25 f 12 shots from the fRoots
Rocket Launcher a dozen leading questions to fire at
9Bach’s Lisa Jen
If you were given the funds to organise a concert bill, who would the artists be?
Wow! Right then… it would be an amalgamation of everyone that’s ever ‘moved’ me, whether emotionally or physi- cally made my bum move in a figure of eight! Music has to do one of these things to me, so let’s say Stelios Kazantzidis, Josh Wink, Merêd, King Tubby, Mahalia Jackson, Marika Papagika, Prodigy, Emmylou Harris, Beyoncé, Jurassic 5, Aretha Franklin, Virginia Rodrigues, Björk, Lauren Hill, Neil Young, Billie Holiday, Linval Thompson, Archie Roach… so much more.
Which totally obscure record do you most treasure and would like more people to know about?
I have a whole stack of records I bought back from Athens once when I gigged there, a whole suitcase of random Greek records I bought in a market under the Parthenon, My 45 of Stelios Kazantzidis Efige Efige is my favourite record I will always treasure… although the other day I had to blow some cat hair and glitter off it. Grrr!
What was the best live gig you ever saw?
It’s so hard, this one. I do love a festival, stumbling across delights like Gocco at WOMAD or Sweet Baboo at Green Man. But I loved seeing the Super Furry Animals in our hometown of Bethesda, playing on the rugby pitch. It was magic to look at the familiar Carneddau Mountains, smell the river Ogwen and watch SFA at the same time.
And what was the worst?
I think I loved it a the time as it was my first ever massive gig, but I’m ashamed to own up to the fact that I was at a Simply Red gig, Birmingham NEC 1992
What was your own best ever gig?
Ach! Very hard. Possibly Colours of Ostrava gig in a former gasometer, The Gong. Incredible place with a smiley audi- ence all on their feet at the end.
And what was your worst? The bottleneck exit one in Brittany was
cringey. They liked the harp, but not the heavy bass I don’t think!
What’s the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
I’m a worrier really and very rarely feel proud of any achievement. As in, how do I know I’ve actually achieved anything? Who says “There! Done. You’ve achieved it!”? Nothing ever feels finished (with a strong arm emoji!) in my world of chaos. I feel like I’m winging it all the time. But I guess look- ing back on Tincian – I wrote that, it was my first bash at songwriting that I am proud of.
But my children hate listening to it as it makes them cry so… erm… that’s a shame!
What’s the most embarrassing thing you ever did in public?
Talking about the tandem shit (in por- taloos next to each other) I’d just had with Ali (drummer) to an audience in a packed out Far Out stage in Green Man was pretty low. I panicked , then went into detail, made it worse… dig dig dig… Awful! I was trying to be inclusive and friendly with our audience!
Which song or piece of music would you most like to have written yourself?
Strange Fruit is pretty amazing. Songs
that say something is what moves me. There has to be an element of protest. This one about the inhumanity of racism stops your heart from beating for a while.
Who was the first musician or singer you were inspired to emulate?
When I first heard Lauren Hill I wanted to be her, naturally!
Who was the last-but-one musician or singer you lusted after?
I don’t reeeealllly lust after musicians to be honest. Never have done, never had posters on my wall as a teenager or any- thing. I’m trying for the purpose of this to just make one up… but I can’t! What the hell is wrong with me? Oh, that guitarist Martin Hoyland from Pusherman is pretty hot!
If you had a rocket launcher, who or what would be the target, and why?
Nothing repulses me more than people
like Walter Palmer and all his type that kill animals, innocent and helpless animals. We are sharing this world with such beautiful creatures, and the lack of respect we show nature and its beings is a disgrace.
The same with politicians and leaders who are closing the borders and are show- ing no humanity towards the refugee crisis. The idea that someone’s life matters less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.
9Bach’s new album Anian is out any minute now on Real World and is reviewed this very issue. You can catch them on tour around the UK.
www.9bach.com
root salad
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Photo: © Judith Burrows
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