NEWS
EVENTS
Lucy Rose Interview
Indie | Monday 1st October 2012 | David
The English singer-songwriter has done a lot of work with Bombay Bicycle Club, and released her debut solo album, Like I Used To, in September. We caught up with her, giving interviewing rights to sister Kate, to ask her about touring, gigging for charity and sponge cake.
Kate: Right, Lucy Rose, lovely to see you today, how are you doing?
Lucy: I’m doing good, I’m excited to be at Oxjam in the Oxfam shop up in Dalston and, you know, at the show tonight, we’ll see how it goes.
K: So talk to me about your involvement with Oxfam. How long have you been a big fan of their work?
L: Obviously, I’ve been a big fan of Oxfam for as long as I can remember. I think mum made us take all our clothes there, and toys, or anything that we weren’t using or had grown out of…
K: And still do?
L: And still do, very much so. I was going to bring some stuff today but I thought that would be weird. I’ve ended up buying stuff instead. But yeah, we just got asked to do a show, and it seemed like something we all wanted to get involved in, and that was that.
K: Very exciting! So I see you’ve had a very busy summer, festival-filled, how was it for you?
L: You should know, I’ve not been around much! So it’s been very, very busy, and Reading and Leeds was insane – and Bestival – and now the album’s out, so it’s all kicking off hopefully… it’s not really, but maybe one day. (Laughs)
K: So, highlight of the summer for you?
L: Highlight of the summer… I feel like there were a few highlights. I mean, I must admit Reading was probably the most surreal day that I’ve ever had, just because I got to do my show, and then I did the show with Bombay Bicycle Club and I haven’t been able to sing with them for so long.
K: And then you were on TV!
L: Yeah, I did my 1st TV appearance, opposite Fearne Cotton and Greg James which was weird.
K: But super cool?
L: Yeah!
K: So, this week, your album (fumbles words) Like I Used To is out…
L: (Laughs) Get it right, Jesus!
K: This must be a very exciting time for you, how are you coping with it?
L: Badly! (Laughs) No, I’m trying to cope. I’m trying not to think about it at all. I’m not thinking about it much and just enjoying the moment. I’m not getting too worked up and just praying that some people are going to love it and then remember it
K: So you’ve stated that a couple of your influences are Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, what is it exactly about them that inspired you?
L: I think with Neil young it was because it all sounded so lo-fi and it almost sounded a bit like demos. It wasn’t perfect and it was so full of character, that’s what I loved. And I’ve worked with so many producers. It was so glossy and poppy sounding, I sort of went in with Neil Young as my main man, as what I wanted it to be like, and you know, only wanting to mic up the drums with 2 mics for it to sound raw and interesting, and that was that. And Joni Mitchell is an absolute babe, and a legend. I love all her songs… ‘Blue’, and the reasons she wrote ‘Blue’… it’s just insane and everything, I just love her.
K: So, it’d be fair to say that our parents haven’t really pointed you in the direction of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, any other influences from your childhood?
L: (Thinks) Mum used to play a lot of Barry White, and Rod Stewart. I love Barry actually, those are some sexy tones that he brings to the record – not to my record – but to his (laughs) and then… is he dead? No? Let’s collaborate!
(Confusion as to whether Barry White is dead or not)
Hmm, this is getting into weird territory…
K: Uncharted territory.
L: So yeah. Mum played Barry White, dad played a lot of Phil Collins, and U2, and I just had terrible taste in music. We all did, you still do! But yeah, we used to listen to Radio 1, which is not a bad thing!
K: No, it’s a great thing! (Laughs) So, what is your favourite part of being an artist?
L: My favourite part about being an artist… I think the thing I enjoy the most is the song writing, sort of creating something out of nothing. It’s what I probably get the biggest kick out of, and then doing all the shows and touring. There’s sort of something quite exciting about being on the road and just traveling from a different city to a different city playing music every night. There’s some sort of weird old school feeling to it all which is enjoyable. Yeah, I can’t really complain, I love every part of my job.
K: That leads my nicely to my next question, when did you first start writing songs?
L: Well, I used to be really bad at guitar for a long time – a LONG time. I was self-taught, so give me a break! And then I started writing little songs and bits, but in secret. And then I think you started peeking through or listening through and spotting some little songs that I was playing, and sort of gave me the confidence to play them. I think you liked a couple of them!
(They reminisce about one of Lucy’s songs)
That was like, age 15. My first song, called ‘Confused’. Obviously I was! (Laughs)
K: What advice would you give to aspiring songwriters?
L: Funnily enough, I do think the most important thing is the song writing. You know, writing good songs that people can relate to. For me, that’s songs that can make you feel something. And it doesn’t just mean emotional songs. Even if it’s just like a party song, or like a song which makes you feel like “I’m going to do an extra 10K on this treadmill right now” – that is the feelings I’m going for.
K: So, you are an unofficial member of Bombay Bicycle Club, tell me how you met them.
L: I met Jack at the Old Queen’s Head in Angel. They were doing an acoustic show, and then a week later I was doing one and I just got chatting to him, and that was it. They said come and sing some songs with us, and do some gigs, and I did that, and it just grew naturally onto being on the second album, and then the third.
K: Any future plans?
L: Yeah, I really, really hope that I get to do something more, something with them [Bombay Bicycle Club] in the future. Fingers crossed.
K: Final question: if you could fill a swimming pool with anything, what would that be? And you can’t say milk.
L: Wow… (Baked beans is suggested) My mum’s got a phobia of baked beans, so… custard? No, I was thinking… if I had to fill a swimming pool with anything, what would it be… oh my god, imagine jumping into a huge swimming pool of jelly.
K: Well that was my answer, what’s yours?
L: Oh that’s yours now? The pool of jelly’s Kate’s… my answer would be… maybe like sponge cake. Like a huge sponge cake.
K: So rock and roll!
L: Maybe… you know, be a bit of a tramp. (Laughs) Edit!
L: Cheers, thank you very much!
Check out a live recording of Lucy Rose's 'Shiver' below.
