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David "Tufty" Clough has a reputation for p laying his well-worn Fender bass at lighting speed. (Frank Espich / The Star)

David poses for a portrait within his Fountain Square Club, Radio Radio. (Frank Espich / The Star)

David and his Fender bass at his Fountain Square Club, Radio Radio. Besides owning this popular south side night spot, he plays in two hot groups, The Zero Boys and Bigger Than Elvis. Plus, he is part owner of the edgy Broad Ripple clothing store, Future Shock. (Frank Espich / The Star)

Click here to watch a video that features some different quotes from Tufty, more photos and audio excerpts from the Zero Boys and Bigger Than Elvis.

David "Tufty" Clough moved to Indianapolis at age 13, an adolescent from Liverpool, England, more interested in soccer than his hometown Beatles.

Music, however, has defined his time in the United States. Clough (pronounced "Kluff") played bass guitar in the Zero Boys when the group recorded "Vicious Circle" -- the most celebrated punk rock album in Indiana history -- in 1982. Playing with the hardcore Toxic Reasons allowed Clough to travel throughout North America and Europe. With Bigger Than Elvis, the 52-year-old helps keep the spirit of rockabilly alive in Indianapolis.

Clough owns Fountain Square nightclub Radio Radio with his fiancee, Roni Donaldson. Since its 2001 opening, the nonsmoking venue has hosted musicians such as Cat Power, ... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead and the New Pornographers. And with business partner Pamela Moosey, Clough has operated Broad Ripple fashion boutique Future Shock since 1988.

During a recent interview, the fleet-fingered musician talked about his bands and businesses.

How did you get your nickname?

I used to get in a lot of skirmishes when I was a youngster. Some people thought I was tough, and the nickname stuck. I'd rather not say anything more.

Did you like that reputation?

Well, with the "y" on the end, it makes it kind of funny. There's a little squirrel club in England called the "Tufty Club." (In the 1960s, Tufty Fluffytail served as the squirrel mascot for a youth safety campaign.) It's kind of humorous at this point. Plus, I always used it on the records. If someone came up and called me Tufty, I knew they probably knew me from the music.

Did you have a bit of culture shock when you moved to Indianapolis as a teenager?

I never rode in a car until I came to America. I'd been on buses. It was more that I lived in poverty in England. It was real working-class and rough.

When people ask you about those days, what do they usually want to know?

They want to know about the Beatles. My sister actually ran around with them. She went to the Liverpool College of Art with John Lennon. She worked in the downtown area, where they played at the Cavern Club. I was too young at the time. I was more interested in soccer.

At what point did your interest in music become greater than your interest in sports?

Well, when I came here there wasn't much soccer going on. We did have a little team, but at 14, I got a bass guitar. From then on, I was just into music.

Some friends of mine had a band called Attila. Their bass player quit on them. We stayed up all night, and they showed me three songs. The rest of them I faked, and I did my first little show. I kind of liked the showing-off bit of it, as much as anything.

There is an interesting story about the bass I bought, though. It was advertised for $250, and the lady told me she was selling it because her son was killed in Vietnam. I said I had $125, which was half the money. Then I said, "But if you sell it to me, I'll keep it forever. I'll practice every day until I get good on it." She said, "OK." That's the same bass I have now, so I kept my end of the deal.

What do you remember about the making of the Zero Boys' "Vicious Circle" album?

We recorded it in four hours. I think (vocalist) Paul (Mahern) spent a couple more hours doing overdubs, but it was pretty much "Turn on the tape recorder and go."

What was it like to be on the ground floor of punk rock in Indiana?

I'm not a regular over at Punk Rock Night at the Melody Inn, but I imagine it to be somewhat like that -- a very incestuous little thing where everybody is dating each other's girlfriends and boyfriends, and having fun and throwing bands together. It was a good time.

How often would you play shows in those days?

There was a place called Crazy Al's, which is where the Jazz Kitchen is now. When big national bands came through, we would be the opening act there a lot. ..... We would play these pizza places around town. You've probably seen some of the embarrassing videos on the Internet.

We were kind of (overwhelmed) when we went from playing to 100 people at Crazy Al's to 3,000 people in Los Angeles with the Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat. But we got as big of a response as the rest of them.

You're known for playing bass guitar at a rapid speed. Did that come naturally?

I think so. I think more like a drummer than a melodic guy. Bass is an interesting, fun thing.

People sometimes ask me to teach them how to play, but I don't think there's any teaching to it. It's kind of like a push-up. You can show anybody how to do one push-up, but it's hard to.do 100.

Was it an odd transition to go from rebellious, anti-establishment musician to becoming a businessman?

I think I was a businessman when I played music. You had to make sure you had T-shirts to sell, so it's similar. I didn't have a boss in the band, and I don't have a boss now -- other than maybe the taxman. I think I'm as much of a punk rocker as I ever was because I don't have a boss and I do it my way. Anybody who knows me knows that I'm very opinionated.

Seven years of Radio Radio being open is a pretty good run.

Any money we make off this place, I put back into a new piece of equipment or something to make the thing better. It's almost like a nonprofit.

I know I have an investment in the building that will pay off if I ever decide to run away. But it's kind of different for a music venue, I think. We don't open all the time just to sell liquor.

I've been getting the word out in hopes of getting other music venues down here. I think Fountain Square is the only place where someone who isn't rich can come in, have a business and buy the building. If I've learned anything in business, it's that you want to buy the building when you're trying things. Even if you don't make it, you at least have the asset of the building. I think it makes sense, even if you have to live on a cot in the back and use a hot plate for a couple of years.

I don't see a lot of guerilla-sort of businesspeople starting up, like we did at Future Shock. If you can do that, you can be successful.

What can you tell me about the revival of the Zero Boys?

We're going to make a new album this summer.

What topics are going to be on a new Zero Boys record?

That's Paul's gig. He writes the words. He's still kind of Bohemian. He's a Kundalini yoga expert, and he teaches at IU now. He keeps his mind well-functioning, so I'm not worried about that. We'll just come up with cool licks and cool rhythms.

Do you find that the energy level of the Zero Boys audience is undiminished?

Yeah, the kids who come in Future Shock now have figured out that I was in that Zero Boys band. It's kind of OK. They come in thinking I'm a Zero Boy, and I'm asking them about their grades. I can kind of be a good influence on the young kids. To play punk rock, you don't have to be stupid. You can be smart, you can be good at business and all that stuff.