Greg Clarke has passed away
It is with much sadness that I learnt of the passing today of Greg Clarke, one of Australia’s finest Audio Engineers.
I still remember the exact day I met Clarkey just over 20 years ago. It was the 17th March 1990 (I still have the backstage pass!) at Waves Nightclub at Towradgi Beach, Wollongong & he was the sound man for an up & coming band called Judge Mercy. They were supporting a Cold Chisel cover band I was mixing & I still remember how much sound he managed to squeeze out of that poor PA. It wasn’t just loud though, which was a bit of a trademark of his, but it was loud and awesome! The guy could make your teeth rattle and make you love it all at the same time. Someone once told me that he’d managed to blow up a good chunk of the subs while Judge Mercy were supporting AC/DC a few years back. That sounds like Clarkey!
It was no accident that he would end up working for such legends as Billy Thorpe, Rose Tattoo & too many other quality acts to keep track of. He was very close to Billy Thorpe and was working on his album when Billy died.
He was a guy with great technical knowledge too & proved helpful to me at many gigs over the years but especially in the early days. Sadly, the last time I saw him was at Pat Pickett’s funeral where, despite his own grief, he was running around helping to organise things and working on a video tribute to Pat. That’s the kind of bloke he was. Genuine.
Funeral details:
Tribe we wish to invite you to Greg Clarke’s service and reception to be held in Sydney on Wednesday 8th June at Notes Niteclub 75 Enmore Road Newtown 11 am Funeral Ceremony 12 noon Reception and tall Stories …….. to all those who knew Greg lets send him off accordingly………..
Rest In Peace Greg.
Images courtesy of Clint Braddick
@DamienCripps @AusMusicHistory Greg Clarke has passed away – http://tinyurl.com/3j3bgag
I didn’t know Greg Clarke for too long but the times that I had shared with him will always be fond memories to me. He was a kind hearted, humble, gentle, friendly man who lived and breathed music and who had the ability to make every musician shine!
You’ll be missed Clarkey! It was an honour and a pleasure to have met and experience you, I’ve learnt much from you. Our future may have been cut short but your name will carry on. Rest In Peace my friend.
Clarky was a great bloke, & was so good at his work; on the odd occasion I was back far enough to hear the bands through the PA; it was always top notch (& top volume): Judge Mercy, Tatts gigs were (are) great enough anyway, Clarky just made them greater!
RIP….My dear friend…..you will sadly missed and loved by many…..thankyou for what you shared with me the laughs the long nights the bands and breakys in Surry Hills….the good times we shared in the studio…..so so sad so so young…
I will chersih these memorys i have that we had for the rest of time…..
Will miss you
Kymmie xxxxxxxxxxx
Too lose a loved one! is real! Too lose a mate is real! Too lose a talent is real!
I SEND MY LOVE TOO ALL CONCERNED.
VERY SAD MOMENT! That we all have too carry.
robin stark.
2011.
life deals bad blows!
It is with a heavy heart that I write these lines. My friend Greg Clarke is no longer with us and there is one less reason to smile.
Clarkie was a mate, a friend firstly and by chance, a colleague. Back in 1990 when I put together the band Judge Mercy, Greg joined us as our sound engineer and quickly became our road manager, production manager, security co ordinator and I always considered him our fifth member.
Together with Brownie, The Booger Brothers gave us their lives for three long hard years as we toured the country trying to make this thing work.
Six of us and all our backline gear in a toyota commuter bus, sitting on roadcases from Brisbane to Adelaide and back again, over and over.
And for what? Surely not for the money, but because Clarkie believed in us, probably more than we believed in ourselves.
There was nothing he wouldn’t do for us, he just gave and gave and gave most P.A.s a hiding in the process. I seem to remember having to smuggle him into some venues because he was banned for blowing up the house system on too many occasions. Greg was great company. A man with diverse interests, we could chat for hours about anything and it was good to stop talking music for a while and rap with Clarkie about Austin Healeys or weather patterns or whatever.
We stayed in touch and I spent the last few days going over old emails from Clackers and reliving great days with him. We worked together again in mid 90s with Billy Thorpe and it was great that Mick O’Shea was on board for one of those tours so that 3 old Mercy Brothers were reunited.
I saw him again when I was in Sydney with Billy Joel in 2008, so great to see that big smile and grab a big bear hug.
I’ll miss you my brother. You were loved.
Rest in peace Greg Clarke.
Andy Cichon
it was certainly a sad phone call i recieved last night of Clarkeys passing..
I spent time on the road with greg doin the rads, he took me under his wing and taught me so much on how to make a pa system breathe and then he would always say. once you got it rockin,” then ring its neck out “..
greg was one of the first people to contact me after TC yasi came through here and that meant so much to me.. i can remember him sayin, “hey goover, was it rattlin your walls..”
Clarkey, your gonna be missed for a long time, thank you for everything you taught me, till we all meet again in rock n roll land…
Sam Figallo
i’m sad that i wasn’t able to be in Sydney to farewell you Greg (Clacker’s). my Mother passed away a month ago and i am sure you are all together hav’n a hoot…cya Guido
Very sad to hear of Greg’s passing. I knew Greg for a short while way back in the mid to late 80’s when he’d mix my band in places like the Landsdowne and Annandale Hotels among others. He worked with many many other indie bands all over Sydney at the time, everyone knew him and he was very popular. I remember him as a lovely and genuine guy who’d do anything to help. Not at all surprised he went on to work with Thorpie and the Tatts etc. Terrible sad news.
top fulla always a legend
I will always remember a famous quote from Greg, I the monitors in the red. It’s working.