Beach Break Live @Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Jun 2009

IT WAS CRAZY! :D a great experience! many artists, loads of lovely students, sunshine. Places to chill out & dance like a lunatic= something for everyone :)

Although there was a little disappointment with the last minute change of location, the organisers did very well (despite the problems they encountered at the first place).

Big thanks to Gig Junkie :X

Killa Kella Interview

Q. Do you think the last minute change in location has upset things much?

Kella – What do you think?

Q. Well I thought I was doing the interview but yeah I think people have got over it pretty quickly because you’ve got access to the zoo and stuff.

Kella – People like animals

Q. What do you think the advantages are of playing to a festival crowd as opposed to a regular gig?

Kella – I think it’s exciting, there’s a lot to gain, you know a wider audience, there’s people who wouldn’t normally come to check you out and some don’t even know who you are; you’re doing it with the idea of future gain.

Q. Do you find that festival crowds are less judgemental of what you do?

Kella - I think it’s easier as you don’t have the expectations of people who have come just to see you, they’ve come for the flavour, the fun.

Q. Do you usually attract a student based crowd?

Kella - Students, students are great man, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Q. Do you find festivals a good place to try out new material, or do you think it works out better with your own crowd?

Kella – I don’t think it matters man, it’s how you present it. As long as your music has some punch that’s all that matters really.

Q. What or who originally drew you to the art of beat boxing?

Kella – Um, my dad, he was a drummer, and me putting two and two together and getting five I started beat boxing. I didn’t grow up listening to, or be involved with a lot of beat boxers it was only when I heard an old mix tape from 1989 back in 2002 that was when I was like, well I could do that, maybe better, and that was it.

Q. So for people who don’t understand it very well, what would you respond to when asked why not just learn drums, why perform percussion with your mouth as an instrument? What is the flexibility that you gain?

Kella – There is for’s and against it, no one’s ever asked me that and I think it’s pretty obvious the versatility you gain with your vocal, I always see it as part of the singing culture it’s not just a percussive element, I don’t really compare the two. I’d love to be a drummer.

GigJunkie Q’s Q. What’s your favourite gig that you’ve played and why?

Kella – Well at this point, performing with Prince that’s pretty high, Pharrell and Justin, I mean it totally depends, some of the worst gigs I think I’ve done, ten days later after the shell shock I’m like that was really good actually.

Q. What about gigs that you’ve been to as a fan?

Kella –I’m a huge hip hop fan, I love my festivals, I like music with a purpose, heart to it.

Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip vs. Good Blades

Q. How do you think the change in location has affected the festival?

Pip – Well there’s no beach now there’s just some sand. It’s affected me greatly because it’s far closer to wear I live so I’m delighted, it’s saved us the price of two hotel rooms and some petrol, so I’m all on for it. Who needs beaches its England.

Q. What would you say the advantages are of playing a festival as opposed to a regular gig?

Le sac – It’s all about spreading the message, you get to play to loads of people who might not be willing to spend a tenner on seeing you normally. Student’s festivals especially, it’s all about getting them while they’re young, get them early.

Q. What demographic do you normally find yourself playing to?

Le Sac – There’s a very wide range, you get young kids then you get all ages, those 14 year old kids then bring their dads who are sat at the back going this is brilliant I haven’t been to a gig in 20 years.

Q. Do you find that festival crowds are less judgemental?

Le Sac – Well you just don’t notice it because they just walk away

Q. Does your set change at all when you play to festival crowds?

Pip – I guess it does change a bit. It depends on the crowd in every situation, the tone of the festival; we do find we’re quite an adaptable band. We’re not one of those bands that are like, here is our set, you’ve got to enjoy it; you've got to play to the crowd. If it’s a more party crowd you have to play the more upbeat stuff, and if it’s a crowd that’s going to be more open to the more reflective stuff, then we can do that.

Q. Do you find festivals a good place to test out new material?

Pip – Festival crowds are good to play new material to as most of it will be new to them anyway, so do you know what I mean, it’s not so much of a risk kind of thing it’s not like they’ve come to hear specific songs; they’re just at a festival.

Q. Was poetry originally a big part of your school life, or is that something you’ve picked up?

Pip – Not at all, it was as I’ve grown up. I started doing spoken word and through the line and through hip-hop and all that, and going back to real poets.

Q. So what was it that drew you to poetry specifically?

Pip – The ability to just rely on yourself, I was in numerous bands and that, and having to rely on a drummer and a bassist it could be an absolute nightmare, if it’s just spoken word and you’ve written it, then you can perform it and you can do a gig.

Le Sac – It’s the same reason why I like electronic music; I learnt how to do stuff. It’s drummers, it’s always drummers.

Q. Are both your arts something you found that you were particularly good at and therefore pursued, or was it something that took a lot of work?

Le Sac – Oh we’re Gods! (laughs) Nah its hard work, but you (Scroobius) have been talking longer than I have been making music.

Q. As a band, are you consciously trying to avoid the mainstream?

Le Sac - I don’t think there is an aim, we’re just being ourselves and it seems like people like it. If you go into it with the idea that ‘I want to write a political song,’ you end up sounding tripe.

Pip – It’s negative either way. If you have the approach of being an underground act, then if you do get success you’re always going to regret the success, and if you go into it wanting to be a mainstream band and you don’t become Michael Jackson then you’re going to resent it slightly, but if you go into it because your making the music that you want to make then it doesn’t matter either way.

Q. So would you say your focus completely lies with your art?

Pip – Well with our happiness, if we’re happy with a song then it goes forward and we continue with it, if not then it goes to the side.

Q. And do you find that you write collaboratively, maybe like a commercial band would? Both – It’s back and forth

Le Sac – The birth of everything is separate but the elements come together.

Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip went on to play a blinding set with the hit singles ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’, ‘The Beat That My Heart Skipped’ and finishing with ‘Letter From God To Man’ which ended with Dan Le Sac firing up the crowd into a frenzy with a serious mix. Scroobius Pip performed some of the greatest spoken word I had ever seen, and the chemistry of the duo, combined with the understanding that they shared with the crowd made for an epic show. This was their second year at Beach Break Live, here’s to the third.