Clipd Beaks

by Mark DemingEmbracing the angular, semi-melodic influence of post-punk pioneers such as the Homosexuals and This Heat along with the electronic surfaces of fellow contemporary no-wave revivalists, Clipd Beaks began making music amid the chilly surroundings of Minneapolis, MN, in 2003. Founding members Ray Benjamin (drums) and Scott Ecklein (bass) knew each other since childhood, and they met Greg Pritchard (guitar) when they were all teenagers making noise on the local punk rock scene. However, the arrival of Nic Barbein on vocals and a beat-up ARP synthesizer took the group down a different musical path, and Clipd Beaks was the result. Using a variety of effects boxes, broken equipment, and found noises, Clipd Beaks committed their abrasive yet curiously engaging sounds to tape with a self-released debut album the group produced in 2004. A year later, Clipd Beaks relocated to the sunnier climes of Oakland, CA, and began making a name for themselves on the West Coast. In 2006, Tigerbeat6 released a six-song EP, Preyers, which was drawn from recordings Clipd Beaks made in 2004 and often featured pointed protests against the war in Iraq. In 2007, Clipd Beaks returned to the recording studio to make Hoarse Lords, a full-length album that was released by Lovepump United Records in November of that year.