“Liverpool was always an interesting, offbeat place musically... Psychedelia and weirdness in general was really common...”

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By Rachel Nichols and Brittany Barrett  |  Send to Friend

Liverpoolian, psych rock quartet Clinic, Do It again on their punk-tinged fifth LP, but this time with a more mellow play on the frenetic sound that made them famous. Raw, spontaneous recordings flirt with the absurd on Do It!, the lovechild of members Ade Blackburn, Jonathan Hartley, Brian Campbell and Carl Turney. At once eerie and up-tempo, listeners are left searching for some sort of formula to the impossibly eclectic tracks, but as an interview with front man, Ade Blackburn reveals, there isn’t one. In the same way Blackburn’s distinctive vocals can shift from acidic to haunting and back again, the collective effort serves as a lesson in doing what feels right. The mood of the music parallels the adrenaline rush from whence it came. Track after track, often laid down without pause, yields the edgy, unpolished rollercoaster ride that takes listeners from garage rock to Doo-wop in a matter of moments. Blackman, the man (or one of the men) behind the madness, provides us with some insight into the technicolor trip that is Do It! with a look into the studio and record players of the band.

 

215: What was music like for you growing up in Liverpool?

AB: Liverpool was always an interesting, offbeat place musically. Maybe more for what people listened to than the actual bands here. Psychedelia and weirdness in general was really common, with Love and Captain Beefheart especially being heard. Teardrop Explodes were also influential.

215: You've toured with some amazing musicians (Radiohead, Arcade Fire). If you could pick one band to bring on tour with you this spring, who would it be?

AB: From the present, I'd choose Kling Klang (an electronic-punk Liverpool band) and from the past, We the People.

215: How do your fans at home differ from those in the States?

AB: People who come and see us are quite similar. They have their own tastes/ideas rather than just following the crowd -- just an open-minded audience.

215: The new album feels really psychy, what was the creation process like?

AB: With Do It!, the process was very laid back and less uptight/pressured. We wanted it to be more melodic -- which meant it didn't have to be as frenetic and tightly wound.

215: Did you record it in a commercial studio or at home?

AB: We recorded in our own studio, which obviously is freer and easier -- less time and expense, worries. Again, it also means you're not scared to try more ridiculous ideas. If it doesn't work, it doesn't matter.

215: How long did it take?

AB: Four weeks, but not night and day. We didn't want the process to get obsessive. A lot of the songs were done quick in one or two takes. We like a roughness to the sound and spontaneity.

215: Speaking of, what are you listening to right now?

AB: I'm listening to Minnie Riperton, The Screamers and Dawn of the Replicants.

 

 

 

Writers Brittany Barrett and Rachel Nichols didn't want to say anything, but the appearance of Jesus was ruining their vacation. *

 

 

 

 

*A Fine Example of Art by John Lurie