Dunchurch may be seen by some as a green and pleasant land, but for one resident, witchcraft and hellraising will never be far away.

Clive Jones, of Buccleuch Close, gained notoriety in the early 1970s as part of the Black Widow rock group.

The band toured the globe, were banned by the BBC and exposed by the tabloid press.

Nowadays, more than 30 years on, Clive carries out more stately duties as a home care assistant in Rugby.

But the clients he tenderly assists don't realise his arms have also helped some of rock's famous hellcats after a night on the tiles.

He said: "I come in with my uniform on and no-one knows about my rock music past. But I've done the ultimate caring act - I've put Ozzy Osbourne to bed."

Leicester-born Clive's interest in music started as a youngster in the early 1960s, influenced by his parents, who played piano and sang.
After leaving school with the promise 'to be in a band', he formed Pesky Gee! in 1966.

The group had one album and a few line-up changes before discovering the dark side of music - Black Magic.

Changing their name to Black Widow, the six-piece spent six months studying the occult and - as Clive says - 'putting the theatre into rock music'.

The group's finely-cultivated stage act, which included the onstage mock sacrifice of a nubile young woman and summoning the devil, attracted the attention of the News of the World, who ran a piece warning readers of their act.

Clive, who was saxophonist, flautist and songwriter, said: "No-one had put on a show like ours before. Forget Alice Cooper - we were the first. The press said it was a publicity stunt. Yes, it was good publicity - but we enjoyed it as well."

In 1970 their single 'Come to the Sabbat' - penned by Clive - was tipped to go to Number One, but was banned by the BBC who deemed promoting black magic to kids unacceptable.

The band played in front of an estimated one million fans at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 and toured the world with acts including Yes and Black Sabbath.

But then fate intervened to scupper the band's chances of success.
After the 1969 Charles Manson murders, the group was prevented from touring America by nervous record label bosses.

Arguments between band members over their musical direction grew, and the band decided to split.

Clive said: "The inspiration had gone. We became just another band, which is not what I wanted to do."

After taking a break - 'two weeks, which became two years' - Clive formed Agony Bag, a four-piece specialising in 'crazy rock', with Clive as lead vocalist.

The band again made an impact with their garish make-up, outrageous costumes and stage act including nude women, but (perhaps unsurprisingly) commercial succcess was elusive and they 'fizzled out'.

In 1982 Clive started touring pubs and clubs with his one-man act, Dr. Pesky, a 'grotesque' Little Britain-style cabaret performance, although he continued to write and perform music.

And a few years ago, Black Widow Records, based in Italy - where the band successfully toured and remain popular - released a tribute album to the band and asked Clive to write for its acts.

Inspired again, Clive has also written music for film scores (he has writen the main song for a soon-to-be released film entitled 'Jessika Rabid') and is compiling a rock musical (Metal Heart), loosely based on the band's story - 'getting back to the dark side, but fun'. A DVD featuring Black Widow playing live on the German television show Beat Club was also released last year.

And though Clive now spends his time working as a part-time carer for Crossroads, his rock and roll days may not be totally over.

He has held talks with other band members about a possible Black Widow reunion tour and at the moment is writing songs for a new Black Widow album.

Clive said: "We are bigger in Italy now than when we were touring. It should have happened years ago, but it's happening now and I'm loving it. The love of music never leaves you and I think I can give it another shot."

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