Welcome to a brand new feature where we talk to musicians about some of their favourite things about the industry. Today we speak to Clarence Oddbody, a band who released their debut album Who Loves You, and Who Do You Love in July this year. The band recorded 10 songs in a day and was recorded at Buffalo Studios in Limehouse, East London. Today we play a little game to find out more about them.

What is your Favourite:

Song you have written

We are really love all our new tunes at the moment but we have a blues tune called From Hell’s Heart I pretend to be Rory Gallagher well try to. It’s so tight you cannot get a pin between us! It’s on the new album.

Lyric

Favourite lyric that I have written is another song from the album and it’s called Witch Hunt.

I love the 1st verse of the song:

Do not trust to hope when hope is gone and you stand back To see the bigger picture.

All you want and all you’ve lost rolled into one.

Musician

Probably my Favourite musician of all time is Freddie King. He was one of the 3 kings with Albert & BB.

They we’re all amazing but for me Freddie just had that edge.

Film or television show:

I couldn’t pick between my 3 favourite films of all time that is:

It’s a wonderful life

The Third Man

North by Northwest 

Venue to perform at

There were two venues in London but now have long gone.

The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town. Fantastic Rock’n’Roll venue it was a back room of a proper old Irish bar. I saw so many bands there in the 90’s and was luckily enough to play a couple of times. The whole room was black and had a really high stage and amazing sound.

And Alley Cat on Denmark St. It stank to high heaven of piss and vomit but it had a amazing vibe. It just to have a TV outside in the street so you could watch the acts on so it always had a great walk up and was always busy.

Item to take with you on tour:

Vocalzones , Tea Bags & super glue

Super glue I hear you ask?

Well you are always getting cuts on your playing hands lifting things or your hands drying out and they hurt like hell! I blob of super glue on the cut on your hands and your are good to go! After all super glue was invented to patch soldiers up quickly in the Vietnam war.

Instrument:

I’m loving playing my Gibson Flying V at the moment.

It’s a 1970’s reissue and it’s Cherry Red.

It’s a proper statement.

I have modded it with a Bigsby tremolo and really souped up pickups. It looks so cool, it’s impossible not to show off when playing it. I love guitars I have 41!

Song to play live

With me or against me

I wrote it over lockdown the album version has duelling Dobros, piano and me trying to channel my inner Kate Bush with my falsetto.

It’s got a great line ….

“Is there no way out at all?.”

It hits home sometimes when you hear it. We love playing it Live, we always try and do the fade out.

Album by another musician

John Martyn and listen to the album : Soild Air

Back to Back. It’s from 1973 the man was a genius. You have Folk, Jazzy Mellow Acoustic & Funky Rhodes going on. John was the first to use an old Echo Plex(Echo  tape machine) to kind of loop his acoustic guitar. Also he had it in stereo 

There is a song called -I rather be Devil, Endless loops. The Chemical Brothers reckon it was the first dance tune. So many people mention John Martyn as there big influences. Also the song Soild Air was written about Nick Drake they were friends in the early 70’s Amazing songwriter, Amazing Singer and an Amazing Guitarist.

Memory of tour

Driving through the Swiss Alps heading to Italy with Kid A ( By Radiohead)blasting through my headphones of my CD player. Extremely hungover but having a cold bottle of Italian lager as a hair of the dog. It was a long time ago(The year 2000) I was sat up front with the driver of the tour bus, like a big kid

Era for music

Hands down late 60’s early 70’s

Part of making a record

Making our new album. It was probably my finest day spend in a studio…Ever!

It didn’t feel like we were recording , felt we were just jamming no pressure. All the stars aligned. Also it help when you are in a band with better musicians than your self. I just remember in between songs we were falling about laughing, but when the red record button was on we were so focused.

Thing about performing at festivals

The Mud, The Sun……and the loo’s.

Warm beer, great take away food. Also coming across a belter of a band that no-one has heard of.

Quote

I think my favourite quote from a musician is from-

Lemmy – Motörhead  “If you think you are too old to rock ‘n’ roll, then you are.”

Thing about the music industry at the moment 

It’s really sad but I think the album format is dying out. No-one listen’s to an album back to back these days.

Thing about this year so far?

Amazing just getting the album finished is so cool and we are pressing it to cassette as well.

Then hitting the road in September for a small UK tour.

If you are in a band and want to feature get in contact by emailing us at phoenixremixcomedy@gmail.com