MW Questionnaire: CLAMS BAKER Jr

CLAMS BAKER Jr

answers the MUSIC WORKS Questionnaire

1. QUALIFICATIONS?
A life lived on the many streets and cities this weird world has to offer.

2. CREATIVE LIFE HIGHLIGHTS?
Having my oldest daughter join me on stage at the O2 Forum Kentish Town London.

3. WHAT AMBITIONS DO YOU STILL HAVE TO FULFIL?
To tour Asia

4. SONGS YOU WISH YOU HAD WRITTEN?
So many but let’s say Get Up by James Brown for now!

5. DESERT ISLAND DISCS?

Oh boy, very difficult!!! Let’s say

Get on the good foot James Brown

Anything by Grace Jones for when I’m lonely

The whole Big Black “Songs About Fucking” lp as well as Rembrandt Pussyhorse by Butthole Surfers

Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest

Strictly Riddem vol 3 Dancehall compilation

And delicious by Jim Bakus

6. FAVOURITE ARTISTS/BANDS OF ALL TIME?
James Brown, Little Richard, Billy Idol, Big Black, Butthole Surfers, Tyler The Creator, Easy E, Blow Fly, my grandmother!!

7. WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO NOW?
Lots of Gqom from Citizen Boy

8. THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?
Slaughter House 5

9. HOBBIES?
Painting, panting, picking the hairs out of my ears!

10. VINYL, CASSETTE, CD, MP3, WEB STREAMING?
Cassette forever!!!

11. MUSIC IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET (RELEASE, PROMOTION, GIG…) ??
I think the internet is a blessing for us artists because it allows you so much freedom as an artist. I don’t believe in all the crap people say about how it destroys the state of music, that’s all poppycock! Embrace it.

12. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL MOTTO?
Be good not God

---

Warmduscher

At The Hot Spot

Warmduscher have today announced details of their fourth album, At The Hot Spot, their first for indie label Bella Union, which was released on Friday, April 1st 2022. Having previously released “Wild Flowers”, Warmduscher have today also shared “Fatso”, the latest track to be taken from the album. Talking about “Fatso”, Clams Baker of the band said…
“A song dedicated to taking the time to slow down and sniff the roses, turn off the computer and take in the sunshine, and embrace the battle of a sleepless day at the office from a night of beautiful carnage that you’ll always dream about.”

Written over a period of over a year in lockdown, At the Hotspot, produced by Joe Goddard and Al Doyle of Hot Chip, takes the raucous energy Warmduscher solidified on their critically acclaimed 2019 release Tainted Lunch, and injects it with a slightly more polished, ‘80s funk sound, kind of like stumbling home to your squatted loft after a drunken night at the local disco. It’s crunchy on the outside, smooth on the inside, and might be the most immediately enjoyable music Warmduscher have ever graced us with.
“There was a lot of partying,” says Clams, laughing about the gestation of the album. “We were like, Aaarrggghh. We were just happy to be doing something and seeing each other. It was that weird energy, where you’re fed up and you’re kind of angry, but in a good way. We would spend like two nights a week writing, maybe once or twice a month, sometimes less.” This went on for about a year, with all the members bringing in their contributions until it came time to record—which, in typical punk rock fashion, had its own set of obstacles to overcome.

The bulk of Warmduscher’s discography – the aforementioned Tainted Lunch, as well as 2018’s Whale City and 2016’s Khaki Tears – were produced by London stalwart Dan Carey, who was instrumental in helping the band hone their fuzzed-out sound. Unfortunately, at the beginning of At the Hotspot’s recording process, Dan caught COVID, and the band found themselves having to leave their comfort zone and find a new producer fast. Luckily, they found two, under serendipitous circumstances. “I was in the studio with Joe and Al of Hot Chip, doing an electronic project with Igor Cavalera of Sepultura and his wife, artist/musician Laima,” explains Clams. “When I got the message saying Dan couldn’t do the album, I was like, ‘Aw, fuck!’ Then Joe and Al were simply like, ‘We’ll do it!’ It was this really weird, happy accident.”
While At the Hotspot is still very much a Warmduscher album, with all its cracks and crevices oozing garage rock bravado, the production values buff out those jagged edges in a way only these two virtuoso producers could have pulled off. “We’re just really psyched to play this whole thing live now,” states Clams matter-of-factly. “And it’s a whole revamp—new label, new producers, new logo—new everything.”

The band also heads out on the road this spring on a run of the UK and European dates, including some a sold-out rearranged shows and their biggest London show to date at The Forum.