What’s next for you Imogen Clark?
Congratulations on the release of your new EP, The Making Of Me!
You played with some real music legends on your The Making Of Me EP – How did you manage to get Benmont Tench and Pete Thomas on board, and were you nervous during the recording sessions?
One of the great things about recording in LA is that so many legendary musicians are at your fingertips. The first time my producer Mike Bloom and I hung out socially, we went to see Elvis Costello and the Imposters at the Greek Theatre and it was the first time I’d seen Pete Thomas play drums, although I had listened to his playing for years (sometimes without even knowing it was him). Mike had worked with him before and recruited him for the record. His drums were the first thing we cut in our LA sessions back in January and it really set the tone for the whole recording.
Benmont’s playing with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was such a reference point for the keyboard and organ parts and sounds we wanted on these songs, anyone else we brought in would have just been trying to sound like Benmont. Eventually we just took a punt and thought ‘why don’t we see if we can get the genuine article’ and I was so thrilled when he said yes.
Even just meeting him and Pete, both of who I admired so deeply, was surreal, let alone being in the studio with them while they played on my songs. I was so nervous the days they came in to track their parts but they made me feel comfortable and encouraged, and treated me with so much respect as the artist and writer behind the songs, as well as putting their exceptional stamp on each of the songs in ways better than I’d even hoped. Getting to hang out with them and watch them work their magic, and to hear it back every time I listen to the EP, makes me so proud and grateful.
How is your new music different from what you’ve done previously?
This EP is unlike anything I’ve made before, but somehow feels more me than anything else I’ve put out there. This is the first time I’ve made music without limitations on how it should sound. In the past, I’ve always worried about not fitting into a musical genre, and perhaps put too much emphasis in my own mind on others’ ideas of what “authentic art” was, or what sort of artist I should be. In the studio, we used so many diverse production references – everything from Maggie Rogers to Prince to Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift – and you can hear it when you listen to these songs. It was so liberating to make a record without constantly asking ourselves “What genre of music are we making?” After so many years of feeling judged and patronised for v my love of pop music, as if it were some big, embarrassing secret, I’m really enjoying finally embracing that side of me. I love a wide variety of music and I’m finally making music which reflects that.
Who are some of your musical inspirations?
Two of my biggest influences will always be Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift; two artists who continue to reinvent themselves and whose authenticity and ability to connect with audiences worldwide serve as a constant reminder to me about what sort of artist I want to be. I’m also a huge fan of artists like Joni Mitchell, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Paul Kelly, Neil Finn, Carole King, Maggie Rogers and Lennon Stella.
How are you feeling about performing your upcoming Sydney shows? How will they be different to regular (non-covid) shows?
I am excited beyond words to play these shows in Sydney. Performing is my lifeblood and during this pandemic, I have really struggled, not only financially but from a mental health and enjoyment perspective. I adore touring, playing for crowds and connecting with people, so I’ve missed that terribly. These shows will be so special, as not only will they mark the end of a six-month live music drought for me, I’ll also have a five piece band with me to really represent the new songs in their best light. These will also be my first headline shows in Sydney since the release of my last album Collide in 2018. We are well aware that we’re not out of the woods with this pandemic yet, so the shows will be COVID-safe, with two seatings on the one night so people are able to spread out, with time in between the seatings to clean and reset the venue. We would also love to encourage audience members to wear a mask for everyone’s safety.
What song from the new EP are you most excited to play live?
I’m very excited to play the latest single Paper Boat live, as it’s a suspenseful song that builds throughout. It starts as a quietly sensual, quietly rageful ballad about the fear that goes hand in hand with toxic love affairs, and then it transforms over a slow burn into a full-throttle rock song and it’s very fun to both play and sing. I like to catch the audience off guard a little, so there may be one or two surprises thrown into the set for good measure, which I’m equally excited about…
What’s next for you?
After these Sydney shows, I’ll be promoting the EP and hopefully organising some more Australian shows towards the end of this year and into 2021, COVID permitting. Once it becomes safe to do so, I’m planning a move to Nashville and can’t wait to continue the overseas touring I had planned for this year in the U.S., as well as more visits to the U.K. and Europe. I’ve also been working on a tonne of new material both before and after recording this EP, so even more new music may not be as far down the line as you might think!
IMOGEN CLARK | THE MAKING OF ME EP LAUNCH CONCERTS
Information at imogenclark.com.au
BRISBANE
Friday 21 August – Black Bear Lodge
9pm show
Tickets from Oztix.com.au
SYDNEY
Thursday 10 September – The Vanguard
6pm & 9:30pm shows
Tickets from Moshtix.com.au
