Claire George
Profile and Leo's Take
Age:Although a woman never reveals her age…25 Years in San Francisco: 3 1/2
Claire Prof
So Claire was one of those rare cases where I saw her on stage performing with The Tropics before I acutally met her in person. As I wrote in the Artists section for San Francisco, it was one of those moments I'll remember for the rest of my life, and holy shit, Claire was a superstar on stage. You could just feel it. There was a special aura to her. So it was kind of funny when I introduced myself after the show and she took me behind the merchandise desk with other members of the band, and I was just standing there haha. We did the questions on a later day, and the alcohol flowed, which I think helped with a lot of the answers :) She writes lyrics, so words are her weapons, and she combines her unique ideas with them to create a one of a kind persona. A true artist, check out her images for the three words (Q.5), marriage and children (Q.9), her moments (Q.11), and her dreams (Q.12). All great answers. Ah I really wish I could get her (and maybe even the tropics?) to perform in Japan somehow.
→Check out The Tropics: www.thetropicsmusic.com
and some of her other work!: Chiara Sucra
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Place for shooting and reason
Place: This is El Techo, the only roof top bar on the south side of the city and it has this really beautiful view of, well most of the city which is all north from here. Um, and I really like coming here on a sunny day. Its kind of expensive but its like…the most beautiful view and its really exciting being here!

Q1
If you were handed US$2500 and received a one month vacation where you could live in one city, anywhere in the world, where would you choose? What would you do?
A1
So…I’ve always wanted to go to Berlin, they have a really incredible music scene there, and I think I’d go there and open some sort of my open project, I guess, and…do like an artist’s collective??? And have people come who are really just original, who don’t really have so many expectations in their lives, who just want to create their own music. So Berlin has this incredible music scene, thats what I hear, but I’ve never been there and I’ve always wanted to go. And maybe have people come from around the world and we can collaborate, and do a big project, that we can really promote, and have lots of media surrounding that.
But it also depends. I could do that in almost any big city, where its like…well my parents, my dad is from Canada and I’ve thought of doing it there too. Its just cheap to live there. So if I had like a budget I’d probably do it somewhere cheap, but if I had a choice it would be Berlin.
Q2
What country do you feel “close” to, other than your own?
A2
Um, I would say…there is two. As I said my Dad is from Canada, which makes me half Canadian, so I have a closeness to Canada, but I majored in Italian in college, it was one of my majors so I have a really close connection to Italy too. Italy is sort of what I would call a second-world country, there is a lot of…well, problems (laughs) with government and…actually one of my main focuses was mafia studies. So there is a big problem with corruption in the government, and for my first two years before I did music I was in anti-bribery, anti-corruption work. So I’ve always had this passion in trying to make places feel more…just. I’m like interested in justice, I guess?? (laughs) So I feel closest to Italy, and I love Italy for its culture, for all the fucking reasons everyone loves Italy!! Its a beautiful and wonderful place, with all the history and culture and everything.

Q3
What one "thing" and "place" best represents your city?
A3
I would say Dolores Park actually, which is where we were before this. It is just the essence of the San Francisco community, people always go there on beautiful days, like today. I think people go there to remember how amazing it is to live here, and you go there, people are just happy, just very San Francisco. Whenever someone comes to the city, I always tell them to go to Dolores Park, because everyone goes there, and San Francisco is known for its hippie community and yeah, you know, just being an accepting, open person. It doesn’t really matter what you’re doing, whether you work in a startup, or are a hippie, or are doing music like me. It just feels like a very communal place.
And one thing…(thinks)…thats hard, thats a tough one…um…I don’t know. Its really hard to find an object, because San Francisco is changing a lot. So…I guess the idea of…having a startup. You know, there is this big rivalry right now between the startup community and the artists, the musician, the people doing something different. But I would say, I actually disagree. It sort of reminds me of the dialogue between Science and Religion, the dialogue between the startup and arts community. You’re vying for the same thing. The same purpose, sense of being. I talked with my friend who has completely different ideas of what to do with her life, and she works for a startup and I do music, we’re super different, but at the same time there are a lot of parallels between us. And the startup is also very emblematic of the changes that are going on in San Francisco, but it is also the essence of the city, it is, you know…even going back to the 1960s, San Francisco was all about doing something new, doing your own thing. Although it was rock and roll back then, its still the same idea. Its still happening here.
Q4
Oh! I think it would be a quilt!! (Haha) Like Olivia (Claire’s friend who joined us!)
Olivia: Will it have a flower on it?
Claire: (Laughs) Yeah, so you know, I talk about…well I talk to people about how there are a lot of unique issues going on in the US in different places, but that just proves its so big and so diverse. And I hear people say things like, “Why can’t we be more peaceful, like Sweden? Or New Zealand?” and I say well in my experience sometimes smaller countries have a more shared cultural background, but here, its so diverse, and that’s what makes it so unique and interesting. But that’s what I think our flag should represent, that people are coming from all over to be and live here, to die here. So I’d try to make it a quilt of some sort!

Q5
Please tell me the images you have for the following words.
A5
—The Ocean
The Ocean?? My mother, just floating around the ocean haha. I don’t know its just a really personal thing. I actually have a very deep connection with the ocean, and its actually not because of me. Its because of my mother. My mother has always wanted to live by the ocean, and she has always had a deep connection with it. And I do too. I write about the ocean a lot, and about water and salt a lot…its a weird thing, the ocean feels very maternal to me. But I think its just not for me, but for a lot of people. I don’t know, I guess its just something about how we need both water and salt to live , but you can’t have it at the same time—like, you can’t survive off of salt water. Which is so bizarre, because you need both, right!? Isn’t that weird??
My mom used to put me on the dryer to put me to sleep, because its similar to the sound of the ocean. That’s why now when I go to the ocean and hear the waves I immediately fall asleep.
>>>Wow, I never expected so many images from one word!!
—The Sun
…what does it bring to mind?? Hmm, its going to sound very trite, but happiness. (Looking at Olivia) You just gave me the funniest face haha. So growing up in Seattle, and I know you understand being from Portland, moving to California…I was super depressed living in Seattle. I mean I love it there, but there definitely is a physiological reaction to living in place that is that dark for that long…and I just remember moving to California for the first time and feeling that my life was a different life, and that I was living this crazy life where I was in summer camp the whole time because, well just because I saw daylight. It wasn’t something I was used to, and I just remembering feeling so happy. It was bizarre! haha
>>>Yeah, I understand fully haha. The weather…its incredible!!
Portland, I’m sure. And people always say, because I lived in LA for 4 years, which is so funny, because when I came up to San Francisco, they were like “Don’t go to San Francisco. The weather is terrible” to which I was like “You don’t KNOW what terrible weather is like” haha. And here, this the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. Thats why I started doing music, I never did music before because I was like, “I’ll never do that.”
—Death
….(thinks)…death is like the convergence of the ocean and sun. (Laughs) Death is like when the sun goes into the ocean. I don’t know. I think of death as like drowning. Drowning is like…you’re in this completely different world…and I guess it has to do with my very first, young, death experience being that my brother’s best friend drowned in High School. And drowning is the most terrifying thing I could think of, and the only real experience close to death that I can remember. I just remember the time so vividly, and for the first time realising that we take breathing for granted…yeah its morbid, and the image of just being underwater, not being able to live…darkness…
Q6
How do you feel about the future? Both yourself and mankind.
A6
I don’t know…I guess that my whole life perspective is to try… I believe in having future goals and when I envision my goals for the upcoming year, say 2015, I don’t imagine the chaos. I don’t envision the running out of resources, although I do think its a real issue. I try to live too much in the present, and put too much effort into that, trying to be in the present with people, because the future is so unpredictable, so barren that, part of me feels like its futile to try to manage it. But in terms of my personal life, I’m…I’m trying to do the things that will make me happy now because I feel so uncertain about the future of the world, so uncertain of the fact that resources will be plentiful for the upcoming 20 years. I don’t think things are going to be as wonderful as they are now.

Q7
What's the most important "thing" for you?
A7
For me personally, maybe its kind of apparent, maybe its NOT apparent, there’s…well there’s two things that are important in my life. One is, first and foremost, I am an extreme extrovert. So I quit my job, two…or actually a year and a half ago, and I spent a year by myself basically on music production, learning music from the ground up because I had never done music before. I think the most important thing I realised in that year was how much of an extrovert I am. Which means, how much other people are important in my life. So that is the number one thing, having the people that are important to me around me. And honestly, its not a one on one kind of thing; I’ve never been a one on one relationship kind of person. I mean, I, I do like having one on one relationships but I’ve never been a “lets get married and settle down” kind of person. But just having people in my life that I can trust, and care for…there’s just something rewarding about caring about someone and having them appreciate that.
And two is creating, which for me is music. Creating something that I’m proud of. And this is actually something that happened to me this week, where I was working on something of my own…so I took a year off to learn music and music theory and everything, making music of my own, which I hadn’t done in a while because I was getting many offers to work with other people, singing over various tracks. But this week I realised I really miss doing my own stuff, starting from the ground up on my own. Another thing is, all these projects I’ve been working on in the past I’ve been like “I hope it works out, that people like this”, where this one song I’ve been working on this week, I fully believe is something I wanted to do for myself. And being able to create something for myself was truly fulfilling.
Q8
What do you look for in a partner?
A8
Um…(thinking)…
Olivia: A nice butt??
(Haha) A nice butt!! No, I don’t know…honestly, I still don’t know. I know what I don’t want. I don’t want someone who is like… I guess I’ve always been a really independent person, and I don’t…want someone imposing… I have a hard time with relationships, its not that I don’t like being close or intimate with people, but more so I don’t want people imposing their beliefs on my life? I feel like I have a pretty strong sense of self, sense of what I believe in, and yes, a strong partner would be someone that aligns with those ideals. But for me, independence is an important thing so someone that appreciates my independence, and can be independent as well? Also its important to have a sense of humour, and be open to me, of course.
Q9
Do you want to get married? Do you want children? What do you want to do with them? How do you want them to grow up?
A9
Marriage: Yeah, ok so I always say this to…so both my brothers got married last year within three or four months of each other
>>>Wow. Older?
Yeah older, and I have always been a little rebellious, I’ve been like “I’m never getting married”, but I do love the idea of having a person that is your partner for the rest of your life. And having someone that is “in it” with you, sharing so much experience with you, dealing with life’s hurdles with you. But I don’t particularly…well, my life goal isn’t to go out and find a husband.
>>>Do you want children though?
Its like the same thing. I think that having a baby growing inside of your stomach is the craziest shit of all time!!! (Laughs) Like that’s CRAZY!! Like, its not innovation, its not new at all, but its still so cool!!! Its a cooler thing than anyone has ever done. I mean, like what? You can just, like, grow a baby!? And they’re like a complete individual!! They’re part of you…and the idea that you found the person that you love the most, in your entire life…ok, so this is the idea of it. This is my vision. You’re like “I’ve met a lot of people in my life” but then here comes one person and you’re like “HOLY SHIT!!! This person is the person I like out of ALL the people I met!!!” and then you’re like “Let’s smush ourselves together, and make something that’s half you, and half me!!”—isn’t that the coolest thing in the world??? How can you NOT want to do that?? haha. But at the same time I’m soooo not ready for that!! Haha.
>>>So true!! Haha
Right? But its a lot to handle. So I guess my point is I’d love to do it, only when I know its really right.
>>>Is there anything you want to do with your children??
Like throw them around?? Haha. See I think every generation has its “I want to do to my children what my parents didn’t do for me” but I’ve been really thankful for everything my parents did. My parents are amazing people, and they…well as far as parenting goes, they did an amazing job of parenting. But that being said, based on who they are, I would do a few things differently. Basically my parents are very conservative, and there are a lot of good things I got out of that, but I’m not a very conservative person. I’m very open!! I see the purpose what my parents did for me, but I think I would loosen the reigns a little, you know, I want them to work really hard and be the best person they can be, but they can also be more free to explore who that they are. Yeah, I was a little afraid to go out of the box that I was put in. To explore things. I’ve always been the person who was a “good kid”, and that’s why I was afraid to do music. Because I thought I could never make the top.
Q10
What would be the ideal thing to see the first moment you wake up? What would be the ideal thing to see the moment before you fall asleep?
A10
Oh, the sun!! And a giant moon!! Obviously!!
>>>So you want to be sleeping outside?
Pretty much!! The stars, the moon…
>>>Glass ceiling huh??
I think so…I can’t think of anything better…that’s so unoriginal!! But its true.
>>>You don’t have to be original for every answer haha
Yeah…have you ever been to a place that is so dark, and so remote, that you can just see all the stars?? I haven’t, I don’t think, since I was 14 and we went to Lake Shasta. There were just so many stars, so close, and yet unaccessible…(goes into lengthy conversation with Olivia about stars)…yeah, such a simple answer!!
Q11
What was the happiest moment in your life? What was the most terrifying moment in your life?
A11
(Thinks)…the happiest moment of my life?? My brothers’ weddings were pretty great. BUT, I’m going to selfish about this one…I think, the happiest moments of my life have been in the last year. Some of the moments that my band and I have gone on stage. There is literally nothing in my life that makes me happier than going on stage. I’m…I’m such a little diva! Haha. I fucking LOVE performing!!
Olivia: You look so happy when you’re on stage!!
I AM!! Its truly my happy place. Being on stage, being able to…well I did a little bit of drama in high school and its…well its like I’ve been faking my self my entire life, and I finally, FINALLY know what makes me happy, what I’m actually kind of good at, which is being with people, and being on stage!! And that’s all that I want to do, and the moments that I have been able to do that in front of a decent amount of people, those are the happiest moments I’ve been in my entire life. Its been a round-a-bout road, but I’ve finally gotten here.
And my most frightening moments are when I’m home alone, and I’m home alone a lot, and I do live in a nice neighbourhood, but my living situation is kind of sketchy, and I always think there are people breaking into my house, because my windows don’t fit in their frames. So it always sounds like the people outside are in my apartment, and that’s the most terrified I’ve been haha.
Q12
What was your childhood dream? What would you say to the childhood you, now? And what is your dream now?
A12
This is a really satisfying last question for me because when I was little…ok, so this is a personal story. When I was little, maybe six, I was still living in Atlanta GA, where I lived until I was eight, when we moved to Seattle. And for all of my life, I…well I’m a Leo, and I truly believe I am like my astrological side, but anyway, when I was little I would always listen to Mariah Carey, Amy Grant, and all these 90s and 80s pop stars, Madonna, and I was obsessed. And so when I turned seven, I thought, from there on…well first of all I thought I could control the weather, and second of all I thought I was the biggest pop star of all time. (laughs) And so my mom…well I would sing all the time, and obviously I was terrible, I was like six, and my mom bought me this shitty tape recorder. I remember tape recording my self when I was seven years old, Mariah Carey, I played it back, and I didn’t sound like what I thought I sounded like in my head. I locked myself in my room—I remember this so specifically; I remember the script on the wall paper in my room, every moment of it—and I wouldn’t come out because I was just bawling. Because I didn’t sound like how I thought I sounded. I thought I sounded like Mariah Carey. But as I got older the gap kind of closed…so when I was little I knew I was going to be a pop star, I was going to grow up and do that. And the funny thing is, I experienced a whole different part of life. I moved to a different part of the country, did sports, did all this business stuff, moved to San Francisco and did accounting for 2 1/2 years, and I ended up doing music. So I went through all of this and ended up here, thinking “Hey, six year old me is STOKED!!!” haha. Because I’m singing in front of all these people, and they are actually listening to me!!
>>>So you’ve come full circle!!
I have!! And its so incredible because I don’t think I would have ever done that if I hadn’t moved to this city. Its a special city. I don’t know, there was always something so open about it, but I was afraid to tap in in LA, and I would still be afraid to tap in if I had moved to New York. I think full-circle me is staring at this stoked six year old me who is like “Fuck Yeah!! You did it! You’re doing what you said you were going to do!!” And here I am.
>>>And your dream now??
Keep doing this. Keep doing music. I want to keep doing this until I’m wrinkly and they don’t want to see me anymore!!