Many thanks to Ade and Brian from the band in helping us get this sorted out.
There have been rumblings of unrest between the band recently – How are things between you guys?
Caroline M – Liverpool
AB : Things are fine. Right from day one everyone has had strong opinions on the music etc. so there have always been clashes. I think that's better, it's more honest.
How did the Levi's ad thing come about? Did your people approach their people or vice versa?
Alan W – Glasgow
AB : We we're approached by Levi's. We weren't given much time to decide. 24hrs I think. It was an experience at the time but not something we'd repeat.
Did any/many/all of you attend the Grammy's when you were nominated? How was it?
Russell – Perth, Scotland
AB : Two of us did. I didn't personally. Apparently it runs on for a long, long time with a lot of set up time for the cameras and retakes.
Given your obvious greater success in the US, do you spend more time over there than you do over in the UK? Do you have a base over there? If so, whereabouts?
Keith - Doncaster
AB : We spend approx. 2 months a year in America. We still live in the UK, our base would be New York as that's were Domino US have their offices.
John Peel often championed you in the past. How did you feel about his premature passing?
Malcolm McKenzie – North Wales
AB : It's so sad that he died at quite a young age. We were away in America when it happened, it affected everyone very strongly.
What are the bands favourite albums of the 2004?
Chris Lowther - Liverpool
AB : That would be:
Animal Collective - "Sung Tongs"
Oneida - "Secret Wars"
Devendra Banhart - "Rejoicing In The Hands (Of The Golden Empress)"
Why did you call the album "Winchester Cathedral"? Is this your favourite of all the UK cathedrals?
Keith Craig – Southampton
AB : We gave the album the title partly due to the tongue in cheek reference of the 60's song but also the sheer Englishness of it. The cathedral is magnificent though, one of my favourites definitely.
Do you think the use of the masks and the lack of a lyric sheet to help with deciphering what Ade is singing about creates a distance between the band and its fans? If say a fan were still to recognize one of you and approach you after a gig or on the street, would you find this a problem?
Melanie Wilson
AB : I think many people enjoy something having a bit of 'mystery'. We do regularly speak to people at gigs and feel 'comfortable' with it, as hopefully they do.
How did the name "Clinic" come about, and how do you feel that name represents the creation and evolution of your music? Do you feel that wearing surgical masks during your performances helps you to convey your music better than baring your faces? (Do you wear them in the studio as well?)
Kelly Macellari – Seattle, Washington
AB : At the time('96) it just seemed the antithesis of the many crap britpop names. Something direct and precise. I think it reflects the music well. The masks/surgical outfits I feel make the gigs more of an 'event'. So, yes, they make it easier to play.
You wear masks. Is this a tribute to Altern8, or are you worried about the standard of our air quality?
A.McAlley - London
AB : Definitely an Altern8 tribute. No question.
How come all of your recent UK gigs have been cancelled?
Emma
AB : The UK.gigs were cancelled as I was ill after our last American dates. We left it as long as we could as we thought they may still be possible but there was just no way we could play. We're hoping to try and make up for it with more UK gigs later this year.
Do you like cheese ? If so, what are your favourites?
David Pickering - Manchester
AB : I like Lancashire and Cheshire. I don't like mature cheese!.
With your albums as short as they are, why isn't there less time in between releases?
Thomas L
AB : I think to get the songs/albums working in a compact and concise way still takes time. If not more than just throwing everything you've got on an album with no quality control!.
Besides making music, what other forms of culture do you enjoy? What music do you listen to? What authors do you read? What movies do you enjoy? What works of art do you like?
Brian Lee
AB : Music would be for me, amongst others, The Residents, Cpt.Beefheart, The Electric Eels.
Writers - John Fante, Richard Brautigan.
Movies - Man Bites Dog, Don't Look Now.
Artists - Dada/Surrealists and Superrealists.
I spend a lot of time reading (I don't like television, in the main)
Will the melodica appear on every Clinic album?
Thomas L
AB : We still use the Melodica to a degree but have varied things with Clarinet and Harmonium a lot. It's possible we could do the next album without it.
Please describe the writing process: How do you know when a song should be an instrumental or a vocal piece? When do you know you are finished? Do you ever saturate a song with so many sounds that you have to subtract parts out?
Alex Bayer
AB : The songs bare bones are done on 4-track by me,the chords and melody. Then I'll spend time with Hartley on riffs,rhythms and instrumentation. Then we'll play it as a band to get a final perspective. Sometimes the riffs can be better than the song. In that instance it stays instrumental, we always add, subtract and try many permutations. Knowing when it's finished, i feel it's best to trust instinct.
What's the reason you don't play 'Distortions' in concert?
Brian Lee
AB : 'Distortions' was completely a studio song. I don't think we could do it justice live, which I think is really important.
Are Calico Walls and Mungo Jerry ever going to be released? Why don't your sets last longer?
Al – Bristol
AB : Both those songs will be out this year. The set length is done so it has an urgency and doesn't become laboured
Are you going to release any live/DVD stuff at all?
Nic St Vincent
AB : There should be a live release in the not too distant future. Not sure at present about DVD material.
As we all know, Clinic lyrics are deliberately vague and unclear, in meaning and in delivery. While the music always creates an atmosphere, Brian Campbell has stated that the listener must make their own interpretation of the lyrics. My two questions are what themes do Clinic write about? There are many scenes of childhood experiences in the songs. What period of Ade's life is he writing about?
Brian Lee
AB : The lyrics are a deliberate mish mash like your day to day experiences. So the themes can be happy or sad. In amongst that there are references to childhood. I think that is how most people that I know contextualise things (rightly or wrongly!). The period can be anytime though it is usually the present.