The Road to CukoRakko: Will Clark of Funk You May 9, 2016 09:15

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Our latest segment, "The Road to CukoRakko," consists of a series of interviews leading up to CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival next weekend at Horse Pens 40 in Steele, AL.  We recently caught up with Will Clark (drums/vocals) of Funk You, one of Georgia's most promising up-and-coming bands.

FUNK YOU provides the audience with a furious fusion of influences ranging from Umphrey's McGee, Lettuce, James Brown, and Stevie Wonder. By colliding funk, jam, rock, fusion, and prog into one uniform sound, these guys will keep your jaw dropped and your feet moving. Their songs combine smooth melodies, catchy vocals, and intense shredding simultaneously into a unique well defined sound.

For five years the band has been building their fan base in the southeast. They have played numerous sold out shows in Atlanta (Terminal West, Aisle 5), Augusta (Sky City), and also Athens (Georgia Theater). With performances alongside the James Brown Band, Maceo Parker & Fred Wesley (James Brown horn section), Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Soul Rebels, Rebirth Brass Band, Tea Leaf Green, Robert Randolph, Snarky Puppy, Omega Moos and Moon Taxi, the band is climbing their way up the festival circuit. FUNK YOU was voted best R&B band by August Magazine and was named Relix Magazine's "Artist On the Rise" in their July/August 2013 issue. FUNK YOU's debut full length album "Apparitions" just released is receiving great reviews from Live For Live Music and Live And Listen. Perseverance and hard work best describe the band's attitude, so if you haven't yet, you will be seeing them soon. 
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Funk You is set to play CukoRakko at 10:30 PM on Saturday, May 14th.

Interview by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

Funk You has been going strong for over five years now.  The days of playing routine gigs around Augusta are long gone.  What stands out the most when looking back over the last few years?
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Will: We are excited that we have been given the opportunity to continue playing gigs for this long. The music industry requires patience and we've been steadily growing our fan base to new cities across the southeast. And who doesn't love to travel for a living! We get tighter and tighter every weekend and that is what is most important; that we continue to grow together as a unit.
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As Augusta's music scene continues to grow, the opportunity to perform and build your following only increases.  How has Funk You's schedule shaped up thus far in 2016?  
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FY: 2016 has been one of the most exciting years for us. We are playing more festivals this year, highlighted by a performance at Sweetwater 420 Fest. We just opened up for the James Brown Birthday Bash in Augusta, which was streamed live across the nation by the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Meeting and jamming with all the incredibly talented James Brown Band members was truly a once in a lifetime experience for us. We also just signed with Hoplite Booking Agency so the sky is the limit for us this year.
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Watch Funk You perform David Bowie's "Let's Dance" at Terminal West here:
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Funk You recently released it's first full length album, Apparitions.  Tell me a little bit about how this group of songs came together.  How was the recording process different than your previously released self-titled EP?
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Will: We felt these songs together made the most cohesive representation of what Funk You is. Which is not a genre focus, but rather a statement. A statement of we will write whatever style we feel. This album "Apparitions" hits our highest of highs and lowest of lows. We are a diverse group of people and we portray that in our music. We recorded this album in Atlanta at Fractal Sound Studio. We added some collaborations with a horn section, female vocalist, violinist, and few different engineers helping mix and produce. We are very proud of the final product and can't wait for everyone to hear it!
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Every band has their own unique way of putting together a setlist.  What does the process entail for you guys as you prepare for each show? 
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Will: We typically write a song list first and decide whether to put them in an order or just go with the flow. There are different benefits to both. When we don't have a specified set order, we very much play to the crowd. Feeling their energy and feeding off it is very important to us. And sometimes when we do write out the order, we will call audibles if something gets stagnant or the crowd is calling for a different energy or feeling. This usually depends on set lengths and location of the performance.  
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Listen to Funk You's new album Apparitions here:
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We're coming up on CukoRakko, one of Alabama's young, growing music festivals.  Horse Pens 40 is without a doubt one of the most amazing locations in the state.  What does it mean to you guys to join the CukoRakko family?
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Will: We are stoked to play this festival after having heard so much about it from our peers. The location is beautiful and we are thrilled to be able to display our art to an eager audience. This industry is all about family and supporting each other and what better way to do that than by sharing the love of music with one another.
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CukoRakko will give you guys an opportunity to play in front of many music fans who might be seeing Funk You for the first time.  How would you best describe what the crowd at Horse Pens can expect from you guys?
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Will: That's one of the greatest feelings of being a musician, the first time an audience member hears your art and expresses gratitude to us for doing what we love. We always make sure to provide every new audience with a tight, diverse, energetic set that displays what Funk You truly is. 
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