By Diego Cataldo
Having your name etched forever in the world of music is no easy feat, and it becomes even more complicated if your style isn't part of the mainstream , Clive Burr 's name is eternal.
Iron Maiden 's first three albums , the drummer, who passed away on March 13, 2013, left behind a huge legacy for a future generation of musicians who, like him, forged their path in Metal.
Averse to interviews — Clive wasn't even interviewed for Iron Maiden's official biography — the drummer impressed with his "rhythmic sensitivity, mainly because his forte was the swing of big bands , which also inspired figures like Ian Paice of Deep Purple Bruce Dickinson stated in his autobiography.
BEGINNINGS
Born on March 8, 1957 in London, Clive Roland Burr decided he would be a drummer from a young age. During his school years, Clive assembled his first homemade drum kit, much to the horror of his neighbors in Manor Park, East London.
"Everything we had around the house, he was banging on with drumsticks." [Kiara Burr]
Upon discovering Deep Purple and their fantastic drummer Ian Paice, Burr became obsessed with the instrument. His first drum kit was given to him by his mother when he was 15 years old. Clive was self-taught, never attended a music school, and everything he learned was by listening to his favorite drummers.
“It was fine by him, but they [the neighbors] didn’t need to hear it. I used to leave the apartment afraid to look the neighbors in the face because of the noise he was making.” [Kiara Burr]
In the 1970s, the musician began to venture into bands that played in bars in the region, and thus developed his talent with the drumsticks.
“I always wanted to play drums. Back then, I wasn’t playing in a regular band, I was playing in bars with various bands, even though I wasn’t old enough to join. I was always crazy about playing drums, but I only managed to do it thanks to a succession of opportunities and encounters.” [Clive Burr]
Burr then joined a local band called Maya when an invitation opened the doors to professionalism for him. At that time, a trio formed by Paul Samson (guitar/vocals), John McCoy (bass), and Roger Hunt lineup changes . McCoy left the band citing excessive workload. Thus, Samson brought in bassist Chris Aymler , who had played with Burr in Maya.
In 1977, Hunt also left the early stages of Samson, and Clive Burr took over on drums.
SAMSON
Burr's time with Samson was short, but it yielded two great singles . Shortly after taking over the drums in the band, Clive and his colleagues headed to the studio in March 1978 to record the single " Mr. Rock & Roll/Driving Music" for Lightning Records.
In October of the same year, the band entered Surrey Sound Studios in London to record their second single , titled " Telephone/Leavin' You, " again for Lightning Records. The single was well-received within the new wave of British heavy metal , but fell short of what Paul Samson had hoped for.
While Paul Samson felt somewhat frustrated with his band, Burr's luck began to change. The guitarist's band suffered from lineup changes until, at the end of 1978, it lost its drummer. On the other hand, a certain Bruce Bruce took over the vocals for the band…
“Clive had played in Samson before me and found our juxtaposition highly amusing. He was a very open, welcoming and friendly guy, loved to talk about drums, women and designer sunglasses.” [Bruce Dickinson]
IRON MAIDEN
In 1979, Iron Maiden found themselves at a crossroads. With the resounding success following the release of the EP *The Soundhouse Tapes *—which reached the important milestone of five thousand copies sold—Maiden signed a contract with the major label EMI to release their first album. However, Doug Sampson , the drummer at the time, seemed unenthusiastic about the growth and the new responsibility. Therefore, at the end of 1979, Sampson left Iron Maiden.
“He [Doug] started complaining that he was always tired on tour, and he couldn’t take it anymore. But we were only doing two or three shows a week, and I started thinking that things weren’t going to get any better from there, and I imagined what would happen when we started doing six shows a week for a year.” [Steve Harris]
Clive's first contact with Maiden came through then-guitarist Dennis Stratton . The two, who hadn't seen each other for five years, met in a pub . In a brief conversation, Stratton mentioned that he had joined Iron Maiden, and Burr asked if they needed a drummer. And they did.
Being a newcomer to the band, Stratton hesitated to tell Steve that he knew someone who could replace Sampson. When he finally did, Harris asked Stratton to contact Burr.
“One day I got a call from Dennis Stratton who told me that Maiden were looking for a new drummer. Steve Harris and Rod Smallwood came to see me at this little pub where I was playing at the time. They wanted to meet me so they could see for themselves how I played. After a few days I got another call from them, this time asking me to rehearse with them. Then I met the whole band and everything went so well that I got the job.” [Clive Burr]
Clive Burr was the right drummer for the right band at that time, and the excitement could be measured in the words of his friend Stratton:
“I remember Clive going into the studio and playing 'Phantom Of The Opera,' and everyone knew he was going to be the guy!” [Dennis Stratton]
In January 1980, Burr entered the studio with his new bandmates to record Iron Maiden's self-titled debut single , "Running Free," on the shelves, which sold 10,000 copies in its first week and reached number 44 on the charts BBC 's Top of the Pops program .
Iron Maiden hit stores in April 1980, debuting at number 4 on the charts , selling an incredible 60,000 copies and earning the band their first silver record. Capitalizing on this success, the record label released the singles "Sanctuary" and "Woman In Uniform," the latter being Maiden's first music video.
As a B-side to "Woman In Uniform," the band re-recorded the song "Invasion," originally recorded by Sampson on The Soundhouse Tapes , featuring a monstrous performance by Burr on drums.
Clive's career within Iron Maiden was growing exponentially. The band toured England with Judas Priest and then toured Europe with Kiss . The high point, however, was Maiden being chosen as co-headliners for that year's Reading Festival.
>> Listen to Iron Maiden at the Reading Festival '80
At the end of 1980, Clive Burr saw his friend Dennis Stratton fired from the band and replaced by Adrian Smith . With this lineup, Maiden entered the studio to record their second album, titled Killers .
Despite not receiving as warm a reception as their debut album, Killers , released in February 1981, earned Iron Maiden their first tour outside of Europe, with dates in the United States, Canada, and Japan. The trip to the Land of the Rising Sun resulted in the live EP Maiden Japan , a clear reference to Deep Purple's Made In Japan
>> Watch Iron Maiden on German TV in 1981.
In May 1981, Maiden released their first home video , "Live At Rainbow." Recorded in December 1980, the video showcases the band's energetic live performances. For the first time, everyone could witness Burr's exuberance in songs like "Phantom Of The Opera" and "Transylvania."
But not everything was rosy for the London band. At the end of 1981, vocalist Paul Di'Anno was fired from Maiden due to excesses that hampered his performance with the microphone during tours. To replace him, an old acquaintance of Clive Burr was hired: Bruce Dickinson , formerly of Samson.
“I asked Clive how I could possibly make my own doll outfit*. He told me. Biker jacket, striped t-shirt, white high-top sneakers… the only problem was the stretchy jeans.” [Bruce Dickinson]
[ Note* : In his autobiography, Bruce Dickinson recounts that during his time with Samson, he and his bandmates used to tease Burr, saying that Maiden dressed in "doll clothes."]
With their new vocalist, Iron Maiden headed to Battery Studios in London to record the album that would change the history of the band and its members. The Number Of The Beast was Maiden's first album to sell over 1 million copies, launching its musicians to stardom and total dedication to music.
Clive Burr is credited as a co-writer on two songs from the album: “Gangland” and “Total Eclipse.” The first, with its incredible drum line, made it onto the album. The second was chosen as a B-side for a single .
“The first song we recorded was meant to be a B-side. It was called Gangland, and Clive Burr got a co-writing credit, based on the fact that the drums were as integral to the song as the guitar riffs.” [Bruce Dickinson]
"Total Eclipse," on the other hand, is described by the vocalist as an "unexpectedly good B-side."
With the album selling extraordinarily well around the globe, the band's obligations also increased—and the shows didn't stop. The intense pace of travel, shows, rehearsals, and other commitments—in addition to stardom—took a toll on everyone's heads.
“We were taken to the venue, then taken back to the hotel before being taken to the next city and so on… We didn’t have time to stop and think about what was happening. Everything was going so fast, it was a crazy schedule: hotel, show, hotel, show… When we arrived at a venue, everything was already set up and all we had to do was get on stage…” [Clive Burr]
Despite the band's musical success, internally, problems with Clive Burr worried Steve Harris and manager Rod Smallwood . The drummer, like the previous vocalist, began to exhibit problems, according to Steve, due to excesses. This marked the beginning of Burr's decline in Iron Maiden.
“I don’t drink or do drugs, and I have nothing against those who do, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their work when they’re on stage. I remember one show where Clive spent the whole time vomiting into a bucket next to the drums, and that’s when I started to worry if we’d make it to the end of that tour.” [Steve Harris]
Burr was fired from Iron Maiden at the end of The Number Of The Beast , which included almost 190 shows worldwide. The drummer, however, denies that he was dismissed from Maiden because of the problems mentioned by the bassist.
“The decision was probably made by the band, or, to be more precise, by the man who has always led Iron Maiden. Of course, I'm talking about Steve Harris. It's always been his band from the beginning and, you know, I never one day said, 'That's it, I'm leaving.' I simply accepted the decision as it was.” [Clive Burr]
While the band was touring the United States promoting the album, Burr received news of his father's death. The drummer recounts that he was given permission by Maiden to be with his family, and upon his return, he sensed something strange in the air.
“I came back and I could sense that something wasn’t right. There was a meeting and the atmosphere was tense. ‘We think it’s time for a break,’ they said.” [Clive Burr]
Bruce Dickinson tried to explain his friend's dismissal:
“The issue wasn’t the baggage, or the partying, or the women, because we’ve all been guilty of that at some point or another. The term ‘artistic differences’ would give undue weight to his creative contribution. The closest phrase I can come up with would be ‘irreparable, self-fulfilling disagreements.’ The breakdown of the relationship between a drummer and a bassist is quite crucial, especially when the bassist happens to be the main songwriter and leader of the band.” [Bruce Dickinson]
And Burr adds:
“I think if you’re going to fire someone, firing that person right after they’ve lost their father isn’t the best time to do it… I think they had their reasons. And that was it. There was a period of mourning — I felt for my father and I felt for my band — and then I got up and carried on.” [Clive Burr]
Having left Iron Maiden and being unemployed, Burr just wanted to get back to playing as soon as possible, even if it meant playing in pubs .
“I just wanted to play. When I came home from Germany, after Maiden, I used to put my hair up in a hat, put on a pair of sunglasses and play with anyone who wanted me, in bars around London. I just wanted to play drums.” [Clive Burr]
In 1983, a phone call brought the musician back into the spotlight…
TRUST and STRATUS
The French band Trust has shaken up its lineup thanks to the changes in Iron Maiden. Trust lost Nicko McBrain to Maiden and, to replace him, recruited Clive Burr.
“The Trust contacted me. Since my father passed away, I went to see my mother and visit some relatives in Germany. I stayed there for a while and, I don’t know how, I received a call from the Trust asking me to go to Paris to rehearse with them. So I got in the car and met them there. We played and they asked me to record their new album.” [Clive Burr]
With Trust, Clive played on the albums Idéal (1983) and Man's Trap (1984). However, the drummer's participation was limited to studio work. Burr did not tour with the French band.
During this same period, Burr formed his solo project called Clive Burr's Escape , which later changed its name to Stratus and released the album Throwing Shapes in 1984. The song "Run for Your Life" received positive reviews and was included in a film soundtrack. Also during this time, he had a very brief stint with Alcatrazz , which, according to Burr, ended too quickly.
GOGMAGOG
In 1985, Burr joined the sinking ship called Gogmagog . The project, led by British producer Jonathan King, didn't yield the expected results, even with Burr and Di'Anno (formerly of Iron Maiden), Pete Willis (formerly of Def Leppard ), Janick Gers (then a member of White Spirit ), and Neil Murray . The result of this reunion was the EP I Will Be There .
“I have to say it was kind of like, ‘This is the next band, something that’s going to be big, huge…’ and so on. We were conditioned to achieve this goal. We had just recorded our first EP, but our managers didn’t support us wholeheartedly. The same thing happened with our record label; they didn’t do a decent job of promoting the band in any country. It’s a shame, because it was basically a good band.” [Clive Burr]
![Gogmagog - I Will Be There (1985) [Full EP]](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/XuAzi-PlaNw/hqdefault.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
DESPERATE
>> Watch Clive Burr in a rehearsal with Desperado.
In 1988, Burr joined the Desperado , led by Dee Snider , vocalist of Twisted Sister . In the early 1990s, the demo Demo I + III . The band's debut album, which played an Americanized Hard N' Heavy sound called Bloodied But Unbowed, was only released in 1996 by Destroyer Records. In the 2000s, the album was re-released under the name Ace .
“This was also a good band. Bernie Tormé was in it. But I ended up in a situation where there wasn’t enough money invested in the band. Plus, the record label executives suddenly decided they weren’t going to produce any more rock albums. So, obviously, it all ended.” [Clive Burr]
ELIXIR
During the same period in which he joined Desperado, Burr also played with Elixir , a band formed in London in the early 1980s and part of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal . Along with Paul Taylor (vocals), Phil Denton and Norman Gordon (guitars), and Mark White (bass), Burr recorded the albums Lethal Potion (1990) and Sovereign Remedy , released only in 2004.
PRAYING MANTIS
The last musical endeavor in which Clive Burr was involved was Praying Mantis , a band originating from the NWOBHM. In 1995/1996, Burr replaced Bruce Bisland and recorded the live album Captured Alive in Tokyo City alongside fellow ex-Iron Maiden members Dennis Stratton (guitar), Tino Troy (guitar), Chris Troy (bass), Gary Barden (vocals), and Michael Scherchen (keyboards).
PERSONAL TRAGEDY
While trying to get back into the music scene by jumping from band to band, Clive Burr began to feel a tingling sensation in his hands, his main tool of the trade. Burr thought it would soon pass. But it didn't. The tingling only worsened, and so did Clive's worry. Without a precise diagnosis, the musician thought it was because of the drums. This was in the late 1980s.
The tingling sensation persisted, and Burr began to suffer from it. Holding his drumsticks became a difficult task.
“I kept dropping things. I couldn’t hold anything properly. I could barely hold my drumsticks.” [Clive Burr]
Clive sought medical help, and a significant number of tests were performed until, in the mid-1990s, he received a diagnosis: Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis, a more aggressive variation of multiple sclerosis, as the name suggests.
Burr left the scene and his physical condition was unknown until the early 2000s. When contacted to discuss the recording of the album The Number Of The Beast for the documentary Classic Albums , Clive revealed his situation.
“The company that produces these videos contacted me. I received a letter through the Musicians’ Union, of which I am a member, because nobody knows my address. The letter said: ‘We are currently preparing a video about the production of The Number Of The Beast. Would you agree to participate and give some interviews?’ I eagerly agreed.” [Clive Burr]
It was through this contact between Burr and the video production company that Iron Maiden learned about the situation their former drummer was experiencing.
“I gave these interviews for the video and asked the production if I could insert a small note saying, ‘Hi, this is Clive Burr. I am currently suffering from multiple sclerosis.’ I wanted to do this so that the fans would know, and I tried to make the message as short as possible. When the editor sent the final product to Steve Harris to validate the project, he found my note. That’s how he found out about my health. Steve then called me, as did the band’s manager. They decided to do something to help me.” [Clive Burr]
At the time, Iron Maiden was on hiatus after all the success with Bruce and Adrian's return and the album Brave New World . To help the former drummer, the band reunited and scheduled three performances at Brixton Academy in London in 2002 and created the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund . All the ticket money was donated to this fund, as well as the royalties from the single "Run To The Hills," which had been re-released.
In numbers, the fund raised approximately £250,000, including donations and royalties. Another £60,000 was donated to help the former drummer keep his house—Burr was at risk of losing it. Around £10,000 was donated for Clive to travel to Belgium for treatment. Among other things, Iron Maiden gave him a larger car to accommodate his wheelchair and installed a lift in his face for better mobility.
“We call it [the car] the Clivemobile. It’s a Volkswagen Caddy with tinted windows. It’s like an American gangster car. They put an elevator on the stairs in our house. Sometimes I go up the stairs looking at the gold and platinum records on the wall.” [Clive Burr]
In the face of his personal tragedy, Burr and his former band grew closer again. The former drummer was always called onto the stage when Iron Maiden played in London and was seen in photographs with his former bandmates. After all, despite the distance, for Clive there were no hard feelings between him and Maiden.
“Every time they play in London, Clive knows that all he has to do is grab his headphones and he has the two best tickets in the place. It might not seem like much, but for Clive, it is. In the end, for him, it’s how his accomplishments—who he is and what he’s done—are being recognized.” [Mimi Burr]
DEATH
On the morning of March 13, 2013, a statement was posted on Iron Maiden's social media with the sad news: Clive Burr had passed away at the age of 56.
"We are deeply saddened to report that Clive Burr passed away last night. He suffered from serious health problems for many years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and died peacefully in his sleep at home."
The same statement included words from Bruce and Steve lamenting the death of their former bandmate and revering him as "a wonderful person and an incredible drummer" and "humorous and irreverent."
The music world paid tribute to Burr. Names like Dee Snider, Charlie Benante , Dave Lombardo , Aquiles Priester , Mike Portnoy and others spoke about the legacy Clive left in Heavy Metal.
Clive Ronald Burr's funeral took place on March 25th at the City of London Cemetery in London, and his body was cremated.
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.