Smith & D'Abo
 

The Dave Clark Five lead singer Mike Smith died of pneumonia Thursday February 28, 2008, less than two weeks before the band was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mike became 64.

Mike Smith died at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital north of London. He was admitted to the intensive care unit Wednesday morning with a chest infection, a complication from a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed below the ribcage with limited use of his upper body. He was injured when he fell from a fence at his home in Spain in September 2003.

Mike had been in the hospital since the accident, and was just released last December when he moved into a specially prepared home near the hospital with his wife Charlie.
 

The Smith & d'Abo discography

UK

25-06-76 Running Away From Love/Rockin' Chair CBS S 4417
03-09-76 Free As A Bird/Only Love CBS S 4587
05-11-76 Ray Of Sunshine/Loving You (Came So Easy) CBS S 4754
08-76 LP Smith & d'Abo CBS 81583

 

side one:    side two:
Hang Your Hat Running Away From Love
Two Worlds   Rockin' Chair
Free As A Bird A Broken Dream
Ray Of Sunshine    Lovin' You (Came So Easy)
Happy (Hollywood Symphony) Take You Higher
Skid Row Kid    Only Love

 

11-76 LP Evita MCA Records MCX 503

side one :
A Cinema In Buenos Aires, 26 July 1952
Requiem for Evita/Oh What A Circus
On This Night Of A Thousand Stars/Eva and Magaldi/Eva
Buenos Aires Beware Of The City Goodnight And Thank You

side two :        
The Lady's Got Potential
Charity Concert/I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You
Another Suitcase In Another Hall
Dangerous Jade
A New Argentina

side three:       
On The Balcony Of The Casa Rosada/Don't Cry For Me
High Flying, Adored Argentina
Rainbow High
Rainbow Tour
The Actress Hasn't Learned The Lines (You'd Like To Hear)
And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out)

side four :
Santa Evita
Waltz For Eva And Che
She's A Diamond
Dice Are Rolling/Eve's Sonnet
Eva's Final Broadcast
Montage
Lament

All songs are written and produced by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice.

On the cover and the enclosed booklet is printed that Smith & d'Abo play the role of Dolan Getty & sidekick in the song "A New Argentina", but they are also the officers 1 & 2 in "Rainbow Tour", which, in my opinion, is one of the best songs of this double album.

11-76 LP Wizards Convention RCA Victor RS 1085 (UK)
    RCA Victor PPL 1-8118 (Canada/Germany/Holland)

 

side one:    side two:
The Craig Song Until Tomorrow - part I – IV
When The Sun Stop Shining Light Of My Life
Loose Ends She's A Woman
Money To Burn       Swanks And Swells - part I
Who's Counting On Me Swanks & Swells - part II
Make It Soon  

Vocals on "Who's Counting On Me" by Smith & d'Abo, while the song was written by Eddie Hardin. Other artists on this album are: Ric Lee, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Rick van der Linden, David Coverdale, Glen Hughes, Tony Ashton, Chris Barber Band, Eddie Hardin, Pete York, Ray Fenwick, Jimmy Helms, Mark Nauseef, Leslie Binks, Henry Spinetti, Mo Foster, Mike Smith & Mike d'Abo. From these names we will find Jimmy Helms later back in the musical "Time" by Dave Clark, while Mo Foster also played in the band of Smith & d'Abo.

Also many Deep Purple and Spencer Davis Group members are involved in this album, however the music isn't hardrock but more easy listening, especially the Smith & d'Abo song "Who's Counting On Me".

In December 1979 I visited Mike Smith and asked for more details about this album, but Mike didn't even know it was released, and asked me if I could get a copy for him, which I did. He could remember that he and Mike d'Abo were in the recording studio when someone asked them to sing in a song, but never knew it was put on a record. They probably liked the song as much as I do. On the cover is a small picture of the two Mikes looking at a sheet of paper with probably the music and lyrics.

..-85 LP Money To Burn President PTLS 1079 (UK)

 

side one:    side two:
The Craig Song       Until Tomorrow - part I – IV
When The Sun Stops Shining Light Of My Life
Loose Ends       She's A Woman
Money To Burn    Swanks And Swells - part I
Who's Counting On Me      Swanks And Swells - part II
Make It Soon  

Mike d'Abo gave me this album when I visited his home on October 31, 1997. This album has the same tracks as the album "Wizard's Convention" only the albumtitle was changed in the songtitle of one of the tracks.

Probably President records bought the rights of this album, but then it's a bit strange to see Repertoire Records release this album on CD with the note "Made under license from Eddie Hardin". I'll try to inform at President Records about this puzzle.

-93 CD Butterfly Ball/Wizard's Convention - Roger Glover & Others .... ... Connoisseur VSOPCD 139 (UK)

This 2CD set has been released in 1993. Among the tracks of the "Wizard's Convention CD is the song "Who's Counting On Me" with vocals by Smith & d'Abo. The single "Butterfly Ball" was a hugh success in Holland, probably through the cartoon clip that accompanied the song. Later (in 1985) Paul McCartney made a similar clip to his song "We All Stand Together".

--94 CD Wizard's Convention Repertoire Records REP 4474-WY (UK)

 

The tracks of this CD are:  
1. The Craig Song    10. Swanks And Swells - part 1
2. When The Sun Stops Shining   11. Swanks And Swells - part 2
3. Loose Ends 12. Looking Forward To Tomorrow
4. Money To Burn     13. Time For Another
5. Whose Counting On Me 14. The Put Down Song
6. Make It Soon   15. Goodnight Children
7. Until Tomorrow 16. Summer Days
8. Light Of My Life 17. Seems I'm Always Gonna Love You
9. She's A Woman  

Repertoire Records "leased" the "Wizard's Convention" albumtracks from RCA Records, added 6 new tracks (tracks 12-17) and released this CD in 1994. It's good to see the song "Who's Counting On Me", with Mike Smith and Mike d'Abo on vocals, on a CD.

Still it's a bit strange, that this CD has "p - 1976 RCA Records", while the 1985 album "Money To Burn" has "p - 1976 President Records". Who's able to solve this "problem".

The front cover of the CD has again a lot on small pictures, but however Smith & d'Abo were on two of them on the album cover, they are not on the cover of the CD (shame on you Repertoire Records).

05-97 CD Wizard's Convention 2 Angel Air SJPCD009 (UK)

Edel 0029152EDL (Germany)

Twenty years after the first Wizard's Convention album, volume two was released, with again many well known artists like Chris Farlowe, Snowy White, Ray Fenwick, Mo Foster, Chris Thompson. This time no Smith & d'Abo song, but a duet of the two Manfred Mann singers Mike d'Abo and Paul Jones. For further details about this album, see the Mike d'Abo solo part of this book.

Australia

00-76 Ray of sunshine/Loving you (came so easy) CBS BA 222263

Holland
 
08-76 LP Smith & d'Abo CBS 81583

 

side one:      side two:
Hang Your Hat Running Away From Love
Two Worlds    Rockin' Chair
Free As A Bird        A Broken Dream
Ray Of Sunshine    Lovin' You (Came So Easy)
Happy (Hollywood Symphony)   Take You Higher
Skid Row Kid     Only Love

The album and/or cover don't differ from the UK release, only on this one is printed "Made In Holland".

Japan

16-07-2001 CD Smith & d'Abo Sony Records International SRCS 9844

 

Tracks of this CD:
1. Hang Your Hat
2. Two Worlds
3. Free As A Bird
4. Ray Of Sunshine
5. Happy Hollywood Symphony
6. Skid Row Kid
7. Running Away From Love
8. Rockin' Chair
9. A Broken Dream
10. Lovin' You (Came So Easy)
11. Take You Higher
12. Only Love

However I'm very happy with the release of the "Smith & d'Abo" CD, I hoped that there would be one or more bonus tracks on the CD, because that often happens in Japan. At the other hand the CD had something extra above the album version: like with all Japanese releases it has the full lyrics in Japanese, but also in English.

07-2001 CD Wonder Garden Pop.sjmi Sony Records International SRCS 2479

 

Tracks:  
1. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You The Cyrkle
2. Everlasting Love The Love Affair
3. I Had A Dream Paul Revere And The Raiders
4. Psychodrama City The Byrds
5. I Can See Everything Poco
6. Ohama Moby Grape
7. My New Woman Roger McGuinn
8. John The Baptist (Holy John) Al Kooper
9. Rainy Day Philamore Lincoln
10. Epistle To Dippy Donovan
11. My Favourite Changes Stephen Stills
12. So You Say You Lost Your Baby Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers
13. Act Nice And Gentle Duster Bennett
14. Two Worlds Smith & d'Abo
15. Why Don't You Live Me The Buckinghams
16. I'm Not Living Here Sagittarius
17. Whizz Kid Mott The Hoople
18. Inside Me Wants Out Andy Pratt
19. Waiting For The Band Nicky Hopkins
20. '48 DeSoto Tonny Kosinec

A CD probably released to promote Sony CD releases by the involved artists. Because it doesn't often happen that a
Smith & d'Abo track is included on a compilation album, this CD is something special. For those who want to have this
CD, it should not be too difficult to find it.

U.S.A.

-76 Import Sampler No. 2 - Various Artists (no label/catalogue number)
side one:      
Don't Look Down - Chris White
One In A Hundred - Gene Clark
Amsterdam - Jack The Lad
Streetfighter – Triumph
Le Moineau De Paris/Cha Cha d'Amour - Birth Control
Fire, Water, Earth And Air - Jane
 
side two:         
What A Way To End It All - Deaf School
Street Of The Music - Kursaal Flyers
Fionnghuala - The Bothy Boys
Hang Your Hat - Smith & d'Abo
Vat - Eela Craig
Olympus Mons - Marscape

This is (as far as I know) the only record besides the official "Smith & d'Abo" records, that has a Smith & d'Abo track. The album has a white cover with a sheet sticked on the cover which tells which songs are on this record and from which albums they are taken from. It also says "Promotional use only - NOT FOR SALE". The same information can be found on the white label.

However the mentioned catalogue numbers are the U.K. ones, I think it's a U.S.A. release for DJ's use.

Argentina

00-76 DJ’s Special 2 CBS 19.609 (LP)
  CBS 59.609 (Cassette)
  CBS 89.609 (8-track)
   

side one:

  
Toca Esta Musica Funky (Play That Funky Music) Wild Cherry
Jam, Jam, Jam  People’s Choice
Dama Del Ritmo (Lady’s rhythm’s)      Charlie Spahn
Es Bueno (Este Sentimiento) (It’s Alright) Crack Of Dawn
Hang On Sloopy Rick Derringer
Amar Es Amar (Love Is Love) Titanic
   

side two:

  
Baila Muchachita Baila (Dance Little Lady Dance) Tina Charles
Lady Bump January
Escapando Del Amor (Running Away From Love) Smith/d’Abo
7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Gary Toms Empire
Manos Arriba! (Hands Up) Jim Massada
Aia Squallor

Another strange album, probably made to make some publicity for the songs

included on the album. For the Smith & d’Abo collectors there is the song
”Running Away From Love” and it’s nice to see that the song title is also written
in the Spanish language on the album cover and label.

 Smith & d'Abo Live at The New Vicoria, London November 5, 1976.

A good friend of mine from England, George Rowden, illegally taped the very last concert Smith & d'Abo gave.This was at the New Victoria in London as supporting act of Sailor, with whom they toured Germany, Austria and England.

The show was taped with a cassette player, but the sound quality is surprisingly well. You can hear the words of the songs very good, and also the chats between the songs.

During the show Smith & d'Abo sang and played the following songs:

Ray Of Sunshine: This song starts with a one minute and 10 seconds instrumental part, probably to warm up. This powerful intro sounds fantastic, and is one of the best parts of the tape. "Ray Of Sunshine" sounds very much the same as on the album. Especially the drum is great. At the end Mike d'Abo says that this is their new single released today.

Take You Higher: Mike Smith does the vocals on this song, and he sounds as well as on the record. Also here is a different guitar solo than on the LP.

Two Worlds: Smith & d'Abo singing a great duet which sounds fantastic, that it makes me wonder why they didn't sell well, and why they had to break up.

The Mighty Quinn: During the intro of this song, Mike d'Abo is telling the audience that Mike Smith once was a member of the Dave Clark Five, and the audience then start shouting and clapping.

I've heard many versions of "The Mighty Quinn" but this is certainly not the worst one. Mike d'Abo has the lead vocals, and especially the last chords with the sudden ending are really great.

A Broken Dream: Another ballad with Mike Smith again in the lead, and what a voice he has. Also the band is playing great, and the big applaus proves that the audience likes it too.

Rockin' Chair: A song in which the two Mikes sing together very well, and now and then they seem to have a duel with their voices.

Free As A Bird: Someone in the audience shouts for "Free As A Bird". It's announced as their latest single. Mike Smith must get very high with his voice, and again it's no trouble at all. This is probably the best song they do on this tape.

At the end of the song, Mike Smith thank the public they met during their tour. Then they introduce the rest of the band with Mo Foster on bass; Barry de Souza on drums and Ray Russel on guitar, so the same musicians as on the Smith & d'Abo album.

Skid Row Kid: The two Mikes and the band make this song much more powerful that on the album. It even sounds heavy, especially the guitar.

It is known, that "Glad All Over" was played occasionaly too during the tour with Sailor. Unfortunately they didn't play it at their very last concert. For the real Dave Clark Five fans it would have been something special.

New Musical Express give reviews of concerts regulary. When reviewing the Sailor concert in Hamburg, they also wrote some lines about the supporting act Smith & d'Abo. That they name the supporting act is something special, and the review was something special too. This is what they wrote about the Smith & d'Abo show:

"The new Smith & d'Abo team opened the evening to an unusually warm response for an unknown act - so much for reputedly inhibited German cloth. Mike Smith was in fine voice. Mike d'Abo is still an engaging pop writer, and the pair's double leads on keyboards and vocals in front of supporting guitar, bass and drums make for a combination with interesting potential."

That's not bad, but the record buying people probably didn't read this article and that's a pity.

Smith & d'Abo songs by other artists.

The Bumpers

..-76 The Bumper Song/It's Only A Matter Of Time Cube Records BUG 71 (UK)

The a-side was written by "d'Abo/Smith". This is a bit strange, because on all other occasions you can read "Smith & d'Abo" as composers, just like their album title.

This must be one of the very first songs Smith & d'Abo wrote, because 1976 saw the release of their album. It's a pity I don't know more of this release.

Ray Martinez
 

..-76 Ray Of Sunshine/A Lot Of Love United Artists UP 36088 (UK)

"Ray Of Sunshine" is a song written by Smith & d'Abo and is one of the tracks from their one and only album.

Shakane

05-76 Jenny/Gang Man United Artists UP 36087 (UK)

"Jenny" is a song written by Mike d'Abo/Mike Smith/Noel d'Abo. Both sides of the single are produced by Kingsley Ward and co-produced by J. Buckingham. The b-side of the single "Gang Man" is written by Brian Trusler. Further on there's nothing known about the record and or group.

This song hasn't been released by Smith & d'Abo themselves.

The New Seekers
 

-78 LP Anthem CBS 82678 (UK)

 

side one: side two:
Do You Wanna Make Love You Got Me Runnin'
We Grew Up On Rock 'n' Roll Flashback
Anthem Ray Of Sunshine
The Singer      High In A Singles Barq
Out Of Love With Love I've Got Your Number

The third cover of "Ray Of Sunshine" written by Smith & d'Abo, and taken from their album.

A copy of this New Seekers album was given to me by Mike Smith when I visited him in December 1979 in his London apartment.

The reason that The New Seekers recorded the Smith & d'Abo song "Ray Of Sunshine" probably is the fact that Tony Macauley produced the album, and Tony and Mike d'Abo wrote some songs together like "Build Me Up Buttercup".

Rosetta Stone
 

-78 LP Rock Pictures Private Stock 064-60437 (Germany)

 

side one:   side two:
If Paradise Is Half As Nice Drive On
Penny   Angelina
At The Disco Steel Willie
Sunshine Of Your Love Free As A Bird
Rock And Roll (I'm Coming Home) You Really Got Me
Judy Judy Judy  

This album contains the Smith & d'Abo song "Free As A Bird".

Rosetta Stone are: Damian McKee (guitar), Andy le Gear (guitar), Ian Mitchell (guitar)(he was a member of the Bay City Rollers), Colin McKee (bass) and Terry McKee (drums). The album was produced by Roger Greenaway and is as far as I know the only album by this band, however I do have some more singles by them.

Anita Meijer
 

10-82 LP Past, Present And Future Ariola 204.955 (Holland)

 

side one:     side two:
Idoha      Benjamin
The One That You Love A Broken Dream
Break Away    Restless
Don't Cry For Me Argentina You And The Sumnmertime
Rescue Me   If Living Is Without You
Theme From "If Loving Is Without You"  

"A Broken Dream" is written by Smith & d'Abo and is also a track from their album. This album was very successful in Holland and stayed in the Dutch LP Tp 50 for 14 weeks and reached the 5th place. It was nice to see the lyrics included because they are not on the "Smith & d'Abo" album.

Manhattan Transfer

Mike Smith told me that Manhattan Transfer recorded "Running Away From Love" on November 11, 1977, but it actually never got on a record.