Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Friends of Clay

Storyteller and music artist Clay Priskorn is the creative genius behind Friends of Clay, a groundbreaking one-man band that’s blending together indie, alternative, and rock with a visual component. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Clay about Friends of Clay, how he got started in claymation, and the world he’s building.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Friends of Clay: I discovered my passion for music around seven or eight—I was in third grade and my dad got me a guitar for Christmas. From then on, I fell in love with music. I took lessons at a very young age and really loved Jimi Hendrix. That’s how I got started.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Friends of Clay: Honestly, I think my dad has. At a young age, he showed me music that really started my digging into music. He showed me the Beatles when I was really young and that inspired my music career.

PC: What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career?
Friends of Clay: That’s a great question. One thing that I wish I knew now is that every song has its own creative process; it takes time for each song to develop its own voice. Back when I was younger, I thought, “Oh, I’m going to throw this song together without much effort or thought.” That’s why I really love this new project—every song has taken such a long time to develop its own world.

PC: You recently dropped a new single. Tell us about “What Percent Are Monsters” and the inspiration behind the song.
Friends of Clay: “What Percent Are Monsters” is the first glimpse of the world that I’m building and creating with animated characters. “What Percent Are Monsters” is about loss and overcoming it. I was listening to Jeff Buckley a lot and I was listening to this really cool melody that he was singing. It really inspired this song and I ran from there.

PC: You’re an artist who combines visuals with your releases. As you’re working on a new song, are you already thinking about the visual components?
Friends of Clay: Yeah. I usually come up with the song first. I’ll start it from scratch with an acoustic guitar and then I’ll produce it. After that, I’ll go and listen to the song a bunch of times. A lot of times, I start developing these creative worlds in my head that I want to bring to life—that’s where the claymation starts.

PC: This is the first single off Friends of Clay. What was the process like selecting what would be your musical introduction?
Friends of Clay: I really thought this song captivated my sound. At the beginning, you hear this cool keyboard part, which is such a great introduction to the music. The visual for it is very artistic, creative, and upbeat. The second song that I’m going to be releasing digs into the creative storyline more.

PC: We’re living in really unprecedented times and like everyone else, artists have had to adapt. What adjustments have you had to make during this time?
Friends of Clay: The biggest thing is that I haven’t been able to play shows. That’s one of my favorite things to do. Quarantine has allowed me to dig into the animation and claymation side of my storytelling. It was really hard to find a whole week where I could just sit there and take three thousand photos. It actually has been to my advantage because I’ve been able to slow down and come up with the creative for this whole project.

PC: How did you get into claymation and animation?
Friends of Clay: I’ve always loved watching claymation videos on YouTube, but I never really knew how to do it. I was like, “I really want to develop a new craft,” so I started looking at YouTube videos. I’ve always filmed all my videos, and since I couldn’t go film in the real world, I wanted to create these new worlds inside of my bedroom. I started with a set, and my dad helped make the wood sets with me. I developed the world from there.

PC: Of all the singles you’re about to release, if you had to pick one that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
Friends of Clay: The next single, “Growing Up”, is the quintessential Friends of Clay song. I wrote it when I was a lot younger. I was able to refine the sound through the years because I never released it when I was eighteen. That’s literally a ten-year song that’s been in the making. I’m so happy that I’m finally able to release it. It’s the most heartfelt video I’ve made to date—it’s very cool and creative. I really love that song. It’s coming out on October 2nd.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Friends of Clay: Probably Kodak Black or some Hall & Oates. Hall & Oates is like my guilty pleasure…that’s like my favorite band ever. I love them.

PC: First album you bought?
Friends of Clay: Hell Freezes Over by the Eagles was the first record I ever bought.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Friends of Clay: That’s a great one. I have to say Revolver by the Beatles. It’s funny because I grew up on Beatles music, but only in the past three years have I really listened to the records from front to back. That record is so inspiring. It helped me craft a lot of the songwriting and production views that I have.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Friends of Clay: Probably Staples Center, Dodgers Stadium. It’s a huge feat to be able to do, but I would love to play huge arena tours. That’d be obviously my goal.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Friends of Clay: Turkey jerky from Trader Joe’s and my hydro flask. I can’t leave my house without it.

To keep up with Friends of Clay, follow him on Instagram. Stream “What Percent Are Monsters” today. Watch a live performance of “What Percent Are Monsters” here.