Melbourne three-piece Claws & Organs have been kicking around the scene for some time now, but their latest two singles Gone Forever and Somewhere Better are really starting to turn heads. Their shambling tunes are hard to tear yourself away from, and their live shows are on another level entirely.
Things considered, it’s really no surprise that Heather, Miranda and David have found themselves as finalists in VB Hard Yards’ 2018 comp. For their trouble, they’ll be playing shows with Alex Lahey, WAAX, and Tired Lion in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney respectively – a dream for any band trying to find their feet.
Before all that kicks off, we sat down with the band for a quick chat.
Before they jet along the east coast on the mammoth VB Hard Yards tour, we take five with Melbourne ‘Shoe-Grunge’ legends Claws & Organs.
HAPPY: Hey how’s it going? What have you been up to lately?
CLAWS & ORGANS: Hello! We’re alright. We got added to the Hard Yards line up and put out a couple of songs!
HAPPY: I’ve gotta ask… where’d the name Claws & Organs come from?
CLAWS & ORGANS: It’s a sex position from Eastern Europe. The name is a very accurate description.
HAPPY: We’re loving the new single, could you tell us a little bit about it?
CLAWS & ORGANS: Thank you. Both our new songs, Somewhere Better and Gone Forever are part of some recording we did earlier this year. They’re more teasers than singles, but we’re glad you like them!
HAPPY: You describe your music as ‘Shoe-Grunge’… are there any particular bands you take influence from?
CLAWS & ORGANS: Shoe-grunge was actually coined by someone else. I think we’re more post-punk, and tend to take influence from a lot of ’80s bands, like Joy Division, Bauhaus and The Cure. There’s still plenty of the ’90s spirit in the new tunes though.
HAPPY: In October, you’re going to embarking on the VB Hard Yards Tour. Are there any artists you’re particularly looking forward to sharing the stage with?
CLAWS & ORGANS: We’re looking forward to sharing the stage with everyone! We can’t believe how huge these line ups are and it’s an absolute honour to be on them.
HAPPY: How did it feel when you first found out you’d been chosen for the tour?
CLAWS & ORGANS: Stoked. It was definitely something we wanted, but I don’t like to ever promote the band in an insincere way. I think the fact that we won doing it our way made it all the sweeter.
HAPPY: What can people expect seeing Claws & Organs live come October?
CLAWS & ORGANS: Three people on stage performing songs written by us and maybe some not written by us. New songs, old songs, and good times.
HAPPY: What else have you got coming up? Can we expect any more new music?
CLAWS & ORGANS: We’ve been madly recording, so expect that to be out soon.
HAPPY: Cheers for the chat.
CLAWS & ORGANS: You’re welcome.
Find out more about VB Hard Yards here, and suss out those tour dates on the poster below.
