The McClymonts

The McClymonts are back out on tour once again in support of their fourth studio album Here’s To You and I. This time out on the road though, things are different as Brooke is looking after her first child Tiggy. Although Tiggy is holding interview proceedings up a little bit as we chat about the band, a smile adorns Brooke’s face as she chats about this upcoming run of dates.
“We have been on tour since July last year actually, so this is the end run of shows for us. It’s really exciting that we are going to be taking a bit of a hiatus from being on the road, but to be completely honest with you, the process is never ending. I think that we get three weeks off for the whole year. In a matter of speaking it is pretty much The McClymonts travelling circus. The three of us get bored if we take too much time off and I love coming down to Melbourne,” Brooke says in a singsong voice, it’s easy to hear how excited she is to hit the stage.
The fourth studio album from the band is a landmark release in terms of the way that the band now works logistically in 2015. On previous occasions, the band have travelled to America to write and record and have also worked with some of the biggest names in country music including Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift), Eric Silver (Dixie Chicks) and Monty Powell (Keith Urban). This time around though, the band stayed at home which led to a more tranquil process. “We love recording in America but I think that it was a lot less stressful this way because we could take our time and we didn’t have to rush things. For me, It was a lot easier because in between recording and going to Sydney, I was staying home. I could be around my daughter a lot more. I loved it this way,” she says.
Touring in 2015 for the band is a lot different to when they first started out with their debut album Chaos and Bright Lights back in 2007. For one, the band isn’t playing five nights a week and the stripped back two shows a week is ‘awesome’ and provides each member with downtime in between each show. “We play Friday and Saturday now and then travel home on the Sunday – it’s great. It gives us the full week to do what we need to do and recharge the batteries so that we can get back out on the stage and be ready to rock once again.”
The success that has followed the band since their beginning back in 2007 is quite impressive. With nine golden guitars and two ARIAs to their name, Brooke is graceful about the success of the band. Being straight up with Brooke and relating that I will probably never win one, she filled me in on what it’s like to receive country music’s biggest honour. “They are so hard to get. To just be nominated is an honour in itself. We absolutely love it and I don’t take them for granted I can tell you. It’s nice to know what we are doing is right. If there was one thing I have to say to the Forte readers it is what I don’t know when we will be back down that way so come out and see us this time around!”
When & Where: Gateway Hotel, Corio – April 18
Written by Tex Miller