Clive Burr

Clive Burr
Birth name	Clive Burr
Born	8 March 1957 (1957-03-08) (age 54) East Ham, London, England
Genres	Heavy metal, speed metal, hard rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1978–present
Associated acts	Iron Maiden, Samson, Alcatrazz, Praying Mantis, Gogmagog, Trust, Elixir, Desperado

Clive Burr (born 8 March 1957, East Ham, east London) is a British drummer, best known as a member of Iron Maiden from 1980 to 1982.^[1][2]

Career

Previously a member of Samson, Burr joined Iron Maiden in 1979. An acquaintance of then-Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton, Burr played on their first three records: Iron Maiden, Killers and their breakthrough release The Number of the Beast. Burr left the band in 1982 due to Iron Maiden's tour schedule and personal problems. He was replaced by the band's current drummer, Nicko McBrain. Burr co-wrote one song on The Number of the Beast, "Gangland", and another song, "Total Eclipse", that was cut from the album and showed up as the b-side of the "Run to the Hills" single, and later on the Number Of The Beast remastered CD re-release.

Clive Burr appears on The Number of the Beast video.

After leaving Iron Maiden, Burr briefly played in the French group Trust, thus switching places with McBrain, and briefly with the American band Alcatrazz. Burr was featured in the short-lived NWOBHM supergroup Gogmagog which also included ex-Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di'Anno and future Maiden guitarist Janick Gers. He also had a band known as Clive Burr's Escape (later known as Stratus), featuring former Praying Mantis members, which disbanded after releasing one album. Burr then joined Dee Snider in his post-Twisted Sister outfit Desperado, which was never fully realized due to a falling out with the band's record company. Burr performed with British bands Elixir and Praying Mantis in the 1990s, but did not become a member of either.

Burr's signature white drum kit was donated to the Hard Rock Cafe in London in 2005.

Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson still considers Clive Burr to be '...the best drummer the band ever had. That's not taking anything away from [present drummer] Nicko. Technically, Nicko's probably a far more competent drummer than Clive. It's just that Clive had this incredible feel, and you can't learn that, and I regret that he wasn't given more time to try and sort himself out.'^[3]

Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith also praises Burr's drumming ability. 'Clive was a great drummer, an Ian Paice-type drummer, steady and solid with a nice feel to everything.'^[4] 'Clive is a great drummer and a great guy, as far as I'm concerned.'^{[cite this quote]}

Illness

Burr has since been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the treatment of which left him deeply in debt. Iron Maiden staged a series of charity concerts and were involved in the founding of the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund. Burr now uses a wheelchair because of the MS.

Burr is now patron of the charity Clive Aid, a charity formed in 2004. Clive Aid has since continued to raise awareness and funds for various Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) programs around the world through the staging of rock events.^[5] Clive attends many of these events. Official Site of Clive Aid

Equipment

Clive used Ludwig drums and Paiste Cymbals on the first two Maiden albums. His most recognised kit was his 1982 custom Tama kit used on the "Beast on the Road Tour"; depth=diameter "square" tom sizes:

Drums by Tama

• 08” × 08” Tom
• 10” × 10” Tom
• 12” × 12” Tom
• 13” × 13” Tom
• 16” × 16” Floor Tom
• 18” × 16” Floor Tom
• 22” × 16” Bass Drum
• 14”x6.5” (Ludwig Black Beauty Snare)
• 4 Octobans
• Tama Camco Pedals

Drumheads

• Remo Pinstripe

Paiste Cymbals

• 17" RUDE Crash
• 18" 2002 Medium
• 19" 2002 Medium
• 20" 2002 Medium
• 21" RUDE Crash
• 16" RUDE Crash
• 20" Sound Creation Dark Ride
• 20" 2002 Heavy Ride
• 14" Formula 602 Ex. Heavy Hi-Hats
• 22" 2002 China Type
• 20" 2002 China Type

Ludwig kits: Burr had 2 Ludwig Maple drum sets; the earlier in an off-white colour, the later in white cortex. His 2nd kit used the same sizes as his Tama, minus the gong drum and octobans. His 1st Ludwig kit, which he usually played without bottom heads, had the same sizes as his second, but without the 8" tom, and a 14" added after the 13".

Discography

With Iron Maiden

• Iron Maiden (1980)
• Killers (1981)
• Maiden Japan (1981)
• The Number of the Beast (1982)

With Trust

• Trust IV (1983)
• Man’s Trap (1984)
• The Best of (1997)

With Stratus (previously Escape)

• Throwing Shapes (1984)

With Gogmagog

• I Will Be There EP (1985)

With Elixir

• Lethal potion (1990)
• Sovereign Remedy (2004)

With Desperado

• Bloodied But Unbowed (1996)

With Praying Mantis

• Captured Alive in Tokyo City (1996)
• Demorabilia (1999) (compilation, contains demos of Clive Burr's Escape)

References

1. ^ Allmusic performance credits
2. ^ "Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills : The Official Biography", Mick Wall, Sanctuary Publishing, 1999, ISBN 1860746667, 9781860746666, pg. 132
3. ^ Wall 2004, p. 233.
4. ^ Wall 2004, p. 231.
5. ^ http://www.cliveaid.com/ Official Site of Clive Aid

Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (third ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. ISBN 1-86074-542-3

External links

• Official Site of Clive Aid

Persondata
Name	Burr, Clive
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	8 March 1957
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death