|
|
 |
Clare Bowditch.
"Do you know what?" asks Clare Bowditch, rhetorically, when
I mention the long wait between recording and releasing her
second album with the Feeding Set. "I can't believe how calm
we feel about it. I think it's because we feel good. We put
so much time and effort into this one, into the thing that we
wanted to make, and for some reason I don't feel much fear about
what's coming next. I'll get nervous before the launch, though,
for sure."
I posit that the process must be quite different this time around, seeing as the band has evolved out of a period of staunched independence into a licensing deal with EMI records. For one thing, no longer must she pay for all the phone calls. "It hasn't felt very real, licensing to EMI. [The deal] means that we continue to make albums the way we always have, doing everything ourselves, but when the album's finished and the artwork's done we hand it over to EMI and they do the marketing and distributing for us. And it's only now that I'm sitting in the EMI office and doing interviews that I'm starting to realise it's goddamn handy having a record company setting these things up for you.
"I think [independence led us] to a point where we had established ourselves to be offered the exact deal that we wanted. That means that we might have been on the right track with the way we were working independently, marketing ourselves and constantly touring. But that's all corporate-schmorporate stuff, that's not really where the heart of it is at. But I think there's no chance that we would be in the position we are in now had we not been as proudly independent as we had been for the last ten years of our career. I think independence is absolutely essential for a band starting off, because you have to develop the way you want to develop, and then let the companies come to you as opposed to chasing them. I think that would be ultimately very destructive.
"And also can I just add one last point? Our website will still always have an independent musician's links page to help independent musicians early in their career, [so they] know where to go. I teach an independent musician's course at a community house in Melbourne, you know, they pay $40 a semester and they get twelve Friday's classes on the topic, and it's really important to have someone talk to you on the topic. I think there should be more of that kind of nearly-free information. You don't need to go through three years of music business school to find out what is a good deal and what is a crap deal and get some kind of support, because music is important in this world."
That's not to say that it's all plain-sailing for the Feeding Set - they still do have to go around the country to promote themselves, which can be no mean feat for a bunch of people with so many other things to do!
"I think what we have to do is plan it extremely carefully. We have to take a lot into consideration, because [members of] our band work, and [drummer Marty Brown's band] Art Of Fighting are working on new songs. So we just plan it well ahead, and we spread it out. Warren [Bloomer, bass player]'s having a baby in early October, so that's a lot to consider. So that's what it takes, a lot of forethought, but once it's there it's kick-arse! And [now] we can do it where we come home for most of the weeks in between and then go off for the weekend: it's piss easy, mate!
"Long bouts on the road is also fun, but getting increasingly... impractical, particularly with a two-and-a-half year-old who really wants to be running around everywhere and not just stuck in a tour van," she laughs, referring to her and Brown's young daughter Asha. "She goes in and out of loving planes. At the moment she's saying, 'I only like the white ones, I don't like the red ones.' They're like Smarties for her! But she'll be coming up to some of these shows with us. She's very much a musician, I think they're very free and easy with these things, and she loves a bit of a song. Her current favourite is Surfjan Stevens, and she mixes one of his songs with a song from Play School... She's done that with Lior, and Holly Throsby - she's got her favourites!"
One last thing, a public service announcement courtesy of your friends at dB Magazine: Clare Bowditch lost "a big pouch of my jewels, including my engagement ring, at the Jade Monkey! They couldn't find them." Apparently it's a plastic pouch, cream on one side and red on the other. If anyone has seen it, please let us know: you would make Ms. Bowditch a very happy lady indeed.
Ben Revi
 |
Clare Bowditch & the Feeding Set play at Jive on Sat 29 Oct. And if you happen to have Ms Bowditch's valuables, give Andrew a call at the dB Magazine office on 8231 4212 and he'll find you something nice and rewardy.
|
|
|
The latest issue
available now!
|
