Legendary Rock Drummer Who Played On Over 40 No. 1 Hits Has Passed Away at 89

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British drummer Clem Cattini, who performed on numerous No. 1 singles during the 1960s, has passed away after a fall.

Cattini died November 2 in London. He was 89 years old.

A Session Superstar

Cattini’s recording career began with Johnny Kidd & the Pirates’ “Shakin’ All Over,” which hit No. 1 in the U.K. in 1960. Cattini once admitted that the now-iconic drum break in the middle of the track was a mistake, but the producer liked it and decided to keep it in the song.

“That was my first recording ever,” Cattini told Strange Brew. “My first recording, and it went to No. 1. Thank you very much.”

Two years later he was a member of the Tornados, which hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with the instrumental “Telestar” — the first British single in history to top the U.S. chart.

In the latter half of the 1960s, Cattini became one of the the U.K.’s most popular session drummers, playing on more than 40 different singles to hit No. 1 in the U.K. charts.

“They tell me it’s around 45,” Cattini said in an interview with The Guardian. “Like, they reckon I played on ‘It’s Not Unusual,’ the Tom Jones track. But I can’t even remember doing that one… I dunno, I might have been there.”

Among the groups he recorded with were The Kinks, the Walker Brothers, the Bee Gees, Lou Reed, Cliff Richard and Donovan, behind the drum kit for the latter’s classic “Hurdy Gurdy Man.”

Cattini was also on Jimmy Page’s shortlist of drummers when the former session musician was assembling the band that would become Led Zeppelin; Cattini, however, was too busy with session work to meet with Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant, and squelched his chance of being in one of the world’s biggest bands.

“The funny thing is, I had played with [guitarist] Jimmy Page on dozens of sessions,” Cattini told The Guardian. “And I’d worked with the bassist, John Paul Jones. We were together in Lulu’s backing band for two years. I’d even done a session for [singer] Robert Plant’s first band. But, no, I couldn’t really see myself with Zeppelin. I couldn’t have handled all those drugs. And I wouldn’t have liked my hair that long. They were probably better off with John Bonham.”

Cattini also turned down Paul McCartney. “I got offered the job with Wings at one stage, which I turned down,” he told Strange Brew. “Obviously, because I didn’t want to go. I’d done enough work on the road.”

Tributes to a Music Legend

In 2008, Cattini was portrayed onscreen by James Corden in the movie “Telestar,” which told the story of how producer Joe Meek crafted the first British single to hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts.

Two years later, Cattini — then 72 — was invited to play on a track by Paul Weller, former frontman of The Jam.

“I was as nervous doing that as I was recording Shakin’ All Over,” he told The Guardian, recalling entering the studio with Weller to lay down a drum track for the 2010 single “No Tears to Cry.” “But Paul was lovely. He made me a nice cup of tea before we started. Mind you, I had to tell him to stop calling me sir. This megastar calling me sir! I couldn’t believe it.”

Weller was a big fan. “He played on so many of my favourite tunes, by people like Dusty Springfield and the Walker Brothers,” Weller told The Guardian.

After Cattini’s passing, Donovan paid tribute in a message he shared via Instagram.

“I’ve just learned of the passing of Clem Cattini, a fantastic player from the mickie most session,” he wrote. “Clem was the drummer on my hurdy gurdy man, and played on so many hits. Love , respect and condolences to his family.”

Carl Palmer, drummer for Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also remembered Cattini.

“Rest in peace Clem, you will always be remembered,” Palmer wrote. “The drummers all over the U.K. oew you a lot for opening the door for all of us. Thank you my friend.”