CLARKO: Wrestling with Music and Life
- Lauren Juillerat
- Dec 17, 2024
- 5 min read
Clark “Rules” Demeritt was born and raised in Reno, Nevada, where his passion for music took root at a young age. At 16, he began experimenting with sound, slowly creating his signature style that fell into the category of “egg punk,” a genre he continues to embrace 15 years later in 2024.
In 2009, Clark dove into the Reno music scene, going to basement shows and getting involved with the local venue, The Holland Project. He then joined a power violence band as well as a garage rock band, Pelvis Wrestlies. His involvement in the community grew deeper as he served as the Music Director for The Holland Project for five years and regularly hosted shows at his house. “I was very involved in the scene here. It’s where I found myself,” Clark says with a smile. While his connections grew deep in the community he was still trying to find a more important connection, a title that resonated with him and his music.
During one of the tours Clark managed for Shannon and the Clams, he began sharing his original music ideas with the group. He lacked a stage name until the band’s keyboardist, Cyrus King, suggested “CLARKO HOMO,” a direct reference to one of Clark’s favorite music artists, DEVO, and their song Jocko Homo.
“I didn’t want people to get the wrong idea,” Clark explains, reflecting on how controversy can overshadow music. He had learned this lesson early in his power violence band, Registeredsexoffender. To avoid unnecessary distraction, he shortened the name to CLARKO.
As much as Clark loved Reno, he felt he had outgrown its tight-knit music scene. In 2014, he relocated to Seattle to expand his musical opportunities. His first show as CLARKO was alongside Lumpy and the Dumpers. “The Seattle scene was a breath of fresh air… something a little bit bigger,” he says. Though he cherished Reno’s familiar faces, Seattle offered growth and inspiration.
Clark eventually returned to Reno in 2021 with his then-partner, who pursued a PhD in the biggest little city. Returning meant reintroducing himself to a scene that had evolved. “Reno bands go; they cycle through so quickly,” he says, noting how Spitting Image remains the only band still active from his early days.
The transient nature of Reno bands contributed to Clark’s decision to focus on solo music. By enlisting musicians for live performances, he gained the freedom to create at his own pace. “A huge reason bands break up is scheduling,” he adds. “It’s like, ‘You guys broke up because someone didn’t want to lose their job at Trader Joe’s?’ That always annoyed me.”
For live shows, Clark collaborates with musicians from various cities. Depending on the location and scale, he contacts different “units,” including players from Reno and Los Angeles. His most recent tour featured the “best friends lineup,” also known as his Seattle unit, that was composed of his closest friends. However one of the members in the “unit” was unable to attend but Clark’s other friend Morgan wanted to join the ride.
Clark’s right-hand man, Morgan, plays a key role in CLARKO’s music. He records Clark’s demos and helps bring his ideas to life. “It’s all from my brain, and then it gets contaminated a little, which is good,” Clark jokes, appreciating the collaborative spin others bring to his work.
In 2024, Clark embarked on his least stressful tour to date, thanks to the support of an international punk label that streamlined booking. While Pittsburgh presented challenges, Chicago and Los Angeles stood out as highlights.
The Chicago show took place in a rundown ballroom that typically hosted raves. With no elevator, the band carried their gear up three stories by hand. Despite the exhausting trip, the energy of local bands and the crowd made it one of their favorite stops. Los Angeles, meanwhile, was electrifying. The audience included people Clark personally invited, music artists he had worked with in the past. Seeing familiar supportive faces in the crowd meant the world to him.
“I love playing music every night,” Clark says. “If I can tour and play music every night, I will.” When he can’t plan full tours, Clark makes the most of brief weekend shows, traveling to nearby cities.
Touring isn’t new to Clark, who has managed five to six full U.S. tours for other bands. These experiences have reinforced his love for music and for connecting with new people. “It reinvigorated my love for music, knowing there are other cool people out there.”
One of Clark’s favorite tour memories comes from July 2024. While traveling with three friends, they spent hours in the van playing games, discussing tour plans, and creating promotional videos. Inspired by his late blooming love of wrestling, Clark combined wrestling antics with music to produce short, city-specific videos.
“It started on a whim,” Clark recalls. “We pulled over on the side of the road, filmed a video, and Morgan edited it in two hours.” What began as a spontaneous idea became a beloved routine, with the team spending up to six hours brainstorming, filming, and editing. Morgan even used AI-generated music for the background, tailoring songs to each city.
The collaboration was so engaging that Clark made a deal to play Magic: The Gathering with Morgan during downtime. Morgan had just recently gotten into the game and he’d given up valuable playing time to tour and edit the videos, so Clark agreed to divulge in Morgan’s fun. “We’d get to the hotel at 2 a.m., and he’d say, ‘Alright, time to play.’ I’d be up until 4 a.m. playing Magic,” Clark laughs.
With three CLARKO tours under his belt and a growing audience, Clark remains committed to his craft. As Clark looks ahead, he’s focused on creating music that resonates, playing shows that inspire, and connecting with audiences in new and unexpected ways. Whether it’s in a packed venue, a rundown ballroom, or a quiet hotel room at 2 a.m., Clark enjoys every minute he gets to share and create his music.
“I’m just going to keep playing,” Clark says, a smile on his face. And if the past is any indication, the music scene—wherever it may be—will always be more than happy to welcome CLARKO.
Find more CLARKO on Biggest Little Bands: Video Interview here
Written by Lauren Juillerat
CLARKO’s Music: Spotify
CLARKO’s Instagram: Clarko_rules
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