Ant Clowes music duo is based in Stoke on Trent and form of Antony Clowes and John clowes, together they gig at a multitude of pubs and restaurants and even hold open mics. Earlier this year they won best acoustic duo of the year for the Our Staffordshire awards and 1st runner up best open mic. Here is an interview with Antony Clowes providing insight to the duo.
What initially made you love music and who is your biggest inspiration?
I can tell you exactly where I was. My primary school took us to see Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Theatre Royal in Hanley, and the moment I heard the electric guitar in the overture, it was like being struck by lightning. I still get a thrill from it to this day.
My biggest inspirations have been artists such as Bon Jovi, Meatloaf and Roxette, though I am a big fan of modern country, and I think that comes across in my original material.
What would you say is your greatest strength and weakness as an artist?
I think my greatest strength is my versatility, as I can perform songs from most genres, from Les Miserables to Meghan Trainor.
I think it is due to performing so many character roles in my time in the theatre, it has allowed me to experiment. My biggest weakness is that I am not a confident person outside of performing, even between songs. It is something I'm working on.
Where would you like to be by this time next year?
I would love to do more festivals, we had a blast performing at the ones we've done this year. I would also like to try and get into the wedding and function band circuit just to add a bit of variety in there. It's still early days, so lets see where we go from here.
What do you think makes you stand out from other duos?
I think our instrumentation is the biggest difference. I play a 12 string guitar which whilst not unique, is a bit rare. John has developed his own style of cajon playing which is a lot more "rocky" than most. But also the sheer range of material we perform makes us stand out.
