. Not that great from memory

 

I've had this conversation with someone before on another thread. From @ the arrival of punk onwards I have found that my tastes lean far more towards American sounds & styles than for British bands/musicians.