Feature / One Question Interviews
The Clever References

Words: Rizkan A.M. • December 1, 2022

The Clever References
The Clever References

Ash (The Clever References – guitar/vocals)

SPB: How important is TikTok platform for a DIY band?

Ash: It's a lottery ticket. You can do everything right on that platform, and find that the algorithm has changed and it's kinda left you behind. Alternatively, a piece of content you make might skyrocket you to fame that risks you being a passenger of unplanned notoriety.

As a platform, we found that the clock app is the most unpredictable in disseminating its content, but remains the only platform that lets people discover new acts, rather than just be fed a fraction of their following list and digital advertising. Although this is a function of how the clock app still needs to build up its cultural cache as "the place to be", where other platforms have more pressing monetary concerns on their minds (hence all the emphasis on ads).

Tl;dr, you can get lucky, you can get very lucky on the clock app. The only platform that grants you that possibility in 2022, this will not be the case in the near future we predict.

-----------

Listen to "Christ, Is It That Time of Year Again?"

The Clever References
The Clever References

Related features

Meth

One Question Interviews • March 18, 2026

Seb Alvarez (Meth) SPB: Is there a regional food you look forward to when you go on the road? Alvarez: Gravy lunch Read more

Remina

One Question Interviews • March 17, 2026

Heike (Remina) SPB: In the artwork of the last two releases (the EP Erebus and the album The Silver Sea) the black and white art is highlighted with a red accent. It feels like it is part of a story, is this the case? Heike: Throughout all the artworks, there … Read more

The Went Wrongs

One Question Interviews • March 16, 2026

Steven Douglas Jenkins (The Went Wrongs - vocals/guitar) SPB: Who does the majority of the band’s driving (is there a reason or a story as to why)? SDJ: When we play out of town, we usually split the driving, but if I had to choose who does it most, that … Read more

Post Office Experiences

Music • March 10, 2026

In a different world, which we think was shortly before COVID and MAGA and all things bad and in ALL CAPS occurred, Scene Point Blank had the idea to write a comprehensive piece about mailorder experiences from the people who dedicate their free time to sending you records, cds, tapes, … Read more

Spite House

Interviews • March 7, 2026

There’s a quiet weight to Spite House that doesn’t rely on volume or spectacle. Their songs sit in the uncomfortable space between anger and reflection, carrying emotional honesty without turning it into a performance. Their growth is shown on Desertion, their most fully realized material to date. Preparing for an … Read more

Related reviews

The Clever References

Hamish's House
Independent (2022)

Some say Australia is a very nice place to spend your life, saying it's the safest place on earth with its protective system for its citizens. I know it's kind of dumb for thinking that any band that is from a more "wealthy place", like Australia, will always have its own privilege to get known wider around the globe though … Read more

More from this section

Meth

One Question Interviews • March 18, 2026

Seb Alvarez (Meth) SPB: Is there a regional food you look forward to when you go on the road? Alvarez: Gravy lunch Read more

Remina

One Question Interviews • March 17, 2026

Heike (Remina) SPB: In the artwork of the last two releases (the EP Erebus and the album The Silver Sea) the black and white art is highlighted with a red accent. It feels like it is part of a story, is this the case? Heike: Throughout all the artworks, there … Read more

The Went Wrongs

One Question Interviews • March 16, 2026

Steven Douglas Jenkins (The Went Wrongs - vocals/guitar) SPB: Who does the majority of the band’s driving (is there a reason or a story as to why)? SDJ: When we play out of town, we usually split the driving, but if I had to choose who does it most, that … Read more