Interview With The Clockwork Orchestra Fan Club

Where were you raised?

I was raised in Finglas and Glasnevin in north Dublin.

When did you start to study music?

I never really tried to learn how to play anything properly. It just happened naturally when I got my hands on a guitar and a few keyboards in my mid teens. I can't really read music or anything like that so if I want to play something I just figure it out by ear.
How many instruments can you play?

I mainly just play keyboard instruments like synthesizers, pianos and organs but occasionally I pick up the guitar and mess about with it. I've recently been thinking about starting a more guitar based side project to Clockwork Orchestra but until there are more hours in the day that won't be possible.
Did you ever know you were going to be a musician? What would you be if you weren´t a singer?

I originally wanted to be an artist or an art teacher. I went to art college which was a frustrating experience for the most part. I still enjoy making art but I haven't got much interest in it in terms of a career any more. Perhaps I'll give the teaching idea a second chance in future.
Does your family think you are doing the right thing, or do they think you are totally nuts?

They support what I'm doing and also think I'm totally nuts.

Which was the first record you bought?

It was probably "Out Of Time" by R.E.M. who were my favorite band as a kid. I still like some of their albums a lot, particularly the earlier ones. "Fables Of The Reconstruction" is a big favorite of mine.
And the first gig you attended?

That would be when I saw The Stranglers play at the Ambassador Theatre in Dublin about ten years ago.
If it were possible... which singer would you choose to make a duet? And why?

It would be nice to go back in time and do a duet with one of the French pop singers of the 60s. I've always loved the songs Serge Gainsbourg did with France Gall and people like that.
Which is your worst nightmare when you think of performing live?

Apart from obvious things like being heckled or glassed it's probably the idea of not being able to hear what I'm doing properly. I'm already an obsessive control freak about everything so adding that element of chaos into the mix aggravates me just thinking about it.  

Have you planned to do any cover of some of your favourite artists? If yes, which songs?

I've done a few covers over the years including songs by Roxy Music, Serge Gainsbourg and Squeeze amongst others. In terms of future covers I have a few ideas that I'm keeping under my hat for now. I'd never put a cover version on one of my albums though as I've always felt that it's a lazy thing to do.
 
What do you do when you write songs? Do you first write the melody? Playing your piano? Then you add the lyrics? Never the other way around? Or maybe everything at the same time?

As far as I can remember, the music has always come first and then the lyrics gradually develop in my mind over time. "Talking To The Flowers" was one where the lyrics came very quickly after the basic melody. Writing the song is the easy part, the problems come when I start recording them! I've gone through so many different approaches and mixes for all of my songs that I often forget what they originally sounded like.
When do you find easier to write music? When you are sad or when you are happy?

A lot of the songs I've written were done so at dark times in my life but when it comes to doing practical things like actually recording the song it definitely helps to be in a good mood. I think it's easier to do pretty much anything when you're happy but it may also be necessary to experience bad periods for the sake of creativity.

Have you ever written a song for someone? Not that you need to tell him/her, you did it for them, but is any of your songs relating some special moments of your life?

Some of my songs are vaguely about specific people or moments but I try to add in other elements or stories into the lyrics to make things more interesting and oblique. For example, "Metamorphosis" started out as a song about a girl I know but over time it evolved into something largely fictional.

Are you involved in the creation of the videos for your songs?
 
I created a few of the animated videos that are online myself including "Tragic Roundabout" and "Black Ice". They're just simple animations but it was good to put some of my basic animation skills to use. The others are made by friends or collaborators of mine and usually I just give them a very basic idea of what the video could be like and let them decide the rest. There are a couple of new videos in the pipeline for 2012 and I might even make a new one myself if I find the time.

What is the best compliment you ever received about your music? And the worst thing you needed to hear?

Recently I've met a few people who already knew my music or who had friends who were already fans which is really great and slightly odd to hear. The videos helped a lot in spreading the Clockwork Orchestra name around. I haven't heard much bad feedback so far but I'd say that may come when the album comes out. I don't feel like I fit into the current music scene particularly well so I fear that may be reflected in the reviews it might get.

Who of your relatives or closest friends is the hardest critic on your music? Do you ask friends/relatives to listen to your songs and to comment on them?

My long time collaborator Paul O'Byrne has been my second pair of ears since I started making music. We've spent many nights driving around listening to mixes in his old Mercedes. The harshest critic is probably a German friend of mine. She loves to remind me how a certain old mix of "Black Ice" is, and always will be, the best version.

 If you weren´t living in Dublin, where would you live?

Probably in one of the Nordic countries. I spent a lot of time in Finland in recent years.

Are you happy at this moment of your life?

I'm certainly a lot happier now than I was five years ago anyway. There's a lot I'd like to change but I think 2012 could be an exciting year for me.

Are you one of those who think that music had its moment in the 70´s and 80´s?

A lot of my favourite albums come out in those decades but I also think that the 1960s was an amazing period for music. For some reason I've never been able to find many bands that emerged in the 90s that I really love but I think the last decade has been a big improvement in terms of the sort of music I like.

In this era, when you can download almost everything for free... do you think that performing live is necessary?

For a lot of bands playing live is necessary for them to make a living and even then most of them don't manage it. There's definitely some appeal in seeing your idols preform live but as many of my favourite artists are long gone or rarely play in Dublin I actually don't go to that many gigs or festivals.

 Is there any gossip you want to share now with us fans before we find it out in the Internet?

No, but if the guy who stole my laptop a few years ago still has the files it will all come out eventually!

Do you practise any sports?

I've never been good at sports but I'm a huge football fan. Once upon a time I was briefly an assistant researcher for the game Football Manager. 

If I asked you to choose 12 songs for an album of your favourite songs ever... which ones would you choose?

You could ask me this every day and I'd give a different answer but here's twelve of my favorites to give an idea of what I like:

The Kinks - Moments
The Stranglers - Baroque Bordello
Sparks - High C
Brian Eno - The Fat Lady Of Limbourg
Was (Not Was) - Tell Me That I'm Dreaming
David Byrne - Tiny Town
Love - You Set The Scene
Serge Gainsbourg And France Gall - Les Sucettes
The Monochrome Set - The Weird, Wild And Wonderful World Of Tony Potts
The The - Giant
Yello - Rock Stop
Wall Of Voodoo - Good Times
Interview with the Burning Flame Blog: Link

Interview with the Clockwork Orchestra fan club: Link
Clockwork Orchestra Featured Online:

Good Hair Music: Link
Like The Cold Wind In Your Ears: Link1 Link2
WotYouGot: Link1 Link2
Potholes In My Blog: Link
Daily Cafe Video: Link
Steelberry Clones: Link
Zero Magazine (In Swedish): Link
Black Diamonds (In Portuguese): Link
Swiperbootz: Link
State.ie: Link
Electro And Pop Blog (In French): Link
Nialler9: Link
pHinnweb: Link
Burning Flame Blog: Link
AudioPorn Central: Link
Coute Que Coute: Link
Rozdzielnia (In Polish): Link