Clive Palmer

Who is Clive Palmer?

Clive Palmer is a British folk musician and banjoist best known as a founding member of the Incredible String Band.

Born in Edmonton, North London, he first went on stage at the age of 8, and took banjo lessons from the age of 10. Around 1957 he began playing with jazz bands in Soho. He began busking with Wizz Jones in Paris in 1959-60, before moving to Edinburgh in late 1962. By now a virtuoso banjo player, he teamed up as a duo with singer and guitarist Robin Williamson in 1963, playing traditional and bluegrass songs. They became the Incredible String Band in 1965 when they decided to develop their sound and their own writing talents, and added a third member, Mike Heron. Early in 1966, he also ran "Clive's Incredible Folk Club" in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

After recording the first ISB album, The Incredible String Band with Williamson, Heron and producer Joe Boyd, Palmer travelled to India, where he played on national television, and Afghanistan. On his return, he decided not to rejoin the increasingly successful duo. Instead, he recorded an album of banjo music, Banjoland, which remained unreleased until 2005. He moved to Cornwall in 1968, where he worked as a woodwork teacher and became involved in trade union activities. He also formed the Famous Jug Band who released the album Sunshine Possibilities in 1969 and Chameleon in 1970, after which he left, later forming The Stockroom Five and The Temple Creatures, neither of whom officially recorded. He then formed another band, C.O.B., who released two albums, Spirit of Love and Moyshe McStiff and the Tartan Lancers of the Sacred Heart. A solo album called Just Me followed on the German label Autogram in 1978.