Artist Profile: Tanbark

What is your earliest music memory?

Chloe performed ABBA on a cruise ship karaoke night when she was eight years old; does that count?

Where is your favorite place you've performed, and why?

A warehouse on the outskirts of London. It was a secret performance, but magically filled with enthusiastic music supporters.

Why did you start playing music?

Chloe was in chorus and singing in musicals since she was 10. She bought a guitar en route to London when she was 22 , and then could not really stop. James started learning piano as a young, young boy and was always in bands. Finally, when Chloe wanted to join James's band, one thing just led to another.

What does your creation process look like?

We write our songs together, it is a very casual process. Sometimes it involves a piano, most of the time it involves strumming a little ditty on the guitar. It almost always involves music before lyrics.

Talk about the strangest thing you've discovered about yourself through music

I never considered myself very literary or prone to writing, but I found music to be incredibly therapeutic. Perhaps that is strange. Perhaps that is the siren call.

Who are some artists you admire? (Musical or otherwise)

Tim Hardin, The Kinks, Sonia Delaunay, Karen Dalton, Judee Sill

What's your secret special skill that nobody knows about?

James makes the best scrambled eggs on the planet. Chloe has a really cool tennis serve that involves slice.

If I could play anywhere, I'd play [location]

In a space station.

I'd like to see [name] answer these questions

Dolly Parton

What inspires you?

Going to concerts, reading novels (I'd say half of our songs are about books), costumes from old movies, museums.

Anything else you'd like to add?

We love Porch Stomp!