Clare Easdown: “Our lives would be utterly devoid of meaning without music. It is our one outlet for expression, creativity, anger and every emotion in between”
My love affair with the music of Australian artist Clare Easdown dates back to early 2023. Her single, Burned Into My Past, had just entered my sonic atmosphere, and the majestic and calming tune set off an adoration for the Australian's sound that hasn’t wavered since that first listen.
Fast forward to today, and I think it's fair to say that Clare's sound has expanded and evolved. Teaming up with her partner, Jade Ryan, she's now one half of The Cunning Linguists, a sharp-tongued and politically charged punk act.
Thinking it was time to catch up with her again, I was stoked when Clare agreed to an interview! Chatting with us about her new sonic world, her recent love for bands like Bikini Kill and Fugazi, and what she and Jade will be getting up to next, please welcome our good friend, Clare Easdown!
Hey Clare, I'm so stoked I get to catch up with you again! I think it's fair to say it's been a minute!
Now, I’ve had the pleasure of following your musical evolution for some time, but for anyone still out of the loop, what kind of sonic world are they stepping into?
Hey there Jeremy, it's an absolute pleasure to connect with you again!
The sonic world that Jade Ryan and I have started to craft is one of DIY/Lo-Fi Political Punk and pure madness. I have been producing music by myself for many lonely nights and years. I spent many gruelling hours trying to perfect my own tracks; however, only a year ago, I was lucky enough to meet my now-partner, Jade Ryan, and we quickly formed the Political Punk duo, now known as The Cunning Linguists.
OK, let's chat about your latest release, FUCK YOUR THRONE.
A raw and heartfelt piece of music, it's a track that sees you teaming up with guitarist Jade Ryan.
How did the two of you meet, and please tell us more about The Cunning Linguists 😊
Jade and I met over a cheeky and scary swipe on the old Tinder app. We rapidly bonded over our shared love of music and realised that our musical tastes more than aligned.
After a busking session in Newtown, Jade made a joke about forming a band called The Cunning Linguists, and I immediately jumped on it, saying it's perfect for us! We dived straight into being cheeky, satirical and politically charged and haven't since looked back.
Just sticking with FUCK YOUR THRONE, it's a tune you've described as "an anti-capitalist anthem that screams at the ones pulling the strings and rolling in dollar bills."
It's a bold and fiery message, and I'm wondering what sparked that defiance? Was there a particular event or turning point that lit the fuse for this one?
This particular track has been simmering for a while. We have just noticed multiple events in the current political climate, and these happenings sparked the creation of FUCK YOUR THRONE, and it almost came together without effort immediately.
Some events that helped spark this track into motion are the rich getting richer and the poor floundering, and not much being done about it by those pulling the strings. People in power use their power to form their positions, which turns them into more of a dictator than a leader.
You’re a rather prolific musician. Does the entire “song-making process” come very naturally to you?
Why, thank you Jeremy! That really does mean a lot to me. I would say in the beginning it was very difficult as I was learning the ropes and how to work DAW's etc. However, now that I've familiarised myself with the production side of things, I can really hone in on the lyrics rather than work out the bells and whistles of basic music production.
Who would you put down as some of your biggest musical influences, and who would you ultimately credit for helping shape and form your overall sound?
My biggest musical influences would be Madonna for her cutting-edge breaking down of boundaries, Grimes for her incredible DIY approach to music and music production, Sevdaliza for when I was first exploring trap and CHVRCHES, coz they are just incredible!
Now, however, it would be my partner Jade Ryan, for exposing my mind to Punk and Political Punk such as Bikini Kill, The Riot Grrrl movement, Fugazi and many more. This new shift in genre has really helped shape my approach to music and the overarching sound that is emanating from us as a duo.
What do you love most about being a musician? And on the flip side, what are some of the biggest challenges that you’ve faced so far?
The most beautiful love I have for being a musician would be the ability to express myself in all its horror and mess. Music cuts through the core and hearts of all, and I believe being able to create original tracks is just the epitome of art.
On the flip side, the biggest challenge I've had to face is overexerting myself. I live with Bipolar 1 disorder, and sometimes the fast-paced nature of producing can exacerbate my ailment, and it can sometimes flare up.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” What would your life look like without music, and what fills your days when you’re not busy creating?
Our lives would be utterly devoid of meaning without music. It is our one outlet for expression, creativity, anger and every emotion in between. Listening to music, creating music, going to live music…just all of it is not only vital for Jade and me but similar to a therapeutic drug.
The only things that fill our days when we aren't creating music are really just looking after our kids and our health, as gigging and creating music can sometimes wear the old body thin.
Clare, it's been an absolute pleasure having you here! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us!
Before we say farewell, what comes next for you musically, and do you have any words of wisdom you'd like to leave us with?
Jeremy, it's been an ultimate pleasure to answer these thought-provoking interview questions.
What's next for us musically is plenty more gigs, such as Lazy Thinking and Club 77. We are also in the midst of DIY recording our next Lo-Fi album, which we will release as soon as we can.
Words of wisdom to leave you with would be: to not be afraid of going against the grain and going after what you want. Not everyone will align with your vision, but do it anyway. Believe in yourself completely, and be delusional. It is in these delusions that magic is made.
