Cling Interview | The SendMe Stage

October 14, 2009
Cling Interview

The techno-inspired Cling is the brainchild (and lovechild) of musicians Susi Lavender and Gerald Patient. Back from spending a summer performing festivals around the UK, Gerald was kind enough to chat with us about how Cling came to be, the excitement that spawned over their 2006 debut release Sonic Spells and how Cling’s sound is just a bit “otherworldly”. If you’ve never heard of Cling, their music can best be described as warm, unusual and beguiling.

Check ‘em out!

1. You’ve been busy playing the festival circuit across the UK this summer. What was that like? Any standout moments?

The standout moment I think would have to be the Kelvedon Free Music Festival. We thought it would be quite small as it is only a little village in Essex, but we found ourselves playing to an audience of 2,000. It was also singer Susi`s birthday so it was a wonderful experience for both of us.

2. Who are the members of Cling and who does what in the band?

There are two members of Cling:

Susi Lavender- Lyrics/Vocals
Gerald Patient (myself) – Programming/Production

3. Who are your musical influences?

There are too many to mention them all. Recently, we have been incorporating some dubstep into our productions and there are some really good artists out there such as Vex’d, iTal-Tek, Boxcutter and burial to name but a few

4. How did Cling come together as a band?

We knew each other for a long time before Cling was born. Susi always says that Cling is like our love child and I think she is right.

5. The songs from Sonic Spells got a lot of exposure on the Web. How did that come about and what has it done for your career?

The exposure from Sonic Spells was very important as it was our debut release and a lot of people welcomed us with open arms. However, it still took a lot of hard work since we did all of the promotion ourselves. We even had a comment from Mixmaster Morris on our MySpace page saying “nice work”. We didn’t even send him a CD. He actually found it, brought it home, played it and liked it enough to leave us a comment. I’d say that the exposure definitely helped to get us into the heads and hearts of a lot of people.

6. Since Techno has so many subgenres, how would you describe Cling’s music to someone who isn’t familiar with the genre?

Our influences are many, but our music does have a very atmospheric vibe to it and the distinctive sound of Susi’s voice. But to actually pin it down to one genre would be difficult. We cover areas of Drum and Bass, Dub Step, Dance Chillout. I would describe it as a fusion of past, present and future music.

7. Cling songs seem to convey a certain mood. Is there any particular theme you hope your audience picks up on?

A lot of our material is quite otherworldly. I guess what I am trying to do musically is to spark people’s imaginations. By using sounds and beats in a certain way you can take your listeners on a journey, but what sort of journey they have is up to the individual

8. What advice would you give to a young artist trying to break into the industry?

As the industry has changed so much, there are no hard and fast rules for success. What I would say is that people should work hard, believe in themselves, and be prepared for a lot of disappointments along the way. The good stuff will happen if it’s meant to be.

9. Given the songs Cling is known for, is there anything in your musical past that might surprise your current fans?

I (Gerald) used to be the lead singer in a rock band called Chariot who was quite well known in the eighties.

10. Do you have any plans for shows in the United States? Is the Techno scene in the United States different from the UK?

We would love to play in the US. We have heard that they are all into electronic music in a big way. We are possibly going to New York for a trip in a few weeks time. We’ll definitely be checking out the scene.

11. Where should people look for info about where to see you live?

Check our MySpace page or our Web site – www.clingmusic.co.uk. Listeners can also get free downloads of our music, including the debut Sonic Spells, at www.gimmesound.com/Cling.

There’s also a new CD/Download coming out in October called “Live Versions”. It will contain all of the tracks that we have played out live over the last year.

Cling Live

Awesome, thanks so much, Gerald! If you want to stay up-to-date with Cling, make sure to check out their MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and, of course, their personal site.

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