The sales are over, the ash is abating and we no longer have to turn on the weather forecast prepared to be informed of impending icy doom. All this means one thing; we can start looking forward to the Summer!
Topless chavs playing football in the park, offensively cheap cases of Dutch lager at major supermarkets, barbeques ruined by wasps and salmonella, British Summers have it all, but if there’s one thing we reallly do well it’s festivals. Whether it’s a murky moshpit at Download, a barrel of banality at V or fancy dressed frolic at Bestival we all have our favourites, my personal tipple being an unhealthy dose of weapons grade cider at Glastonbury.
But as the years drag on the percolation of the likes of Jay-Z and Shakira onto the once hallowed Pyramid leaves me with much more time to experience the lesser trodden paths of the world’s largest ‘alternative’ festival. Cups of chai in the Greenfields, a cider and a folk duo at the Bimble Inn or a just a good old monged ramble round looking for that new band that will be the soundtrack to the rest of my summer. For the latter the John Peel stage is becoming somewhat of a Mecca (despite it’s sometimes hit and miss sound quality), a place to check out bands in their prime, on their comeback or on the up.
Joining Foals and the Black Keys on the stage this year are Let’s Buy Happiness, a Newcastle five piece who use fresh, light, relaxed instrumentation to support the delicate and enchanting lyrics and vocals of lead singer Sarah Hall. They are a band strongly tipped to make it big in the coming year and will be headlining the BBC6 Maida Vale sessions on the 29th of April. Sarah took a little time out from recording and writing to talk with us about, music, movies and ferrets.
Who are you, where are you from and what do you do?
I’m Sarah the lead vocalist for the band. I’m from Newcastle and I mostly write lyrics and do illustrative work.
What are you up to at the moment?
At the moment we’re doing a lot of song writing and recording, and I’m rattling about trying to do an animation puppet show type video for one of the songs, plus some scribbling for new single design.
How did you react when you found out you we’re playing the John Peel Stage?
There was a scream involved when I first found out! A prolonged one at that….. did some running up and down the stairs! We’re thrilled and think it’s just crackers!
What’s the first track somebody who hasn’t heard you before should listen to?
Devil Show, Works Better On Paper or In the Long Run. Hold out for our new stuff that we’re recording very soon!
How will you know when you’ve ‘made it’?
When I can finally stop asking my Mam for bus fare.
What’s your favourite film? Is there a film that everybody in the band loves that brings you together?
I love Tekkinkonkreet and 500 Days of Summer, but as a group doing ‘quote off’s’ it’s probably Kindergarten Cop
Favourite scene from said film?
“It’s a feeeeeerit”
Worst film you’ve ever paid to see?
spacemen vs vikings… I should of guessed by the title
What film or type of film would you like to write the soundtrack to?
Something like 500 Days of Summer or Where the Wild Things are, pretty films with really lovely sounds tracks.
What untruth would you like to have spread about you on the internet?
That I’m the only person in the world that knows how ‘Lost‘ will end.
Let’s Buy Happiness are supporting Idlewild this Monday in Newcastle, appearing live at Maida Vale with BBC6 on the 29th and are currently booked to play The Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May and of course the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury in June.
For more check out http://www.myspace.com/letsbuyhappinessuk and you can buy their debut EP ‘No Hot Ashes’ from 7digital Indie Store here.
