Yup, you read that right. Clock Opera is joining us for what we think is shaping up to be the best party at SXSW! Of course, we're a little bias, but if you know Clock Opera, you're probably shaking your head in agreement right at this minute. If you're not familiar with Clock Opera, these UK blokes are an act impossible to miss at this year's festival and if you read on, you'll begin to see why.You guys have been making some waves in the UK, but why don’t you tell us a bit about the band and where you’re coming from for those who aren’t familiar?
Hello, we're Guy, Andy, Dan & Che. We're new here. Show us round? We play songs which have been mentioned alongside words like euphoric, infectious, intricate, experimental/accessible. Please listen and decide for yourself. The songs are most often made by taking music to bits, reassembling it, singing over the top and adding whatever junk people leave in the street for percussion.
You recently announced your record release of “Ways to Forget” on Moshi Moshi/Island Records (congrats!) and have been releasing some cool album teasers – this one is my favorite so far. Can you give us any more hints about the concept of this album, some other unique elements, or anything else we can expect?
Thanks, glad you like them. Andy made them.
Our album is glued together with memory: who you were, who you thought you were, inevitability of change, how it's essential to forget because if we remembered everything it would be one great wash of white noise. The brain acts as a giant mushy filter for all the things we don't want to notice. I'm fascinated by all these things.
Memory is changing all the time. For example, we don't memorize things that we can access on wikipedia, so what will fill that space? We're planning to have some fun with these ideas around our album release.
I know you were down in Austin for SXSW 2011. Any memorable shows or experiences that were a highlight for you last year?
The shows were all brilliant & we ran on adrenaline for 5 days. The Hype Machine show at Pure Volume was a special highlight. The reaction we got made it feel like a homecoming, but in reality no-one knew us at all, they just liked it.
I'm not surprised in the least! I'm sure you'll receive an even better reaction this year on the lovely rooftop stage of Maggie Mae's. So looking forward, what are some of the other bands or festivities you’re excited to see while down at SXSW next month?
I saw lots of people consulting complicated lists last year, constantly updating their schedule. Given our busy experience last time, I don't expect to see anyone & I won't be looking. Plans are left on the plane. It's a load of fun to be buffeted by rumour and myth, whilst taking proximity to Home Slice Pizza into account.
Speaking of pizza, we’re on this “Tastemaker” campaign here at Sonicbids, so I’m on a quest to find the tastiest things in Austin. Do you have a favorite dish or place to eat in the city?
We had a Dragon Boat of sushi which has stayed with us and become a gold standard for raw fish. It was a two foot long warship filled with a cargo of ice, topped with a covering of the finest sush. It was meant to be for two, but it filled five British stomachs to the brim. I thought it was somewhere on Trinity St, but now I forget.
Mmm, Tasty. Check out Clock Opera's video for "Once and for All' below and don't forget to put your tastes to the test and let us know who should be sharing the stage with them at our party Friday, March 16 from 11:30-5:30pm at Maggie Mae's!
