Since releasing her self-titled in 2009, Berlin-born Claude Amick has been breaking the barriers of musical genre in Europe. Her music transcends pop, rock, and even classical, bringing a fresh new take on using the guitar, as she puts it, the entire orchestra. America has seen nothing yet.

Recently seen on stage beside singer-songwriter and teetering mogul Amanda Palmer, Claude is spending some time writing her "still in the works" third record in Seattle. We meet up with the British songstress at one of her favorite smoothie haunts, Juicy Cafe.

She Shreds: When did you first start playing guitar?

Claude Amick: I started when I was about six. My parents were musicians when they still lived in Germany, so we always had instruments around the house. The first instrument I actually learned was violin, but my dad had this vintage hollow bodied Hofner he'd had from the 50's that he kept in a cupboard upstairs. I used to try to pick it up to play, but I was tiny and it was comical enough to amuse him enough to buy me one of those smaller guitars until I was more than half the size of his.

How did you come to start writing your own music?

I've always written. It's very strange because for me, it's more difficult to remember a time when I didn't write songs. It took me years to actually sing them myself, but the writing and the compositions have always been there.

Do you have any of your oldest songs?

No! But if you search decently enough on the magical internet, I'm not saying you'll find them, but...

What’s your songwriting process?

Mostly it's me having a load of riffs loaded up into my software or on my phone that I've recorded when they've come to me, followed very closely by the idea I'll never be able to find words to put to them. I end up doing purely instrumental compositions for the most part, that's how much the lyrical process fucks me up. I'm getting better though, I think. I know I can write but there's always that moment you have when you think, "is this good enough? Is this my Boatman's Call?"

That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself!

Isn't it? Yeah, I know, and the pressure gets in the way sometimes which makes it its own self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm working on that as well.

Why did you decide to come to Seattle? The Pacific North West is notorious for inspiring musicians, but what does it mean to you?

Solace. I've spent that much time on the road these last few years that when I'm off it, I can't seem to find anywhere that feels like home. Did you ever see Garden State? There's the bit where they're sat by the fire and he asks her about the point where the place you grew up doesn't feel like your home anymore, and it's like that for me. Except I've never entirely fit in anywhere in any manner, nor any place, so I'm always searching for the brief moment or two I'm given where I can sit back, breathe, play around on my guitar and momentarily think, "I feel settled." I have a friend who lives here with a studio too, which helps.

How would you describe your playing style?

Erm, good question. I do what sounds good to me. That's really all I think about -- or don't think about, I don't know, I don't stress over it, but I like to make the most out of the instrument. I've gotten myself into trouble a few times saying I don't really think of somebody that stands up on stage playing an arpeggiated D chord or strumming Em/Cadd9 as a guitarist and I'm not saying I'm singling out Noel Gallagher in that but I am. I think you're a guitarist if you play guitar and you love the instrument. Period.

Not a fan of Noel Gallaher?

Not at all, but to be fair, he opened the doors to this by saying women can't play guitar and I'm never going to let him forget that, even though he has no fucking clue who I am, girls can play guitar and they will play guitar and we're no different to anyone else playing guitar, so he needs to stick to his three chords and keep his mouth shut, to be honest. But I could go on about that for ages and it's not pretty.

What kind of gear do you use on stage? Are you a gear head?

I don't think I'm a gearhead. I like exploring what sounds I can make, but I think my set up is quite simple. I like a clean sound for my music, though I'd love to one day do a 5 stacked Marshall amp gig like J Mascis. I have my Vox 360 that I've had for about 10 years now. I've actually got two, one for Europe and the other for outside of it since it's not insured. Lesson 1. I like using a t-rex roommate pedal for reverb and a crowther overdrive, essentially just fed raw into the Vox. I play a telecaster and I think they've got one of the most ripe tones out there, they even sound good when they're not jacked in to anything.

You recently played Ophelia's new signature Ernie Ball at a show in New York, what was that like for you?

Such a beautiful instrument. I really enjoy playing it. Althea gave it to me herself as sort of an, "I know how you're feeling" present after David Bowie died, as we were both massively influenced by him. It's white and she called it the Duke. It seemed fitting and it was really lovely of her to do. I particularly like the fretboard, you can play all the way up really without spraining your wrist. That happened to me once with a Strat I borrowed. On my first American tour, actually.

You're one of the only bands out there that uses a harmonium in their live show, can you say how that came about?

We use a lot of different instruments on stage. My percussionist can play anything I ask her to. We tend to go thrifting down in Brighton, they've got an entire level in one of the antiques shops dedicated to instruments that nobody wants anymore, so I'll see something I like and go, "learn to play that?", we'll get it fixed up and she'll do it. It's handy.

The version of Blackstar you did with Amanda Palmer was awesome, how did that come about?

Jherek (Bischoff) contacted me first off. He's a fantastic composer, and he said he and Amanda Palmer had decided to do a tribute to Bowie, and that he was a fan of my music and loved a cover of Lady Grinning Soul I did a couple of years ago. I couldn't have said no if I wanted to. I never would have wanted to. Celebrating David like that was a highlight of my year so far, if not my entire life. I was humbled they asked me to take part.

You've also worked with Marianne Faithfull and David Byrne, what was that like?

Amazing. Fabulous. The both of them. I love Marianne like I would a mother, we're very close. David as well. He played the winery with us last month, actually, it was lovely getting to sing Heroes when he's one of mine.

But no plans on working with Ophelia? Your paths always cross and you're friends. When do we get a record?!

We'll see, we'll see. She's very busy, but hopefully. We did have a band together once, actually, which was how we became friends.

You just made a bunch of readers very happy. And last of all, what do you have coming up? Any gigs stateside? There's a lot of venues in Portland that would love to have you!

Really? I'd love that. I love Portland. I had my first Voodoo donut last year and visited the bridge from the Angelina Jolie version of Foxfire, which I've wanted to see for about 20 years. I'm very visual, those things stick with me. I'd really like to play more in the states. It's hard, but we're trying, and I hope to do another little tour when I release my next record. Which I hope to be finished with by the end of the year.