The Old England, Bristol City FC and Luna Express: 9 Questions With Norman
Posted on: 21 Apr 2020Meg and Harry of new(ish) Bristol band Norman talk post-lockdown plans, Luna Express and the things Bristol wouldn't be the same without.
Last month, Bristol five-piece Norman put out their impressive debut, Songs from the basement, The Old England etc, via Spinny Nights. A release of three tracks, it's also a visual mixtape: unfolding over a wonderfully-eerie, 10-minute music video.
The launch also came with a limited run of cassette tapes, which were snapped up in less than 24 hours. Why? Well, Songs from the basement, The Old England etc plays host to jazz-tinged arrangements and art-punk sensibilities, but you wouldn't shove them into either category.
Instead, the mixtape (which was genuinely part-recorded at the Montpelier pub and live space) offers unnerving defiance of genre; an audio/visual pilgrimage of jarring and juddery vocal clashes, brash jazz jams, and groaning, graveyard sermons (see: track two, 'Call Me Sentimental'). It's pretty brill, and oh-so Bristol.
In the spirit of social distancing, we caught up with Meg (Norman's bassist) and Harry (the band's cornet player) via email. Jack (vocals, guitar, percussion and tape manipulation) also made an appearance. Here's what they had to say:
1. Describe your sound in three words or less.
Harry: Not very expected.
Meg: Creepy, awkward, nerd.
2. Who, what or where inspires your music, if at all?
Harry: Bristol's DIY scene most definitely. My god Miles Davis, and having synesthesia.
Meg: When I started playing bass as a young teenager, I listened a lot to early Cure albums. I really loved the bass-playing because it was so captivating and moody without showing off. I didn't feel intimidated by it, which made me feel like I could do something similar as a beginner. At the moment, I listen to a lot of Killing Joke, Bauhaus, and The Associates when I want to get an idea of how I want to sound. I also love 80s synth. If I learn another instrument, it would be the synth.
3. What's your favourite track from the mixtape?
Harry: I would say 'Call Me Sentimental' - I have a lotta fun with the cornet solo. It's got a bit more abstract in style when performed live since the recording, though.
Meg: 'Call Me Sentimental'. Jack's lyrics have such great imagery in this song. I love playing it live because it feels like all our different parts come together to great effect on stage.
4. What's your fondest memory of The Old England?
Harry: I used to live there, too, so I guess it takes on another aspect for me - ha. Musically; too many, but I used to run a weekly alternative jam session every Tuesday - Come Alt Jam - which is still going. Also, whenever I play there with my group, Iceman Furniss Quartet, it feels like home.
Meg: Someone who worked at the bar (I can't remember who) took my can of beer off me because they didn't know I was playing and thought I'd sneaked it in. Or maybe my fondest memory was just trying not to die in the crowd at a LICE gig.
5. Where in Bristol do you like to:
i) Eat:
Harry: People might fight me, but Luna Express do the best pizza.
Meg: Café Kino.
ii) Drink:
Harry: Anywhere with cider (pretty much true), but The Beaumont is underrated for a quiet one.
Meg: The Full Moon.
iii) Party:
Harry: Always had a funny affinity with The Love Inn. My Dad used to be the bank manager when it was a Natwest, so it's always surreal.
Meg: The Lanes.
iiii) Be alone:
Harry: Walking-wise, Sneyd Park is quiet as a mouse and has many impressive houses to look at.
6. Name three things Bristol wouldn't be the same without.
Harry: Each area being its own mini world, Big Jeff, Bristol City FC (sorry).
Meg: The old buildings around the centre, the Harbourside in the summer, Stokes Croft at night.
7. If you had to move to a desert island and you could only take one other member of the band with you, who would it be and why?
Harry: Our sixth member - Jack's car, nicknamed (or dubbed) The Dub Box.
Meg: Jack. I feel like he has a hidden knowledge of survival skills. We'd probably have a few life-affirming chats, and share in the misery of getting sunburnt, whilst building a pretty decent raft.
8. Jack, you mentioned to Bristol in Stereo that Norman is going to put out a single at some point in 2020. Can you tell us more?
Jack: It's really hard to give much information about it at this stage, as we can't work out a date to release until everything blows over a bit. We recorded it at J&J studio's back in November, and it will be our first release on vinyl, which we're really excited about!
9. What's the first thing you're going to do when the lockdown ends?
Harry: Most definitely hug my family.
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