A band formed by two former Mollymook-based sisters continues to gain notice after their first single was well received across Triple J’s airwaves throughout 2018.
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Lily and Grace Richardson, who both sing and play guitar respectively, formed the band Clews and their contagious song Museum has hooked in new fans over the past few months.
Museum was uploaded to Unearthed on February 1 and has been played on both Unearthed and Triple J. Clews was also Unearthed’s featured artist of the week in March.
Lily said Museum was like their “first taste of the Clews vision coming to life”.
“It was sort of one of those first songs I had written with that band sound in mind,” Lily said.
“I knew that riff, melody guitar-part was going to be in it. I think I just started writing more for a bigger, band sound which I think is why it’s sort of hooky, I wanted to go with one-line chorus thing.”
The sister-duo, who now live in Sydney, will support The Strokes’ guitarist Albert Hammond Jr at his solo shows in Sydney and Melbourne on July 24 and 25. The sisters will be joined by a rhythm section – drums and bass – at their show.
Lily said supporting Hammond Jr was “one of the wild things that’s happened” since they released Museum.
“So our booking agent and our manager know how much I love the Strokes and Grace as well actually,” Lily said.
“They just rang us to say he was doing a Splendour [in the Grass] sideshow. I was like ‘cool, I already know, like I’m not going’.
“They were like ‘no,no you’re supporting it’ and I was like ‘oh my gosh’.
“I’m almost too excited about it. It’s going to be really cool.”
The pair grew up in Mollymook and graduated from Ulladulla High School. Lily said they had a musical upbringing.
“Our parents are really musical. Dad used to be in a band when we were kids and Mum runs a choir down there and stuff which is cool. We both started out having piano lessons and stuff just in town,” Lily said.
“We both sung through school. We didn’t really start performing together until last year, but we just had a pretty musical household.”
Clews, who also supported American band Portugal the Man earlier this year, will play at Yours and Owls Festival on September 29 in Wollongong. The duo hope to see friends from home there.
“It’s nice to be back down the coast, it will be fun to play a bit closer to home,” Lily said.
Lily said she was also hopeful of releasing another single before the year ends.
“I feel bad because we’ve only got one song out and I just want to give more people to sink their teeth into, so hopefully we’ll do another song this year,” she said.