“A man emerging from the Lindisfarne years and carving his own unique furrow in inimitable style” – BBC RADIO SCOTLAND
ROD CLEMENTS - Acoustic & electric slide guitarist, singer-songwriter, creator of hit singles, album tracks and live classics for Lindisfarne, Melanie, Joe Brown, Erin Rocha, etc. - performs SOLO and with his band THE GHOSTS OF ELECTRICITY.
Rod’s albums are all available at gigs and via mail order from www.rodclements.com.
Latest release: ONE TRACK MIND (Batsville 2008) – a brand new re-release of Rod’s hard-to-find 1994 debut featuring classic blues & originals, now with two new previously unreleased original songs from the late 60s.
Jim Henderson reviews ONE TRACK MIND 2008 in BLUES MATTERS…
ROD CLEMENTS
One Track Mind
rodclements.com
"One Track Mind" was originally released in 1994 when Rod Clements was still a member of Lindisfarne. This new edition boasts a crisp remaster and six extra tracks, together with a smart booklet containing extensive notes by Rod and old/new artwork. The album is a rootsy mixture: there are solo versions of three of Rod's Lindisfarne songs ('Train In G Major', 'Road To Kingdom Come' and 'Meet Me On The Corner'), a brace of traditional numbers ('The Train That Carried My Girl From Town' - based on Doc Watson's recording - and 'Ain't No More Cane') and interpretations of Woody Guthrie's 'Hard Travelling', Leadbelly's 'Bourgeois Blues', Bob Dylan's 'Down In The Flood' (aka 'Crash On The Levee') and a groovy take on 'Evil Hearted Woman' by Oscar Woods. In addition, there's the Bert Jansch co-write 'Leather Launderette' and the instrumental 'No Turning Back' - an additional home recording of the latter is among the bonus tracks. Of the other extras, there's 'Piston Broke Again' (loosely based on 'You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond' by Blind Willie Johnson), the dreamy 'Long Vehicle' which was conceived as the theme for an as-yet-unmade road movie, and an instrumental rehash of Dr Feelgood's 'Sneakin' Suspicion'. The highlights of this reissue are Rod's new recordings of two songs from his back pages. The psych-folk nugget 'A Dream Within A Dream' was part of a long-lost 1971 Lindisfarne session for John Peel, while the dark and haunting 'Blues For A Dying Season' was recorded in 1969 for the unreleased album by pre-Lindisfarne group Downtown Faction. The laidback atmosphere of this album lends itself to late night play with the lights down low, so kick back and marvel at Rod's guitar playing while enjoying the diversity of the material on offer.Jim Henderson
Some reviews from the original release of ONE TRACK MIND…
Rod has an easy-going, laidback and warm vocal style and plays superb slide guitar throughout… His mastery of his instrument and love for blues music shines through… If you like slide guitar then this album is especially recommended; if you just like good, tasteful music, then again, this is the album for you.Northern Echo
A fine album from the master of North Eastern Delta blues… given its own distinctive stamp by Rod's understated vocals and master guitar playing. NetRhythms.co.uk
Elegantly understated.... Clements exhibits a consummate, Ry Cooderesque knowledge of arcane acoustic blues fingerstyle and slide guitar riffs... Dorset Echo
Also available:
ODD MAN OUT (Market Square 2006) – all new original songs, produced by Nigel Stonier & performed by Rod with the Ghosts of Electricity, Thea Gilmore & others.
…showcases Rod's commitment to turning out high-quality, solidly crafted songs that while remaining commercially mindful refuse to compromise in any way to the modern trend for bland homogeneity in songwriting. NetRhythms.co.uk
Lyrically adept rock-blues, dark balladry and European noir BBC Radio 2
LIVE GHOSTS (Batsville 2004) – Live set from Rod with the Ghosts of Electricity (Dave Hull-Denholm & Ian Thomson) recorded in March 2004.
A cult artist in the making Simon Jones, fRoots
STAMPING GROUND (Market Square 2000) – all new original songs, produced by Nigel Stonier & performed by Rod with the Ghosts of Electricity, Thea Gilmore, Sid Griffin, Fraser Speirs & others.
Superb…very rootsy…a great feelMike Harding, BBC Radio2
A solid collection of original songs... it's about time he steps up to the spotlight and shows how talented he is in his own rightDirty Linen
Lindisfarne founding-member Rod Clements (vocals, guitars, Dobro) presents a set of honest blues inflected pop/folk songs - think John Sebastian meets Ry Cooder meets Richard ThompsonSing Out!
For more up-to-date & archive information on Rod, including complete Discography, Biographies, new & old pics, online shop, Guitar Gallery, ongoing Q&A & full contact details, visit www.rodclements.com.
ROD CLEMENTS is represented by Allie Fox for Foxy Music. Booking enquiries to Allie at www.vixenrecords.com/foxymusic. tel. +44 (0) 1750 720538
Hi Rod, great to meet you yesterday - a true gentleman of the British music industry. We'd love to have you back very soon!! Wonderful performance. All the best Daz & Tish and all at the Red Shoes
Hi Rod! Great to hear from you. Yeah, we're all good here. How's everything going with you? You should come to Cincinnati again! We'd love to have you!
Was not a bad collection,but not got all them anymore, thought it was getting out of hand so sold some on, just one bass left to sell now LOLthen just be keeping the 5 faves, regards FO
hey Rod just want to thank you for an absolutely brill evening at the gala. so pleased i made it .all my 8 pals loved it ,a really fab evenn and i see geoff meade it ,was it a suprise? as he d told me on here he was just onna turn up and suprise you !!so nice meeting him as well. nice to chat alhouh i fear i may have rambled hehehehehehehe fab night. thank you somuch
Pleased to see that you are playing in Cottingham at the end of August. I was born in the village and it's nice to know that someone else in the North East knows where it is. All the best. Malcolm
hi there rod love the new track ,my friend just had a listen and gonna have another , i know my bro has that album but till get it at durham .nicely scribbled on hehehe take care . love shaza x
hey rod hehe i see my gang is joining you hehe ive got teddy staying next week from denmark but a shame it wasnt next month as he could of joined us at the gig never mind , ive been back again and now got 8 tickets hehe at this rate its gonna end up a shaza private booking hehehe anyway my friend hoping all is well with you and the upcoming gigs go real well .see you soon ,we re all looking forward to it , pleased teddy and ken got over to your friends list ,they nice guys ,but dont swell their heads to much hehe take good care Rod , as always wishing you well in all you do .
Hej Rod I will just perch on Kens head :-) Yes whatever Shaza wants hehehe I am starting to play again arfter a 23 year break and will surelly be playing in England . Well her majesty is right ,you rock see you Teddy
Many thanks Rod for your friendship here on myspace my brother and me met you briefly a few years back in a pub in Honiton, you were doing some recording in a local studio. When you playing down this way again.
Hi Rod,thank you for your virtual friendship here on myspace.Its my pleasure to meet you on there. Keep up the great work Cheers from BELGIUM EDOUARD GABRIEL
Thanks for the comment Rod, you're a legend in our world. We listen to Meet Me on The Corner in the van so much and get Simon to sing it with us around the pool at the studio in Ibiza. It reminds us so much of home.
hi Rod well got tickets for your gig and also got my brother and his wife coming over from limerick to see you as well ,so there you go . see you ve stopped them globe trotting and they coming to Durham instead !!!heehee catchya later
hey Rod , ok scribble away hehehe im doing ok for now thanks , as everyone on here knows chemo is the pits !! but hey im cool . my brother who lives in limerick is a huge fan of yours ,was gonna get them to come over for your gig but i think they globetrotting again hehe their feet never touch base for more than a month hehe ,they just back from vegas ,anyway who knows may get them over for your gig ,they can always globetrot to Durham heehee take care my friend luv
hi there Rod hope all is well in your world right now ,great to see the new album out ,im assuming it will be available to buy at your Durham gig ? fab to see and hear everyone is enjoying your music so much ,great for you eh ! anyway catch you at the Gala in Durham . meanwhile ,take care ,stay well and be happy luv shaza x