CLIVE CULBERTSON
Time To Kill
Clive's First Solo Album
LATEST ALBUM
Clive's latest album is Still Here Still Smiling, an eclectic mix or rock and pop written by Clive.
The Sweat performing their
80's hit "Why'd Ya Have To Lie?"
at SHIMOKITAZAWA SHELTER, TOKYO, 2007
After quickly attracting attention as a fine bass player and songwriter, Clive became a commercial session player, performing on countless live, Radio and TV appearances, whilst establishing himself as a sought after producer on the busy country music scene.
In the late 80s, a friendship with Van Morrison developed into an active role as bass player in Van’s live band. Clive subsequently played bass on the Avalon Sunset album, which featured the massive hit single, ‘Have I Told You Lately’. He also toured extensively in UK and Europe with Van and The Chieftains in 1988 promoting the Irish Heartbeat album.
Since leaving Van’s band, Clive has continued to develop his writing and performing career, notably with country rock band 'New Moon', who were hugely popular on the country festival circuit in the late 90s/early noughties and being a special guest of the Anthony Toner Trio.
After two Top Ten Hits in Japan, ('Time to kill' - 1979 and 'Kiss Me' - 1981) and the current fascination with powerpop music in Japan, Clive’s solo 80s vinyl, punk material has been steadily selling for substantial sums of money on the Japanese collectors’ market resulting in Tokyo based 1977 Records re-releasing two of Clive and The Sweat's CD's in 2007.
To coincide with this, Clive reformed the band in Nov 2007 and flew out to Japan to play two exclusive sold out dates in Tokyo.
Clive has sessioned for the Hothouse flowers in Ireland and Italy and performed on BBC Ireland's Lmeall Geal programme with guitarist/singer Fiachna O'braonain.
With his flame rekindled, Clive headed into his Coleraine studio and began working on his own material; The result, Still Havin’ Fun!! a classic collection of pop rock love songs that bear the hallmarks of Clive’s whole career, from powerpop to country ballads. The album features exceptional performances from some of the finest session players in the country.
Clive is presently making plans for solo dates in the UK and Europe and is working on new material at his "No Sweat Studios" in Coleraine.
Clive Culbertson, one of Northern Ireland's most talented songwriters; Ballymoney born bassist, vocalist, songwriter, recording engineer and record producer.
Having released a series of fine pop and punk singles on Belfast's Rip Off Label, Clive's band The Sweat landed an album deal with Dave Dee’s Double D Records. The single ‘Why’d Ya Have to Lie’, picked up major airplay across the UK, ensuring the band a string of promotional UK dates, before Clive returned to Northern Ireland to set up his own studio, 'No Sweat' and to develop his solo career.
In 2007 The Sweat album and an album made up of various Clive songs were bought and re-released in Japan by 1977 records. When I spoke with the company I was told they re released the albums because I had had 2 hit records in Japan in 1979 (Time to Kill) and 1981(Kiss Me) and still had a large fan base in Japan.
LIVE IN TOKYO