November 24, 1946 – January 7, 2024
Dave Ling looks back at the life and music of the Magnum guitarist, songwriter and mainstay of the band across five decades.
Tony Clarkin, the guitarist, songwriter and producer of Birmingham band Magnum for more than 50 years, has died at the age of 77. At press time no cause had been announced.
In December 2023 Magnum cancelled all immediate touring plans, scheduled to have kicked off in Germany on April 4 and with UK dates to follow. After suffering pains in his neck and head for the past year, Clarkin had paid a visit to his doctor. The news wasn’t good.
“I’ve developed a rare spinal condition,” he revealed in a statement. “It’s not life-limiting, but it can be degenerative, and sadly it’s not curable. Treatments may help, but we don’t know how good they’ll be. It’s gonna mean some changes.”
Clarkin could no longer support the weight of an electric guitar on his shoulders.
“This isn’t the end of Magnum, but the future might have to be a bit different, so please bear with us while we try and figure out what I can and can’t do moving forward,” the statement continued, adding that the band had ruled out using a standin for the tour.
“I’m really sorry for those that bought tickets, it goes without saying that I’m gutted that I can’t play for you,” it concluded. “Cheers and I hope I’ll be able to see you all again soon.”
Although the mood of the statement was bleak, it at least provided cause for hope. Such optimism ended abruptly 22 days later when, on January 9, Clarkin’s daughter Dionne broke the terrible news that her father had passed away “peacefully surrounded by his girls” some 48 hours earlier. Dionne revealed the family’s intention to set up a charitable foundation for animals in her father’s name. Three days later, Magnum’s twenty-third, and now seemingly final, studio album, Here Comes The Rain, was released.
It’s difficult to imagine how Magnum could continue without Clarkin, who wrote every note and lyric of the band’s sizeable catalogue except for 1975’s debut single Sweets For My Sweet, a cover of the Searchers hit, and at the turn of the 1990s five tracks from their controversial album Goodnight LA (more of which later).
Tony Clarkin lived to write songs. “It’s an obsession with me,” he once told Classic Rock. “I’m always looking to improve.”
Deeply melodious and rich in depth and colour, a Clarkin composition was almost always instantly recognisable. Though he cloaked them in riddles and literary aff
