Image by Leslie Kalohi

In the past 20 years I’ve come across two bands whose unique sound and style have made a significant, lasting impact on me. One of these bands is Morphine, and the other is Clinic. When you listen to Clinic’s music you hear the band’s influences, ranging from The Seeds to Velvet Underground, but make no mistake: Clinic does not sound like any band that you’ve ever heard before. Their sound – distinguished, idiosyncratic, and mysterious – comes from frontman Ade Blackburn’s twisted, haunting melodies, and from vintage organs (notably the Philips philicorda), which they often pick up at garage sales or flea markets. Adding to the band’s mystique, its members appear in costumes and surgical masks during their performances.

Clinic was formed in 1997 by Ade Blackburn and Jonathan Hartley after the two split from their previous band, Pure Morning. They self-released several singles, which caught the attention of legendary radio host John Peel and Domino Records. In 2000, Domino released Clinic’s debut album, Internal Wrangler. This garnered immediate and international critical praise; it also won Clinic an opening slot on Radiohead’s Kid A tour. In 2002, Clinic released Walking With Thee, a brilliant album that earned the band a Grammy nomination. Since then they’ve released three more albums: Winchester Cathedral (2004), Visitations (2006), and Do It! (2008), each of which was more imaginative than the last.

Last month I caught up with Ade by phone to discuss a range of topics including their upcoming album, Spotify, and the band’s experience of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center.