Alex Clare Opens Up About Ditching the Record Label for New Album and Planting Roots in Jerusalem

Aryeh Harris-Shapiro

Alex Clare is a Bohemian at heart. His views of the world are progressive and it’s clear that he aims towards peace and prosperity. Clare’s latest album “Tail of Lions” explores all these topics, sometimes over hard-hitting beats, other times over soulful rhythms. Originally from London, Clare now lives with his wife and children in Jerusalem where he practices Judaism. The culture and religion of an adopted city that also caters to creatives and cosmopolitans is a great place for him to lay down his roots. Clare is once again ready to unleash his sonic views on an international audience.

How would you describe your sound to someone who is unfamiliar with it?

A lot of people try to pigeonhole my sound … soul, heavy, folk, electronic. As far as being in one genre, its very hard to define it.

Your latest album ‘Tail of Lions’ is about to drop in the US. What’s behind the title, and have you attached an overall theme to this record?

The title is from a proverb, translated to mean “the tail to a lion and the head to a fox.” It’s a response to the American election, what’s happened in the U.K. with Brexit and more right wing politics around the world. It’s the head of something monstrous, while the body is being a part of something good. Subject matters range from the relationship with my wife. You know it’s more complicated as we got older. The real hard work of a relationship begins after marriage. Also, the situation of the world around me because I live in Jerusalem, and I’m from London. It’s just a labor of love, about me growing as a person. Hopefully people can relate.

You recorded this album on the River Lea in your home country of England aboard boat. What drew you to record in such a place?

Well my first album was also recorded on a boat. I just like the water. England has a lot of rivers and islands; it’s surrounded by water. I love, love, love being on boats. My bass player, whom I recorded the album with, lives on a boat and said “Hey, let’s record on a boat.” Even in the middle of civilization, you can still feel apart from the city when you’re on the water.

The single “Surviving Ain’t Living” seems like a hit in the making. Can you talk about this track and the meaning behind it?

Most people today, our generation, work pretty hard to accomplish what our parents did. But a lot of us are just maintaining a status quo that’s just livable, just surviving. Most people nowadays that want to thrive and flourish. It’s a big challenge.

Since your last record, you’ve decided to drop labels altogether. That said, a lot of musicians are proud to call themselves independent artists these days. Why do you think that is?

The label was very helpful on the first album, second album … but they try to maintain creative control over your work. In the music business there are two parts. There’s music and there’s business but there has to be some level of compromise. I decided that I think I have the experience, the base to do things on my own. So now I’m responsible for my own work and I can’t blame anyone else.

Though you’ve expressed your contempt for the corporate music industry, it seems corporations in general are drawn to you as your songs have been featured in a couple commercials.

The artist in me wants to say no, but I’ve got a family to feed. You don’t make millions of dollars on a record anymore so I just want to get my music out there. I have no complaints whatsoever, I’m more than happy.

Your European tour kicks off Jan. 29 in Glasgow. What are you most looking forward to about this endeavor?

It’s interesting to see how people react to different material. I don’t play any old stuff so it’s exciting to see how people engage with the new music and see how they feel. At the end of the day, I want people to connect. That’s the biggest thing with touring, people feeling the music. It’s an amazing life, getting to meet people from every way of life, every country. We’re all just one big slightly unhappy family. It’s really beautiful to see the face of humanity.

Alex Clare’s “Tail of Lion” releases Jan. 20 on Apple Music.