Bigger than The Beatles? Gene Simmons discusses the impact of The Dave Clark Five
Just as The Beatles once sparked controversy by claiming they were “bigger than Jesus”, musicians ever since have faced backlash for suggesting that another act might be bigger than The Beatles. As the Fab Four’s legacy continues to loom large, growing with each passing year or decade, it’s easy to overlook the other monumental acts that have also played a crucial role in shaping music as we know it. One such act, often underappreciated, is championed by Kiss’ Gene Simmons, who insists they deserve more recognition.
There is no denying that The Beatles were, and still are, huge. They’re a force unlike anything the music industry had ever seen before and possibly ever will see again. From the minute Beatlemania broke out, sending a generation of girls into mass hysteria, rock and roll took on a position bigger than just a musical genre. It was a culture, a way of life, a tie that bound music, hobbies, identity, sexuality and a sense of belonging together. For Beatles fans then, they were a force to be reckoned with that was changing the face of the world right there in front of them. For Beatles fans or general music fans today, that position hasn’t really shifted, as they’re still noted and respected for having an insurmountable impact on the world.
Many would argue that without the Beatles’ experimentation, music would sound very different today. It could be claimed that it was works like Rubber Soul or Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band that allowed the rock genre to be the vast and varied thing it is now, including strains of folk, pop, jazz, psychedelia and more, all because the Fab Four mixed them in back in the 1960s.
That’s true to an extent, but it’s important to note that they weren’t the only band taking pioneering steps. It’s also important to remember that even though the Beatles were insanely popular, they weren’t the only big band around at the time.
“The DC5 were so underrated and so spectacular,” Simmons said, shining a light on the Dave Clark Five, a band he believes lives unfairly in the shadows. “It’s interesting: They were, in fact, bigger than The Beatles for a short time,” he explained, recalling the impact of the London-based 1950s and ‘60s rock and roll troupe who once knocked the Beatles off their top spot.
In January 1964, they gained their first UK number-one single and usurped the Fab Four in the process as their track ‘Glad All Over’ stole the crown from ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’. But it was more than just a chart battle. The DC5 were right there as another essential act in the British Invasion, amassing a fan base just as expansive as the Beatles’ own screaming masses.
“They had a movie out, Catch Us If You Can, while The Beatles had A Hard Day’s Night,” Simmons explained, “They were bigger than The Beatles and they had their own sound. The Beatles had the Liverpool sound, and the DC5 had the Tottenham sound.”
In particular, Simmons demands more attention for the musicianship in the group. “When I first heard their music, I loved it. It had kind of relentless drumming, which, of course, were studio musicians secretly, but terrific production, great singing,” he said, believing their leader could rival any Fab Four member, he added, “I always thought their lead singer, Mike Smith, belonged in The Beatles. He looked right, he played keyboards and had a spectacular voice.”
But beneath the huge legacy left by the Beatles, it’s tough for any other early rock and roll act to get a look in, even those who, at one point or another, were winning the race back in the ‘60s.
