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The Corner News, Auburn AL. September 8, 2005 “Meet Clint & Kip”

Twenty-nine-year-old Clint Darby and 22-year-old Kip Traylor have recently busted out into the Auburn music scene. The two Montgomery natives met here in Auburn only a year ago.

“We actually met at Fat Daddy’s here in Auburn at open mike night last summer,” Traylor said. “We just started jamming together and it went from there.”

Darby had begun to make a name for himself, and adding female vocalist and guitarist Traylor into the mix has proven to be a musical dream.

Darby and Traylor usually perform five nights a week in Montgomery and have recently brought their acoustic act to Auburn. The two perform originals influenced by artists such as Dave Matthews and The Beatles, and covers that range from Damien Rice to Kenny Wayne Sheppard.

The duo has received regional recognition, which has landed them a regional tour throughout Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina beginning in October.

The Corner caught up with the two during their weekly Thursday night performance at Wings to Go.

How long have you been playing music?
Clint: I’ve been playing about 10 years.
Kip: I’ve been playing about five years.

How did you start?
Clint: I started playing guitar in high school and formed several bands throughout high school. Then when I got out of college I was in a big party band called The 2nd Coming. We were kind of doing the college circuit up here doing frats and sororities. I left that band to do acoustic.
Kip: I played piano ever since I was real little and one day I just picked up the guitar.

What made you want to learn to play?
Clint: Listening to people like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, all the guitar greats.
Kip: I had always wanted to learn and I kind of just picked it up and ended up teaching myself right at the end of high school, beginning of college.

Do you remember the first song you learned to play?
Clint: I bet mine was “Stairway to Heaven.”
Kip: Mine was probably “Hang” by Matchbox 20, to be honest.

Who writes your original music?
Clint: Both of us actually. Anything we’re writing now together we’re putting both of our names on. If one of us writes the lyrics the other one is at least helping arrange the music.

How would you describe your originals?
Clint: Acoustic pop rock.
Kip: With a strong rhythm and lead.

Who are your influences?
Kip: Mine are Dave Matthews, Sarah McLachlan and John Mayer as far as lyrically.
Clint: The Beatles certainly, and Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Newer stuff I’d have to say the new Oasis and Nickel Creek. Nickel Creek especially with my writing.

Do you both play music full-time?
Clint: Yep, we’re both full-time musicians.

So, is this what you plan on doing for a long time?
Kip: We hope.
Clint: Yeah, we hope. I left teaching high school for four years. I don’t see myself ever going back.

What do you enjoy most about performing?
Kip: It’s the best job in the world. It’s not even a job. Like our friend Jeremy says, the job is setting up and breaking down.
Clint: The music is the best part about it. I also like meeting people. We go on the road every couple months for a couple of weeks, touring has definitely become a big bonus for me because I love that. It’s kind of like a vacation. We play at night and go to the beach during the day.

I read that you, Clint, have released a self-titled album. Are both of you planning on releasing an album together?
Clint: Yeah.
Kip:We’re planning to release it within the next month.

Where is it being sold?
Clint: It can be found online at www.clintdarby.com. There is live music and media there, too.
Kip: And of course the CDs will be sold at our shows.

What is your favorite song to perform?
Kip: It changes. I really like playing “Give Me One Reason,” by Tracy Chapman.
Clint: My two favorite originals right now to play is our newest song called “Nothing At All,” it’s not even tracked yet and “Paris,” you can find that one on the Web site. My favorite cover right now is probably “Ghost” by Howie Day. And I really like “Cannonball,” by Damien Rice.

How often do you perform?
Clint: We play every Thursday at Wings to Go. We have some days at Touchdown’s, too. We play on an average about 15 to 20 gigs a month. We play a lot in Montgomery.
Kip: We’re looking at playing some days at Snapper’s. And possibly Supper Club on a Sunday night.

If you could perform with any band or musician, dead or alive, who would it be?
Kip: I would love to play with Dave Matthews.
Clint: I know this is kind of strange, but it would be wild. They’re not really a guitar-oriented band, but I think it would be fun to play with The Doors.

So what are you listening to now?
Kip: I just got really into Damien Rice lately. I really like the new Nickel Creek CD.
Clint: Yeah, that’s what I was about to say, Damien Rice and Nickel Creek.
Kip: I’ve also gotten really into Anna Nalick.

What is your long-term goal?
Clint: To be a successful national act.
Kip: We have a goal to reach it level by level.

Writer: Darryn Simmons – Montgomery Advertiser

This year the voting at the Battle was especially tight, according to Richard Young, one of the event organizers.

“It was very tough, especially in the rock/country/pop category because the bands were so diverse,” he said.

Judging was so tight in that category that the third place act, Clint and Kip, missed the cut by one point ……………

Even those who didn’t leave the Battle of the Bands with a victory enjoyed the experience.

Despite coming up just short, Clint Darby of Clint and Kip, had no regrets.

“There were a lot of great bands and it was cool just to be a part of it,” Darby said. “Hopefully we can still get a slot somewhere at Jubilee.”