Good evening Brigitte, I hope the weather hasn’t been too schizophrenic for you. Have you been able to enjoy the weather of the various cities while you’ve been on tour? I mean aside from when it’s been raining like yesterday, and since it’s nice today, tomorrow…
Me and kate have sat in the sun and had some tasty food
Is there one thing that you look for in each town? For example, I could compile a pretty juicy A-Z of cheesecakes from my jaunts to various venues in towns over the years…
I look for a shower me and the band sleep in a camper van called mini winnie so sowers are a presious important thing !
One thing I was struck by was your stage manner, you have the confidence of a stand up comic (a good one) which seems at odds with the way bands usually address audiences. We’re aware of your comedic roots and wonder how you draw upon these aspects when performing live? Do you feel you have an edge over other performers who are little less comfortable one on one with audiences?
I feel less afraid of what a music crowd has to throw at me. when i was gigging the comedy circuit it was like been thrown out to lions, once i went on stage at a comedy gig in south london i must have been up there for 40 seconds max and some one shouted ‘DROP DEAD!’ how I carried on a set in that tumble weedy room i’ll never know. So nah i dont think i’ve got edge over other musicians for being a jesterial type of girl but i do think ive got rhinoceros skin. At a music gig when im in a jokey mood being sarcastic or self deprecating takes the audience by surprise. Surprise is so important to me with live shows and with birthdays and christmas and kinder eggs as well.
How is your set list looking at the moment? Is it healthy and ready for a headline tour or are you going to be adding more songs to your arsenal over the next year?
Hell yeahhh i’ve got quite a few new songs, its weird though i treat new songs like mini plays or a movie or something especially with the lyrics they start with a how i feel about something or someone and then i have to make them audible to other people i have to let them ferment like wine. Oh flippin heck im a wanky wanker wank ball.
Which do you prefer, singing or comedy or have they become like loaded potato skins for you in that there’s always going to be a little bit of everything in there?
Yeah it’s different but its all the same! The songs im writing now aren’t very funny. There is a bit of wit in there but not LOL ROFLE funny. But i also write comedy with a girl called Lucy Thackeray shes so funny! my funny bone is with her at mo.. we want to have a show one day like french an saunders our comedy idols. i dont think just cos you do one thing you cant do another or mix em like a cock tail. i’d like to have a cookery show when im 50 all the cool food my dad has taught me to cook.
Is there anywhere online where people can see any of your sketches or comedic interludes that you could point us in the direction of?
Yeah zombie ex girlfriend, me and Lucy did this film with no budget all by ourselves and we are really proud of it. I’m the zombie! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLtxrRvt9m4
Alot of people probably ask you about Kate Nash and how you met, her influence on you, your friendship and your signing to her label. These are of course pertinent questions but summing all that into one paragraph would be a pretty powerful rent-a-quote, do you feel this is possible or is your relationship far too complex for such restrictions?
It’s weird- Shes a inspiration, a friend, shes on me i pod, i like her opinions, her heart, her soft skin, she makes me take my self more seriously but shes funny, shes given me a platform to do my music. her music is progressive generous honest magical punk, yeah shes alright she is!
We’d love to know more about youyears- your musical and comedic influences, what you did after highschool and the such. Did you go into further education? Stageschool? Any advice for “the kids”?
I waitressed a lot… failed gcse’s.. got in to a wicked acting school called east 15 after being rejected from them twice..absolutely fabulous, mighty boosh, french and saunders got me into comedy… I snogged the real milky bar kid as a teenager (he wasn’t a child at the time though he was a teenager too).
Advice to kids- fuck teachers who put you down… rejection makes you a cooler more interesting person even though you want to gauge your own brain out when your experiencing it. My life so far has been built on rejection. Fuck conformity.
Is there anyone else on the radar at the moment who you might also be seen sharing a stage with in the future?
The dead fronts, Daytona lights, Lou Lou and the lamp shades all pretty new bands that rock me.
Is there anyone in your life who you are particularly inspired by either creatively or in your personal life?
My nan shes so sharp eccentric glamorous funny.
What are your plans for 2011?
Second single bestival.. latitude my own tour
Your music has been described as a “glitter fueled mind fuck”. Is this a compliment?! It sounds like one.
BIG COMPLIMENT!
Do you mind if I ask for your opinion on a few artists that are either current or relevant to you-
The Vaccines? haven’t seen em live yet id like to
Eliza Doolittle? very sweet girl. she likes whistling
Emmy the great? really beautiful stuff heard a wicked cover of where is my mind other day she truly is great WHHHHHHEEEEEEEYYY!
Kate Nash? she shakes me
What do you hope people will get from your music?
Joyous bloody glittery guts gore with a side portion of my middle
Who would be a dream collaborator and why?
Jarvis Cocker. he has been my biggest inspiration lyricly, and with showman ship and how he struggled and worked for years and years to make a life out of his art.. Since i was really young ive been obsessed with his work and taste and mind he still gets my insides now. He’s the king of the outsider. I would love to work with him. I listen to is radio show on 6 music on a sunday and pretend im having a roast dinner with him. too far?
You remember when they put stickers on CDs saying “the new smash hit single from the electrifying pogue-a-like swanman” and things like that? If this was still reality and not soon to be nostalgia for anyone pre-2000s and mythillogical hogwash for anyone later, what would you like it to say on yours?
I do.. but i dont know
What is your preferred method of social networking and why?
I’m shit at it all sometimes ive got stuff to say but its hard to be constantly excited about your self online. Especially when you are not very good with technical stuff. My friend Dave gave me computer lesson in the pub for a couple of weeks. I’m still crap at it though…. I prefer to give my really good tasty stuff to the people I’m with.
Thanks for giving us some of the tasty stuff and for your time and your music. We hope your musical path crosses our way again soon, even if only to give us more details of the milky bar kid!
