Interview with:Gene Clart [thekeys]
MUSIC
 | What do you do? What is your musical specialty? I write, record and sing/play songs in a band call The Keys |
| Do you work alone or in a group? If in a group, who are the others you work with? The band consists of Myself, on guitars pianos and synths, Gwion on guitars, Jim on bass and Twm on drums |
| Is there a web address where one can listen, see, or read some of your work? Yes
www.facebook.com/thekeysmusic |
| Please list any awards, competitions, or other acknowledgments you would like to mention. Did a number of John Peel sessions back in the day |
| Please list discography in which you have participated. All the Keys stuff |
| How did you begin making music? Who introduced you? taught myself. still learning. No one introduced me, but listening to the Jesus and Mary Chain made me realise you didn't have to be a virtuoso musician to create exciting music |
| What was your musical education? Auto - Didactic |
| When did you realise that making music could be a way of life for you? It isn't.
But it is a nice addition to other sources of income. |
| What is your creative process? Hard work, insomnia, theft, incompetence, mistakes, sheer bloody mindedness, and the occasional bit of inspiration. |
| When do you have your most lucid moments, in the morning or night? The very early hours of the morning when its just me, cats and foxes awake. |
| Have you ever awoken with a melody created from your dreams? Yes often - but they're usually not good ones. |
| How do you know when a song is finished or needs no more changes? When there's a deadline looming. |
| How did you discover your creative territory? How would you describe it? Smoking obscene amounts of dope in the early 90s. Lots of my mates got steady well paid jobs and I kept going with music |
| What part of your job is your least favourite? writing 2nd verses.
And waiting for a record to come out.
Hearing something that is clearly poorer than our record but getting more radio plays.
Hearing something that is clearly better than our record getting more radio plays. |
| How often do you practice? Depends. If we have no gigs or no new songs then we don't.
Now that we are about to go on tour we are rehearsing 2/3times a week |
| How do you feel right before going out on stage? A nice balance of confident and terrified. |
| Which musicians or groups have been inspiring to your career? Jesus and Mary Chain
13th Floor Elevators
Beatles
Spiritualized
Velvets
SFA |
| List three songs that are key to your life. Hard
1. Reverence - Jesus & Mary Chain
2. Cop Shoot Cop - Spiritualized
3. You Don't Know - 13th Floor Elevators
This will be different tomorrow... |
| What should be done to stop piracy? Nothing |
| What type of music do you detest? None |
| What time did you get up this morning? 5:30 am
Had some lyrics:
'On our way home,
Been catching our shadows,
The weight of tomorrow
Is surely to follow.
It may be morning,
But we say goodnight' |
| How do you sell yourself? What has been your experience with record companies and representatives? Currently have the best relationship with a record company we've ever had.
See Monkey Do Monkey Records is a locally run label in Cardiff and they are really behind us. We're all doing this for each other - it has a real comradeship feel. |
| What other things have you done to make a living? Swept Chimneys, Teaching, Film making, I'm a renaissance man |
| Have you ever played on the street or in the subway? How much did you collect each day? No - what an awful thought |
| Who would you play with, without a doubt? Dave Newington from Houdini Dax, probably the best drummer I've ever played with |
| What advice would you give to someone starting out in the business? I'm kind of with Noel Gallagher on this one.
Anyone who doesn't play the guitar in the record industry is a C word.
I say 'kind of...' its a bit harsh but the sentiment is true: believe in yourself, I suppose. |
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Gene Clart
UK
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