Clive Langer (born 19 June 1954 in
Hampstead
Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...
, London, England) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards.
He usually works with
Alan Winstanley
Alan Kenneth Winstanley (born 2 November 1952) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards. He usually works with Clive Langer.
His early career during the mid-1970s was as an audio engineer, working on albu ...
.
He
composed the music for the films ''
Still Crazy
''Still Crazy'' is a 1998 British comedy film directed by Brian Gibson (his final film before his death in 2004). The plot concerns a fictional 1970s rock band named Strange Fruit, who, after being split up for two decades, are persuaded to get ...
'' and ''
Brothers of the Head
''Brothers of the Head'' is a 2005 mockumentary featuring the story of Tom and Barry Howe (Harry and Luke Treadaway respectively), conjoined twins living in the United Kingdom. It was based on the 1977 novel of the same name by science fiction wr ...
''. Prior to his record producing career he was a guitarist with the British
cult
In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...
band
Deaf School
Deaf School is an English art rock/ new wave band, formed in Liverpool, England, in January 1974.
Overview
Between 1976 and 1978, the year in which they split up, Deaf School recorded three albums for the Warner Brothers label. The first a ...
.
Langer sometimes performed under the alias of 'Cliff Hanger', and his production work was sometimes attributed to 'Clanger'. After Deaf School, in mid 1977, Langer joined
Big in Japan which he suggested to his friend
Bill Drummond
William Ernest Drummond (born 29 April 1953) is a Scottish artist, musician, writer, and record producer. He was a co-founder of the late-1980s avant-garde pop group the KLF and its 1990s media-manipulating successor, the K Foundation, with wh ...
(later founder of
Zoo Records
Zoo Records was a British independent record label formed by Bill Drummond and David Balfe in 1978. Zoo was launched to release the work of the perennially struggling Liverpool band Big in Japan (the label's first release being the '' From ...
and member of
The KLF
The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, the JAMs, the Timelords and other names) are a British electronic band formed in London in 1987. Bill Drummond (alias King Boy D) and Jimmy Cauty (alias Rockman Rock) began by releasing ...
) to form, but Langer quit shortly afterwards and began a new band, Clive Langer and the Boxes.
Their releases were ''I Want the Whole World'', a
12" EP released in 1979 on
Radar Records
Radar Records was a UK-based record label formed in late 1977 by Martin Davis (managing director) who had previously worked at United Artists Records, and Andrew Lauder, who had previously been head of A&R at the UK divisions of Liberty Recor ...
. and ''Splash!'', an album released in 1980 on
F-Beat Records
F-Beat Records was a record label set up by Jake Riviera in 1979. Its first release, " I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" by Elvis Costello & the Attractions, reached number 4 in the UK charts, the highest singles chart position the label attain ...
.
Langer co-wrote the song "
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
" with
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...
, and played organ on the version by
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945) is a retired English musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming para ...
which was a Top 40 hit in the UK.
Albums produced by Langer and Winstanley
* ''
One Step Beyond ...'' –
Madness (1979)
* ''
Absolutely'' – Madness (1980)
* ''
Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world: above sea level and a ...
'' –
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single " Reward", the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s. ...
(1980)
* ''
7'' – Madness (1981)
* ''Rhythm Breaks The Ice'' –
Bette Bright and the Illuminations (1981)
* ''
Wilder'' – The Teardrop Explodes (1981)
* ''
Too-Rye-Ay'' –
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners (currently officially Dexys, their former nickname, styled without an apostrophe) are an English pop rock band from Birmingham, with soul influences, who achieved major commercial success in the early to mid-1980s. They a ...
(1982)
* ''
The Rise & Fall
''The Rise & Fall'' is the fourth studio album by English ska band Madness, released on 5 November 1982 by Stiff Records. This album saw Madness at their most experimental, exhibiting a range of musical styles including jazz, English music ...
'' – Madness (1982)
* ''
Punch the Clock'' –
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...
(1983)
* ''
Keep Moving'' – Madness (1984)
* ''
Goodbye Cruel World'' – Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1984)
* ''
Despite Straight Lines'' –
Marilyn (1985)
* ''
Easy Pieces
''Easy Pieces'' is the second album by the British band Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. It was released on Polydor Records in the UK on 22 November 1985 and included the hit singles "Brand New Friend" (#19 in UK), "Lost Weekend" (#17 in UK) and " ...
'' –
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions were a British rock/pop band that formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1982. Between 1984 and 1989, the band scored four Top 20 albums and five Top 40 singles in the UK; it also had success in several other countries in ...
(1985)
* ''
Mad Not Mad'' – Madness (1985)
* ''
What Price Paradise'' –
China Crisis
China Crisis are an English new wave and synth-pop band. They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby, near Liverpool, Merseyside with a core of lead vocalist and keyboardist Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon. Initially a politically charged post-pu ...
(1986)
* ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' –
Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock band that combine traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel, and rock. Formed in 1985 in Dublin, they started as street performers. Their first album, ''People'' (1988), was the most successf ...
(1988)
* ''
Flood
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
'' –
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a d ...
(1990)
* ''
Bona Drag
''Bona Drag'' is a compilation album by Morrissey released on 15 October 1990. The album features an array of Morrissey's most popular songs from his early solo career, most of which had not been released on any previous album. The album name m ...
'' –
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...
(1990)
* ''
Home
A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
'' –
Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock band that combine traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel, and rock. Formed in 1985 in Dublin, they started as street performers. Their first album, ''People'' (1988), was the most successf ...
(1990)
* ''
Kill Uncle
''Kill Uncle'' is the second solo studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey, released on 4 March 1991 by EMI Records and HMV Records. The title comes from the color black comedy film '' Let's Kill Uncle'' (1966).
Recording
''Kil ...
'' –
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...
(1991)
* ''The Rockingbirds'' –
The Rockingbirds
The Rockingbirds are a British country rock band, formed in London in 1990. They disbanded in 1995, but reformed in 2008 for the Heavenly Records 18th-anniversary shows. They began to tour again in spring 2009 and played the 2009 Glastonbury fes ...
(1992)
* ''
Sixteen Stone
''Sixteen Stone'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Bush, released on 6 December 1994 by Trauma and Interscope Records. It became the band's most popular album, peaking at number four on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and boasting numer ...
'' –
Bush
Bush commonly refers to:
* Shrub, a small or medium woody plant
Bush, Bushes, or the bush may also refer to:
People
* Bush (surname), including any of several people with that name
**Bush family, a prominent American family that includes:
*** ...
(1994)
* ''
Frestonia
Frestonia was the name adopted by the residents of Freston Road, London, when they attempted to secede from the United Kingdom in 1977 to form the Free and Independent Republic of Frestonia. The residents were squatters, many of whom eventual ...
'' –
Aztec Camera
Aztec Camera were a Scottish pop/ new wave band founded by Roddy Frame, the group's singer, songwriter, and only consistent member. Formed in 1980, Aztec Camera released a total of six studio albums: ''High Land, Hard Rain'' (1983), ''Knife'' ( ...
(1995)
* ''Local'' –
Ho-Hum
Ho-Hum is a pop/rock band based in Bradley, Arkansas, United States, formed by the brothers Lenny and Rod Bryan.
History
The band was formed when Lenny and Rod Bryan, sports scholarship students, were attending Ouachita Baptist University dur ...
(1996)
* ''
Wonderful'' – Madness (1999)
* ''
The Science of Things
''The Science of Things'' is the third studio album by British band Bush, released on 26 October 1999, through Trauma Records. It is the last Bush album released through Trauma and features many electronic music influences. The album peaked at ...
'' – Bush (1999)
* ''
Paper Scissors Stone'' –
Catatonia
Catatonia is a complex neuropsychiatric behavioral syndrome that is characterized by abnormal movements, immobility, abnormal behaviors, and withdrawal. The onset of catatonia can be acute or subtle and symptoms can wax, wane, or change during ...
(2001)
* ''
Mink Car'' –
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a d ...
(2001)
* ''Jealous God'' –
Nathan Larson Nathan Larson may refer to:
*Nathan Larson (musician), American musician
* Nathan Larson (criminal), American white supremacist and convicted felon
See also
*Nate Larson
Nate Larson (born March 16, 1978) is a Baltimore-based artist and photograph ...
(2001)
* ''
Lifelines
LifeLines is a free open-source genealogy software tool to assist family history research. LifeLines primary strengths are its powerful scripting language and the ability to easily import and export information in the GEDCOM format. It was t ...
'' –
a-ha
A-ha (usually stylised as ''a-''h''a''; ) is a Norwegian synth-pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. Founded by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), and Morten Harket (lead vocals), the band ...
(2002)
* ''The First Drop'' – Fireapple Red (2004)
* ''Oh No!'' –
Crackout (2004)
* ''
Please Describe Yourself'' –
Dogs Die in Hot Cars (2004)
* ''
So This Is Great Britain?
''So This is Great Britain?'' is the debut album from The Holloways, released 30 October 2006 on the back of the band's first two singles, " Two Left Feet" and "Generator
Generator may refer to:
* Signal generator, electronic devices that gene ...
'' –
The Holloways
The Holloways are an English four-piece indie rock band from North London. Their single "Generator" reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart on 11 June 2007. They have had five No.1 singles on the UK Indie Chart and several Top 40 singles. The ...
(2007)
* ''
The Liberty of Norton Folgate
''The Liberty of Norton Folgate'' is the ninth studio album by the British band Madness, released on 18 May 2009. The band worked on the album for close to three years and it was their first album of new material since 1999's '' Wonderful''.
C ...
'' – Madness (2009)
Albums produced by Langer
* ''
Brothers of the Head
''Brothers of the Head'' is a 2005 mockumentary featuring the story of Tom and Barry Howe (Harry and Luke Treadaway respectively), conjoined twins living in the United Kingdom. It was based on the 1977 novel of the same name by science fiction wr ...
'' (soundtrack) (2006)
* ''
Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
''Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da'' is the tenth studio album by the British band Madness, released on their own Lucky 7 Records label through Cooking Vinyl in the United Kingdom on 29 October 2012 and in the United States on 13 November 2012. The al ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Can't Touch Us Now
''Can't Touch Us Now'' is the eleventh studio album by the British band Madness, released on their Lucky 7 Records label through Universal Music Catalogue (UMC) on 28 October 2016. The album marked the return of founder member Mark Bedford but ...
'' (2017)
References
External links
Langer and Winstanley official siteClive Langer & The Clang Group
{{DEFAULTSORT:Langer, Clive
1954 births
Living people
Big in Japan (band) members
Creation Records artists
English new wave musicians
English record producers
English songwriters
People educated at William Ellis School
Alumni of Liverpool College of Art
People from Hampstead
Radar Records artists