Claws & Organs
Claws & Organs are a Melbourne doing some good stuff. Dave Crowe from the band kindly answered my questions. This is what he had to say about it all.
https://www.facebook.com/clawsandorgans
1. What was the inspiration for the up coming release?
People have remarked on an almost jilted style we have between Heather’s vocal style and my own. The double A side we’re putting out kind of demonstrates this a bit, almost like both sides of the same coin. Alphabetti Spaghetti is the more poppy side of it, whereas the next one will be a bit more visceral.
2. How did the songwriting process go for the release?
Heather took the lead on Alphabetti Spaghetti and had a very firm idea of how the bass and drums would drive the whole song along. The guitar parts mostly came out of experimenting what worked best over it, so it functions more as a flourish rather than part of the song’s backbone.
3. What was the recording process like for the release?
We worked with Neil Thomason at Head Gap for these tracks, which is the same for what we did with the last EP. We have a really good working relationship with him and we’re pretty willing to try out his suggestions because we know he has our best interests in mind. The lyrics for the song were finished just before recording them and there was a last minute change to the chorus vocals. We’re pretty happy with how it all turned out.
4. Did you prepare for the recording process or what is it a case of see what happens in the studio?
We were a bit looser this time around, which obviously has its pros and cons. It definitely allowed us to play around with song structure and parts a lot more, but it does add an element of stress when you know it’s your own money you’re burning through. It wasn’t like we were writing entirely new material on the spot though, so I suppose we were pretty prepared.
5. How was the recording process different to earlier material?
I think working with Neil before built on the past experience, so we were a bit more comfortable with each other, so we could bounce suggestions a bit more freely without having to worry about anyone getting too precious about the songs. I suppose it was more collaborative this time around, and a lot of suggestions he made were things none of us would have considered, which have served the song very well.
6. What did you learn from recording the release that you will take away for future releases?
It mostly reinforced for me that trying out new things can definitely help a song. We haven’t played Alphabetti Spaghetti live, so it was very fresh and gave us a bit of licence to tinker with it more than we have with previous efforts. I think we also took away that we also sometimes knew what was best and that having a strong opinion on how to go about something is definitely a good thing in a studio environment.
7. Why do you think Melbourne has a such great music scene and why it is so fantastic to be involved and play in it?
There are a lot of people who just want to support bands. Be it venues, small labels, or punters. People get excited about the prospect of live music. It doesn’t seem to be the case all across Australia, and having played in different states, you really come to appreciate what you get in your own backyard.
8. What buzz do you get out of playing live?
It’s a pretty energetic live show, so we’re usually full of endorphins by the end of it. Nothing beats the feeling of getting a responsive audience.
9. Do you have rituals before playing a show?
Nothing really, just the standard couple of drinks to help loosen up. I’m usually too busy frantically making sure everything is plugged in right and working.
10. What does the rest of 2015 have in store for you?
We’ll be putting out the second single from the double A side in a couple of months and then touring up the east coast in November. The record is coming out through newly formed LISTEN Records, so it should be good fun times!
