Clem Cattini: The Drummer Behind 42 Number Ones

<p><strong>Clem Cattini, Britain&#39;s legendary session drummer who played on at least 42 UK number-one singles, has died aged 89.</strong> And if you&#39;re wondering who Clem Cattini was, you&#39;ve almost certainly heard him. Repeatedly. On some of the greatest British pop records ever made, and, to be fair, on some of the most gloriously dreadful ones too.</p><p>In this episode of <strong>Mark and Pete</strong>, we celebrate the extraordinary life and musical legacy of Clem Cattini, the man behind the drums on hit records by Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, the Walker Brothers, Tony Christie and dozens more. Was he Britain&#39;s greatest drummer? The most successful session musician in British pop history? Or simply a chap who was very good, always available and remarkably cheap?</p><p>Forty-two number ones. That&#39;s the widely quoted figure, although the exact total is disputed, and some researchers reckon it was even higher. Either way, it&#39;s an astonishing achievement. Particularly for someone whose name most people wouldn&#39;t recognise if it appeared on their breakfast cereal.</p><p>Cattini started out playing with Johnny Kidd and the Pirates on the 1960 rock-and-roll classic <em>Shakin&#39; All Over</em>. Then came the Tornados and their extraordinary instrumental hit <em>Telstar</em> in 1962. Produced by the wonderfully eccentric Joe Meek, <em>Telstar</em> reached number one in Britain and America, making the Tornados the first British group to top the American singles chart. Before the Beatles. Before the British Invasion had properly got its passport stamped.</p><p>And Clem was sitting behind the drum kit.</p><p>But it was as a session drummer that Cattini really made his mark. His drumming helped propel <em>You Don&#39;t Have to Say You Love Me</em>, <em>Green, Green Grass of Home</em>, <em>Everlasting Love</em> and <em>The Sun Ain&#39;t Gonna Shine Anymore</em>. Wonderful records. Proper classics.</p><p>Then there&#39;s <em>Grandad</em> by Clive Dunn, <em>Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)</em> by Benny Hill, and assorted other musical contributions to the national consciousness that perhaps deserve a slightly different sort of recognition.</p><p>He also played on Wombles recordings. Yes, the Wombles. And he was so busy working as a session musician that he initially couldn&#39;t find time to dress up as one for television.</p><p>Apparently, he was also considered for Led Zeppelin. Imagine that. He might have become one of the most