Use this thread to say 'hello' and let us know about you. I'll start...

I'm Damian, I live in Bristol and I set this site up because I loved the band but was frustrated with the way that they were woefully under-publicised. I went to see them in once as a headliner in Bath, once supporting Stephen Malkmus and once supporting The Electric Soft Parade, and what these dates have in common is that I'd have been none the wiser about them had I not checked their old message board... I've also seen them plenty of other times at various shows and festivals.

In the main, I generally love anything written by people who understand that beautiful thing we call 'pop'. That includes things as madly diverse as Silver Sun, The Wildhearts, Weezer, Radiohead and the Cardiacs (a band much beloved of Clearlake). A bit all over the place really.

Your turn!

Hi

I used to post every now and then on the forum on the official site as Michael. I think i remember Damian posting on there. Definitely remember Richard and was it Lisa who used to post heaps.

Anyways nice work with the site Damian. It shouldn't be too hard to keep it more up to date than the official site. I hope the band are aware of what you are doing. I'm sure they'd be appreciative.

For the record i'm from Melbourne. Clearlake records don't get released in Australia. However there were a few Cedars imports that made it into the ships that quickly got snapped up. Almost the Same got a bit of airplay on national broadcaster Triple J so there is a little bit of attention for the band. There is a so-so Aussie band called Waikiki who are kinda popular here who are big fans of Clearlake.

What else? Its a big album for Clearlake. From what i can gather Cedars picked up a little momentum in the States thanks to that Pitchfork review. Hope they're in a position to capitalise on it.

Hey! Thanks very much for the first post that wasn't me. And thanks for the comments.

I will keep this up to date, I promise... one big thing though is how I actually let people know this site exists. Their old message board is still working but you have to actually know where it is to go there anyway! The record company (Domino) recently removed the message board from their website... any other ideas?

Hello. I don't think I have to introduce myself to Damian as he already knows me (hello Damian). I also know Philonski (hello Philonski). To everyone else (hello ...?) - I am Bee, I live in Bristol and I like Clearlake a lot.

That's all for now but I will be back.

Cheerio!

Hellooooo,
I'm Niko. My nearest gig venue was indeed...Bristol. I'm actually from Shipham, nr Cheddar, about 25 miles south.

I saw the boys after buying Jumble Sailing/Winterlight 7" because the cover was sweeeeeet (and it was 99p in Replay!). Since then i've seen them support the Delgados [Bristol], headline the Louisiana [twice?], went to see them in Borders Book Store (April 2000), Reading and generally wherever and whenever i get a chance.

I'm now in edinburgh doing degree malarky, waiting for the 3rd album. It's intriguing - they've gone from Twee [Lido] to Dark [Cedars]. What's the synthesis going to sound like??

Will check back when the (few) posters from uk.com check in. How long till the Governor takes up a diplomatic post here?!

All the best,
Niko
xxx

We were at all of those Bristol gigs too!

Anyhoo, welcome - if you've got the e-mail details of any old board regulars, please let them know that this site's here - there's no other way we can do it at present. In return, I promise I'll be keeping this up to date. With the lack of news for now, there will be more content very soon instead.

Hello, I'm another person who already knows Damian. I lurked a bit on the official Clearlake forum, and occasionally posted, but as you know, there was very little to say.

I've only ever seen Clearlake live once, which is disgraceful. I've liked the band for ever, but it's just in recent months that it's dawned on me that they are actually almost perfect. Every tiny detail of the music is so carefully chosen to be exactly right. The more I listen to the albums, the more in awe of them I am.

My favourite band is Silver Sun. While not rambling on about them, I run the small but lovely Flat four radio with my partner, Dan.

Hi All,

Was moping around on the old board too waiting for something to happen. First heard of Clearlake when someone sent me a tape of Gorkys with a few singles on the b side, and loved Winterlight. That rang a bell when Lido got the ?Mojo indie album of the month (or something) and since then everything they put out I've picked up.

Definitely recommend the live show from emusic - the new songs sound good (but bet they'll be better on CD after they've been worked on). Only saw them once, supporting Grandaddy in Glasgow, and that show was superb - the sequence of Kindness / Trees was perfect. Too short though, and hope they're out and about for a proper tour soon.

congratualtions on making a much better board! I was getting heartily sick of those bloody Chinese lottery funsters, although must admit that I was very tempted to make my first post read Titanium rings Titanium rings Titanium rings.....

For anyone who doesn't know what this is about, the old Clearlake board may not be linked to from anywhere, but it still exists:

http://www.clearlake.uk.com/disc1_frm.htm

Hello, Richard here! I've been meaning to post on your site since you set it up. I've finally got round to doing it! Glad to see Niko here (how are you!) and I'm very sure Lisa will be here shortly!

First off, well done for setting up this site. I've put it in my favorites already! Secondly, did you, like me, win the Not Bit Of Wood single. I'm sure I heard your name as one of the winners. If it was you, congratulations! I haven't played mine yet. I think it's too precious to play!

Well, let me introduce myself! I'm Richard. I'm 27 and come from Wallasey. I've been a fan of Clearlake since I first heard Winterlight on Steve Lamacq's show at the start of the year 2000. Since then, I've been a committed fan. I have everything they've released. Finally, I've found a band that actually sing about things I can identify with!! I've seen the band six times. Five times in Liverpool (three on their own, one supporting The Delgados and the other supporting Electric Soft Parade) and at the Reading Festival in 2000.

Other than Clearlake, my favorite bands are The Smiths, The Fall, The Wedding Present (hooray, they're back! Although they never went away really did they!), The Delgados, Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Blur and The Pixies.

I have a copy on tape of the session Clearlake did for the dearly departed John Peel back in November 2000. If anyone else wants a copy, please do let me know.

Take care everyone!
Cheers
Richard

Hello Richard! Thanks for bringing our membership into double figures. As for Lisa, I tried mailing her at an address that I found on the old Clearlake message board but have heard nothing as yet.

I was indeed one of the other winners of the Not Bit of Wood single. I actually know Philippa (who presents the show and posts on here), but I've entered her competitions before and this was the first one I've won so I know it wasn't rigged! I won't play mine either on similar grounds. Plus I don't have a record player yet.

Other than that, thanks very much for the kind comments. Another site update coming tomorrow... again, content rather than news. Give it time!!

Small World - I think I won a NBOW single too. Good album that. Richard - is your Peel sesh the one with Life Can be so Cruel, with a typical Peelie 'Ain't that the truth' at the end? If so that's the one I've sent to Damian, but a better recording might be good, my sound card isn't always great.

There were 4 Clearlake sessions for Peel, no? It would be good to hear some of the others.

Of the ten people signed up to this board so far, we have the three winners and the radio presenter... so 'small world' is a pretty fair summation.

Hey Alick! Yes, the session I have is that one with Peel at the end! I didn't know they did other sessions for him. Hopefully someone has them, or those kind people at Strange Fruit records will release them!

oooo... Shiny....
Will inform his Holiness The Governor of this new realm...

George.

Hooray! Glad you found it at last...

apologies for absence - have been off spawning progeny....

George

Hello! I am a new comer (I suppose we all are really as the sight is so new) but I've not actually heard any stuff by Clearlake, but I'm a massive fan of Electric Soft Parade and they're big fans of Clearlake... so... I thought I'd pop into the sight to see what you lot are saying about the band. Try and win me over. I love under-rated bands or great bands that are on the fringe of making it BIG... y'know, singles that might be at number 30-40 or don't quite make the charts... it's the buzz that only a few people really take an interest but you always want more to know about them but then you dont want them too commercial so that the press and teenie boppers also jump on the band wagon. I Am Kloot, ESP, Belle & Sebastian are my favourite three. I'm a massive fan of Ocean Colour Scene (they're still goin y'know). So I'll get into Clearlake if you lot go out and buy OCS!

You need to hear the records or see a show then! Next time they play go and see them - it's usually only six quid or thereabouts...

It's all gone quiet for The Electric Soft Parade hasn't it? I loved The American Adventure...

Must admit though, not quite up to the standards of Holes In The Wall. In my opinion, that's the greatest album ever heard. Head and Shoulders above Revolver (controversial)!! Perfect from The first to the last. Not sure why there's nothing goin on... some Chinese bird has nicked their website too!! Not very good by them really, their following will lose interest.

Nice site by the way.

Um, I think it was stolen by Kosheen, wasn't it? So Bristol rather than China...

http://www.electricsoftparade.com

Hello All,

I'm another Miles (only with an 'i') and I live just outside Brighton in a little town along the coast. First got into Clearlake when they did a gig in som ehall near the Komedia?? Must have been about five year ago or maybe more. Anywho I was immediately smitten and proceed to buy their back catalogue and have tried to keep up to date ever since. Sadly haven't seen them live since the radio one night ages ago in Hove but I'm holding my breath for this Hanbury gig thats a coming up. I also post fairly regularly on iamkloot.com (another underrated band) and sporadically on the other clearlake website (the crap one) drownedinsound and silversun.co.uk . Perenially glasto-goer and all that. Hope to see you fine folks around.

M

XX

Another one! I'm one of the more, shall we say, regular posters on the Silver Sun site (ah... perhaps it was the advertising there that brought you here?)... and the person who put me up to building this site is their number one fan.

A very different band to Clearlake, but I like to think both are bands drawn to do what they do by the total love of pop music!

Hot Godamn! Rumours of my death and all that...

Glad to see the faithful are still about and taking an interest. Also, to those who've missed me, thanks for the Good Words.

A rumour has landed on my desk that the 'Lake will be playing Poland very soon. Clearly I can't substantiate this, and it may have already been mentioned on this site (haven't had a chance to fully nose around).

I take my hat off to you, Damian - you are Of The Few.

Furthermore, Amber will be The One.

Now I shall return to my Cohiba...I shall be watching - Duke.

ahh so this is where all the clearlake fans got to
it's good to meet you all
and govenor duke....I have long been a fan of your work
pleased to make your aquaintance
anyone going to All Tommorows Parties?

Indeed so. 3 shows. What's the weather like at this time of year?

And hello once again to you (glad you made it!) and Mr Gungardin...

:blink: hello, im minxy mcnaughty, i live in rocklands and am a love pirate
i've only seen clearlake a few times and its not enought, hell, i even deserted the club that we ran at the time POP OF THE TOPS because i couldn't miss them (wrote about it at http://www.lovepeacemusic.clara.net/epkrsch2.html - but that was in 003).

i will continue to spread the word of clearlake, and am still determined to entice them to come and play in rocklands some time...

anyway, my occasional surf to clearlake has been repaid this time round with the existence of a forum...

nice one
x

Welcome! There's a site too if it's news you're after...

http://www.clearlake.tk

(soon to turn a shade of amber in a none-too-subtle reference to a certain new record...)

hi everyone
right live in essex have yet to see he mighty clearlake but cedars is in my top 5 albulms all of which can make number 1 depending on mood othet two being both lowgolds albulm who are sadly missed modern apprecntice by ikara colt sadly missed and one of the ooberman albulms cant decide which also sadly missed, infact clearlake are the only band in my top 5 still going.

discovered clearlake when Bizzare bagel / clare who some may remeber from the old page did me a compilation and had clearlake on it

I have one of the widest taste of music from folk through to punk much to the amusment of my mostly punk freinds cos at heart i'm an indie kid just happens i can skank with the best

favourite gig of all time, hmmm prob lowgold in camden late summer 2003 was brilliant as they where so happy to be there and looked like they would go onwards but was because was having the worst week of my life and that was the start of revovery.

jon

so good Damian had to say it twice!

nice work with the site dude, it looks swell. top linkage and all. You do a lot when roused to action, a bit like superman. or Shane.

The only good ooberman album was the Magic Treehouse, and the structure of if just made it sound like "a bunch of songs", not an album. That said, i have their back catalogue, so maybe i was just lurching from single to single!

Lowgold rock(ed) the free world.

Yep. For me, Hey Petrunko was a sign that Danny Popplewell had shrunk too far into himself and done too many drugs.

Hi,
My name's Nick and I've only just signed up. I live in Nottingham, I'm a filthy student, and I only got into Clearlake in the back end of 2003, after a friend loaned me a copy of Cedars. I've now got both albums, and am rather a fan of Clearlake. Looking forward to catching future dates and albums.

but if you say your crazy.......you can't be crazy......catch 22!

never going to say anyone taste in music is worng but yeha i can see the fragmented songs not an albulm thory buy hey pertunko was truely an awesome albulm dosent flow like say just backwards of square by the might lowogld but is cool in the fact it contrasts soo much

jon

Hello,
my name is rachel and clearlake also have a special place in my heart, ever since they appeared on jools holland and as my little blurry eyes watched them ( i had just got in from the pub!) i fell in love with.

I used to occasionally post messages on the old board, and then the site dissapeared and i didnt check again till intrique took hold of me the other day, when i was dodging referencing my dissertation, well all that is behind me now as i've finished it.

God knows how long the site has looked like this, i remeber when it said welcome to clearlake like the sign post, i quite liked that actually, but things must change!

any way, nice to meet you all

i liked the "welcome to clearlake" sign too. i have the t-shirt like it. It's very quaint and *awfully* british. I think that's why they moved away from that with 'Cedars' - Lido was, again, very british and if they wanted to tap a US market, noone gives a toss for road signs and songs of praise.

At least that's what i thought.

well done on finishing your dissertation! 7 months to go for me...

In the unlikely event that someone's kept a copy of the graphic, send it to me and I'll incorporate it into the site in some way!

Hey Everybody, At last a Clearlake site with something on it. I'm Dancin' Johnny from Derby, I first heard 'The boys' on Mark and Lard a good while back. Winterlight was their single of the week and I used to pull over my van and listen to it full blast every time it came on. I loved the Syd Barrett type phrasing of Jason's vocal and it just stood out from all the other shit they were forced to play.
I've seen the band a couple of times, firstly in Derby shortly after Cedars came out, I stood transfixed mouthing all the words and had to chat to them after the gig. Top blokes they are too, If I wasn't straight that bass player would be mine. The second time was in Leicester supported by The Delays, again top gig, top lads.
All I can say is Clearlake appeared just when I needed them and Cedars is one of the best albums I own, from the hamfisted begining of Almost the same to the heavenly outro of Trees in the city, It gets me every time.

See you around.

"outro" thats a word i must use more often