At #52 for All-Time, another veteran guitarist. It's not impossible but tough to be ranked this high unless you are...
Edward Allan Clarke was born October 5, 1950 in London but has become known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke with Motorhead and Fastway.
Clarke began playing guitar at age 15 in several bands including the Bitter End. Then in 1973, he landed his first professional job as the lead guitarist of the band Zeus. Zeus recorded the albums The Second Coming in 1974 and the follow-up Sea of Time. Eddie then got together with guitarist friend Allan Callan, keyboardist Nicky Hogarth and drummer Chris Perry at a recorded jam session and landed a deal with Anchor Records. But Clarke left over the group's lack of progress before they would release their eponymous album.
Clarke formed another band called Continuous Performance, but demo tracks failed to get them a record deal and that band split up. When another attempt with yet another combination of musicians failed to secure a recording contract, Clarke temporarily gave up on the music industry.
But sometimes opportunities present themselves at the least expected time and, while Clarke was working on re-fitting a houseboat, he met drummer Phil Taylor. Taylor had recently joined the group Motorhead and he introduced Clarke to Lemmy. Not long after that, Clarke was playing lead guitar for the group. With that trio, Motorhead gained in popularity and chart success in the U.K. The trio was responsible for the albums Motorhead, Overkill, Ace of Spades, Bomber, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith and Iron Fist.
Overkill reached #24 in the U.K. and Motorhead toured to support the album. After an appearance at the Reading Festival, the group went back to work on their next album, Bomber. That album peaked at #12 in the U.K. and their tour featured an spectacular aircraft bomber-shaped lighting rig. Next came Ace of Spades in 1980, Motorhead's most successful album to date. It went all the way to #4 on the U.K. album chart and the title song was a Top 15 hit.
The group's follow-up was No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith, which was a #1 smash album in 1981 in the U.K. Motorhead toured the United States for the first time opening for Ozzy Osbourne. The hard-working group then cranked out the album Iron Fist, which hit #2 in their native country.
Clarke left Motorhead in 1982 while on a tour of the United State, unhappy with the results of the Iron Fist album. After hearing that Pete Way, the bassist of UFO, was leaving that group, Fast Eddie and Way met and formed an amalgamation of their names, resulting in Fastway. The group soon hired vocalist Dave King and drummer Jerry Shirley, a former member of Humble Pie.
The band mailed demo tapes and were about to sign with CBS Records when Way departed to work for Ozzy Osbourne. However, CBS had faith in the group and decided to sign them anyway. Touring took its toll, however, and the band soon split. Clarke then received a call from King about giving Fastway another try. The remaining two members rehearsed with three of King's friends, guitarist and keyboardist Shane Carroll, drummer Alan Connor and bassist Paul Reid. CBS was happy with the group and they recorded the album Waiting For the Roar at London's famous Abbey Road Studios in 1986.
The group toured the United States, opening for AC/DC and a long European tour produced the 1992 album Say What You Will - Live. After the band split up again, Clarke met with Lea Hart, a solo artist in the Far East. Clarke & Hart took a demo tape to Douglas Smith, the former manager of Motorhead, who was working at GWR Records. Still using the name Fastway, they recorded the album On Target with Bram Tchaikovsky of the Motors and Christine Byford as backing vocalists, Don and Paul Airey on keyboards and bassist Neil Murray. After two albums, Clarke & Hart split up.
Clarke then released the solo album It Ain't Over Till It's Over, with Lemmy from Motorhead helping out on "Laugh at the Devil". The double CD Fast Eddie Clarke Anthology was released, featuring a compilation of his best work before and after Motorhead. Fastway reformed and played festival dates across Europe in 2007.
Eddie Clarke is indeed fast, attacking his guitar with relentless runs and sweeping picks. Clarke earns the #52 position...
#52: Eddie Clarke, Fastway, Motorhead
40 years as an active guitarist
(some of his best solos)
Edward Allan Clarke was born October 5, 1950 in London but has become known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke with Motorhead and Fastway.
Clarke began playing guitar at age 15 in several bands including the Bitter End. Then in 1973, he landed his first professional job as the lead guitarist of the band Zeus. Zeus recorded the albums The Second Coming in 1974 and the follow-up Sea of Time. Eddie then got together with guitarist friend Allan Callan, keyboardist Nicky Hogarth and drummer Chris Perry at a recorded jam session and landed a deal with Anchor Records. But Clarke left over the group's lack of progress before they would release their eponymous album.
Clarke formed another band called Continuous Performance, but demo tracks failed to get them a record deal and that band split up. When another attempt with yet another combination of musicians failed to secure a recording contract, Clarke temporarily gave up on the music industry.
But sometimes opportunities present themselves at the least expected time and, while Clarke was working on re-fitting a houseboat, he met drummer Phil Taylor. Taylor had recently joined the group Motorhead and he introduced Clarke to Lemmy. Not long after that, Clarke was playing lead guitar for the group. With that trio, Motorhead gained in popularity and chart success in the U.K. The trio was responsible for the albums Motorhead, Overkill, Ace of Spades, Bomber, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith and Iron Fist.
Overkill reached #24 in the U.K. and Motorhead toured to support the album. After an appearance at the Reading Festival, the group went back to work on their next album, Bomber. That album peaked at #12 in the U.K. and their tour featured an spectacular aircraft bomber-shaped lighting rig. Next came Ace of Spades in 1980, Motorhead's most successful album to date. It went all the way to #4 on the U.K. album chart and the title song was a Top 15 hit.
The group's follow-up was No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith, which was a #1 smash album in 1981 in the U.K. Motorhead toured the United States for the first time opening for Ozzy Osbourne. The hard-working group then cranked out the album Iron Fist, which hit #2 in their native country.
Clarke left Motorhead in 1982 while on a tour of the United State, unhappy with the results of the Iron Fist album. After hearing that Pete Way, the bassist of UFO, was leaving that group, Fast Eddie and Way met and formed an amalgamation of their names, resulting in Fastway. The group soon hired vocalist Dave King and drummer Jerry Shirley, a former member of Humble Pie.
The band mailed demo tapes and were about to sign with CBS Records when Way departed to work for Ozzy Osbourne. However, CBS had faith in the group and decided to sign them anyway. Touring took its toll, however, and the band soon split. Clarke then received a call from King about giving Fastway another try. The remaining two members rehearsed with three of King's friends, guitarist and keyboardist Shane Carroll, drummer Alan Connor and bassist Paul Reid. CBS was happy with the group and they recorded the album Waiting For the Roar at London's famous Abbey Road Studios in 1986.
The group toured the United States, opening for AC/DC and a long European tour produced the 1992 album Say What You Will - Live. After the band split up again, Clarke met with Lea Hart, a solo artist in the Far East. Clarke & Hart took a demo tape to Douglas Smith, the former manager of Motorhead, who was working at GWR Records. Still using the name Fastway, they recorded the album On Target with Bram Tchaikovsky of the Motors and Christine Byford as backing vocalists, Don and Paul Airey on keyboards and bassist Neil Murray. After two albums, Clarke & Hart split up.
Clarke then released the solo album It Ain't Over Till It's Over, with Lemmy from Motorhead helping out on "Laugh at the Devil". The double CD Fast Eddie Clarke Anthology was released, featuring a compilation of his best work before and after Motorhead. Fastway reformed and played festival dates across Europe in 2007.
Eddie Clarke is indeed fast, attacking his guitar with relentless runs and sweeping picks. Clarke earns the #52 position...
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