I just received news that Carol Clerk, former news editor at Melody Maker, passed away earlier today at 11.45 (UK time). My thoughts are with her husband Nigel and daughter Evee.
Clerkie was one of the biggest, warmest people I've ever known. Ferocious as a friend and as a combatant. An absolute rock. A genius drinking companion and wonderful person to work alongside. One of the main reasons why I loved Melody Maker so much, without a doubt.
A million stories spring to mind, none of which would do her justice - although I am still particularly fond of the image in my mind of her in later years at MM waving her walking stick at (final editor) Mark Sutherland. Also, her exclamation of "Jesus Christ, muffins!" every time she saw me for several months. Oh, and Christ, the day we convinced Daniel C. Lovering to burn his draft card...
And not forgetting that pink feather boa!
Like Simon Reynolds, I was always in awe of the fact she could write shorthand - a rare professional among a class of first-graders - and I loved her sharp wit and wicked sense of humour. For Carol, there was only one class of people worse than those that drank only on Fridays - and that was the Christmas drinkers.
I would recount stories of nights out with Carol with the same reverence and gusto that I usually reserved for my tall tales of hanging with my US rock star buddies. She was way more rock'n'roll than pretty much any musician I ever met. Every night out with Carol was a tall tale, made flesh. More than almost anyone, she taught me the value of creating mischief.
I always thought that she and Nigel made a great pair, and was really honoured when she, Nigel and Evee came to our wedding.
I'm really upset by this news.
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Nigel and Evee have created a tribute page on Facebook for Carol here.
Thanks to Daniel Lovering for the top and bottom two photographs.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI just got this news via the Pogues website and clicked through to here. I hope you will be able to pass on our sincere condolences to Eve and Nigel as I do not have a direct contact for them.
I knew Carol some years before The Pogues, as she was a major advocate for my own earlier work. Carol of course wrote Pogue Mahone, a biography of the Pogues, a few years ago. I think we were all impressed by how skillfully she managed to keep eight individual narratives in play (there are eight Pogues, with eight different worldviews) all through the book and still produce a story that was not just coherent but illuminating too.
She was a joy to be interviewed by, and meticulously checked every "fact" presented to her by band members against what other band members had to say. Also, what I remember very clearly is how our lengthy telephone chats, however involved, always came to an abrupt end when Eve was expected home from school. I loved her for that and for just being....Carol.
RIP
ReplyDeleteWhat was the Melody Maker?
A WOMAN THAT HELPED EVERY BAND SHE MET ,WHAT A DIAMOND XXXX R.I.P CAROL
ReplyDeletei'm sorry for your loss.you have my sympathies.
ReplyDeleteThanks Philip. I've forwarded your message on. Carol's husband Nigel has set up a Facebook tribute page for her. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=406898639224
ReplyDelete(from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteAndrew Mueller, Ned Raggett, Emma Van Duyts and 4 others like this.
Simon Hilton
Thats very sad news indeed Everett! i always remembered her "joan collins day" when she would catch a taxi to the office sporting her pink feather boa and sun glasses. a truly unforgettable personality!!!
R.I.P Carol
Today at 10:17 ·
Steph Snails O'Malley Jones
Thanks ET and Simon. I've a pic of her playing pool at our wedding party, but it will take me an age to find it. Well vintage. I'm remembering her in all sorts of ways, from the news desk to only recently. What a long and wonderful trip it was.
Today at 14:15 ·
(from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteJoe Foster
OMG surely not Jerry.....what happened?
10 hours ago ·
Everett True
She'd been battling breast cancer for just over a year.
10 hours ago ·
Everett True
This is the message that her husband Nigel sent out...
This is just to let you all know that today at 1145, Carol passed away peacefully in her sleep after bravely battling breast cancer for just over a year. Her condition has been getting progressively worse since she had a stroke and they found a brain tumour in November. Three days ago she was admitted to the Wisdom Hospice where she slept until this morning when she just stopped breathing. I was by her side at the time. She'll be sorely missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know her and especially by Eve and I. She was a fantastic wife, an amazing friend and a glorious mother. She was loved by so many people every minute of her life and she'll continue to be loved.
Nigel
10 hours ago ·
Colin Strawbridge
Awful sad news....
9 hours ago ·
Daniel Lovering
So sorry to hear about this, Everett.
27 minutes ago ·
(from Facebook)
ReplyDeletePete Wylie likes this.
Sarah Datblygu
I knew carol, she was lovely. Very sad.
about an hour ago ·
Everett,
ReplyDeleteI was so sorry to hear about Carol. She was a terrific person -- big-hearted, generous and, of course, a great drinking buddy. I'm thinking about the good times we had when I was an intern at Melody Maker back in 1990. She really took me under her wing.
I thought you'd enjoy the attached photos. I'm sure I have more. I'll try to dig them out.
Daniel C. Lovering
She was a great one.
ReplyDeleteStuart Bailie
Farewell old school chum. I will never forget you.
ReplyDeleteCarol was the only person I actually liked up there. The rest were average, nice or crap, but she was always lovely from day one. Loyal, funny, and even a little flustered when some of us showed HER loyallty by trying to ease her away from the more scrounging types who came to her for free drinks at the rock 'n' roll table. She always seemed a bit thrown when she realised people liked her.
ReplyDeleteI have some nice photos of her somewhere and will dig them out for the Facebook page.
She was worth the rest of the office put tigether. RIP Carol. You will be much missed.
Mick Mercer
(from Chris Charlesworth)
ReplyDeleteThis is very sad news. I first met Carol around 1972 when she turned up out of the blue in the offices of Melody Maker on Fleet Street, and me and Roy Hollingworth took her for a drink in the Red Lion. She was a big MM fan and a few years later she joined the staff and hung on in there until the bitter end, a real pillar of strength on the magazine, a fine journalist, a fine friend.
Later she wrote three books for Omnibus which I edited, on Hawkwind, the Pogues and Madonna, and all of them were 100% professional jobs, all sold well too. We had a few hilarious lunches together, and I remember spending time with her at your wedding – we’d both brought our young daughters along.
I will miss her a lot. RIP Carol. One of the best.
Chris C
I was lucky enough to know Carol when I wrote for Sounds in the early ’80s. She was my counterpart and kindred spirit at the Maker and we met regularly at the Oporto’s famed ‘rock ’n’ roll table’ – an unofficial Sounds/MM alliance - as we both specialised in writing about horrible punk bands no one else liked! She was such a warm and lovely person and I always felt privileged to share that table with her. Still do. RIP Carol.
ReplyDeleteVery shocked and saddened to hear this. I have many memories of lovely Carol, all of them filled with riotous dirty laughter. Much love and all sympathies to Nigel and Evee.
ReplyDeleteTalking about her dad, that look in her eye and the tilt of her head when she was waiting for you to catch on, being scared on a flight to Cairo together, her being refused alchohol in Denver airport because she looked under 40 and the magnificent stream of abuse to go with it while drinking my whiskey. Her perfect match in Nigel and the beautiful family they became. Just warm and human, she gave me a lot of help when i started at Melody Maker - straightforward, dry and very funny. I'll miss her so much.
ReplyDeleteSad to hear this , i never met her but she was a big supporter of The Damned and wrote the excellent book "The light at the end of the tunnel" about them . RIP Carol.
ReplyDeleteAll that laughter, the love of pink & so many eventful times > the night with Donavan & his charity guitar birthday cake… the Monday morning breakfast parties on MM press day… the de-bearding of Daniel C Lovering… Take The High Road & the Davie Sneddon fan club… crickets in the house with ET… Harry Cogg… the Rory Gallagher tribute talk… endless fun & mischief… Carol was an inspiration & much loved… a very special person to me.
ReplyDeleteI met Carol in 1983 for the first time. She did a interview with me as a small solo artist.
ReplyDeleteBoy did we have some drink....I do not remember getting home...ha ha. those were the days.Carol was one of the most honest down to earth people that you could wish to meet.
She will be mist big time.
All my best to Carols family.
Regards Seb Solo & Link. xx
I just got home and found out about Carol. She was one of the best women and writer you could ever meet. I am so sad to hear this news. I was part of the rock n roll table. But she owned it. God rest you Carol, you will be sorely missed by many. Get the table ready up there. See ya soon my girl.
ReplyDeleteIan Mitchell
30th January, 2011
ReplyDeleteI love you Carol.
I will always feel welcome in your expressive, sparkling green eyes, and in your celestial pub nestled somewhere that secret Faerie Grove in-between worlds!
Your spirit lives and shines.
I am a better person for knowing you.
Despite the fact that our friendship sometimes left us speechless the next day, especially remembering the night we drank pints off trays in that West End after hours nightclub with David Bowie, the Legendary Missing Link (Chelsea) sleeping under his leathers, and members of The Exploited, with their freshly painted leather jackets and pink Mohawks.
I feel you watching over me!
Love and gratitude always from your 1970-80s Oporto pal and companion Rock Goddess ligger.
We Are the League!
Your favorite Punk Rocker, Vermilion Sands