Dale Cleary

Location: Newtown, NSW

Challenge: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

 

Sadly, Dale Cleary passed away on March 22 2021. RIP Dale

Dale Cleary is a drummer/percussionist from Newtown in the Inner Western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.

He says "I did not get a drum kit until about 18. But I had a pad and sticks for years as I worked my way around the country as a child".

Dale was also heavily into martial arts and is a master of 2 styles and qualified to teach a further 17. He has done 32 all up. Dale says "I did shotokan karate for 7 years and know the sylabus up to third dan but never graded. They would never except money from me. And I used to teach it wearing a white belt. It often confused visiting black belts".

Dale studied drums in Melbourne in the mid 80s with Virgil Donati, and Pete Luscome from the Black Sorrows. He also studied with Sunil DeSilva for Afro Cuban and Ken Campagna for Brasilian instruments. He also took a lesson from Roy Burns and spent 20 minutes with the great Louie Bellson.

Dale says his first band was a horrid garage band in the early 80s, Naked ape. He adds "After that, I worked in Company B. We were derived from Looney tunes, a ska band. We were on TV a lot, we even had a fan club in Dolly magazine if I recall". After that Dale worked in so many bands he doesn't remember.

In 1993, Dale worked in a band, Kaktus Mantras. Dale adds "Unfortunately there were personal issues and the band went nowhere. A shame because it was great. I was playing a Pearl kit at the time which I bought from Men at Work drummer Jerry Spieser".

In 1996 Dale found himself with a spinal injury from a fall. He says "It took 5 years to heal. Could not drum. Played my pad though and spent time learning percussion".

Dale says his drumming heros are Bill Bruford for the way he conducted his career. Always put the music first. Jeff Porcaro, Keltner, Hal Blaine, Philly, Jimmy Cobb, Sonny Payne, Papa Jo, Vinnie, Virgil, Buddy, Max, Elvin, Harvey Mason, David Garibaldi, Mike Clark, all the James Brown drummers, Earl Palmer etc.

In 2014, Dale was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a rare dangerous form of leukemia which It is in the bone marrow and blood stream. So, it affects one's entire body. He adds "I was diagnosed Sep 14. But had been ill for at least two years. It took a long time to find it. I was in hospital in isolation for a week in April 14. They gave me a 32 hour blood transfusion. At the end of the week they let me go and said "See you in three years". Yeah, right!"

Dale has a room where he can practice in exchange for teaching a couple of classes and remain in danger from my cancer. However, he adds "I am fighting hard and doing my best to keep playing".

Dale Cleary - Chemo drum solo