"Clem Clempson opines that Tommy's music was ideally suited for Colosseum's sound and his style resembled Ritchie's, not his own; he revisits the Colosseum's reunion, playing alongside Jack Bruce, and the audition for Deep Purple."

Let's chat about Guitar Maestro, Clem Clempson!

At 75, this ripped-and-tangled six-string hammer, Clem Clempson, has been around the musical block more times than he can remember. With Colosseum, he had a hand in two early '70s prog-rock gems, The Grass is Greener and Daughter of Time, before stepping into the rowdy Humble Pie as Peter Frampton's stand-in.

A yuge task, indeed, but Clempson never backed down. The result was records like Smokin', Eat It, and Thunderbox, some of Pie's faves LPs. "The success of Smokin' was like getting a sweet-ass pat on the back from the fans," Clempson spilled to our site. "It always feels right to get a bit of approval."

After shaking things up at Pie, Clempson tried for Deep Purple, losing out to Tommy Bolin, and jammed with Jack Bruce for a stretch. "When Jack unexpectedly showed up at my house and asked if I'd like to play in this new band with Billy Cobham and David Sancious, it was like a dream come true," he recalled.

Nowadays, Clempson's back with Colosseum, who are hitting the road in support of their latest baby, 2025's XI. But despite Colosseum's jazz-meets-prog way, Clempson ain't limiting himself to one style.

"I ain't no jazz guitarist, and I ain't simply blues, neither," he explained. "I'm just a mix of all the influences I've picked up over the years, from the first time I heard music on the radio, through my classical piano studies, listening to a bunch of different guitar styles, up to recently seeing a gig by the incredible Scott Henderson."

Get the latest guitar news, interviews, tips, and more delivered straight to your inbox!

What got you hooked on plucking the Stratophonic Delight?

I started messin' around with piano at the tender age of four but became crazy about the guitar around age 10, after seein' the flick Rock Around the Clock. The titular track's guitar solo is one of the best in history!

Soon after, like a zillzillion other youngsters, I developed the Shadows crush, desperately wanting to daredevil the string-slayin' thing. My piano teacher hated it, tryin' to sell my folks on the idea I'd ruin the classical piano career they had planned for me. I waited until I was 14 and had 5 bones saved up to buy a cheap steel-string acoustic.

Jammin' the early blues-rock sounds - how'd that shape you?

I moved on from the Shadows phase, followed by the Beatles phase, and discovered the blues through hearing platters by Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, and so on. When I heard what Eric Clapton was Creatin' the Blues with, all I wanted to do was put in the time to become a master of that kind of messin'-around expression. And I still got a bit to go, dawg.

What was your rig like back in the Bakerloo days?

Before we changed our name to Bakerloo, we were dubbed The Pinch, and I was experimenting with guitars. I didn't have the spare cash for more than one guitar, so I kept swapping out old ones for new ones, starting with an SG Junior and moving through various Strats, Teles, SGs, and an ES-335.

Then, my dream came true, and I was offered a sweet Gibson Les Paul goldtop, which I've played on every record I've made ever since. With The Pinch, I started out with a Beatlemaster amp and switched real quick to a Laney stack. The only pedal was a Cry Baby wah-wah.

What brought you over to Colosseum?

We opened for Colosseum back in '69, and Jon Hiseman contacted me after a promoter named Phil Myatt reached out. My band, Bakerloo, had dissolved, but I was rehearsin' with a new trio composed of myself, Cozy Powell, and Dave Pegg. But I'd been blown away by Colosseum's performance at Phil's club, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to play with 'em.

So, I crammed every dang tune off their Those About to Die Salute You album, and headed down for the audition. First thing we played was the album's title track, and they offered me the job on the spot.

Was it tricky to transition toward a jazz sound, given your blues background?

Nah, not really. I just kept pluckin' away in my style, which fit seamlessly with Colosseum's music.

What gear did you use while recordin' The Grass is Greener and Daughter of Time?

For The Grass Is Greener, I kept stickin' with my goldtop and the Trusty Laney stack. By the time we recorded Daughter of Time, I'd picked up an ES-335, but I mostly flexed my fingers on the goldtop. I also broke out an Orange amp.

What led to you leavin' Colosseum and joining Humble Pie?

The giggin' schedule for Colosseum was twistin' our creative juices dry, and we were really strugglin' to find new tunes. I was feelin' pretty frustrated and bored, so when I got the offer to join Pie, I jumped at it.

What was the key to savin' Peter Frampton's spot?

I was just makin' my own dang music, never givin' a rat's butt about fillin' anyone's shoes. But my style was more bluesy/rock than Peter's, I reckon.

What gear did ya use while recordin' Humble Pie's Smokin'?

I pumped up Marshall amps for Smokin', mostly playin' my goldtop. I also rocked the SG Custom and a Flying V on a couple of tracks.

How'd that Deep Purple audition go down?

We just rocked for a couple days and hung out, had some fun, and even jammed with David Bowie. We wrote a tune based on a riff I thought up, and planned to form a new band, kinda like the Mahavishnu Orchestra but with vocals.

How close were ya to baggin' the gig?

I think everyone dug the way we played together, but they weren't lookin' for just a guitar player. They needed someone who could keep Ritchie's role as the main songwriter in the group. I didn't see myself as the right fit in that department.

Why did ya think they went with Tommy Bolin in the end? How might ya have approached the gig if ya got it?

I reckon Tommy had a bunch of songs that fit Deep Purple perfectly. His style was closer to Ritchie's than mine, and I wasn't much of a heavy rock fan. For me, there's a subtle difference between what Humble Pie was doin' and bands like Zeppelin, Purple, and Sabbath.

Colosseum's II began in the late '70s with Gary Moore. Did you keep up with what they were doin', and why do ya think such bluesy players end up in such a jazzy band?

I knew Gary, and I thought he was a flyin' guitar hero, but I moved on from the prog scene and didn't follow Colosseum much. But I'd say the blues influence in Colosseum is often greater than the jazz.

What brought you back to Colosseum in the '90s?

I became more of a London session fiend, spendin' more time at home. But when we gathered for Dave Greenslade's birthday, the idea of playin' together came up real quick. And the demand for a European tour was off the charts, so we decided to give 'er another whirl.

What are ya proudest of when ya look back on ya career, and what's next?

I've been blessed with a kick-ass career, man. Made the Bakerloo album when I didn't expect anyone to buy a record by me, and I've had the privilege to play with Legends like Colosseum, Humble Pie, Jack Bruce, and a bunch of other incredibly talented musicians. The near future will be spent havin' fun tourin' with Colosseum to promote our latest record, XI.

*XI *is out now on Repertoire.

In his early years, Clem Clempson was captivated by the guitar after watching the movie Rock Around the Clock, specifically the titular track's guitar solo.
After developing a crush on the Shadows, Clempson transitioned through a Beatles phase and eventually discovered the blues, listening to artists like Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, and Eric Clapton.
Clem Clempson's rig during the Bakerloo days consisted of various guitars like Stratocaster, Telecaster, SG Junior, and ES-335, along with a Laney stack amplifier and a Cry Baby wah-wah pedal.
When asked about his transition to Colosseum, Clem Clempson recalled that he was offered the opportunity after impressing the group with his knowledge of their music during an audition.
For the recording of Colosseum's albums The Grass is Greener and Daughter of Time, Clempson primarily relied on his cherished Gibson Les Paul goldtop and a combination of Laney and Orange amps.
When asked what led to his departure from Colosseum and joining Humble Pie, Clempson explained that the demanding gigging schedule and creative limitations within Colosseum left him feeling unfulfilled, making the opportunity to join Humble Pie too attractive to resist.

"Clem Clempson opines that Tommy's music was ideally suited for Colosseum's sound and his style resembled Ritchie's, not his own; he revisits the Colosseum's reunion, playing alongside Jack Bruce, and the audition for Deep Purple."