Clinic are a Liverpool acid punk band, formed in 1997 by vocalist Ade Blackburn, guitarist Jonathan Hartley, bassist Brian Campbell and drummer Carl Turney. The band were originally named Pure Morning.
The band are signed to
Domino
Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces, commonly known as dominoes. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also c ...
, and are noted for wearing surgical masks and outfits in concert and press shots. Blackburn has stated that this is an homage to
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
bands
Crime
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...
and
The Residents, and that "I like the way there was a visual side to what they did, but it wasn't something too serious. It was like a tacky pun on the band name. I liked something a bit more ridiculous like that."
History
Formation and early recordings
Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ade Blackburn and lead guitarist Jonathan Hartley formed the earliest incarnation of the band around 1984, initially known as Sunny Rainy Afterlife, and offering home-made demo cassettes through a local free-circulation magazine. By the late 1980s, the band had renamed itself Jellystone Park, with Blackburn and Hartley joined by drummer Steve "Captain" Dougherty, who later went on to join
Creation signings One Lady Owner, and bassist Derek Finn. Following a brief hiatus, and a one-off appearance by Blackburn and Hartley in a covers act, Sean Durney's L-Ego, supporting the post-
A Flock of Seagulls
A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s.
The ...
combo An Almighty Atmosphere, Dougherty was replaced in 1988 by Sean Durney, previously drummer with an acoustic agit-pop outfit also part of a mini-scene centred on the Birkey pub in
Crosby Crosby may refer to:
Places
;Canada
*Crosby, Ontario, part of the township of Rideau Lakes, Ontario
*Crosby, Ontario, a neighbourhood in the city of Markham, Ontario
;England
*Crosby, Cumbria
*Crosby, Lincolnshire
*Crosby, Merseyside
** Crosby (U ...
, Liverpool. The band by this time was based in a former storage room at the Regent Bingo Hall in Crosby (now
St Mary's College Sports Centre), where Blackburn was a bingo caller. Finn departed and was replaced by Rich Stevens, and following his departure, for a short period by Paul Entwhistle, also of Liverpool band Spontaneous Cattle Combustion. Entwhistle was subsequently replaced by Brian Campbell after Durney spotted him playing in a band at The Crosby Squash Club. The band recorded two demos in 1991 (both of which were released as digital downloads by Museum Records under the name of ''Jellystone Park'' in 2011, and ''The Dark Side of the Birkey'' in 2012) along with a flexi-disc in 1992. Durney also departed in 1993, being replaced on the drums by Carl Turney, an associate of Campbell, and the band renamed itself Pure Morning, recording an album, ''Two Inch Helium Buddah'', for
Radar Records
Radar Records was a UK-based record label formed in late 1977 by Martin Davis (managing director) who had previously worked at United Artists Records, and Andrew Lauder, who had previously been head of A&R at the UK divisions of Liberty Recor ...
in 1996.
With the line-up unchanged, the band again renamed itself to Clinic the following year and soon developed early notoriety for featuring instruments (primarily keyboards/organs) that were acquired at various
jumble sales and
flea markets
A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...
. Shortly after, the
EP ''I.P.C. Subeditors Dictate Our Youth'' was released on their own Aladdin's Cave of Golf
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
. The EP made the top ten of
John Peel's
Festive Fifty
The Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's 50 (though the exact figure varied above and below this number) best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. It was usually do ...
at the end of the year, and two other self-financed
singles followed in 1998.
Signing to Domino Records
In 1999, the band signed to
Domino Records and the first three singles were compiled on a single
CD or
LP. Their debut
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
, ''
Internal Wrangler'', was released in 2000. Album tracks "The Second Line", "The Return of Evil Bill" and "Distortions" were released as singles; "The Second Line" was later reissued after being used in a television advertisement for
Levi's jeans. In the same year, the band played at
All Tomorrow's Parties
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''.
Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...
and
Scott Walker's
Meltdown
Meltdown may refer to:
Science and technology
* Nuclear meltdown, a severe nuclear reactor accident
* Meltdown (security vulnerability), affecting computer processors
* Mutational meltdown, in population genetics
Arts and entertainment Music
* Me ...
, and toured with
Radiohead. ''Internal Wrangler'' was voted Number 9 i
Pitchfork'sbest albums of the year.
2002–2019
Two further albums, ''
Walking with Thee'' (which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album) and ''
Winchester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...
'', followed in 2002 and 2004, respectively, along with tours with
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (k ...
and an appearance on the ''
Late Show with David Letterman'', performing "Walking with Thee". "
Come into Our Room", the second single from ''Walking with Thee'', was featured on an episode of "
The OC
''The O.C. '' is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons. "O.C." is an initiali ...
" as well as an episode of ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' and was included on the series' soundtrack album. Additionally, another song from ''Walking with Thee'', "The Equaliser", was featured in the 2003 indie film ''
Thirteen
Thirteen or 13 may refer to:
* 13 (number), the natural number following 12 and preceding 14
* One of the years 13 BC, AD 13, 1913, 2013
Music
* 13AD (band), an Indian classic and hard rock band
Albums
* ''13'' (Black Sabbath album), 2013
* ...
''. The band released their fourth album, ''
Visitations'', in October 2006. "Tusk", the first single from the album, was made available as a free download from the band'
official websitein February 2006, and "Harvest (Within You)" preceded the album as a single in early October.
''
Funf
''Funf'' is a compilation of B-sides from the band Clinic
A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly ma ...
'', a
compilation album of
b-sides
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
, was released in June 2007. Clinic also appeared with
Roky Erickson at
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963) is an English musician and radio presenter. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Following P ...
's 2007
Meltdown Festival and later in the year toured with
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member ...
. "If You Could Read Your Mind" from ''Visitations'' was used in the arthouse film ''
Hallam Foe
''Hallam Foe'' is a 2007 British drama film directed by David Mackenzie (director), David Mackenzie based on Hallam Foe (novel), the novel written by Peter Jinks. The film was released in the United States as ''Mister Foe''. The screenplay was ...
'' the same autumn.
2008 saw the release of the uncharacteristically mellow single "Free Not Free", preceding their fifth album ''
Do It!''. The single was released as a free download from the band's website. The download also contained the B-side, "Thor". The band later released "The Witch (Made to Measure)" as the second single from the album, and "Tomorrow" as the third. After touring to promote the album, in May 2009, Clinic played the Moondog tribute concert at the Barbican in London, performing "Oboe Round".
The band's sixth album, ''
Bubblegum
Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Bubble gum flavor
While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
'', produced by John Congleton was released on 4 October 2010. A press release stated that the album was a marked change in direction from their trademark "hyped-up sound". The acoustic-based lead single from the album, "I'm Aware", was released on 20 September 2010, and a second single, the titular
wah-led "Bubblegum",
came out on 31 January 2011.
The band released an EP of cover versions, ''Ladies Night'',
in support of
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
, on 16 April 2011; the main track was a version of
Man 2 Man
Man 2 Man (also known as Man to Man) was an American Hi-NRG band from New York City, that formed in the early 1980s. It was best known for their hit singles "Male Stripper", "Energy Is Eurobeat" and "I Need a Man".
Beginnings: The Fast
The Fast ...
's "Male Stripper". In March 2012, the band was invited to support
The Shins
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's cu ...
at the Forum in
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of northwest London, England in the London Borough of Camden, immediately north of Camden Town. Less than four miles north of central London, Kentish Town has good transport connections and is situated close to the open ...
.
They performed the new song "Seamless Boogie Woogie Rpt BBC2 10pm". In April 2012, the song "D.P." from the band's debut EP was used in a TV advertisement for
Weetabix
Weetabix is a breakfast cereal produced by Weetabix Limited in the United Kingdom. It comes in the form of palm-sized (approx. 9.5 cm × 5.0 cm or 4" × 2") wheat biscuits. Variants include organic and Weetabix Crispy Minis (bite-sized ...
breakfast cereal.
The LP ''
Free Reign'' was released in 2012 and mixed by Daniel Lopatin and the band. The album was markedly different from ''Bubblegum'' with more of an electronic/keyboard based sound. After a sabbatical Clinic performed with John Cale at his 'Velvet Underground and Nico' LP show in May 2016 in Liverpool.
2019–present
Following a seven year break, the band released ''Wheeltappers and Shunters'' in 2019, with only Blackburn and Hartley receiving songwriting credits. There was no tour in support of the album.
In July 2021, the band announced what would have been their first national tour since 2012. However, the tour was cancelled without explanation or any announcement.
They released ''Fantasy Island'' in October 2021 via
Domino Records, again with only Blackburn and Hartley receiving songwriting credits. Press shots for the album also only featured Blackburn and Hartley.
Band members
''Current members'':
* Adrian "Ade" Blackburn –
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...
,
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
,
keyboards,
melodica
The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usua ...
, bass (1993-Present)
* Jonathan Hartley – guitar, keyboards,
clarinet, drums, bass (1993-Present)
''Former members'':
* Brian Campbell –
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
,
flute,
backing vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...
(1993-2019)
* Carl Turney –
drums,
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
, backing vocals (1993-2019)
Discography
Studio albums
Compilation albums
EPs
* ''Operating at a Theatre Near You Vol. 1'' (2004)
* ''Ladies Night'' (2011)
Singles
References
External links
*
*
Clinicinterview at Prefix Magazine
Behind the Uniform: Clinic's Fetishized Fashion CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a Canadian digital radio station operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which plays a relatively freeform mix of indie rock, indie pop, alternative hip hop, folk, country and electronic music.
The service, which la ...
live concert session; story by Nicolas Bragg, photography by Joanne K.
Clinicinterview on Music Towers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clinic
Musical groups from Liverpool
Musical groups established in 1997
Post-punk revival music groups
English indie rock groups
Domino Recording Company artists
1997 establishments in England