Clemente Anselmo Agustino Cattini (born 20 August 1937)[1] is an English rock and roll drummer of the late 1950s and 60s, who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician. He is one of the most prolific drummers in UK recording history, appearing on hundreds of recordings by artists as diverse as Cliff Richard and Lou Reed, and has featured on 42 UK number one singles.
Clem Cattini | |
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Birth name | Clemente Anselmo Agustino Cattini |
Born | Stoke Newington, North London, England | 20 August 1937
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Years active | 1958–present |
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Biography
editBorn to Italian parents living in Stoke Newington, North London, Cattini worked in his father's restaurant before deciding to pursue a career in music. He began as a drummer at The 2i's Coffee Bar, backing performers such as Terry Dene, before joining the touring band known as the Beat Boys, backing singers managed by Larry Parnes,[2] including Marty Wilde and Billy Fury. He then joined Johnny Kidd & the Pirates,[2] playing on their hit "Shakin' All Over", and became Joe Meek's in-house drummer, backing artists such as John Leyton and Don Charles, before helping found The Tornados in 1961, and playing on their international No. 1 hit "Telstar".[3] Cattini was also in The Luvvers, who backed Lulu in the early days.[4]
In 1965 he became a session musician.[5][4]
Cattini has played on at least 42 UK number 1 singles,[6] including:
- "Telstar" — The Tornados
- "Tears" — Ken Dodd
- "Two Little Boys" — Rolf Harris
- "Grandad" — Clive Dunn
- "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)" — Benny Hill
- "Whispering Grass" — Windsor Davies and Don Estelle
- "Welcome Home" — Peters and Lee
- "Barbados" — Typically Tropical
- "No Charge" — J.J. Barrie
- "Save Your Love" — Renée and Renato
- "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo" — Tony Christie
He also played in the orchestra for BBC TV's Top of the Pops, and toured with Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison, Lynda Carter, The Kids from "Fame" and many others. He was also considered for Led Zeppelin – he was initially on Jimmy Page's shortlist of drummers when forming the band before they settled on John Bonham. He had earlier played alongside John Paul Jones on Donovan's hit single "Hurdy Gurdy Man".[4]
Cattini talking about his offer to join Led Zeppelin: “I was very busy doing sessions. I had been on the road for nine years, and suddenly I was at home, getting into my own bed at night. Peter Grant (Led Zeppelin’s manager-in-waiting) saw me at a session, phoned me and asked me to go to lunch to him to talk about a project. We never had that lunch. Not for any reason. I was just too busy. He called again, but again we didn’t have that lunch. A year later, when Led Zeppelin’s first album was in the charts I saw Peter again and asked him if that was the project he wanted to talk about. It was, but there’s no point regretting anything. I can’t look back and change things. It wasn’t a conscious decision, just circumstances. But there again, was I the sort of person that could go all around the world in that scene? I don’t know.”[7]
Cattini played drums both on the records and on live performances for The Wombles band, that was based off of the book and television show. On stage, Cattini dressed as the character Bungo.
In the 1980s, he reactivated the Tornados' name for tours[3][4] and, in 1989, played in the West End run of The Rocky Horror Show.[2] He more recently recorded the drums for the track "No Tears to Cry" from Paul Weller's 2010 album Wake Up the Nation. He was portrayed by James Corden in the 2009 film Telstar, and appeared himself playing John Leyton's chauffeur.[8]
In 2016, he recorded a new version of the 1960s hit "Telstar", with the North London ska band the Skammers.[9]
Clem Cattini's memoirs, My Life, Through the Eye of a Tornado, was published in July 2019.[10] Clem Cattini lives in North London.[11]
Session work
editCattini played drums on records for most of the top acts in the 1960s and 1970s, these include:
1960s
edit- The Kinks
- Herman's Hermits
- Dusty Springfield
- The Merseys
- Bee Gees
- Lulu
- Marianne Faithfull
- Tom Jones
- P. J. Proby
- The Hollies
- Paul Ryan
- Barry Ryan
- Gene Pitney
- Donovan
- Love Affair
- Jeff Beck
- Engelbert Humperdinck
- Nirvana
- the Ivy League
- Edison Lighthouse
- The Yardbirds
- The Family Dogg
- Marc Bolan
- Clodagh Rodgers
- Keith West
- The Flower Pot Men
- Georgie Fame
- Roy Harper
- Ralph McTell
- Harmony Grass
- Joe Cocker
- Graham Gouldman
- Brian Auger[2]
- The Walker Brothers[7]
1970s
edit- Marvin, Welch & Farrar
- Lou Reed
- Cliff Richard
- Justin Hayward
- Phil Everly
- Julie Covington
- Claire Hamill
- Alvin Stardust
- Bay City Rollers
- Kenny
- the Wombles
- Brotherhood of Man
- Carl Douglas
- Christie
- Tim Rose
- Demis Roussos
- The Goodies
- Stephanie de Sykes
- John Betjeman
- Malcolm and Alwyn
- John Schroeder
- Paul McCartney
- Hank Marvin
- Mike Batt
- Chris Spedding
- Bob Downes
- Dave Kelly
- Sweet Dreams
- Christopher Neil
- Evelyn Thomas
- Barbara Pennington
- Slapp Happy
- Mike Berry
- Grace Kennedy
- Beggars Opera
- Amazing Blondel
- Edwards Hand[2]
References
edit- ^ Larkin, Colin (1 January 2009). "Cattini Clem". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Larkin C., Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music, (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), ISBN 0-7535-0149-X, p.101
- ^ a b Bruce Eder (28 August 1939). "Clem Cattini | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Mike Dolbear DRUMS". Mikedolbear.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Clem Cattini – Mapex Drums". Mapex.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Clem Cattini – Drummer on 43 Number 1 Hit Singles". Coda-uk.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ a b Dolbear, Mike (22 April 2017). "Clem Cattini". Mike Dolbear. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008) - IMDb. Retrieved 2 July 2024 – via m.imdb.com.
- ^ "Celebrated drummer Clem Cattini joins the Skammers to record hit Telstar | Enfield Advertiser & Gazette". Enfield-today.co.uk. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Clem Cattini: My Life, Through the Eye of a Tornado". Clemcattinibook.com. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ Wilson, John (28 March 2010). "Clem Cattini, Britain's record chart topper, keeps that backbeat going strong at 72". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2 July 2024.