Clearviews were an incredible rock band from Kansas City. With a sound that encompasses everything from Ride to punk to the Cure, Clearviews forged their own musical path on their 2016 debut album, Grey. The strength of their music makes the grim news of the passing of lead singer and guitarist Jacob Garrett last month even grimmer. The remaining members of Clearview have decided to dissolve the band. We are fortunate to have their music and one last interview with Jacob himself.
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Who's in the band? Who does what? Where is everyone from?
Cameron Green - Bass
Joel Bennett - Guitar
Jacob Garrett - Guitar/Vocals
Cash Ramsay - Drums
We are all from KC
Describe your music for new listeners. Who are your influences?
Our music is just punk stuff sometimes, other time is very spacey and shoegazy. So I'm not exactly sure, but I guess I'd say we are Post-Hardcore, or Alt-Rock or something haha.
Our influences are all over the place. Title Fight, Turnover, John Frusciante , The Clash, The Cranberries, and The Cure, there is much haha
Your most recent album, Grey, seems to be a step forward in terms of songwriting and production. Tell us about the recording process. What were some of your challenges in getting this record made?
Well, we recorded at my apartment actually, with my roommate, Zack Hames, who really helped us out and put time into recording and mixing this record. It was the first time we all got to experience live recording together. We recorded the album in about a week I think and it was a lot of fun for us. I think the biggest challenge was getting the money for it haha.
How does songwriting work in Clearviews?
For a while I (Jacob) would just write all the guitar parts, and Cash would write drum parts. That was before Joel and Cameron joined. Now if any of us have an idea we play around with it and write our own parts or help each other write.
What inspires you about music in Kansas City?
Well particularly with the punk/emo scene we play in, we all try to stay humble. No ego, no hype, no false importance placed on our bands. We are all just a bunch of kids that are lucky enough to write and play music for people who will listen.
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A postscript from the band: We're planning to start a new group staying within the same general direction of Clearviews. We all want to continue playing, we just want to lay Clearviews to rest with Jacob. A few songs have already been written that Jacob helped us with just before his passing. We're looking forward to getting back into things with little hesitation. We'll have more info soon.
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Clearview's recommendations from the Johnson County Library catalog:
1. Garden State
2. London Calling by The Clash
3. Hyperview by Title Fight
4.The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins
5. Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
6. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn