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The answer is d) all of the above. James Clark performs as tHe cLark iNstitute in Toronto, home of the now-renamed Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. And if he tires of the music business, you may be able to find him checking out the San Antonio school.

One early musical inspiration for James was watching the fun and games on The Monkees TV show. After all, what boy wouldn't want to frolic around on the beach playing music with his friends? James's first public performance was in a neighbour's backyard, with all of the kids from the nearby houses in attendance. To his chagrin, the yard also housed a couple of prolific fruit trees, and the band was pelted with crabapples. This was also James's first experience with critics.

James's professional music career began in earnest when he became a drummer for several Toronto bands. Although, he has written songs since he was about 10 years old, he found that the opportunities for song-writing drummers were few. So tHe cLark iNstitute was issued an extended day pass, played clubs throughout southern Ontario and released a CD, "tHe lAnd tHat tIm fOrgot" in 1998. Shortly after the CD's release, James joined the Sin-Tones, a well-known surf/rockabilly band. In 2004, he left the group to perform and record on his own. That September, he released his second CD, "Home is Where the Heart Attack is".

James's music, an odd blend of anguish and humor, has been met with rave reviews and has placed well on Internet and campus charts. His musical themes include obsession, lost love, jail, bad photographs, and bugs. When asked about his penchant for pain, James confirmed that he finds inspiration in the "dark side". "I don't know if I have suffered any more trauma than anybody else on the planet," he says, "but that's what I seem to write best about. It's really hard for me to write a happy song. Especially about trauma."

tHe cLark iNstitute first hit the Internet airwaves in January, 2005. James has found that music sites such as SongPlanet and International Online Music have provided opportunities for him. "I know people are hearing my music, which is great. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback."

James's talent is not limited to the singer/songwriter music on his current CD. He has played country, metal, surf, British Invasion, as well as folk and pop rock. During his live gigs, his between-song banter reveals a flair for dark comedy, and to round out his artistic portfolio, he is also a cartoonist.

James has performed primarily as a solo artist for the last six years. He has recently changed his stage name to the James Clark Institute and can be heard regularly at several venues in Toronto. "Home is Where the Heart Attack is" may be purchased through CD Baby or directly from www.clarkinstitute.com .

Article written by Ann Nightingale

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