July 12, 2005
Finally, it’s here! The long-awaited IndieShopping.com Music Newsletter. As promised, we’re delivering the best from the cutting edge of indie rock. This week, we’ll spotlight an up-and-coming artist that you’ll no doubt be hearing much more about shortly.
Like Clockwork, the brainchild of Atlanta’s Jesse Astin, showcases some of the most unique talent on the indie rock scene. Their music is a blend of rich, electronic textures with straight-ahead pop punk. Their two self-released records, “A Cross In The Ground” and “Kill The Word” pave the way for the new full-length record set for release in early ‘06, tentatively titled “Placing A Future In My Life.” A lot of potential tracks for the new record have surfaced so far, and I can assure you that each one is a gem! Jesse has managed to squeeze a ton of instruments, too numerous to mention, into a sound that never seems overdone. You have to hear it to believe it, which you can at their site, likeclockwork.net, as well as at their MySpace and purevolume pages. Likewise, indieshopping.com will be following Like Clockwork and keeping you up-to-date on their latest offerings and where to get them.
The Like Clockwork interview:
Jesse Astin interviewed by Shayne Parrish
SP: So how would you define your concept for the new record? The tracks I’ve heard so far are amazing, and after it’s all put together, what do you think the overall feel will be like?
JA: Well, having done the two previous records in the midst of being in high school, going to college for some of it, being in other bands, it really took my writing to an entire new level when I was able to just be by myself in a room writing what I wanted to write, and not caring what anyone else had to say. A lot of soul-searching went into this one, for the first time I feel like I’ve made a record that really does say something about WHO I AM, and what exactly i’m trying to do. I think the overall feel of this record is happiness, and the pain and loss you have to go through to reach it.
SP: That’s great, and it definitely shows through on the tracks that you’ve recorded so far. I love the mix of really deep songs with fun pop-punk type tracks. It seems like it’s really gonna be a great record. Are there any plans for touring before or after the record is released, or are you planning to stay in the Atlanta area for a while?
JA: This time i’m going to be releasing through a label, either one here in Atlanta or somewhere else. I’m currently talking to a few people that are interested, but I don’t really wanna jump the gun and jinx myself on anything. I’ll just say my plan is to play in the Atlanta area starting this fall with a full band, and continue touring the southeast and beyond when the record is released.
SP: Excellent! So what’s the Atlanta music scene like right now? I’m from PA, so I’m in on the New York and Philly scenes, but I’m curious as to what type of great rock is going on elsewhere. I know Atlanta is best known right now for a lot of the area’s rap artists, but is there a lot going on in the indie rock world there right now?
JA: Well, it’s weird being back in Atlanta now, because for the past three years or so, I played in another band based out of Jackson, Mississippi and I was quite dislocated from the scene for a while. But coming back into it, it seems like things are stronger than ever. I would definitely check out Y-O-U (http://www.pleaserock.com). I saw them a week or so ago and it was one of the best shows I’ve seen around here in a while, and also keep an eye out for Family Force 5 - these guys blew me away when I saw them live - Full on break dancing and all.
SP: Very cool. I’ll have to check them out. The southeast definitely has a very rich music heritage, and has definitely produced some amazing indie rock acts, especially from Athens and Chapel Hill, and even moreso now from Nashville. Good to see Atlanta’s doing their part to keep the scene alive. So, on a different note, how did you settle on the name “Like Clockwork?” The reason I ask is, I was listening to your CD here at home one day, then listening to The Boomtown Rats in the car, and the song “Like Clockwork” came on, and I wondered if there was any connection. I suspect probably not, but I figured it was worth asking.
JA: Like Clockwork just signifies something that I have noticed most predominantly about life - and that’s change. People are constantly changing everytime you look, and that’s what Like Clockwork is about, being steady but also constantly changing, it’s a phenomenon that I am willing to commit my life to. (laughs) Yeah - great song but it actually has nothing to do with the name, neither does A Clockwork Orange, respectfully. It’s also like, while we’re constantly changing, we still always have time on our heels, and that’s something that we can never escape from - eventually time runs out.
SP: That’s a great philosophy. I didn’t think there was a connection between the song and the name, but I had to ask. Like Clockwork’s sound is definitely fresh and unique, is there any particular equipment that you’re in love with right now? A favorite guitar, effect, or otherwise that you think really adds a lot to the mix?
JA: I don’t wanna be cheesy and say something like about my “studio secrets” or anything like that, but it is partially true. I’ll just say that I collect tons of toy instruments, and I just recently bought this thing called a “Vocalizer 1000″ that turns my voice intro trumpets, and all kinds of other things - all for 7.99 at the thrift store!
SP: Nice! And I totally respect your right to keep it under wraps. It’s definitely fun to play around with different, unconventional sounds and put them together to create something unique. Are you familiar with The Residents at all? They’re from Louisiana, and were kind of pioneers of that philosophy in the late 60’s until the present. It’s a good listen if you can handle very experimental music.
JA: No I haven’t - I’ll really have to check that out.
SP: Definitely, a weird band but very interesting. One last question: If you could spend an hour hanging out with one musician, alive or otherwise, who would that be?
JA: Freddie Mercury of Queen. I would just love to be able to say that I spent an hour with one of the last true musical geniuses of our time. The man was nuts musically. NUTS.
SP: Great answer! He was definitely in a league of his own. A master showman and uparalleled songwriter. Good answer. So, anything else you’d like our readers to know?
JA: I love my life
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There it is, from Jesse Astin himself. Be sure to check out www.likeclockwork.net, and keep your ears open for more from Like Clockwork in the near future!
I hope you enjoyed this newsletter, and there’s much more to come! IndieShopping.com will soon be the web’s finest source of info for the indie rock community, and we hope you’ll be there to enjoy it all! If you know of an artist that you think would be a great feature here, please let us know. We are currently accepting submissions from indie artists for our newsletter reviews, and will be keeping the great reviews coming. Visit http://www.indieshopping.com for more info. Until next time…
