Music
You've been interested in music for a long time and started writing songs and playing guitar at the age of 15. Why have you now decided to make it your main career?
"I think it stems from the first time I performed for an audience by myself - it was the feeling that I got when I played and the response that I got from the audience. Also, the emotional outlet that I get through songwriting was one of the biggest reasons behind me wanting to pursue that as a career. I mean, when you're 15, you don't really know whether that's a viable option for a career! I'm very lucky that I've been able to kick-start my career in the entertainment industry."
Who are the main influences on your music?
"There's so many influences! It was Jeff Buckley when I was first starting to play to audiences, Red Hot Chilli Peppers when I was younger, then I moved into stuff like The Temper Trap, The Kooks, a band called Acceptance, and more recently, The Rocket Summer and The Script. I tend to like well-written songs - ones that have a bit of meaning behind them as well as being catchy. I prefer a song to have substance and really mean something, and that's what I want my songs to be like as well."
Would you say those influences are quite noticeable on your music?
"I wouldn't say so, as obviously those influences are varied, and I've even liked Slipknot and stuff like that for a while! I think I've just taken bits and pieces from all of my influences and tried to then make my own version of that, and I feel as though I've come up with something that doesn't sound like any one of those in the end. But I think, in terms of songwriting and trying to create some substance in there, I'm on my way to doing that."
How would you describe 'Devastated' to somebody who hadn't heard it before?
"It's a rock song with a pop edge to it. I think it's very catchy, and a lot of the people who I've been catching up with in the UK have been singing it, which is quite nice. It's a love song, and one of my favourite things about the song is the video clip that we shot for it. The video shows another side of my personality."
It's certainly a very fun video as you play a variety of different roles in it - what was it like to film?
"I was extremely nervous at first! I was completely out of my depth because I've never really done much improvisation or character work outside of playing Ringo on Neighbours, as playing Ringo was my first acting job ever. But it was something that I was very excited about. I loved working with the director, Joel Kohn, coming up with the concept with him and getting it to the point that we did. And then the day itself was obviously just a mad rush to get it all done! It was one of my most enjoyable acting experiences."
You dress up as a woman for some parts of the video - whose idea was that?
"I feel kind of strange saying that it was my idea, but it was! We wanted to push it beyond belief quite a bit - giving me a challenge acting-wise, and lifting the comedy stakes. We looked at a clip for the Foo Fighters' 'Learn To Fly', where Dave Grohl and the other guys in the band dress up as a number of characters...we thought that we could get something quite decent out of putting me in some heels and stockings and whatnot! So far the response has been pretty funny. Some people think I look better as a woman - I personally don't, but I'll take it as a compliment somehow!"
Your single 'Broken' was your first big success in Australia, as it topped the physical singles chart over there. Are there any plans to release that here in the UK?
"Well, I also topped the physical singles chart with 'Devastated', so it was great to follow up 'Broken' with that, and then release 'Devastated' in the UK. But in terms of the next step, we're hoping to do quite well over here with 'Devastated', and I've got a lot of people online who are requesting the album as soon as possible. If we do get to release the album, that'd be wonderful, and people will get to see a number of different styles and songs."
You've released three singles in Australia so far - 'Broken', 'Send Me A Sign' and 'Devastated' - do those give a good indication of what the album is like as a whole?
"Yeah, I think they do. Obviously they are single songs, and we've got some album tracks that showcase different sides of me - some where I'm playing piano, some that are a little more laid-back, and some that are focusing on other things rather than love as a topic."
How did the cover of Angry Anderson's 'Suddenly' come about?
"I was approached to do it while I was still on Neighbours as it was the 25th anniversary. My character was lucky enough to play a really big part in that as he gets married, and they were hoping to emulate the success of Kylie and Jason's wedding from all those years ago, where the song was originally featured. I was asked to record a version for the show, and we thought that we'd try and make that available for more people to listen to afterwards. We tried to stick to the original as much as we could, to satisfy the fans of the show from all those years ago. But we obviously tried to make it a little bit more modern as well. We changed some of the lyrics here and there, and some of the structure slightly, but we tried to keep it as true to the song as possible."
Are you aiming for any particular chart position with the single?
"I'm aiming for it to go as high as possible. I'm playing 120 shows over three months and putting a lot of work into this, so we're looking for the best possible chart position that we can have. Having never been to the UK before, that limits my ability to peak exactly where I'd like to land, but I'm definitely hoping to make it very high in the charts."
Do you think that being well-known in the UK as a soap actor will be an advantage for your music career, or will it mean you have more to prove?
"From my experience in Australia, it's definitely meant that I've had a hell of a lot more to prove over there. But I don't know with the UK yet as I don't know the UK audience as well as I've got to know the Australian audience over the last couple of years. I'm hoping that I'll simply be viewed as another singer, as opposed to having to make up ground just because I do other work. We'll see how it goes - hopefully people will listen to the music and let that speak for itself."
Sam Clark releases 'Devastated'/'Suddenly' on October 11.
> Click here to read more from Sam Clark in Soap Scoop
