Throbbing all the way from Minsk to Miami
The band Claire is not named after a girl, the band is named after a planet. Claire is a five-piece noise. Somewhere between a throb and a drone, sometimes very fast, occasionally very slow. Usually in ‘E’, but Claire does flirt with other notes too.
Formed in response to the construction of Milton Keynes in 1983, you might have heard them on John Peel in session during the eighties, if not – no fear as they reformed in 2014 with the release of their long awaited 8 track LP Maxi Power Bulge. New material now being performed and some new personel too.
Claire have throbbed all the way from Minsk to Miami in their time. but are currently distracted by other stuff.
Line-up
- Ian Wilson: Vocals, Guitar, Laptop
- Peter Devine: Guitar
- Ian Williams: Bass
- Andy Williams: Drums
Extended family
- Ian Wilkie: Metal
- Ben Suttey: Vocals
- Bradley McQuewan: Management
- Mick McCarthy: Management
- Dave Barr: Management
- Tony Jeakins: Metal
- Jason Chalk: Metal
- Chris Edwards: Metal
- Keith ?: Guitar
Timeline
1983-1985
Wanna join my band!
The band first forms when Ian and Peter meet.
Gigs are hard to get. The band spend time planning how to assault the city of Milton Keynes rather than trying to write songs. The city is still young and unfinished. Metal bashing and pile-driving formed an urban soundtrack. Unformed sound
1985-1987
End of the beginning
The Point nightclub becomes the bands rehearsal space. Thanks Nod! Rehearsals at the The Point
Claire gig in Bow Brickhill woods. Hundreds attend. Unfortunately a shooting occurs whilst band are on stage. Summer woodland party gig
Demo number 5 is recorded in Buckingham. New material is flowing fast although this session – titled ‘The Future Is Grim’ is less optimistic. 5th Demo
The Pitz – Claire become the first band to play the new Milton Keynes venue. The Pitz
The Five-O Club, Luton. Friends of Claire, UK Decay, organised the gig. The Five-O Club
Claire play Countapoint one last time. Gig attended by Mark Refoy of Spiritualized who later commented:
10. Claire, The Compass Club, Bletchley 1987
I went to see a Northampton group called The Apple Creation (Jonny Mattock on drums) support a group called Clare (sic) from Milton Keynes. Clare (sic) had a totally nuts singer who jumped onto the venue floor and pushed himself around on his back from one side of the room to the other, screaming into the mic at the same time. The band had their backs to the audience and played as if it all was completely normal. They were fantastic but I never heard of them again. I think they did a Peel session, does anyone know anything else about this band? Reference
As a result of the Peel session Claire are invited to record for a compilation LP.
The Driffield Experience
1988-1989
The beginning of the end
A change in personel. Ian Wilkie is replaced by Chris Edwards in metal percussion. It isn’t unusual for someone to be blamed when things don’t work out as planned, and usually signals terminal decline.
Support Lush at the North London Polytechnic.
Support Back To The Planet in Deptford
A new guitarist joins to help beef-up the sound, welcome Keith! Claire are rehearsing in a space beneath a chuch in Camberwell and also in a room in the Peckham Dolehouse.London rehearsals
Despite the personel changes, the rehearsals, the LP and the occasional gig it was becoming obvious that Claire was over for now.
2014 – 2017
25 years later
A vague conversation about local music in Milton Keynes led to a discussion about bands and records that – at some point – may have mentioned an unreleased Claire LP. One thing then led to another, as is so often the case.
The idea of getting the LP mastered and manufactured fired up the thought of rehearsing and gigging. Rehearsals began at Westbury Arts Centre.
A series of gigs sprung out of nowhere. Starting in Milton Keynes but soon we were playing Northampton, London Lexington and Café Oto.
Ian was no longer able to sing, so Claire recruited some local talent in the form of Ben Suttey. Ian focussed on electronic effects, computer samples, guitar and keyboard.
The new line up continued to gig regularly. The highlight of which was the Islington Mill in Manchester supporting Lydia Lunch.
It was fun, so it had to end. Despite lots of new ideas and new material Claire decided to stop. There is something about reforming a band that didn’t sit well with any of us. We were kids when we started… trying to find something to do in boring Milton Keynes in the 1980’s. We all knew you can’t go back, so why try?
Comments
2 responses to “About Claire”
you still have the Keeping It Peel Archive. It’s not defunct. Just not updated:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1980s/1987/Jul14claire/
Just discovered your vinyl (#116) at a charity shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for $1. Best deal I’ve gotten since I found, The Electric Guitars – Wolfman Tap Extended 45 there. It very much resonates with me, glad it came into my life, sent it too my fellow weirdo music folks Thankeee thankeee,
All the very-brusk