Chicago’s piano blues based jazzsters with added rockabilly flare and punk attitude The Claudettes recently released their stunning new album High Times in the Dark. Reviewed by yours truly for Louder Than War. Shortly thereafter, their touring plans (along with those of every other band) to promote the record, including a trip over the Atlantic to the UK, fell foul of COVID 19. Leaving 2020 as a barren gigless wasteland.
Johnny Iguana
Lead Claudette and pianist extraordinaire, Johnny Iguana, took some time out to share some thoughts on the lockdown brought about by the pandemic, the new album, and the current world-wide climate.
Ginger Quiff: You have recently released your latest album, High Times in the Dark. This was shortly followed by the global COVID 19 pandemic. This obviously resulted in the forced cancellation of gigs, including much anticipated UK dates. How have you adapted to promoting the album during the pandemic?
Johnny Iguana: Well, we have a radio promoter, a record label, a PR group, management…everyone is doing what they planned to do. BUT, yes, we have had six months of shows cancelled (and counting), and don’t know when touring will return. So: we’re recording again. Writing and recording is why we exist in the first place, so even as gigs slip away, we create and document our ideas (mostly, we’re doing so in our separate homes…collaborating that way). Fortunately, we made an album that I believe speaks to people, and press and radio response has been great and very satisfying.
Declined
GQ: As usual, the music on the new album is flawless. With some fabulous stories told in the lyrics – from the touching and emotional, through humour to elements of anger and resentment. Declined is one of my personal favourites on the album and is a very clever take on a subject that came to the fore with the #metoo campaign. Tell me more about the song. Are the lyrics a general comment on this topic or are the sights aimed at any individuals?
JI: Truthfully, I wrote that song before #metoo took hold. I just hunt for, and sometimes spontaneously discover words and phrases that say “write this song” to me. As for “Declined,” it just amused me upon reading a rejection letter, to imagine a romantic rejection written that way. Maybe some men need an official rejection to get the picture…company letterhead…formal speak…my favourite part was reversing Stevie Wonder with “Delivered, Sealed, Signed: Declined.”
Most Accidents Happen
GQ: I can relate to the lyrical content on Most Accidents Happen. A sarcastic an attack on the mainstream media reporting and the incessant constantly regurgitated 24-hour news. I always take what we see reported with a pinch of salt. From someone who is closer to it, how would you describe what is currently happening in the USA? From the way the pandemic has been dealt with and reported, through to recent events and the death of George Floyd.
JI: “Most Accidents Happen” was a song I wrote about people operating on incomplete bits of information. A little bit of knowledge being a dangerous thing. I think a lot of people now are drawing large conclusions from small bits of information. The image came to me of an old couple watching two different TVs in their house, and Sal comes running up to Harriet to say, “Harriet! Did you hear? Most accidents happen!” when in fact the piece he was watching on TV was about how most accidents happen in parking lots, or within two blocks of home, etc. But instead he’s suddenly now afraid of life, of even going outside.
2020…
As for the pandemic and Black Lives Matter…all that’s happening now…it’s all enormous stuff. 2020 is one for the ages. I’ve seen nothing like it in my lifetime. I truly think COVID-19 will be remembered like the Spanish Flu, though we’re somewhat better equipped and experienced now and will be able to mitigate deaths compared to previous plagues and pandemics. And I’ve been playing blues gigs with black musicians for more than 25 years and have heard countless stories of being pulled over on the highway for the crime of Driving While Black.
It’s true that this has always been happening…mistreatment of black people (mostly men) by law enforcement…mistreatment and arrest and shooting and death, so often totally unwarranted…but now it’s getting filmed on phones…seems like an uptick, but it’s been this way too long and things need to change. I do, though, think that America is a noble, if very difficult, experiment and concept: all races, all religions, creeds, sexual orientations…great plan…at least we’re trying…but we’re not succeeding yet.
Grandkids Wave Bye Bye
GQ: Grandkids Wave Bye Bye is a social commentary, appearing to be aimed at those who have a selfish “I’m alright jack” attitude. What have you seen changing in society in recent years, has there been a change in attitude from your viewpoint? Did you see any changes in society during COVID 19? How do you view the political landscape now both in the US and worldwide?
JI: That song came from a friend’s father, who my friend said had the attitude, “OK, I got mine, now you go get yours” (that’s in the first line of the song). It seems to say: “If you work hard, you’ll get plenty of money. You can’t have any of mine, because I worked hard and got mine…now you go do the same and all will be well.” But that’s operating under the myth of unlimited resources and also the misconception that we’re all on even footing. Some people have parental/familial support, some have ZERO of that, or even negative (like, parents who are so broke that their kids need to send them money or take care of them). Some have racial, religious, gender bias…we are not all in the same boat.
I believe, and we all do in this band, that we are our brother’s keeper. Government policies should aim to spread opportunity, justice and resources equally, among all our people and communities. Right now, we’re in the eye of the hurricane. I hope we’ll adopt a “brother’s keeper” outlook and put it into practice in this country, especially after facing all this in 2020.
Relationships
GQ: Many of the songs on the album are relationship related but with a twist. The opening salvo of Bad Babe Losing Touch & 24/5 exploring relationships from both extremes – the first where the spark has gone and the second where maybe the spark is too bright from one party, the penultimate health check against dating drummers and the heart-breaking metaphor filled final track. These aren’t simple love songs; they are complex both musically and lyrically. Where does the inspiration come for tracks like these, is it personal experience or observation of the world around you? Also, from a creative perspective, how do you write your songs, do you start on the piano and come up with a melody or do you take inspiration from the lyrics and build around them?
JI: There’s a different story for every song. Some originate on the piano, then migrate to lyrics/melodies. Others begin with a word or phrase someone says that gets me to thinking. “Bad Babe, Losin’ Touch” originated in a dream; it was a classic old rock ‘n’ roll song, and then I had to go and complete it. “24/5” originated with an interview I read where some old rocker said he loves his woman 24 hours a day, 7 days a week…and that had me thinking: “Poor thing. She could use a break…some private time…how about 24/5 to start…y’know: weekends off, or Monday and Tuesday off, at least?” Every bit of “You Drummers Keep Breaking My Heart” is based on true stories from my past…it’s uncanny…then I decided to put my own travails into a song where Berit sings about my past drummers as if they were, instead, her past boyfriends.
The Sun Will Fool You
“The Sun Will Fool You” was born when my nine-year-old complained that the February sun was offering no heat, even though it sure looked as warm as any sun. It got me to thinking about the times I’d been cold to people who love me, and had that done to me, too, and how it’s a uniquely human sort of torture to be warm and funny at parties, but cold to those close to us, when the party’s over. In those cases, I then went to write music that I hoped would translate the sentiment of the lyrics. It takes time. No part is complete until it moves me. That can take an hour, or six months.
The band recently released a wonderful hand-drawn video to go with that final track. If it doesn’t touch you, you have no soul…
GQ: How have you been spending time in lockdown, has it triggered the creative juices in you?
JI: Just the opposite, in fact. I write all the time…enough for a new album every year…but this COVID year has me kind of hibernating. I’m playing a ton of piano, but it’s all sort of overload right now, all this…and I’m not the type to write protest songs or inspirational anthems. I write personal, love and concept songs, and my head’s too full of uncertainty right now, I think…
The Future
GQ: How do you view the future both short and long term for bands like yourselves, touring and playing live may be impacted into next year, and travel to other countries may be impacted? Obviously, there are a lot of factors out of your control but how have you viewed this as a band?
JI: The worst part is that we had a delicate, hard-fought construction here: four musicians with flexible jobs and health insurance. That meant we could tour as we needed to and still have jobs to come back to. That’s mostly gone now. I think we’ve been afraid to even talk directly about the future in that regard. We’ve had some Zoom calls, with wine in hand, and laughed and checked in on each other’s emotional and spiritual health (also, bodily health; our singer’s boyfriend tested positive and had a cough…they’re over that now). But as I mentioned, we are recording, and that, I hope, will lead to its own inspiring feelings.
GQ: What is next for The Claudettes?
JI: We hope for a vaccine or effective treatment, like most everyone is. We want to play shows. We want to have fun and be happy. 2020 has its own ideas. I often say in interviews when asked what I hope for, for the band going forward, “To make the next album.” That’s pretty much it.
Heroes & Inspirations
GQ: Who are your musical heroes and inspirations!
JI: Personally, mine are: Erik Satie, Mose Allison, Bobby Timmons, Otis Spann, Captain Beefheart, Minutemen, Husker Du, Meat Puppets, Wire, the Clash…also really like Nick Cave, Led Zeppelin, Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Johnny Jones (Elmore’s piano player), Jimmy Smith, all the Philly organ players (Groove Holmes, Jimmy McGriff)…the string quartets of Shostakovich…within the band, our influences and heroes span decades, genres, the globe…vast…
GQ: What have you been listening too during lockdown?
JI: I love the new Laura Marling record, and have been listening to a lot of Nick Cave, especially since I want the next Claudettes record to sound like the “No More Shall We Part” album…lots of classical stuff…the new Sparks…
Hope you’re well and to see you in 2021.
If you haven’t heard the band, go and check out High Times in the Dark, while you’re at it, check out Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium, heck go for all the back catalogue.