Doctor & the Medics

Doctor & the Medics are remembered as much for their look -- chalk-faced vocalist Clive Jackson (otherwise known as the Doctor) looked like a cross between the Joker and Gene Simmons of KISS -- as their new wave remake of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky," a number one single in the U.K. But Doctor & the Medics had already existed years before they released that novelty cover. Jackson was born at Knotty Ash Hospital in Liverpool, England, on July 7, 1961. He formed Doctor & the Medics in the early '80s with Steve Maguire (guitar), Richard Searle (bass), backup singers Wendi and Collette, and Vom (drums). Along with the Cult and Gene Loves Jezebel, the band was part of a '60s psychedelic revival, one that incorporated a gothic look and sound. However, "Spirit in the Sky" not only brought Doctor & the Medics into the mainstream but it also prevented them from reaching the masses again. The tongue-in-cheek single -- as well as their goofy fashion sense -- tagged the group as a cartoon. After the success of "Spirit in the Sky" faded, Doctor & the Medics continued to tour and record albums. In the '90s, the band formed their own label, Madman Records, releasing Instant Heaven in 1996. ~ Michael Sutton, All Music Guide