Claire Lodge is an adorable guitarist who spends her time in London and Atlanta. That is about all I can tell you because she seems to be a mystery to most folks. I have heard stories of her popping up on stage and playing unannounced from time to time but most scheduled shows she winds up canceling. A friend of mine said he saw her pumping gas into an old Volvo on Ponce.
Jeffrey Bützer plays drums with her and swears to god that she is a real person got her on the phone for five minutes to discuss influences and just shoot the shit. Thank you for your time Claire and if you are real, I would love to meet you.
2:51 P.M. 10 AUGUST 2009
Jeffrey Butzer: Hi Claire, how are you?
Claire Lodge: Hi Jeffrey, I’m alright.
JB: So, can you talk about your songwriting style?
CL: Songwriting style?… you know how I “write.”
JB: Can you pretend this is a real interview thingy?
CL: No, that’s silly.
{SCENE MISSING}
CL: I normally come up with a guitar part… then you play drums to it, then I tell you what you did wrong and we do it again…until it is right (laughs).
JB: Do you only write music when you are sitting with a guitar or piano, or do you walk around with ideas?
CL: Um, mostly when I play… sometimes I will be cleaning under my sink and smell something and think I should put that in a song, what about you?
JB: You know how I write?
CL: Can you pretend this is a real interview thingy?
JB: Touché, I write at the piano mostly. But, I arrange in the shower exclusively. I write melodies, then take a break, go take a shower and figure out what instruments to use.
CL: I don’t believe that.
JB: It’s true. That’s how I arrange.
CL: No… that you take showers (rim shot)
JB: Was that a drum?
CL: Yeah… I’m in my band room.
JB: You don’t play live very often.
CL: Yeah that’s true.
JB: Why is that, can you talk about that?
CL: Hey! Hold on, I have another call.
CL: Hello?
JB: Still me.
CL: Oh, hold on.
(3 to 5 minutes go by)
CL: Sorry, what were you asking?
JB: I don’t remember, did you have lunch yet?
CL: Yeah, but it wasn’t very good. Are you still not using sarcasm? Didn’t you give it up for Lent or something?
JB: No, not for Lent. I gave it up about four years ago because I was being really sarcastic and a woman took me seriously.
CL: What did you say?
JB: Her friend had a baby, and I told her to tell her I said congratulations on her “miracle” and the woman looked at me and said “that’s a really nice way to put it.” I felt bad. Moving on. What influences you? Musically and non musically?
CL: Well, I already said smells from under my sink didn’t I? Music things would be Sonny Sharrock, Marc Ribot, Sonic Youth, Chinese opera, Church organs, junkyards, old folk’s homes. And this nude men’s choir I saw in Denmark a few years ago was pretty inspiring.
JB: Tell me about this nude men’s choir?
CL: It’s all explained in the title.
JB: I see.
CL: I heard a baby was almost born in your car?
JB: Yeah, sort of. It was strange, the night before I had a dream my car was soaked wet. Then, this friend of mine’s water broke and I was the only one around. So, we put some towels in the car and off we went…
CL: Is that true?
JB: Yeah, her husband met us half way and took her from there, I thought about getting us lost just so I could have the adventure of a baby being born in my car. Tell me something that annoys you?
CL: (Sound of drums) does that annoy you?
JB: No, no it’s great.
CL: I thought you gave up sarcasm?
JB: I was being facetious.
CL: What’s the difference?
JB: I’m… I’m not completely sure but it gives me a loophole.
CL: Something that annoys me is coffee jokes in movies, like where they make fun of how much they cost or the names being silly for the sizes. I think it’s a bit passé. Don’t you?
JB: Yeah. I would like more whale jokes in movies!
CL: Me too! Do you know any?
JB: No, you?
CL: No. I had a joke that I wanted to use in a film. But I think it’s only funny on paper, I couldn’t make it work plus I don’t make films.
JB: And it was?
CL: It would be a silent film and a lady would scream, and everyone would cover their ears, then I would show a wine glass shatter then pan to another wine glass but it would be wearing little ear muffs or headphones. I just realized if you want to do a good Bob Dylan impersonation all you have to do is pretend your tongue is stitched to someone else’s tongue and try to talk.
JB: We are suppose to talk about the CD some. One of your online fans asked: “who did what/wrote which songs on the new CD?”
CL: It was 50/50 all the way! I did 50 percent of the work, and then I came back and did the other 50 percent (rim shot).
JB: That was barely a joke.
CL: Yeah but the rim shot made it funnier. Are you going to edit this at all?
JB: I don’t know?
CL: I wouldn’t if I were you.
perfect.
Tom, I will get the chance to meet you guys next month!, and I’m going to try and do an atlanta show in either sept or oct
Cheers!