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Artist
Clark Datchler
12+ albums
synthpop80senglishbritishsophistipop
about
Clark Datchler (born Clark Wynford Datchler, 27 March 1964, Sutton, Surrey, England) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He first came to fame in 1987 as the lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in the band Johnny Hates Jazz. Clark Datchler's father was Fred Datchler, a singer and saxophonist in two popular vocal groups of the 1950s, The Polkadots and The Stargazers. He also sang backing vocals for The Beatles and Frank Sinatra. Fred encouraged his son to learn to play piano, guitar and flute from the age of 7 years old. Datchler attended Downsend School, Ashtead and St. John’s School, Leatherhead where he started many bands. He released his first single when he was 17, "You Fooled Him Once Again", on the London soul label Bluebird. The record featured Julie Roberts of Working Week, and two members of the reggae band Aswad: drummer Angus "Drummie Zeb" Gaye, and bassist George "Ras Levi" Oban. The single was not a success. Shortly after, he signed a music publishing deal with Warner Bros. Records, and moved to LA when he was 18 to write for other artists. The following year he returned to London and joined the band Hot Club, signed to RAK Records. His fellow band members were Calvin Hayes (later part of Johnny Hates Jazz), Glenn Matlock of the Sex Pistols, and guitarist James Stevenson of Chelsea and Generation X. They released one single ("It Ain’t Me, Girl"), before Datchler was signed to RAK as a solo artist. He subsequently relea
