This month we had the pleasure of interviewing Clem Darling of Tuffet Bunnies–an LA-based singer-songwriter who’s just released his debut album Love Songs For Scarlett. The album is inspired by an acrobat he fell madly in love with and is full of whimsy that’s even better highlighted by his quirky music video.
MM: The first thing I noticed about your video (aside from the catchy music) was the colorful array of people and the animatronic butterfly. How did you come up with that set of images?
CD: All of the ideas came naturally as Arias (the co-director) and Izak (the animator) collaborated together. We discussed the butterfly a lot in order for it to match the silly and sweet and whimsical nature of the video. There was a lot of back-and-forth about the amount of pixie dust falling off the butterfly. The cast matched that tone perfectly too. They are all amazing, talented performers. It was such a harmonious and magical video shoot.
MM: What’s your musical background and training?
CD: I’ve been playing music in bands since I was 13. I started in punk and then kept trying out different musical genres in other bands ever since.
MM: What types of music did you grow up listening to? Who are your musical inspirations?
CD: My parents listened to a lot of Tom Petty, while I was growing up. I love Pavement, the Unicorns, Andy Kaufman, Green Day, Radiohead, Damon Albarn, Bob Dylan, Spoon. Those artists and bands inspire my musical tendencies quite a bit.
MM: Tell me about film school. Which school was it, and what led you to go there?
CD: I was in a band in high school called Advance Cassette and we dissolved as we were all applying to college and film was always a close second on my list of aspirations next to music. I loved watching and making films during high school. My friends and I would often dress up in ridiculous costumes and film each other playing pranks, acting out silly scenarios. And I always hoped there’d be some way to turn that into a career.
MM: How does the process of film making compare to making music for you?
CD: Film and music are similar in the sense that they’re both documenting particular moments in time. You replace the recording studio with a camera and it’s pretty much the same process. However, a lot more people are generally needed to make a film, compared to music. Therefore, film is a much larger ship to captain. Music is like a little tug boat.
MM: Are you going to be going on tour soon?
CD: I’ve been playing some sets around LA. I’ll soon debut a performance filled with love songs and silliness.
MM: Are there any musicians you’d like to collaborate with?
CD: Kanye West, Danny Brown, Damon Albarn, Kendrick Lamar, Thom Yorke, Bob Dylan.
MM: What are your plans, both for the immediate and distant future?
CD: I’ll be releasing more singles and videos soon. I’m also creating a YouTube channel too.
