Lachlan Clear

Location: Sydney, NSW

Challenge: Cerebral Palsy / Deaf

Website: facebook.com/LachlanClearArtistAlbumDeafSailors

Lachlan Clear is a guitarist who is deaf and has Cerebral Palsy. He was born at North Sydney in 1990, 4th July.

By the time he was 3 years old, he would search old records; play with the piano and the stereo at home for fun. He says "I have no idea, when I started to enjoy enjoy music around me." At this time, Lachlan's dad was looking at him and curious to what he was doing. Then he took Lachlan to a music instrument store at Newtown and give him headphones to listen to rock music.

Lachlan says "I started to smile and laugh and rock on with my dad for first time. He was an inspiration to me, when my dad has shown me some his old photos of himself as drummer from thereabout 70’s to 80’s."

Lachlan started learning basic music at the Thomas Pattison School for Deaf at North Rocks. He says "It was about in 1998 or 1999. I find I enjoy my own music and sound around in my heart, each rhythms use my head to nodded and swaying – like musician do." Also, Lachlan loved to carry the guitar from school and sit playing at home.

Lachlan says "Because I was feeling like a sexy and smooth sound in my heart, whenever I touched the guitar. That was similar feeling, whenever I gone sailing."

It was Lachlan's childhood dream to become a rock star guitarist, such like as Elvis for a while.

Lachlan says "But I was hopeless play with fret as chords (By the way I use strum, I still do). Because of CP, my left hand has been difficulty to flexible and quickly moves at all. So the teacher was critic on me for wrong chords, it was kind of heartbroken and…I was just about lost my dream for begins a musician. The fact, it’s not my fault for born with disability."

Because of this, Lachlan's teacher put him into a sign choir as Auslan which performed the Australian Anthem at the Sydney Opera house. He rehearsed in the chior every weekend in a hall in Strathfield. While in the chior, he performed at the 2000 Paralympic Closing Ceremony at Sydney Olympic stadium. He was 10 years old at the time, and to play in front of 10,000 people, it was a huge experience.

Lachlan retired from the choir in 2005 while he was a student in High School and too busy with exams. He adds "Also their songs were really bored for me, because it was same songs for every year." He enjoyed learning poetry. He says "I’ve been written and reread some my own short emotional poem, while I went through in a hard time."

Lachlan says "Also I‘ve been enjoy to hanging around in the pub with some ex-musician, they has known me and my dad for long time. Because I was a shooting video camera at them, while my dad was a drummer in their music band from 2003 to 2007. Then I has quitting the school in 2008, while I was struggle with depression and frustration about begin a hard life with disability at Deaf school. I was there and fighting for about 13 years. Because they have been left me out from their social and sport activities."

At this time Lachlan became a close friend with an Irish ex-musician. His nickname is Mulga, we’ve hang out from the pub “Grumpy hotel” at Hurlstone Park for many years. He was learning the basic sign language and trying to encourage Lachlan to write more poems.

He struggled with his english writing skills over the years but despite this, he has began to a write about my life story and poems. He says "That was helping me a lot. It need get my chest out to freedom and filled with the sense of adventure."

He often takes a break from writing and races a sailing yacht and is studying at Ultimo TAFE.

Lachlan says "Then it’s just happen in 2012, I was meeting some young adult musician students at TAFE and have small chat with them. They are quite interested about my sailing and welcome me to their music classroom." So, he showed them one of my poems "The romance of sail". That’s it, he adds "they have brought my dream about being a musician and singer using Auslan sign, back again. Charlie Gradon was a vocal and guitarist with me on the stage."

He adds "Somehow... it went boom – it was such a new life. I became a real friendly with some music band "Smaal Cats" and "Baby Lips & the Silhouettes". Also, I’ve been party hard at the pub for their gig night. It was so wild and crazy. Charlie Gradon was my inspiration and awesome musician, I had ever met. Then I’ve wrote 20 songs for 6 months and brought the harmonica to practice myself at home."

Unfortunately in 2013, Ultimo TAFE wouldn't allow Lachlan to do music courses because he was Deaf. He adds "I was pretty devastated and frustrated about them being so closed minded. So, I bought a guitar on my PS3 and learn about music structure by myself at home. Then I was prove it to myself, they’re so wrong. Because, that easy way for me to play than a normal guitar. I’ve play with my guitar at my bedroom so loudly, which was such like god sent a thunder! It made me so alive and laughter so much! Also I’ve wrote many draft songs, it was total about 30 to 40 songs."

He did a performance at Parramatta RSL for MMDA 2014 (Miss and Mister Deaf Australian) and riffs with his guitar as punk rock star. He says "This time, I won 2nd place as running up Mister Deaf Australian. Also I was a quite proud of myself, because I have fighting for my dream from many years ago. Then I became a first Deaf person with Cerebral Palsy, who has dared to be involved MMDA. Also, I’ve been doing very well with my sailing races."

Lachlan says "This time I was vowed to give up play with my guitar for about 3 or 4 months, while I focus on the maths at Ultimo TAFE. But it’s easy temptation to play with my guitar, while I went through in a darkness time. So, I decide to give up my study and play my guitar for about 6 months or even for 1 year. Because I know that’s what I love to doing. Also, I was doing editing the music videos at home. Then I start set up my own music band "Sailing in Space" and building my music career. That’s it. I'm just a guitarist and lyricist."

Lachlan is now looking for two artists in Sydney to join his band. He is looking for a vocalist, and an Auslan singer.

Lachlan Clear - Deafness Rebel