ArtistInfo

McKenzie & Gardiner

Band, GB
R&B/Soul

Earl McKenzie & Clive Gardiner are two lifelong friends who grew up together in Southall, West London, UK. Their mutual love of soul, funk and jazz inspired them to form a 7-piece band ”The Class Of ‘78” while still in their teens at school featuring songs they had written and arranged together. After a few years of playing live, and with Earl and Clive now at university, they formed a self-contained duo called McKENZIE & GARDINER with Earl on guitar, bass and lead vocals and Clive on keyboards and backing vocals. They made their first demos in Brixton in 1983, then won a competition in “Blues & Soul” magazine for free studio time at Streetwave Records, West Acton where they recorded a demo of FROM TIME (Groove Version) which landed them an artist and publishing deal. Streetwave re-recorded ”FROM TIME” with the duo in July 1983 produced by Joe Williams and released a 7” and 12” single on the new Sound Of London imprint. This has since become a highly sought-after Rare Groove slice of 80’s Boogie, with the original 12” selling for up to £200 on ebay. The 12” was re-released by French label Boogie Times in 2011 and has featured on several Rare Groove compilations. A 12-track album of unreleased songs recorded in and around 1983 called SONGS FROM TIME - The Lost Demos” including FROM TIME (Groove Version) has been released in autumn 2013 on Headstretch Records, and can be found on all digital music services to purchase or stream.

Members

	Clive Gardiner bvoc, key, voc GB
	Earl McKenzie bvoc, eb, g, voc GB