What is your artist name and where are you from?
My name is Clippy. I'm from a small town in central New York called Norwich. Since then, I have moved west in the state and made my home in Rochester New York.
What genre(s) of music do you tag your music in and what inspires you to create it?
I focus mainly on indie rock but definitely show influences from shoegaze and indie pop as well. I like my music to sound full and jangley. I would say I am usually inspired by whatever I am listening to at the moment, whether it be timeless classics like The Beatles and The Strokes, or more modern artists like Alvvays, Good Morning, or Mac Demarco.
Can you talk us a little about what inspired your most while creating your track for our ‘Analog Memories Vol.1’ compilation?
'Wish Me Well' is a song about internal struggle, a need for support from others, and forgiveness for wrongdoing. I was inspired off of the back of my previous track, 'Hallelujah', looking to capture more of the sound I was developing and touch on the emotions I had internally. The song came so organically to me, being not only written and recorded, but mixed in just a couple of days.
How do you overcome creativity block while doing your music?
I usually look to those that inspire me for help. I will listen to some of my favorite music along with trying to discover something new through a variety of playlists. I will try my best to listen without over analyzing, which can be hard as an artist. From there I usually take to the guitar - I try to practice most days, but eventually will search for a chord progression, lick, or melody I might want to write around. Once I am feeling something, it will usually demand my attention completely.
What are your goals for next year?
I would like to further develop my sound and work on finding a core audience for my music. I feel with my most recent music I have really found a sound I would like to explore further, and if all goes well, I may be looking to complete my next album. I also have some side projects that I might give some more attention to in the future (songs with darker tones and sounds that would best suit themselves under a different umbrella).
If you could tell a writing/production technique, what it would be?
Write what you feel, and can personally relate to. Use it as a tool to further explore yourself and try your best to be authentic. On the topic of production - Compression is the most overlooked aspect for a professional sounding mix/master for beginners (assuming you have great vocal and instrumental recordings). Do not be afraid to learn it, maximize it and utilize it. Once your music sounds clear and great you will be so much more confident when adding effects and exploring your sound. Making music is extremely challenging and takes a ton of trial and error. I have released almost 50 songs and only recently have I seen a quality of work that I am super proud of. If you want to succeed you can't give up after a few songs.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
The industry has become a little too faceless. Everything is driven by algorithms and advertisements instead of genuine connections. I think there is value in connecting with people personally and collaborating. I also feel that with the amount of saturation in place, people often fail to explore avenues on their own. I have used my fair share of youtube tutorials but a lot of my true strides came from just making and releasing music. These things take time, even when I think a lot of people are seeking overnight success.
what you like to do outside of music that contributes to your musicality?
I think everything in my life finds its way back to my music. So many of my songs are about relationships I have with people, especially my wife Mattéa. Nature and the beauty around us also has a massive impact on my work. In the early days, I was especially driven by music in video games and movies as well. I always take note of a great soundtrack or score and it inspires me to tell a story through the music I make. Overall though, I think you can tell a lot about where I am in life through the music I am releasing at any given time. I am the type to wear my heart on my sleeve and it really shows when I am writing and recording music.
Follow Clippy: https://www.7tapes.com/clippy
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