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RICK CLARE
Rick Clare was a member of the first East Bay punk band the Street Punks. The former president of Reprise Records, Howie Klein wrote, "this hard rocking quartet packs the dynamic punch of true rockers like AC/DC or the early Stones, with a bona fide 1977 approach to the art". The Street Punks played throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and were a common attraction at San Francisco's infamous punk/new wave club, the Mabuhay Gardens. They also ventured to Los Angeles and played numerous clubs in the area, the most renowned was Hollywood's Whisky-A-Go-Go. The Street Punks were featured in local newspapers/magazines as well as national publications such as Rock Scene and Creem magazine. The Street Punks disbanded in 1978.
While still with the Street Punks, in late 1977 Rick offered to play bass for the premier San Francisco punk band, the Nuns. Unfortunately Rick was denied the spot and was informed by Alejandro Escovedo's roadie, "the reason they're turning you down is because the way you look; you're too clean."
A few months after the demise of the Street Punks (summer of 1978), Rick accepted a job with country singer Chinga Chavin, replacing guitarist and Bam Magazine founder, Dennis Erokan. Six months later Chavin packed up and moved to New York. In the early summer of 1979, Rick joined the hugely popular S.F. pop band, Times 5, where he would have his most success in the business.
After Rick's tenure with Times 5, he immediately joined the Bay Area band, Fun Addicts, which lasted until 1983. Soon after the breakup of the Fun Addicts, Rick returned to college and during this time founded a band called Language Arts with former members of Times 5. After the breakup of Language Arts and while working as a Computer Programmer, Rick earned a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University.
Other local bands that offered Rick a job were Berkeley pop band, Sudden Fun, which he declined because of commitments to Times 5, as well as an offer to play bass for singer/songwriter, Robert Siedler. Rick regretfully declined the Siedler offer due to his focus on getting a college degree, as well as his non-interest in continuing to be a backup musician for other artists.
From 1979 to 1988, Rick operated a small recording studio out of his parent's house in Hayward. Among the bands Rick recorded were Times 5, Language Arts, Social Unrest, as well as demos for miscellaneous musicians such as Karl Leiker and Larry Carter of Romeo Void. During this period, and while working as a side musician for local bands, Rick wrote and recorded numerous songs under the band name, County Clare.
Today, Rick works as a Software Developer for VMware, and lives in Danville, CA., with his wife and two young sons. After a lengthy musical hiatus, Rick currently is in the process of re-tooling his home studio and is writing and recording new material.
One last thing, Rick's two sons, Jake and Sean, are taking guitar lessons so hopefully the tradition of art and music will be passed on to a new generation of Clares.
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