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Why Make Clocks

"We're not happy, until you're not happy"

About Me

WHY MAKE CLOCKS was formed in 1998 by songwriter Dan Hutchison and multi-instrumentalist Brian Wiksell as a duo. After building a vast catalog of over 70 demos WHY MAKE CLOCKS self-released a 4-song 7" vinyl EP called "the TRANSIENT SWIVEL".The band has continually developed their sound, over the years, utilizing various line-ups for live performances and/or recording projects.
Currently WMC live appearances are performed by Dan and Will, although occasionally Dan performs solo.Accompanied by several other musicians, former members and otherwise, the band completed the recording/mixing and mastering of their second full length album, "MIDWESTERN FILM".
Officially Released March. 6th, 2007 on Des Moines' Barely Bias record label.
Here is our one sheet info for "Midwestern Film"
Why Make Clocks
"Midwestern Film"
“There is a pipeline running from Hutchison’s heart onto this record, and that’s about as honest as music can get”
-the Big Takeover (from their review of the "Fifteen Feet and Twenty Degrees") record.
“…musicality set Why Make Clocks apart by constantly pushing forward with powerfully flowing melodies that emphasize their moody lyrics. Combined, you have tunes in a class with a new breed of outstanding alt-countriers, even if they’re of a different school.”
-CMJ
“Why Make Clocks artfully add modern indie guitar ideas to the traditional country/rock structure”
-freecitymedia.com
The diversity of the 10 songs on “Midwestern Film” and the immediate/live sound of the recording itself, create a broad, open musical landscape that provides fertile ground for lyrical honesty and the overall thematic tone of the album.
Why Make Clocks break away from the epic downbeat songs of their debut album, “Fifteen Feet and Twenty Degrees”, & up into a the dusty throes of the American Midwest with a more concise live approach to their sound. Introspective songs about misguided artistic visionarys, the constant hurdles of the creative process, the purity of home recording, miscommunication, and more all fill the songs on Why Make Clocks latest effort.
The band set forth on their new CD with 2 goals in mind: to not remake the first album and to take a more live approach to the recording process. To keep the sound different they intentionally chose to work with another engineer, whose work they admired, in different surroundings. “Midwestern Film” was recorded mostly at Wavelab Studio in Tucson, AZ by Craig Schumacher (whose credits include: Calexico/Iron and Wine/Neko Case/Giant Sand/etc.) and at home by the band. Every thing from 4-track cassette to pro-tools to 2” tape were used to create the sounds of this record. Added to the instrumentation this time around are electric pianos, and pedal steel.
Guest musicians included on the record are C. Gibbs offering some guitar, Chad O’Neall-additional piano and Craig Schumacher on Hammond Organ.
Why Make Clocks is the musical project of Iowa songwriter Dan Hutchison. The line-up within which he works has and is constantly changing. This keeps the development fresh and new. Dan writes the lyrics and basic structures of the music, then passes it along to who he’s currently playing with to be interpreted by the individual players.
“ will lead you to the beautifully bleak corner of rock where brooding bands like American Music Club and Pernice Brothers reign supreme”
-Skyscraper
the Barely Bias Label
1088 42nd st.
Des Moines, IA 50311
www.barelybias.com
 email: [email protected]
 website: www.whymakeclocks.net
to read more about, buy or listen to songs from our first album, "Fifteen Feet and Twenty Degrees"
cut and paste the link below:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/whymakeclocks
Check out the video for "Midwestern Film" (also included on the CD)
Why Make Clocks

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DISCOGRAPHY
1998 "THE TRANSIENT SWIVEL" 7" VINYL EP (SUMP PUMP RECORDS)
2000 "SELF-TITLED 4-SONG CD-R EP (NO LABEL)
2002 "FIFTEEN FEET AND TWENTY DEGREES" FULL LENGTH CD (RUBRIC RECORDS NYC)
2007 "MIDWESTERN FILM" 2ND FULL LENGTH CD (THE BARELY BIAS LABEL)
2007 "EGO REFLECTOR" CD-R/DIGITAL ONLY EP (SELF RELEASED)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/19/2006
Band Website: whymakeclocks.net-temporarily out of service
Band Members: Dan Hutchison-vocals, guitars, etc.
Will Tarbox-drums, etc.
Influences: Here are over 100 very diverse artists whose music or films have been inspirational to Will and/or I:

AC/DC, Afghan Whigs, Aimee Mann, the Album Leaf, Alice Donut, American Music Club, Archers of Loaf, Arcwelder, Barkmarket, Beatles, Belle and Sebastian, Billy Bragg, the Black Heart Procession, Black Sabbath, Bloodbath, Bonnie Prince Billy, thebrotheregg, Burst, Calexico, Celtic Frost, Cinerama, Crooked Fingers, the Cure, Cursive, Dead Kennedys, Death Cab for Cutie, the Dears, Descendents, Deep Purple, Dinosaur Jr., Dissection, Do Make Say Think, Don Cabellero, Ed Hall, Roky Erickson, Exodus, Failure, fIREHOSE, the Fire Theft, Flaming Lips, the Frames, Giant Sand, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Grandaddy, Guided by Voices, Micah P. Hinson, the Holy Ghost, Hot Snakes, Husker Du, Idaho, Iron and Wine, Iron Maiden, Isis, Jayhawks, Daniel Johnston, (early) King Crimson, Low, Magnolia Electric Co., Mastodon, Matt Pond PA, Mercury Rev, Mercyful Fate, Minutemen, Morrissey, Mountain Goats, Naked City, Neurosis, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nomeansno, Pedro the Lion, Nothing Painted Blue, The Ocean, On, Opeth, Buck Owens, Palace, Pell Mell, Pernice Brothers, Pig Destroyer, Pink Floyd, Polvo, the Postal Service, Rachel's, Red Sparrows, Rex, Red House Painters, Richard Buckner, Run Westy Run, Samiam, Silkworm, Slovenly, the Smiths, (smog), Sonic Youth, Son Volt, Sparklehorse, Sun Kil Moon, Sunny Day Real Estate, Tanner, Tortoise, Uncle Tupelo, Voivod, Dionne Warwick(Bacharach years), Tom Waits, Wedding Present, Wilco, Witchery, Wolf, Zeni Geva, Yes, John Zorn

The films of: Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Don Coscarelli, David Cronenberg, Akira Kurosawa, Takashi Miike, Werner Herzog, Coen Brothers, Sam Raimi, George Romero, Jean Luc Goddard, David Lynch, Nicolas Roeg, Brian De Palma, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, William Peter Blatty, William Friedkin, Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, Richard Brooks, Ingmar Bergman, Hayao Miyazaki, Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Peter Medak, Les Blank, Lucio Fulci, Christopher Guest, Sergio Leone, Stuart Gordon, William Lustig, Zhang Yimou and countless others.
Sounds Like: honesty...
Record Label: NONE
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Why Make Clocks have a SNOCAP mystore?

Hello everyone, Yes, it's true, we've made the headlong leap into the concept of trying to make our music more readily available to you. Living in relative obscurity for all these years was nice, but ...
Posted by Why Make Clocks on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:55:00 PST

New Band Members

I'd like to rebuild an entire new line-up. Only with serious players though. That doesn't mean we can't have fun. It doesn't mean you can't contribute your ideas. New songs are being written now and...
Posted by Why Make Clocks on Sat, 07 Apr 2007 01:08:00 PST

We want to play your town

Hello everyone, We are very anxious to play shows in new areas. If anyone has any possible leads to offer, tell us about them. If we've not come to your town, and you'd like us to...let us know. ...
Posted by Why Make Clocks on Tue, 02 May 2006 08:32:00 PST