Clint Slate is a blank page, a clean slate where everything is possible. It’s also a musician teaming with talented artists to serve a single purpose: Creation. As a tribute to a man, Chris Cornell, who influenced, past, present and future, the artist wrote a song called No More Voice, nodding to his work and style as a way of saying that we won’t forget him and ‘carry on’ the way he’d want us to do.Clint Slate’s Woodn Bones is also the first album ever recorded live on the Internet in a single take. Check out No More Voice below!
We managed to catch up with Clint Slate as he talked about the track and more!
So how has the release of No More Voice gone down with fans?
So far so good! I let the song live its life, I didn’t want to promote it too much as it is as sensitive subject. I just hope it reaches some other people who feel like me and want to celebrate Chris’s life and work.
Can you tell us something about the single no one else knows?
If you look closely to the lyrics, you’ll find they’re borrowed from songs Chris did throughout his career. The music was inspired by his chord changes, the beginning drawing its influence in ‘Euphoria Morning’, with the electric guitars nodding to ‘Black Hole Sun’ and the bridge to ‘Fell On Black Days’. With the vocals, I just tried to emulate some of his typical moves without mimicking them or do an impression. The goal was to repay all that he gave me, it’s a work of love and respect.
How much did Chris Cornell influence you as an artist?
I discovered Soundgarden as a teenager, when ‘Black Hole Sun’ came on TV, and I was instantly hypnotized by them. I bought ‘Superunknown’ and it never left me, it’s a good friend I’m happy to visit on a regular basis. From there, I followed everything linked to the guys, the solo stuff, Audioslave… His powerful and very personal voice has been a lamppost ever since and the freedom any of his projects had was also a big inspiration.
Did you ever meet him in person and has his family listened to this?
I’m also a journalist and I had the privilege to interview him and Ben Shepherd when ‘King Animal’ came out. They were both funny and witty, very proud of their album and ready to show the world they still had it. Chris was full of charisma and gave me a piece of advice that won’t leave me: ‘As long as you know what you want to do, you’re not f#*ked’.
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
Actually, I would have loved to record ‘No More Voice’ with Ben, Matt and Kim from Soundgarden, but I didn’t have the guts to try and reach for them. This particular subject is very intimate and I didn’t want to intrude. Somehow, I hope they’ll get to hear it someday and that it will make them smile. Same for Vicky and the kids.
What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?
What spare time, haha? I’m a journalist for a French magazine on the side, and I’m part of various groups. Time flies!
What was the first gig you went to?
I guess my first rock concert was Brian May in 1993. It was very important as I was, and still am, a huge Queen fan. A very emotional evening indeed, as Freddie was gone for only a year and a half and it was Brian’s first solo tour. Sweet memories.
Will you be releasing an EP/album this year?
I’d love to! The first album, ‘Before The Dark’ was done entirely solo then transposed live as a staged concert with videos, frames and a band. Then I recorded ‘Woodn Bones’ in a theater, with 30 people including a choir, live on Youtube… in a single take! Now I’ve been working for some time on another solo album, this time a concept one. I hope to finish it at some point but I’m open to other crazy ideas in the meantime!