YouTube Channel Profile Series: Mike Cliffe

Mild change of plans for our first YouTube Channel Profile of 2026, as I had originally randomly selected Mike Haggith's YouTube channel, only to belatedly realize that I already profiled it 4+ years ago. I think the updated channel URL threw me off. While this channel was already covered, definitely give it a watch and/or subscribe, as Mike has posted 50 new videos there since we spotlighted it in 2021, and it's still actively used! With that said, I picked an alphabetically close YouTube channel who we definitely have not profiled before to replace it, and it gives us another local guitarist named Mike, so here's what you should know on it!

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Mike Cliffe (http://youtube.com/@audiofumesmc)

Owner: Local classic, funk, jazz, and hard rock guitarist Mike Cliffe, also known as the host of the Audiofumes podcast

Channel Timeline: Launched on February 22nd, 2009; Videos uploaded from that day through last fall

Channel Summary: A personal use channel, Mike has uploaded over 100 videos over the past 17 years, mostly originals songs and on-camera solo performances, though a handful of covers and outside artists heard on Audiofumes have also turned up here, as have videos related directly to the podcast, from host segments to behind the scenes content. Half of Mike's videos from the past three years have been live footage at downtown outdoor concerts, particularly ones involving local indie rock band Jupiter Marvelous.

Why You Should Watch: While Mike isn't known for live performances or paid album releases, and has been more sporadic in terms of posting his own original music in the 2020s, this channel is full of strong and varied music from a talented guitarist who as always deserved more attention, and this includes for Audiofumes, which was an active podcast with an international reach before podcasting got as big as it now! You can hear more music from Mike, including material that predates and/or was not uploaded on YouTube, via his Reverbnation page and Audiofumes episodes.

 Our Recommended Videos To Check Out:

 

Bad Regime: One to collaborate with musicians local and from afar, Mike did both on this July 2010 original song named "Bad Regime", where he (on guitar and bass) was joined by ex-Soundcheck/Flat Stanley drummer Glen Thomas and Swedish vocalist Karin Beckerus, who fronted the alternative/electronic band Out Of Quebec. Featuring some trippy post-production effects with the accompanying slideshow, this is a tight hard rock number with very Cardigans-esque vocals, and Glen gets to let loose moreso than you may see from him in live cover bands, with Mike shining with some solid guitar work too! This is just the tip of the iceberg re: Mike's own original music though, and Karin turned up multiple times over the years on Audiofumes episodes.

 

 

Opening Riff to The Wizard - Uriah Heep: The most popular music-related video on Mike's channel is this April 2016 acoustic rendition of the riff from Uriah Heep's "The Wizard", which he previously recorded a full studio cover of in 2011 with a non-local backing band named The Ducks. The 97 second video features Mike introducing the song and how his guitar is tuned and set up, followed by him playing the riff. While a well received cover by most, Mike did get a critical comment over how tight the camera is, obscuring how he plays the riff to an extent, but you see enough of his right hand to get an idea. Well performed for sure, and he comes off well on camera, but don't bypass the full cover! If you're curious, Mike's most viewed video demonstrates the Enlightenment E17 desktop shell.

 

Rock Funk Fusion (collab): For an actual full-song performance on video, it was hard to pass up this February 2020 video that sees Mike playing three separate guitar tracks and bass separately before being combined in post-production for an original funk rock "collaboration". If one of the videos features someone else playing, they're not credited and you can't see their face, but the videos were all shot in the same location. Good stuff that shows off what Mike can do in a funkier and more carefree setting, and he was ahead of the curve in doing a video like this just a month before the first pandemic lockdown began!

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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This series will return for another randomly selected channel or two (or three?) on or around February 26th. Stay tuned for that then, and for more news and notes on the site this week, plus this month's CD review! Thanks everyone!