Clare Bowditch
Template:Infobox musical artist 2
Clare Bowditch (born 1975) is an Australian musician from Melbourne, Victoria, soon to release her fourth studio album, Modern Day Addiction.
Having performed on the Melbourne pub circuit since she was seventeen years old, Bowditch first came to prominence in 2005 with the release of her second album What Was Left, which received excellent critical reviews, and high rotation airplay on national radio stations such as Triple J, although her success can be largely credited to the strong support of local independent radio stations throughout Australia, who championed her early work. She won the Best Female Artist award at the 2006 ARIAs, and was runner up in the International Songwriting Competition (2008) in the singer/songwriter category for her song Peccadilloes. She is currently Yen Magazine's "Young Woman of the Year"(Music).
Bowditch and her partner/drummer Marty Brown, have been touring continuously in Australia and more recently in Europe since 2003. Much of this touring Bowditch has been accompanied by her band The Feeding Set, who are said to be on hiatus for Bowditch's next album. On stage, Bowditch is known best for the beauty of her songs but also for her satirical on-stage humour, and unconventional use of everyday objects (tea-pots, bottles, old casiotone) for sound-effects.
Clare Bowditch is currently in Berlin recording part of her fourth album with producer Mocky (Feist, Gonzales, Jamie Lidell, Peaches) at the legendary Hansa studios. This album marks a decided change in direction for Bowditch, having been written on casio and piano. In October 2009 she released her first single, "The Start of War", from the (as yet untitled) forthcoming album. The song was co-produced by Bowditch, her partner Marty Brown and the legendary Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds).
Bowditch recently signed a licencing agreement with Island Records Australia, after three years with EMI.
Biography
Clare Bowditch is currently in Berlin recording her fourth album with producer Mocky (Feist, Gonzales, Jamie Lidell, Peaches) at the legendary Hansa studios. In October 2009 she released her first single from the (untitled) album, called "The Start of War". The song was co-produced by Bowditch, her partner Marty Brown and the legendary Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds).
Clare Bowditch began writing songs at an early age. She graduated from Melbourne University's School of Creative Arts with a BCA - a now defunct degree at the prestigious University. She continued writing in private until 1998 when she met John Hedigan, forming their first band, Red Raku. Marty Brown, today Clare's husband, produced their first EP. Clare and Marty had their first daughter, Asha, in 2004, around the same time Clare received her first recording grant from Art's Victoria's Music for the Future program. Autumn Bone was recorded in the front room of their house in Melbourne, with Libby Chow and Warren Bloomer. The Feeding Set was a name Libby coined as a joke referring to the meals Clare would cook for them every Wednesday night after rehearsal.
In October 2005, Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set licensed their second album, What Was Left to EMI. The album was publicly and critically recognised, with two songs being included in Triple J's Hottest 100.
In late 2006, Bowditch gave birth to identical twin boys, Oscar and Eli.[1]
Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set released their third album, The Moon Looked On, on 13 October 2007.
An update on her official website, dated 23 April 2008, announced that she was planning a temporary move to Berlin, Germany, for 3 months to follow up on opportunities to release her albums in Europe. This move was precipitated by a sold out twenty-five date experimental solo tour through major and regional venues in Australia, where she was supported by Australian band Hot Little Hands, whose founding member is Tim Harvey of Feeding Set fame.[2]
For the past year Clare and her family have traveled back and forth between Melbourne and Europe, primarily Berlin, where she has been writing and recording her fourth album, which will be released via Island Records Australia in the first half of 2010.
On the 31 May 2010 Clare appeared on the ABC television program Q and A.[3] She provided her view on many political issues within Australia. At the conclusion of the program she performed Bigger Than The Money to bemused looks from other panelists and the audience.
Members
Clare has recorded her last three albums with her band, the Feeding Set.
- Marty Brown of Art of Fighting, Sodastream (drums)
- Tim Harvey of Hot Little Hands (guitar)
- Libby Chow (vocals, french horn)
- Warren Bloomer (bass)
Discography
Red Raku albums
- Sweetly Sedated (1998)
- Roda Leisis May (2000)
Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set
- Human Being (EP, 2003)
- Monday Comes (EP, 2003)
- Autumn Bone (2004) - independent release
- Which Way to Go (EP, 2004)
- Divorcee by 23 (EP, 2005)
- On This Side (EP, 2005)
- What Was Left (2005) - Capitol/EMI - Australia #35
- The Moon Looked On (2007) - Capitol/EMI - Australia #29
Tracks on compilation albums
- "Hallelujah", a cover version of the Leonard Cohen song, recorded by Triple J and released on the album Like a Version (2005) [1]
- "Fall At Your Feet", a cover version of the Crowded House song recorded for the Finn Brothers tribute album She Will Have Her Way (2005)
- "Blood Red Roses" on the album Cannot Buy My Soul: A Kev Carmody Tribute
References
- ^ Rule, Dan (2007-10-26). "Gig reviews: Clare Bowditch". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
- ^ "Clare Bowditch goes solo for a very special 'Winter Secrets Tour'". 23 April 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
- ^ "Youth and Politics, Q and A". Retrieved 2010-06-01.