Clare Bowditch - singer/songwriter
The gap between a musical idea and committing it to tape need only be as long as the journey from the back door to a shed for Melbourne singer-songwriter Clare Bowditch.
Her shed has been the birthing centre for three albums. 'Midwifery duties' fall to husband Marty Brown who also plays drums in Clare's band The Feeding Set.
They have also collaborated on a young daughter and identical twin baby boys.
'You have to be really passionate about music to even think of taking your family on the adventure with you. But the children keep us connected to the everydayness of life, and that is the main source of my song writing.'
Clare Bowditch was born in Melbourne in 1975. She started performing publicly at 16, then studied in Canada. When she returned to Australia Clare decided that her vocation was to write and perform music.
A tall red head with flowing skirts, she has become one of the more recognisable figures on the Australian music scene. In 2006 she won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist.
Clare plays the loop pedal, electric and acoustic guitars, and occasionally a Casio keyboard, but her great strengths are a true, truthful voice and sharp song writing skills.
The name of her band, The Feeding Set, came from her propensity to create feasts for friends and family. 'At least once a week my friends and I each bring a meal to one person's house, usually something slow-cooked, then we all eat together. Melbourne people are good at sharing.'
