This is Jazzman John. He’s amazing. We bumped into him (literally) at offset festival and started chatting. Turns out he’s a jazz poet. Not knowing much about jazz poetry i was naturally intrigued and he offered to do some especially for us. So here we have a Smack That exclusive. Jazzman John recorded on an old 70′s dictaphone. Oh we’re so retro.

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From Left to Right; Billy, Sarah and Rivka. The girl at the back isn’t in the band.

We chatted to Billy, Rivka and Sarah, just minutes after their performance at Offset 2009.

Japelling: Do you feel you have an affiliation with all-female bands?

Billy: I like 3 piece bands, especially the sparsity you get in a 3 piece. I would defiantly say I prefer 3 girls singing together than 3 guys.

Japelling: Who in particular, like your influences etc?

Billy: Argh! That’s terrifying. You tell me yours.

Japelling: That’s not how this interview shall be conducted.

Billy: Oh okay. Destiny’s child, All Saints.

Rivka: TLC.

Billy: Oh defiantly TLC, they are actually the best, remember.

Rivka: Yeah.

Billy: No scrubs is my favourite.

Rivka: I like the bangles.

Japelling: There where 4 members in the bangles I think.

Billy: Really?

Japelling: Yes, we only accept female groups with three members. So…that’s not accepted. What you guys up to in the near future?

Billy: Were going on tour with the Slits in October. Which is amazing because they were the inspiration for our new album. Which comes out beginning of December.

Rivka: 30^th November

Billy: Okay, 30^th of November. And a single coming out 12^th October

Japelling: The twelfth. That’s my favourite number.

Lutworth: Are you playing in Brighton anytime soon?

Billy: Yes, were playing twice in one night. 10^th of October, were playing at the Concorde 2 with the slits and also at the free butt with another band.

Japelling: What’s the best gig you’ve ever played?

Billy: Um. Can we email you?

Japelling: You can. How long have you been together as a band?

Billy: A few years.

Japelling: To the nearest second?

Billy: About, 2 years.

Japelling: What do you think was the sole purpose of getting together? was it just a bit of fun, or did you want to do something in particular?

Rivka: It was a bit of fun and we wanted to do lots and lots and lots of female harmonies.

Billy: And we achieved it through pure determination.

Japelling: That’s what they say on x factor and x factor is amazing. You guys should take some influence from x factor.

Billy: We aim to take part in x factor

Japelling: Well let me know if you’re going to be on, because they sometimes call me up to be on the panel and I’m always busy and can’t do it. Is there anything musically that your band wants to crush?

Billy: Yes.

At that point Good Shoes started to play and the girls left. Check them out here.

Introduction: Lyrical B

Interview: Japelling and Lutworth

Additional: Murley Bassey

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Instead, the Bank Holiday weekend could be spent visiting the following:

Notting Hill Carnival

We could head up to the big smoke for the weekend and dance around the streets with some of our “coloured cousins”. Yes that’s right, Carnival is taking over the streets of West London for the Bank Holiday weekend again. Soundsystems to gravitate to are: Disya Generation on Powis Terrace, Rap Attack on All Saints Road, or if you’re looking for something a bit more “white” there’s always Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues on Talbot Street.

Reading Festival

Hop on a train and hope that you can bump into someone you know who just happens to have a wrist band that they can slip off.

Duke of Yorks

All Beachdown ticket holders get £1 off all weekend. Oh great. That makes up for not seeing Ocean Colour Scene. Ha Ha Ocean Colour Scene.

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Well, the weatherman was right and Saturday definitely benefited from using indoor venues. The Pavilion Theatre, Dome and Corn Exchange were all used as stages, and with the venues being so close to one another the “festival vibe” was kept alive.

After checking out all the venues and half watching Casio Kids and The XX at the Dome, I headed for the bar area, which provided the less hardcore with a relaxed base for chilling out on comfortable looking cushions. There was also a face-painting stall?

I really enjoyed spending Saturday afternoon in the Pavilion Theatre as this stage was home to the more experimental and visual based performances. My personal highlight was watching The Paper Cinema, a performance by two people moving multiple black & white illustrations in front of a camera, telling a visual story. This was presented on a large projector screen with two musicians playing a live soundtrack to the story. As Loop crept into the evening I got to see Thomas Truax; a unique, theatrical and truly bizarre character who makes and performs on his own other worldly instruments with a “Lynchian” sound and manner.

Paper Cinema

Later that Saturday it was a real shame that the three acts I was most looking forward to seeing were all playing at different venues at the same time. Fever Ray (woman from The Knife) was playing at the Corn Exchange and Mira Calix & Quayola (interesting arty sound stuff) were playing at the Pavilion Theatre. However, in the end I decided to watch Squarepusher at the Dome. Some of the set was really good with great musicianship and electronic beats, but then everything became cringe worthy when the pusher of squares started pushing harsh, dodgy metal and most of the crowd seemed to scarper. I took this opportunity to pop next door to the Corn Exchange for fifteen minutes to check out Fever Ray, which had a really shamanic, tribal atmosphere going on. Adding to this there were really cool lasers with clouds being projected above the crowd.

Squarepusher

Fever Ray

Then on to Loop Late, which continued until the early hours of the morning. I opted for the Concorde 2 where I enjoyed ending my Loop festival by watching Radio 1 dubstep queen DJ Mary Anne Hobbs followed by Zomby. Unfortunately it seemed like an eternity of listening to some really amateur youth DJ’s while we were waiting for their sets to begin.

All in all, an interesting and diverse take on a standard music festival.

Words by Murley Bassey ‘n’ Flaaars

Photos by Murley Bassey ‘n’ Flaaars

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