December 23, 2012 |
Hanna Hanra is the editor/publisher/founder of Beat, the music magazine that has revolutionised music magazines because it is both free and good, ie is unpretentious, ie doesn’t have its head stuck up so far up its backside that it lives in a perpetual state of darkness where Led Zeppelin are still the greatest thing since the invention of the Kit Kat. People and music have moved on. Henceforth, Hanna’s top 10 new acts that will change the face of music forever. Or something like that.
2:54
Sisters Colette and Hannah Thurlow packed in their jobs and picked up their guitars. And quickly became 2012’s favourite dark-wave sensations. We spoke to Colette about her favourite sleeping position.
Hi, 2:54. What have you been doing today, from the moment you woke up to the moment you read this question?
“Hi. So far, we have made coffee while listening – and dancing – to Roxy Music really loudly in my kitchen, and then opened the laptop.”
Are you wearing your leather jackets right now? If not, why not, and what are you wearing instead?
“I’m wearing an Eagulls band T-shirt and shorts – it’s summertime in my flat.”
What happened at 2:53 to make 2:54 stand out as a name-worthy time?
“We’re named after our favourite moment in a Melvins song – A History of Bad Men. That moment happens at two minutes 54 seconds in.”
f you got to interview anyone you wanted in the world, who would you interview and why? And what would be the best question you asked them?
“Rick Danko, who was one of The Band, when he was alive. I’d just want to hang out with him.”
How do you get into bed at night?
“Run straight for the bed and collapse, face down, in a starfish position.”
What does it feel like when you’re on stage?
“Incredible, there’s nothing like it. It’s really a mixture of excitement and fear.”
What do you do while you’re backstage?
“We listen to loads of metal before going on stage – gets us pumped. Takes no time at all to get ready. Red lipstick, dress, I’m done.”
What’s the one thing you can’t go without on your rider and why?
“Red wine. It goes well with the pre-show metal disco in our dressing room.”
If you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?
“I wouldn’t want to change anything.”
Okay, so that’s good news. What are you doing right after this?
“Something sunshine related with friends. It’s nice to have a day off in London.”
Who do you admire most in the world and why?
“Our family, they’re the best.”
DISCLOSURE
Guy and Howard are brothers. They are 21 and 18. And they make timeless dance music. We prised Guy out of bed to answer some questions for us.
What have you been doing today, from the moment you woke up to right now?
“Well, it’s only 11am, so not much – ate some Special K, sat in the sun. Howard is still in bed, so he has done nothing.”
What happens backstage?
“We get friends to entertain us. A few beers, a meal and I personally like to do some kind of jumping around before we go on, to get the energy going.”
What’s the one thing you can’t go without on your rider?
“Beer, for obvious reasons. Although Howard actually doesn’t drink at every show… ”
Describe your music-making process.
“One of us will make an idea or a whole structured project, then we both go in and take it apart, rebuild it and shape it into a Disclosure tune. We hardly ever make a track together.”
What is your perfect summer day?
“Well, we recently played in Ibiza at IMS on my 21st birthday – that was a pretty good summer day.”
Did you have any other names before Disclosure?
“We didn’t. We chose Disclosure because it was written on a piece of paper next to my laptop when we were making a Myspace page.”
If you could have just 10 minutes with one person, who would it be and what would you do?
“Probably just sit and watch J Dilla making beats in the studio. Everyone who has done that has said it was amazing to watch him work.”
What’s the most-listened-to thing on your iTunes and why?
“The Line by D’Angelo. It’s just so simple, but so clever when you really listen to it and the production of it. It’s perfect for all occasions, hence being most listened to… ”
Where would you like to be in 10 years’ time?
“Playing all over the world. Releasing quality music on our own label maybe. And living in Ibiza with a residency at a sick club. We don’t ask for much.”
Who do you admire most in the world and why?
“J Dilla, for being the best producer of all time. Michael Jackson, for being the best showman and one of the best writers of all time. Ayrton Senna, because we love F1. And our parents, just for being big musical influences and inspirations.”
www.soundcloud.com/disclosuremusic
ALPINES
This hot-synth duo, Catherine and Bob, are originally from south London. The pair make music that is unimaginably good – ethereal, funereal, with an underneath business that is reminiscent of trip hop (but 10 million times better).
Hi Alpines, what are you doing at the weekend?
“I’m watching football and Catherine is on her way down to the coast with some friends – on apparently the wettest weekend in 50 years or something – which is why she can’t answer the questions.”
What is your favourite breakfast/lunch/dinner?
“Breakfast, eggs royale. Lunch, salt beef bagel. Dinner, crispy peking duck.”
Cor! If you had to have an initiation test to be in the Alpines, what would you have to do?
“Probably come to the pub quiz with us and make a decent contribution to a victory.”
What’s your best song to sing at karaoke, and why?
“I can’t sing – Catherine would sing En Vogue’s Don’t Let Go. Would they have that at karaoke?”
Describe the best thing in your wardrobe.
Catherine [a few days later.]: “The best thing in my wardrobe is my ink-blue velvet Hannah Marshall dress that she gave to me for my birthday this year. Made even more special because I wore it when we supported Florence and the Machine at Alexandra Palace in March. Hannah knows how to design dresses that make you feel so confident and elegant, which is ideal when performing.”
What’s the worst, yet vaguely amusing, thing that has happened to you on stage/tour?
“A few times I’ve started to heckle the crowd… That’s why I don’t get a microphone.”
If you had to get a tattoo of your motto, what would it say?
“The most obvious thing is almost always right.”
What is an average Alpines fan like?
“Open-hearted, open-handed and open-minded.”
What was the turning point that made you want to do music?
“For me it was picking up a bass guitar when I was 13. There was no turning back.”
If you could have 10 minutes with one person from history, who would it be and what would you do?
“Charles Darwin – I’d ask how his life’s work affected his religious beliefs.”
SAINT SAVIOUR
If you want to hear something that touches on Kate Bush or Sinead O’Connor, look no further. This is Becky Jones, aka Saint Saviour, an enigmatic Stockton-on-Tees lass who has funded the release of her debut EP by asking fans to pledge cash.
Hi, Saint Saviour. Where did you get your name from?
“It’s a very long story, but I used to run a small illustration agency and I commissioned a load of art for a special exhibition. One of the pieces was a charcoal portrait of Saint Saviour, which in the artist’s mind was an amazing-looking woman with great tattoos. I named myself after her and then got someone to buy it for me. She’s in my living room now.”
I love your video for This Ain’t No Hymn. What was it like filming it?
“Thanks. It was filmed in a spooky crypt in Farringdon. It was okay, but I look like a mental case in the video.”
What’s an average day in your life?
“I do everything – writing, programming and producing to rehearsing, planning stage production, costume, organising shoots, touring, making videos, researching, blogging. And I teach music a couple of days a week, too.”
Phew! Where are you from and where are you going?
“I’m from the northeast. I have no idea where I’m going but I hope the journey is fun.”
What was the first record you bought as a kid, and what do you think of it now?
“It was Black Sunday by Cypress Hill. It’s a classic.”
Cool, if you had your own festival, who would play?
“Off the top of my head, I guess Talking Heads and Paul Simon for dancing and singing along, Nina Hagen for the incredible character, and the Groove Armada to smash into the next day.”
How would you describe being on stage?
“In a word, intense. Exposing and scary, but when you face your fear and crack it, it’s euphoric. I see the whites of their eyes and it’s full-on!”
What advice would you impart to 10 magazine’s readers?
“Just get on with it – don’t wait to be told what to do.”
Who or what is your spirit animal and why?
“A chimp, because I scream a lot and I like cups of tea.”
What has been the best moment of your life and why?
“Getting off a plane in Australia and realising I was still alive.”
www.myspace.com/oursaintsaviour
FRIENDS
If you haven’t checked out this Brooklyn five-piece, you’ve been missing some of the greatest summer jams. What are you waiting for? Download their album right now. (But read this interview with the drummer first.)
Where were did you misspend your teenage years?
“I grew up in Austin, Texas, so my teenage years were mainly about getting drunk and going swimming.”
What do you do before a show?
“I’m a drummer, so my pre-gig ritual is mainly getting wasted. I also try to pull the band together, though, and spout some lines like, “Let’s rock’n’ roll”, but nobody really cares.”
How do Friends write songs?
“Usually the process starts with Samantha [Urbani, lead singer], who writes the music, and then everyone feeds in and jams and then argues around that.”
What would a perfect day be?
“This sounds like a question for a dating service. A perfect day would be… not a cloud in the sky, on the beach half-naked, with women feeding me grapes.”
What does friendship smell like?
“BO. You know when you’re friends with people it gets really close and sweaty? That’s what friendship smells like.”
What’s the first thing you do in a hotel room?
“First thing I do is untuck the sheets. You know how hotels tuck the sheets in really tightly so you can’t breathe? I untuck them.”
If you could spend 10 minutes in any way, what would choose to do?
“I’d have 10 minutes as a fly on the wall with Prince. No talking. I’d just like to see him in the studio recording Purple Rain.”
What are you doing for the rest of the day?
“I was planning to play basketball, but it’s just started raining, so I guess I’ll go watch a movie or something.”
What would you like more of on your rider?
“Hummus, because you can never have too much of it.”
If you could be anyone’s friend, who would it be?
“Paul McCartney, because it’s fucking Paul McCartney.”
QUEEN OF HEARTS
Do you like your electro banging and your pop princesses hot? Then you will love Queen of Hearts. Currently working with Stuart Price, the producer of Kylie and Madonna, she is unsurprisingly the talk of the town.
Hi, Queen of Hearts. What was your last dream?
“I dreamed I had a fight with someone I used to know on a Tube platform, then we got arrested. It was pretty vivid.”
Why are you named Queen of Hearts?
“I’m obsessed with the idea of love and the lengths we go to for it. The heart is an important part of my identity. And I’m fascinated with icons and powerful women, so that’s where the Queen fits in.”
What’s your style manifesto?
“I love dressing up and experimenting with my style. I’m not someone who rolls out of bed and chucks on a T-shirt. I take my time in the morning. Tips – embrace the pale, dental floss and buy good shampoo/conditioner – nobody wants split ends.”
What is the least-played thing in your iTunes?
“I bought the Mini Viva track Left My Heart in Tokyo, but unfortunately I played it to death and now it drives me insane.”
Sade, Mel C, Missy Elliot and The xx are coming for dinner – what’s on the menu? What’s on the stereo?
“I’d have chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and someone playing a harp as guests arrive, then move onto Michael Jackson’s Bad for the meal. I’d make sushi and we’d drink champagne by the bucket load.”
What’s it like in your wardrobe?
“I have a shoe addiction – it’s an impressive collection. I had a mass clear out of my wardrobe recently, so there’s nothing incriminating in there right now.”
Do your mum and dad like your music?
“They love it. That’s normally not a good sign, because nobody wants to make parent-friendly songs, but my lot are down with the kids.”
What are the most appropriate YouTube tags for your tunes?
“Electro, pop, atmospheric.”
If you could choose your future, what would happen?
“I’d continue to make music that I love, and lots of other people would love it, too.”
What’s on your “life soundtrack”?
“It would be a mix of upbeat dance tracks and tear-jerker power ballads, for the ups and downs. At the moment, I’m living a sort of ‘Madonna Like a Prayer, Prince When Doves Cry and Robyn Dancing on My Own’ life.”
UNICORN KID
The man behind this moniker is 20-year-old, Edinburgh-born Oliver Sabin. He has been playing the music he makes – in his bedroom, natch – since 2007, which makes him officially a child genius or something.
Hi, Unicorn Kid. What colour is your hair right now?
“Hey. It’s ‘natural’ right now, but I’m going to dye it green soon. It’s good to give your hair a break, otherwise you can go bald from all the bleaching.”
Tell us about your cat.
“Kiba! He’s a Siamese and has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.”
What’s in your head when you’re making music?
“I usually have a few reference tracks – top 40 pop and some 1990s house – I get a few ideas and it evolves from there. If I can imagine a feeling that I want to create, then it comes together pretty quickly. It’s about finding that one sweet melody or synth sound; after that, it’s really easy to complete the song.”
What’s a typical day in the life of Unicorn Kid?
“I’ll get out of bed and sit in front of the computer and load up whatever project I’m working on. I normally take breaks every couple of hours and watch TV. I don’t usually get focused on writing until late at night, so my body clock is messed up. I’ll work until about 4am most nights and wake up around lunch.”
What’s your favourite candy?
“I normally go for the cheap stuff like sour gum balls and lollies that turn your tongue blue. Nerds are probably my favourite.”
If Unicorns exist – and I’m not saying that they don’t – don’t you think that, when they give birth to their foals, they might get hurt by their babies’ horns?
“Oh God, I’ve never thought about that before. I guess if I was in charge of unicorn physiology I’d make it so the horn grows in a couple months later, otherwise childbirth would be total suicide.”
You describe yourself as gen z, but what comes after gen z?
“My music seems to resonate with a younger crowd, maybe because young people haven’t become jaded and self-conscious. I guess we could start using Unicode symbols – Gen ☮, Gen <3.”
Where were your favourite haunts as an Edinburgh teenager?
“This under-18s metal club called The Mission. We’d go get drunk on Calton Hill, then mosh until 10pm and get the bus home. Later, on I started going to illegal parties at Blackford Quarry – it was all bad techno and drum & bass, but I remember it fondly.”
If you could look into a crystal ball and see any future for yourself, what would you want to see?
“If I looked into the future and saw myself properly established both as an artist and a producer I’d be thrilled, because I really don’t want to get a 9-5 job.”
SPECTOR
We managed to track down the enigmatic Fred Macpherson. He’s the front man extraordinaire of Spector, a band so cool they’d make an iceberg look hot.
What were the other names you thought about before you picked Spector?
“Bad Dreams, Nightmare City, Fast Company, Young Americans, S.P.E.C.T.R.E., Spectre, Sceptre, Specter.”
There is no actual definition for the word “spector”. If you could write your own entry for the Oxford English Dictionary, what would it say?
“Is ‘wanker’ in the dictionary? It’s probably a similar definition. Maybe a ‘spector’ could be someone whose confidence outweighs their ability.”
What’s the first thing you do in a hotel room?
“Find out the Wi-Fi password.”
If you had to be stuck in a lift with anyone from history, who would it be?
“Houdini.”
You’re planning a romantic dinner for two… or 10… maybe all of you are there plus one. Who’s invited and what’s on the menu? And, more importantly, what’s on the stereo?
“Erm… Bubble from Big Brother 2, Mohamed Al Fayed, Oswald Mosley, Tim Curry, former royal correspondent Jennie Bond. Is that too many? I can’t cook so if I were planning the dinner it would have to be takeaway. Maybe I’d have someone slaughter an ox out back and we’d just eat bits of that. On the stereo, some classy slow jams… Sinatra and Ginuwine.”
What advice would you give to a Spector fan on how to be more Spector-ish?
“You need to conjure up a nasty mixture of arrogance and neuroses, and try to look like your clothes are designer, while only shopping at Uniqlo, Primark and eBay. It’s a very hollow existence. And you need phone chargers. Loads of phone chargers.”
How long does it take for you to get ready on stage?
“I have a pomade routine that takes longer than it should. Generally we realise we’re on stage in five minutes and someone’s left their jacket or shoes or glasses in the van and it’s parked 10 minutes away.”
You’re quite active on Twitter. What’s your favourite tweet that you’ve ever posted?
“I love short, sharp tweets, so it’s probably between ‘Rohipsternol’, ‘Gak Sabbath’ and ‘The Real Lady Marmalade’.”
The Real Lady Marmalade was a good one. What are you doing for the rest of today?
“Shooting our new video in a field. Apparently, some cars are gonna get set on fire. I feel like I’m in Viva Brother.”
What’s the most-listened-to thing in your iTunes, and what makes it so great?
“Just checked, it’s Drake – Marvins Room. Well deserved. Drake makes the ultimate break-up songs. When Take Care came out last year I listened to it every day until I had to literally force myself to my stop. I wish iTunes counted the number of times you’d cried listening to songs.”
VIOLET
This is the name of Pixie Geldof’s musical project. It’s a project that is dreamy and swoon-worthy and makes you find all those teenage feelings about unrequited love all over again…
Hi Pixie, what were the first three things you did this morning?
“Fed my puppy, cleaned up his poo, had a shower.”
Nice work. How long does it take you to write a song?
“It varies. Sometimes a couple of hours, sometimes a few weeks – it really depends.”
What are the 10 best things in your wardrobe and why?
“Ten?! I don’t know… Anything by Ashley Williams, obviously. A pink fur collar by Miu Miu… and… I don’t know! I love shoes, so all my shoes, I guess.”
You have a puppy and he’s totally cute. Can you tell us about him?
“He’s the best thing ever. He’s so silly and funny – he hops around the house like a little lamb. Adorable.”
What is your favourite music to listen to while you a) do the washing up; b) get ready for a night out; c) answer interviews like this one; d) stare at your cute puppy?
“A) Patsy Cline, b) Dolly Parton, c) I’m listening to Britney Spears right now, and d) no music needed to stare at the cutest pup in life.”
What’s going on in your head when you’re on stage?
“I can’t remember – I think I black out! Hahaha.”
What would be your “song of today” if you had just one?
“Dumb Blonde by Dolly Parton probably.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given, but not necessarily taken?
“Be kind.”
If you had 10 minutes to spend with one person in history, who would it be and what would you do?
“Eminem, and I’d convince him to let me sing Dido’s bit in Stan. Ha!”
TRUST
This Canadian duo sound quite like Pet Shop Boys via The Communards. But slowed down and played in the early morning after a party. Which means that they are really brilliant. They are Maya Postepski, who you might recognise from the band Austra, and Robert Alfons. Their songs are all called things like Candy Walls and Bulbform and Shoom. We talked to Robert about his sage-burning, scorpion-hunting life.
Hello, Trust. What’s the biggest lie you have ever told?
“I l@&e you.”
What does trust taste like?
“Like green Pez, Campari and tears.”
Describe your music-making process in five words.
“Dark dreams lathered like a harpoon.”
You seem quite spiritual. Do you have any night-time ceremonies that you perform?
“I sit by a flame, I burn sage, I meditate.”
What’s the first thing you do when you get to a hotel room?
“I search for scorpions.”
If you had just 10 minutes with one person, and could do anything in that time, who would it be and what would you do?
“I would do a Top of the Pops performance with Mel B, Elizabeth Fraser and Aaliyah.”
If you could send yourself a text message in the past, what would it say?
“It would say, ‘All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.’”
What’s the one thing you can’t go without on your rider and why?
“Fireworks and pure ignition. That’s two, but so what?”
Who do you admire most in the world and why?
“All the lonely people.”
That’s fair enough. What are you doing right after this?
“Meeting a pal to go howl Kate Bush in the park.”
by Hanna Hanra
