Imagine replacing the late, great Wesley Willis, a 300-pound, schizophrenic black man, with Clay Drinko, a rubbery, openly gay, white man. A wild performance artist from New York City, Drinko combines all the camp of Right Said Fred with the brilliantly absurd Friends song, "Smelly Cat."
Sassy and risqué, Famous Name features spoken vocals and simplistic electro music arrangements. Songs like "White Girls With Dreads," "Dickhead," "Lesbians," and "Pussies, Hos, and Beer" are so bad they're actually good. Drinko's lispy drone and Casio-inspired beats seem to work together like a push and pull kind of thing with a happy ending.
Uh, this is definitely an album with a specific time and place to play it (example: late night bedroom party, yes; with your parents anytime, no). Some may find the over-electro wears thinner than a pair of surf punk board shorts, and the lyrics a bit suggestively sarcastic, especially on "Cuddle Buttah" (just guess where Drinko wants to put his manhood).
Nevertheless, this album is ridiculous fun and danceable too. Discretion is key-when the disc is not in use, I might suggest keeping it locked in the naughty bedside drawer.
-Craig Curtice 4/01/05 www.2walls.com
Mixed by Hi-Fi Hillary
Mastered by Oscar Zambrano
Photos by Cady Lynne
Designed by Jill Peirez
Back-up Vocals by Jessica Palmer and Hillary Johnson
Choreographed by Rhiannon Fink
Clay Drinko turns out electronic rhythm lines with cutsie satirical baritone vocals. In late 2003 Drinko, fed up with inane electroclash choruses, drunkenly began singing his own send up of the genre: "Just one bite / middle of night / high as a kite / it just feels right / pizza slice." Clay Drinko, recording artist was born.
Drinko then created his own home recording studio to create his first, completely homemade album "Message to the Streets." "Message," with its sparse electronic beats keeping time, sees Drinko mocking electronic music, while he also throws in his quasi-political, usually funny, always over the top social commentary. Never beating his audience over the head with overt messages, Drinko's debut album's main message was that maybe it's not cool to even have a message.
Drinko then began his tutelage under June Joseph, world renowned DJ, and Hillary Johnson, New York City based mixer, composer, and DJ. With a much more sophisticated understanding of electronic music composition and production Drinko headed back to his home studio to create his sophomore album "Famous Name." "Famous Name," mixed by Johnson and mastered by Oscar Zambrano, is a professionally created and duplicated independent album. Drinko's lyrics, beats, and instrumentation are far more sophisticated than his first album without losing the appeal of the spare, do-it-yourself feel of his earlier songs.
Clay Drinko has performed at New York hot spots including the Slipper Room, Barracuda, Meow Mix, and the Tank. Audiences are drawn to his virtuosic use of comedy, acting, and dance during his high energy live shows. And as fans listen to "Famous Name," Drinko's unique voice comes to the foreground. Whether we hear his literal voice or not, we hear Clay Drinko loud and clear.
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