Clickbait: the Chicago band revitalising no-wave
New York City has produced some of the most important cultural movements of recent times, from the punk explosion of the CBGB club to the indie rock revival of groups like The Strokes. With such an active community of artists and musicians, it can be easy for certain movements to go largely unnoticed by the mainstream, as in the case of no-wave. What first began as a rebellion against the pop-centric sound of new wave and disco went on to produce some of America’s most groundbreaking artists, and the influence of the no-wave movement can still be felt today.
Emerging from the New York underground towards the end of the 1970s, the no-wave scene encapsulated art, music, film, and performance. The artists who made up the movement were dedicated to the destruction of musical clichés, and as a result, no-wave produced some of the most celebrated avant-garde and experimental musicians of the 20th century—the likes of Glenn Branca, for instance. However, the music of the no-wave movement was not exclusively long, complex, experimental compositions.
Artists like James Chance, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, and even ESG had a role to play in establishing the eclectic sound of the no-wave years. Often characterised by a Frankenstein-esque blending of punk, jazz, disco, and everything in between, their music was inherently hard to pin down to one specific genre. Nevertheless, the impact of these artists remains to this day, even if many of them have since passed on. The most recent group to carry on the no-wave torch hails from Chicago and goes by the name of Clickbait.
Clickbait have been recording together since their first release, ‘Previous Demonstration’, in 2018. While the group has always been influenced by no-wave, these early tracks were much more akin to the DIY post-punk of outfits like Girls At Our Best or even riot grrrl artists like Bratmobile. As they have progressed, however, their unique sound has taken on more and more influences from the diverse world of no-wave.
Their debut full-length album, At Your Leisure, for instance, is practically bursting with the distant sounds of groups like ESG, The Contortions, and even early Sonic Youth at points. Far from being an unimaginative regurgitation of the past, Clickbait have a unique ability to drag these discordant sounds into the 21st century. During a time in which so much of the post-punk landscape is becoming formulaic, repetitive, and uninspiring, groups like Clickbait offer an essential alternative to the alternative.
Clearly, this individualistic take on post-punk and no-wave has resonated with audiences, as Clickbait has grown quite a dedicated following in their hometown of Chicago—even if they remain something of a well-kept secret outside the Windy City. Speaking to local newspaper The Daily Northwestern, Clickbait’s bassist Jen Lemasters demonstrated her pride over the audience they have amassed.
“Our fan base is more diverse. There’s more women, there’s more queer people, there’s more people of colour taking up more space,” the bassist shared, explaining, “And I think that’s something that’s important to us, and so that’s why we’re so proud of our fan base.”
With the recent release of At Your Leisure, that fan base is only likely to continue growing, and rightly so. It is difficult not to beam with joy at the idea of a defiant DIY band like Clickbait rising through the ranks despite making no effort to fit into the musical mainstream or adhere to current trends in post-punk. They are a band content with being themselves, and clearly, audiences respect that. In everything they do, the band seem to imbue a kind of revolutionary no-wave attitude, updated for the modern world. Do yourself a favour; don’t miss the boat.
