Black Bordello

Name, where are you from?
S: Sienna, Peckham.
A: Anthony, Ewell West.
E: I’m Eddie, I’m from Peckham. 
H: I'm Henry from South London.

Describe your style in three words?
E: Practical, brazen, layers.
H: Man in black.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
S: Iron Maiden at Download 2007 (I’ve seen them 11 times) and Bruce flew in on an aeroplane. I was with my mum. She screamed "Bruce, be my child’s daddy!" and pointed to me. I was embarrassed and confused, but mostly amazed. A giant Eddie robot walked itself across the stage breathing fire. Then the sky went pink and orange like it was on fire and the crowd all waved their arms and sang the opening riff to ‘No More Lies’ - I’d never heard that song before and it was incredible because the riff reminded me of Turkish music my granddad used to play me. It was like the song had been in the background of my entire life playing quietly but I’d never noticed until then.
E: One of my favourite gigs was seeing Felix’s machines and Plaid perform at Terraforma festival. It was in the middle of a hedge maze in the grounds of this really old mansion. I was blown away by the sheer complexity of their performance and my surroundings made it a real memorable moment.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
S: PJ Harvey and System of a Down. If I could have more I’d add Primus, Death in June and Mr Bungle.
A: Probably Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, I love ‘Jubilee Street’, and maybe Grizzly Bear; my favourite song of theirs is ‘Half Gate’.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
E: Growing up in South London, I was constantly surrounded by a wide range of different cultures and styles, which all affect how I create - it’s the blend and constant generation of subcultures that have kept music/art interesting for me. In recent years, sound system culture and the experimental electronic music scene has definitely been a main influence on my playing and how I make music. However, afrobeat, punk and pc pop also definitely come to mind.
H: I've spent time with theatre-makers and punk rockers. They're both subcultures where the people in them have a lot of inventiveness and adaptability.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
A: James Baldwin. I’ve been doing a lot of research into his activism and I know a conversation with him would be a massive eye-opener.
E: I’d definitely be up for chatting to Erik Satie, the pianist/composer for an hour. He had such an interesting/new approach to harmony, I reckon he’d have some stuff I'd want to hear.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
S: The Windmill has given us some of our best gigs. The place is heaving with energy. I tend to be a bit repulsed by clean-cut yuppie stages and fancy gear. It’s all about people - it’s about the engagement. Everything in The Windmill is designed for people who give a sh*t about music and each other and nothing else. That’s the way it should be. Sister Midnight is wonderful too as is Off the Cuff!
E: I love playing big venues, and nothing beats playing a festival stage in a sunny field. However, one of my favourite venues has to be The Windmill Brixton. It's just straight up no messing about and it always feels like you can actually connect with your audience there.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
S: Laurie Spiegel. She basically invented synths/sampling and generally music production as we know it. She programmed a computer to make its own music, yet no one ever mentions her and electronic music/sound design is still recognised as being pioneered by male figures. I want to scream her name from the rooftops.
A: Joe Osbourn. Most of the songs I grew up listening to, he played bass on them. Listen to Simon and Garfunkel ‘The Only Living Boy in New York’.