Mick Clarke first attracted attention in 1968, playing guitar in the south London-based duo Killing Floor with Bill Thorndycraft (vocals/harmonica). Killing Floor played in London and elsewhere in the UK, backing American bluesman Freddie King, and also jammed with other visitors, including Howlin' Wolf. In mid-1972 Killing Floor folded, but Clarke played with Daddy Longlegs before forming his own band, Salt, in the mid 1970s.

After a spell in the US, Clarke returned to the UK at the start of the 1980s to form The Mick Clarke Band. For the next two decades the band worked extensively, touring the UK and Europe, receiving critical acclaim for their live shows and albums.