Born
on the tropical island of Trinidad in 1940, Clem Curtis
first came to Britain at the age of 15 and with the
help of a friend found work as an interior decorator.
He later entered the world of boxing, winning all but
three of his seventeen fights.
Clem admits that he always had a natural ear for music,
a gift he inherited from his mother who had been a popular
jazz singer back in Trinidad. By the age of 25 he decided
that there must be an easier way to earn a living than
being a boxer. Now after 30 years in the music business
he jokes that “I’m not quite so sure at
times, but I wouldn’t change a thing”.
After leaving the boxing profession Clem met up with
some musicians in London’s Bayswater area, who
eventually asked him to become the lead singer in their
new band. The group actually opened its own coffee bar
in Bayswater called The Butterfly, where they would
play and entertain the customers.
