Claire Bones :: More than skin and bones

photo: Laura Sexsmith
photo: Laura Sexsmith

by Gilad Carrol

As I sit on an old leather couch in the back of a Winnipeg sticker shop, I cannot help but feel slightly anxious for my interview with Winnipeg’s marvelous and always surprising songstress, Claire Bones. After months of attempting to get a few moments of her time, she finally agreed to meet with me. She required that we met somewhere recluse and dark. After remaining quiet following the release of her beautiful “Call You a King” single last December for the Beach Station Blues record, Claire opened up to me about her new take on songwriting as well as new influences in her musical life. Claire is a guitar stalwart and imaginative and often times spiritual lyricist. As she spoke with me, it became clear that Claire has some incredibly exciting musical experiments in the works. I wanted to get to know her. We spoke for hours, and this interview represents a brief summary of the topics we broached.

Stylus: So what are favorite bands and what are some bands that have influenced you?

Claire Bones: Let me see, my favorite bands…hmm…The Braindead Fenceposts…

Stylus: Wait who are they?

CB: They are a 60s style peace punk/folk band from Pittsburgh from the 90s. Then there’s Elvis Spud, he’s a drummer, just drums and sings. He travels all over the States in old El Camino and just sets up his kit in the back and does shows like that. Have ever listened to his album Welcome to the Real World, Professor?

Stylus: No, I’m not familiar…

CB: Well, you should get it. You’ll never hear any music like that anywhere.

Stylus: And your influences?

CB: The Wives of Frankenstein. I listened to Sig Butz a lot when I was younger, he does this kind of ambient trumpet thing. I actually got to meet him when he played a show in Montréal a year ago. I was the only one in the audience, but I got to jam with him for the second set and then there was no audience. [Laughs.]

Stylus: Do you have any hobbies?

CB: I collect old filing cabinets, I must have a garage full by now.

Stylus: That’s a strange hobby.

CB: Really? I don’t think it’s strange. It’s pretty cheap. I pick them at auctions and garage sales.

Stylus: Do you put anything in them?

CB: Yes I do. I write random words on pieces of paper and make drawings of things and file them away.

Stylus: Is that part of your songwriting?

CB: Oh no, that’s entirely different [giggles].

Stylus: Where do you do most of your songwriting?

CB: There’s this old rusted out car out in the backyard of my grandfather’s house in Vita. It has one seat left in it and that’s where I sit and write. Rain or shine. Even in the winter.

Stylus: Neat. What the craziest thing you ever did?

CB: Hmm, that’s a good question. I cut a house in half once.

Stylus: Wait, what?

CB: Yeah it’s on my grandfather’s property in Vita. It used to be his guest house. I did that just last year with an old saw. It took me about a week.

Stylus: Why did you do it?

CB: I dunno, it just felt like it was the right thing do at the time.

Stylus: How did your grandfather feel about that?

CB: He thought it was a hoot.

Stylus: Ok, so besides cutting a house in half?

CB: I once filled an old car with spray cans and then set it on fire and when it all blew up, it sprayed all these colours all over these canvasses that I had facing the car. Then sold them on Kijijij.

 

Look for Claire Bone’s contribution to the second Beach Station Blues compilation, released on September 28th in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

 

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