INTERVIEW: Clowns

Lucid Again is far more than just another generic punk album. Melbourne band, Clowns are gearing up for their upcoming national tour that will take them to 10 different cities around the nation after dropping their latest release Lucid Again via Poison City Records in May. Their latest effort sees the band breaking into new ground; implementing elements of pop, punk, hardcore and psychedelia over 9 blistering tracks, ending with a 9 minute epic. Genre mixing done right.

Album opener and title-track ‘Lucid Again’ kicks it off showing how much the band has progressed sincetheir heavy beginnings. Atmospheric guitar tones throughout mixed with emotive, at times somewhat-clean vocals; elements the band hadn’t been previously known for but have done well nonetheless. The album is a humble balance of Clown’s signature hard-hitting punch-in-the-face punk sound, guitar solos and fresh new elements they’ve introduced this time around. ‘Like A Knife at a Gun Fight’, ‘Destroy the Evidence’, and ‘Painful Truth’ are album highlights that best show they haven’t strayed too far from their roots, delivering innovative high-energy vibes.

Although there are softer moments that may see them loose fans of their previous relentlessly heavy material, they’ll surely gain far more newcomers as a result of the evolution the band has embarked on.

After returning from a massive UK and European tour for a short break, we caught up with the band to ask them a few miscellaneous questions before they head back out on the road to bring their chaotic live shows and latest tunes to punk fans around the country.

You’ve been on the road for the last month or so across Europe and the UK, what were some of the best and worst moments on tour?

Touring comes with its stresses and hardships but I wouldn't say any of it was bad. We are lucky and stoked to be able to do this in our lives and I wouldn't feel right complaining about it.

How did the band celebrate 4/20?

We don't have a problem with bands that advocate a party lifestyle but we are not one of these weed smoking bands. Only two members of the 5 of us actually smoke weed and I am not one of them. But I mean the two members who do probably just smoked a joint like they do every day.

Clowns are just one of the many Australian heavy music acts that have been killing it overseas lately, what do you think it is about Australian artists that appeals to metal, hardcore and punk fans around the world?

When we are OS, I do feel like people hold a higher respect for us over other bands because we are from Australia. Maybe they think we are in some way more exotic or maybe they are impressed by how far we had to come to play the shows. But I think the quality of Australian music is what stands up for itself in most cases.

The band’s played some pretty big festivals all over the globe, do you prefer playing major festivals or small venue shows? And why?

We don't care whether we are playing a house party in Woop Woop to 7 people and 3 kangaroos or the annual Gathering of The Juggalos. As long as the punters are engaged and enjoying it, it doesn't matter how many people are there.

The last tour you played back home was supporting Descendents who are a major influence on the band; who’s next on the bucket list?

In a punk street cred sense, it's pretty hard to think of a more influential and relevant band that you can still tour with than Descendents. All we have left to hope for is to tour with artists that make us laugh because of how bizarre it is that we have found ourselves on a bill with them. I'm going to say; the Tupac hologram that Coachella featured on stage with Dr Dre and Eminem back in 2012.

Clown’s sound has progressively shifted over the years. What was the catalyst for the changes? Was the change of style to better convey lyrical themes throughout the album or was it just a natural progression?

I have a disdain for bands that continue to release the same album over and over again. We want each of our records to sound like the same band but still be distinctly different from one another. The new album just came out this way from us consciously trying to write a new record that is of quality and sounds different to our previous works.

The music video for your latest single ‘Pickle’ from the upcoming album features Stevie covered in blood and getting roughed up while handcuffed to a chair, what’s the inspiration behind the concept of the song and music video?

As alternative influential icons like Fat Mike of NOFX have shown: Punk and S&M go hand in hand. The video to Pickle was our homage to this notion. We originally wanted to premiere it on redtube but they told me I wasn't sexy enough, so we settled on our Australian and European record label channels on YouTube.

Lucid Again is available now digitally or on vinyl via Poison City Records

CLOWNS – LUCID AGAIN AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Tickets are on sale now via clownsband.com

Friday 2 June – The Billabong, Kuranda **NEW VENUE

w/ Meat Bikini & Swamp Donkey

Saturday 3 June – Railway Hotel, Darwin
w/ Acid City

Sunday 4 June – The Boston, Perth

w/ Night Birds, Axe Girl & Two For Flinching

Thursday 8 June – Miami Shark Bar, Gold Coast

w/ Night Birds, The Wrath & The Lost Cause

Friday 9 June – The Zoo, Brisbane

w/ Night Birds, Shutup! Shutup! Shutup! & The Cutaways