SOUNDS like Mayor of Camden Jonathan Simpson and his consort Amy Lamé were such a hit as guest DJs at Barfly’s Casino Royale birthday celebrations that there are already talks to bring them back. Casino Royal promoter and DJ Jeff Automatic was so impressed with their talents that he’s also considering taking them on tour to clubs around Europe – as ambassadors of Camden – you heard it here first.
What did they play on the night? The Smiths, The Beastie Boys, Suede, Iggy and the Stooges and much more. Apparently the band room – more used to groupies – was packed with councillors pre-set, not so rock ‘n roll.
• Saturday’s such a busy day it’s almost impossible to decide what to do.
Admirers of quiet music bite your tongue for the Shhh Festival at Cecil Sharp House. The bands are not always low key, but the audience is expected to keep schtum and a special team of shushers will be there to ensure hush. The all-day programme features more than 20 acts including a rare appearance from Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite, Still Corners and Lewis & Clarke.
More info from www.thelineofbestfit.com/2010/01/shhh-cecil-sharp-house-london
• Another feast of music on Saturday is Barfly’s XfM X-Posure all-dayer, featuring the wonderful Miles Kane, Clock Opera, The Brute Chorus, Lail Arad and many more promising acts, handpicked by DJ John Kennedy. Worth a visit.
• For something a little more far out, geographically and musically, how about Stoke Newington International Airport. A night of heavy experimental music from members of a bunch of bands including Red Snapper, Three Trapped Tigers, The Heritage Orchestra, and Kandinsky – all for £5.
• I would love Bruno Mars to leave my radio alone but for those who don’t feel the same, the Brit nominee plays Cafe de Paris on Monday (Jan 24) and Koko (March 13 & 14).
Showing posts with label Jonathan Simpson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonathan Simpson. Show all posts
Friday, 21 January 2011
CAMDEN'S ROCK 'N ROLL MAYOR TURNS DJ
TO MANY, the title Mayor evokes images of Mr T jewellery, stuffy occasions, endless ribbon-cutting and a mature figurehead.
Not so in Camden. This year’s mayor Jonathan Simpson is youthful in comparison, spends his spare time on gigs, has 25,000 tracks on his iPod and has just been Camden Barfly’s star DJ.
Jonathan, who spent hours sifting through his collection to narrow down his favourite tracks for the debut DJ set at Barfly’s Casino Royale night’s 12th birthday, shared the decks with his consort, broadcaster Amy Lame.
Speaking to me before the gig, Jonathan said: “I’m scratching my head thinking what on earth I’m going to play. I’m just this music nerd with lots of records but I’ve never played them publicly before. We’ll see if it’s good fun or completely car crash. Amy and my music tastes are fairly similar, she has more French pop records than me but we’re both big Morrissey fans. This will be a first, it may be a last we’ll see.”
Their fee will go to The Roundhouse Trust, the mayor’s chosen charity of the year.
“The Roundhouse is a not for profit venue. It has great gigs and events and money raised goes back into the studio enabling young people to get involved in music and performing arts. It has a really cheap studio space, concerts are recorded live by young people so can be watched around the world, they have a radio station, cheap instruments to hire – it’s a fantastic space for creativity. If there’s one space in Camden to produce the next Amy Winehouse, Madness, future artist, it will definitely be the Roundhouse.”
He chose music as his theme, he said, because: “Other mayors in the past have chosen themes which have not necessarily related to the true spirit of Camden. If you mention Camden round the world, people will probably say first the market and then the music heritage. So many great bands have been born in Camden and while it’s fun to promote, it’s also really important because it creates so many jobs and gives millions of pounds to our local economy.”
He’s not shy to recognise the competition “Everybody who goes out in Camden has a good time, while people who speak to me about going out in Shoreditch say they don’t necessarily, and feel like they were desperately pretending to have a good time, be fashionable, and if anybody broke out into a smile they would be frowned upon.”
While he may be drowning in music, he hasn’t yet got to the point of alphabetising his records (downloads excepted).
He said: “I have too much, it’s a constant bugbear, I occasionally wish I didn’t have so much but when I feel my inner geek coming out, the records come out.”
Where others at school headed for the football pitch, Jonathan, aged 10 – who played accordion at school – was busy organising relatives to drive him to see The Smiths.
He said: “When I have free time I go to concerts and that’s what attracted me to Camden. The best gig was at the height of Suede’s popularity, they were on fire and had a fantastic gig at the Roundhouse. There was this surreal celebrity moment when Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys came out and sang Rent with the band. It was brilliant – the idea of the Pet Shop Boys being a rock band. Lots of great gig memories – also seeing smaller bands at venues like The Dublin Castle and them going on to do really well. You can never judge a band until you’ve seen them live, being able to see something and test your boundaries.”
Bands he champions include Beirut, Sleigh Bells, Best Coast, The Irrepressibles and Jonsi.
He added: “I find most music completely uplifting. I’m listening to loads of Tom Waits which I suppose most people would find like being tortured in Guantanamo Bay. If I need cheering up I tend to grab a Tom Waits or Leonard Cohen album. When I’m getting ready to go out Brigitte Bardot is guaranteed to cheer you up.”
Jonathan's also roped in friend Camille O’Sullivan to do a concert at the Shaw Theatre in March and has convinced Jarvis Cocker to DJ at a charity party at the BT Tower, “it’s not often you can say I’m the mayor of Camden would you like to come play a party at the top of the BT Tower.”
He added: “I’d love to take readers to the pub and talk music for the whole evening and have them leave thinking what a nerd I am.”
Not so in Camden. This year’s mayor Jonathan Simpson is youthful in comparison, spends his spare time on gigs, has 25,000 tracks on his iPod and has just been Camden Barfly’s star DJ.
Speaking to me before the gig, Jonathan said: “I’m scratching my head thinking what on earth I’m going to play. I’m just this music nerd with lots of records but I’ve never played them publicly before. We’ll see if it’s good fun or completely car crash. Amy and my music tastes are fairly similar, she has more French pop records than me but we’re both big Morrissey fans. This will be a first, it may be a last we’ll see.”
Their fee will go to The Roundhouse Trust, the mayor’s chosen charity of the year.
“The Roundhouse is a not for profit venue. It has great gigs and events and money raised goes back into the studio enabling young people to get involved in music and performing arts. It has a really cheap studio space, concerts are recorded live by young people so can be watched around the world, they have a radio station, cheap instruments to hire – it’s a fantastic space for creativity. If there’s one space in Camden to produce the next Amy Winehouse, Madness, future artist, it will definitely be the Roundhouse.”
He chose music as his theme, he said, because: “Other mayors in the past have chosen themes which have not necessarily related to the true spirit of Camden. If you mention Camden round the world, people will probably say first the market and then the music heritage. So many great bands have been born in Camden and while it’s fun to promote, it’s also really important because it creates so many jobs and gives millions of pounds to our local economy.”
He’s not shy to recognise the competition “Everybody who goes out in Camden has a good time, while people who speak to me about going out in Shoreditch say they don’t necessarily, and feel like they were desperately pretending to have a good time, be fashionable, and if anybody broke out into a smile they would be frowned upon.”
While he may be drowning in music, he hasn’t yet got to the point of alphabetising his records (downloads excepted).
He said: “I have too much, it’s a constant bugbear, I occasionally wish I didn’t have so much but when I feel my inner geek coming out, the records come out.”
Where others at school headed for the football pitch, Jonathan, aged 10 – who played accordion at school – was busy organising relatives to drive him to see The Smiths.
He said: “When I have free time I go to concerts and that’s what attracted me to Camden. The best gig was at the height of Suede’s popularity, they were on fire and had a fantastic gig at the Roundhouse. There was this surreal celebrity moment when Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys came out and sang Rent with the band. It was brilliant – the idea of the Pet Shop Boys being a rock band. Lots of great gig memories – also seeing smaller bands at venues like The Dublin Castle and them going on to do really well. You can never judge a band until you’ve seen them live, being able to see something and test your boundaries.”
Bands he champions include Beirut, Sleigh Bells, Best Coast, The Irrepressibles and Jonsi.
He added: “I find most music completely uplifting. I’m listening to loads of Tom Waits which I suppose most people would find like being tortured in Guantanamo Bay. If I need cheering up I tend to grab a Tom Waits or Leonard Cohen album. When I’m getting ready to go out Brigitte Bardot is guaranteed to cheer you up.”
Jonathan's also roped in friend Camille O’Sullivan to do a concert at the Shaw Theatre in March and has convinced Jarvis Cocker to DJ at a charity party at the BT Tower, “it’s not often you can say I’m the mayor of Camden would you like to come play a party at the top of the BT Tower.”
He added: “I’d love to take readers to the pub and talk music for the whole evening and have them leave thinking what a nerd I am.”
Thursday, 11 November 2010
FLOWERPOT'S NEW HOME, REPRODUCING ENDTRODUCING, HOWARD MARKS, MAYORS, MIGHTY BOOSH AND ZAPPA
THE Flowerpot's demise hadn’t reached the ears of Stornoway’s Ollie Steadman when I spoke to him on Friday. He sounded crestfallen on learning it had closed, saying it was one of Camden’s best venues. He soon came up with a generous idea – offering to play the venue’s launch when they find a new home. It might be sooner than we think. If rumours are true, we may find a Flowerpot residency at Johnny Flynn’s soon.
• Wonder what Howard Marks is like when he’s not regaling with tales of his misdeeds? See him on the decks at The Old Queen’s Head, Essex Road (Nov 12) – think he’s got Cypress Hill’s Mary Jane in there?
• Lovely to see Camden’s musical mayor Jonathan Simpson doing his bit for the borough’s music scene – he was a volunteer usher at the Roundhouse, hanging out with Noel Fielding (a mate I’m told) and Julian Barratt at The Mighty Boosh play Zappa on Saturday. He told me they need more volunteers – interested?
• Who else relied on DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing for their uni house party chill-out room? See 10-piece band Introducing reproduce every note of this essential album completely live at Koko (Nov 19) – a serious must.
Here's the original man in action.
• Judge just how close Diana Vickers’ single is to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Under the Bridge, when she plays Koko (Nov 12) – I say very.
• Highgate’s The Boogaloo has a novel twist on the acoustic open mic night – proving a bit of an underground hit. At the monthly Under the Influence night, acts sing two songs of their own and one cover of the month’s featured artist – Nina Simone on Nov 22. Line-up includes The Joker and the Thief, Betty Steeles, Meow and Belle Humble. Entry only £2.
• Wonder what Howard Marks is like when he’s not regaling with tales of his misdeeds? See him on the decks at The Old Queen’s Head, Essex Road (Nov 12) – think he’s got Cypress Hill’s Mary Jane in there?
• Lovely to see Camden’s musical mayor Jonathan Simpson doing his bit for the borough’s music scene – he was a volunteer usher at the Roundhouse, hanging out with Noel Fielding (a mate I’m told) and Julian Barratt at The Mighty Boosh play Zappa on Saturday. He told me they need more volunteers – interested?
• Who else relied on DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing for their uni house party chill-out room? See 10-piece band Introducing reproduce every note of this essential album completely live at Koko (Nov 19) – a serious must.
Here's the original man in action.
• Judge just how close Diana Vickers’ single is to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Under the Bridge, when she plays Koko (Nov 12) – I say very.
• Highgate’s The Boogaloo has a novel twist on the acoustic open mic night – proving a bit of an underground hit. At the monthly Under the Influence night, acts sing two songs of their own and one cover of the month’s featured artist – Nina Simone on Nov 22. Line-up includes The Joker and the Thief, Betty Steeles, Meow and Belle Humble. Entry only £2.
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