Kevin Clark, drummer in ‘School of Rock,’ hit and killed by driver while biking in Avondale
Clarke recently started a new band that performed live for the first time last weekend on the North Shore.
Kevin Clarke clung to his music nearly 20 years ago after appearing as drummer Freddy "Spazzy McGee" Jones in the wildly popular film "School of Rock".
He formed bands, wrote songs, taught children. At the age of 32, Clarke had just started a new band that performed live on the North Shore for the first time last weekend.
"He just told his bandmates yesterday: You know, ultimately this is the life I want to live. And we're going to make it. You're my musical family - my family - and we're all going to make it, "His mother Alison Clarke said.
Clarke was cycling in the wee hours of Wednesday when he was struck and killed at a notoriously dangerous intersection on the Northwest Side. Chicago police said they were hit by a Hyundai Sonata around 1:20 a.m. in the 2600 block of North Western Avenue.
According to the Chicago Fire Department and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, paramedics found him on Logan Boulevard and took him to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:04 p.m.
Several citations were issued to the driver of the Hyundai, a 20-year-old woman, police said.
Clarke grew up in Highland Park and began playing drums at age 3 "hitting pots and pans in the basement", her mother said. He started private lessons at the age of 5 and could also play guitar, piano and violin.
"He loved music. He's just a raw talent. He's got a heart of gold," Allison Clarke said.
At the age of 12, Clarke played a role in the 2003 hit "School of Rock" with actor Jack Black. Clarke played the role of a vocal child who was the band's drummer. Although he had no acting experience, his skill in playing the drums helped him land in the gig.
"He was not an actor, not thinking about being an actor," Allison Clarke said.
She said that a friend playing the piano recommended Clarke to attend the audition. He saw an advertisement in the previous pages of Highland Park News: "Looking for children aged 10 to 12 who can play an instrument in a film with Jack Black."
He remembered that Clarke was recalled to the audition room and played the role of "Iron Man" with the film's guitarist, Joey Gedos Jr. His mother said, "He just shined in a way."
He recalled how his son learned that he had got that part before he did it. A few weeks after the audition, they were picking up pizza and she left Clark in the car for a moment. When she returned, Clarke asked her, "Do you want to go to New York?"
"He said he got the part and I asked him how he knew. And he pointed to the area code on the phone. And, of course, he got the part," she said.
Clarke did not continue acting, but the music remained in his blood.
"He was inspired and loved writing songs," said Robbie Goldberg, Clark's roommate at Lake View East and bandmate at the Robbie Gold Band. "He loved removing the guitar from the wall and making a fun song."
The pair met in high school and Nirvana and Green Day played together, Goldberg said. As adults, he played gigs in Stanley, Taste of Chicago and House of Blues.
"It was great to work with Kevin," Goldberg said, stunned to hear of the death of his roommate of five years.
Goldberg wasn't sure why Clark was riding a bike in Avondale, but he said Clark had many friends on the Northwest Side.
Clarke's previous projects included Dreadwolf and Funk It Let's Jam. Clarke was also a shift manager at Starbucks in Ashland and Irving, and taught music at a School of Rock location in Libertyville, her mother said.
His most recent project was the band Jess Bess and the Intents. "They were incredibly fabulous and they must have gone somewhere," said her mother.
Several co-stars of Clarke's 'School of Rock' paid tribute to Clarke on social media. Black said he was heartbroken and devastated.
"Kevin is gone. Too early. Beautiful soul. So many great memories. Heartbroken. Sending love to his family and the entire School of Rock community," Black wrote in an Instagram post.
Miranda Cosgrove, who acted as the band's manager, wrote on Instagram that she was "shocked and saddened" by the news.
"The world lost a wonderful soul," Cosgrove wrote. "I will always remember your soul and how kind you were to me. I will never forget all the memories. You will always remember Kevin."
Rivka Reyes, who plays bassist Katie in the film, wrote on Twitter that they "will never forget your hugs and your laughter and the joy on your face when we meet each other in Chicago. Always that for me." Thank you for showing energy with 'Big Brother'.
love you forever, spaz. i will never forget your hugs and your laugh and the sheer joy on your face when we’d run into each other in chicago. thank you for always showing up for me with that “big brother I never had” energy. pic.twitter.com/aIjYUBn1iS
— rivkah reyes (@rivkahreyes) May 26, 2021
A memorial was planned for Wednesday night at Teddy O'Brien in Highwood.
Clarke's mother said she received dozens of calls from her musician friends by Wednesday afternoon.
"You know, we're all really in shock. It was just this morning," Allison Clarke said. "He was just a 32-year-old kid. It makes no sense. Many of our jammer friends - most of them 65 More than - have lost their lives recently. So hopefully he must be jamming the sky with them. "