Don't keep it hid, Alice
May 27, 2009 11:03 AM   Subscribe

Stumbled across this amazing song, "I Keep It Hid" by Alice Clark, released in 1972. I can't seem to find any information about Clark online. Who is (or was) she? Whatever happened to her? How do I find out?
posted by hermitosis to Media & Arts (11 answers total) 15 users marked this as a favorite
 
AllMusic review: "a sublime masterpiece of R&B/pop from the house of Bob Shad, the jazz producer who founded Mainstream Records ... [a] dynamite set of recordings that should have made Alice Clark a superstar."
posted by dhartung at 11:11 AM on May 27, 2009


Response by poster: That's some really welcome info about the songs and album, but what about Clark herself? Bob Shad's dead now, so I can't exactly take it up with him...
posted by hermitosis at 11:15 AM on May 27, 2009


That is amazing music. And it's amazing that she's disappeared. You can d/l the album here, though (rapidshare link). Will be watching this thread.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:51 AM on May 27, 2009


Response by poster: I already bought it on iTunes, but I hope other people can use your link, Flanders!

What sorts of other places online should I post queries? I don't even know where to begin with something like this.
posted by hermitosis at 12:00 PM on May 27, 2009


What sorts of other places online should I post queries?

Mojo - the music magazine - has got a quite nice message board. They've even got a "Whatever happened to" section, maybe try that?

Alice Clark is indeed amazing, but the history of soul music is full of amazing artists who only released one album, or one single. I mean, the entire northern soul scene - which you can argue Alice is part of - is sort of built on that rareness. So I'm not surprised nobody seems to know where she is nowadays. It's par for the course.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 12:41 PM on May 27, 2009


I first heard this (amazing) song on a rare-MP3 blog a few years back. I think it might have been Soul Shower, which is confirmed by this link on the new Soul Shower. He says:

Northern Soul fans probably know her from her song "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me)," a burner of a tune that was released on Warner subsidiary Seven Arts in about 1966. The flip to that record is "Heaven's Will (Must Be Obeyed)," which I've never heard, but would sure like to. Randomly, I found out just a few days ago that Alice recorded another single in 1968 called "You Got A Deal," backed with "Say You'll (Never Leave Me)," released by a label called Rainy Day Records. I've heard the A-side to that, but not the B-side. I want to buy both 45s, but neither seems to be readily available anywhere. Oh well, I'll get my hands on them some day! If you know any other releases by Alice Clark, please drop some knowledge in the comments and I'll include it in the post.

You might contact the blogger to see what else he's learned.
posted by Bookhouse at 1:21 PM on May 27, 2009


I have two songs, "You Hit Me," which is on a WSM UK CD called "After Hours," and the original vinyl b-side, "Heaven's Will (Must Be Obeyed)," which is on a CD called "GWP: NYC • TCB," a Kent UK label CD of Gerald W Purcell productions. Actually, the first song is also on a CD called "Northern Monsters," on Kent too.

You can buy her album - on vinyl and CD, via Dusty Groove.

And it appears that Bobby Hebb, who had a big hit with "Sunny," wrote many of her songs. You might be able to find info by searching her name at his MySpace page and e-mailing the guy behind this project.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 3:58 PM on May 27, 2009


Thank you Flanders. Great music.
posted by madstop1 at 4:01 PM on May 27, 2009


Response by poster: Thanks, Dee. I wrote via MySpace, I'll post back if I find out anything.

And thanks to everyone for the leads!
posted by hermitosis at 7:02 PM on May 27, 2009


Response by poster: Someone wrote back to me from Bobby Hebb's page and pointed me toward another person who might know. I'll add details as I uncover them.

So far no one at Mojo knows anything.
posted by hermitosis at 8:39 AM on June 4, 2009


Response by poster: I've sent two messages to Ian Levine on MySpace asking him about Clark, at the recommendation of Bobby Hebb, but so far he's just reading the messages and not answering. So now I'm back at square one...
posted by hermitosis at 2:38 PM on June 30, 2009


« Older What to expect from a parent interview at a Quaker...   |   Replica of Mission Accomplished Banner Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.