FBInterviews

Evening strumpets,

As most of you know I`m a bugger for Facebook. One of the lovely things about FB (as i like to call it) is the day after a gig, you get loads of friend requests. Vice Versa having seen a gig you can become friends with the performers.
The Gig at the Mandale previously posted was a point in case. The act going on before me were a hip hop duo from Boro. They absolutely stole the day. Last Sunday they played at a local pub with backing from a mash up of local rock bands. Unfortunately due to commitments I missed it, but by all accounts it was brilliant

So I thought, would they be up for an interview. Leddie very kindly allowed me to interview her (via Facebook message thingy). Here`s what happened.

So to start at the beginning, who or what is Leddie and Smoggy?

Leddie and Smoggy is a Female/male Uk Hip Hop Duo From Middlesbrough, UK.

GNS: How did you`s get together?


L&S: We met in college around 5 years ago, back when there was a group of us together. We used to write battle/punch line rhymes and gig together, Until certain situations happened and people had to move away or leave the group. Eventually there was 3/4 of us left (Including me and Smoggy). After a few more disputes in the group, Me and smoggy decided to start writing material together, and now here we are.

GNS: I have to be honest until I saw you live, I was a hip hop virgin, but five minutes into your set I thought to meself "these are class".
What influences you, music and lyric wise?


L&S: Thanks! ...Erm, im not sure really ...Music wise, we listen to a lot of different artists from a lot of different genre's. Smoggy grew up listening to artists like Tracey Chapman and Janis Joplin and I was brought up around a lot of northern soul and artists like Barry White, Nina Simone, Etta James, and of course, Michael Jackson. So music wise its varied. Lyric wise however, Theres a few ways we decided upon the topics of our tunes. One of us usually has an idea which we then talk about together and develop more to get a concrete concept for the track, Or one of us will start a verse randomly on a topic and then the other one of us starts around the same idea's. Occasionally, I will have produced an Instrumental which a few idea's flow from as well. We try to stay away from the 'usual' topics 'rappers' constantly go on about, Like how great they think they are, or how much meaningless material possessions they own.



GNS: That definitely explains the eclectic sound of your material. I`ve spoken to a friend who`s a professional singer and she say`s that the lung capacity for "rapping" (if that`s the correct term, I am an old man) when done to your standard, is similar to that of an opera singer. How did you realise you could do it, and how do you practise? By which I mean are there any do`s and dont`s for anyone interested in starting up?

L&S: Really?? ...Thats crazy! ...Well, I didnt really realise I could do it, And I Still dont think I can, I just think people are nice to me about it, lol. To be honest, I just kind of started and couldnt stop and I dont particularly want to either. We either practice at home, or together in one of our houses (nothing glamourous!) ...And we dont really practice that much either. If we do it to often, because what we have now is an old set, It becomes stale and we dont enjoy it as much. The longest practice we did was with a band were hopefully going to do more shows, because we enjoyed it so much, which includes The Murder Mile, Joe (Guitarist) from Fallen Phoenix and Gemma (Bassist) From Snide Remarks, nd we practiced for 6 hours. We had never practiced that long before ever. I have to say, I slightly suffered the next day. Alot of the time, me and smoggy pick up each others over dubs quite quickly, so hopefully we pull it off !

GNS: People aren`t being nice, you have a real talent. The (and I hope I`m getting this right) "Leddie and Smoggy" track where you use the letters of your names for each word is up there.
So, playing live, I`ve had the honour of following you on a couple of times and both times you have had a reallty good reaction. Has there been a time when you`ve thought "nailed it"? Are there any stand out gigs, I should imagine Sunday`s was pretty special.

L&S: Thanks, it means alot :) ... Yeah thats right, we recorded that track for a lads mixtape which he never did anything with, And its gonna be on the Album, Although there is a badly recorded version on the internet ! ....Thanks, erm there is some where we think "nailed it" but i try to base that on how i felt throughout the performance as opposed to the crowd reaction, because up here the 'Hip Hop' scene is really pop orientated (Youve heard the likes of chipmunk, tinchy stryder etc...) and so sometimes the gigs you think will go well dont, and the ones you think wont, end up turning out really good and go down well. The gig which stands out the most is one we were invited to perform at, by another conscious UK Hip Hop artist named Lowkey (Check him out and The Peoples Army) He he invited us to his supergroup's (Mongrel - Jon Mcclure, Andy Nicholson, Drew McConnell) show at the Arena and people were going nuts infront of the stage. We do enjoy 99% of our shows, but we have had the odd one that doesnt really go down to well, and becomes a nightmare. I suppose thats to be expected within this Genre of music because people think UK Hip Hop is now Dizzee Rascal and James Cordon. I do like those gigs where we convert a few people, and maybe have them looking up, or checking out links we post about other artists on things like facebook and twitter, which is definitely a good thing!...Sundays gig was amazing. The band are all talented in some way or another, whether its singing, guitar, bass, drums, and for them to learn, practice and perform in just under 3 days was surprising to us both. And we fully appreciate them for taking their time out to do that. It was something different for all of us, and we all enjoyed it a lot.

GNS: I know for a fact that Alex was really looking forward to it. I`ve liked the attitude that "Chavs" and "indie freaks" (my era`s name for them) basically have more in common than different. I`ve downloaded the mix CD and really like it, (any song with "colonic irrigation" is fine by me) what next?

L&S: Yeah, I felt cheeky asking at such short notice, but it all worked really well and they had some nice ideas for certain tracks, and specific sections of the tunes we performed, we hope to work with them again soon, and hopefully get a few original tracks done with them. Yeah, definitely, its funny, Mainly because around 3/4 years ago, if you wore a flat peaked cap, you were a 'Wigga/er" (The spelling and pronounciation depends on who is typing, i guess) but now, I see alot of indie.emo kids wearing them ...Along with High Top footwear and hoodies ...Ive never really been one to fit in anywhere like that, If i had to fit in anywhere though, Id definitely be labelled a chav because of the 'brands' i wear. Personally, I dont get why they're against each other all that much. I mean, none of them want to be stereotyped, or labelled...Yet they constantly try hard to be excepted, and conceptually fit in with a specific bunch of people in order to not be outcasted. But then dont like the fact that they can be labelled or branded ..."Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else." Margaret Mead.


GNS: "Yes we are all Individual" Monty Python.

L&S: Yeah, Definitely !!

GNS: So thanks for taking the time to chat, final question, Can England win the World Cup? More importantly where can people find your stuff and see you live in the future?

L&S: No problem, thanks alot for asking! ...Im going to put faith in England and say Yes, we can. (I know absolutely nothing about football, what so ever, so dont take my opinion as an insider tip off, lol) ... At the moment, we dont have any shows set in stone, but if you befriend/follow us on any of the accounts shown below, we will let you know when, and where ...

People can find our stuff at ...

www.LeddieAndSmoggy.Bandcamp.Com
www.youtube.com/LeddieAndSmoggy
www.Myspace.com/LeddieAndSmoggy (Under Construction)

And you can Keep up with us at ...

www.Facebook.com/LeddieAndSmoggy
www.Twitter.Com/LeddieAndSmoggy

And lastly, if you want to book us for a show, either contact one of the accounts previously mentioned, or email LeddieAndSmoggyBookings@Hotmail.Co.Uk, and We will get back to you as soon as possible! ...

Thanks,

Leddie x.



So there you have it, genuine local talent. I`m going to do a few more of these, so until the next one,

Learn something new,

Mark.