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LAU ARTIST IN THE HOTSEAT

Christmas is just around the corner, but in the meantime, we are getting excited about Lau’s performance here at Revelation Saturday 2 December 7.45pm. The Scottish boys formed in Edinburgh in 2005 and have singed worked their way up the folk ladder, winning awards including BBC Radio 2 Folk Award and Album of the Year 2015 by The Herald.

So if you have a spare second between stocking up on Christmas presents, buying decorations and secretly listening to festive music before December 1st, check out our Artist in the Hotseat with Lau, giving us an insight into their beginnings, their most memorable experiences and what’s next for our folk favourites.

1)       It’s been over ten years since the band formed back in Edinburgh. Tell us how you got together. 

I had done a tour with Kris in Canada, we were being a backing band for a Canadian musician and had a great time haning out and playing music together, and when we got back we made a demo together. Kris and Aidan had also made a demo together and at the point where Aidan and I also did a gig together it seemed silly to have three duos and we became a trio. One of the tracks Aidan and Kris first recorded we are playing on this Decade tour in fact. 

2)      What inspired the name ‘Lau’?

It is a word from the north isles meaning fire or light, Kris bought it in, it is usually spelled Lowe I think. It is still in use in Shetland and Orkney. 

3)      What’s your fave song from Decade: The Best of Lau and why?

Ghosts, because music is music and all very well, but I feel that song says something important, more important than music, at least right now. I (Martin) take no credit for any of that song, Kris turned up with it all finished.

4)        What has been your most memorable experience of your career- good or bad?

Playing a festival in Canada and a tree right by the stage was struck by lightning, just as we were finishing our gig, like a proper BANG, burnt tree affair. I still have a piece of charred bark I took home. I wish that happened every night. 

5)       How do you spend your free time when you’re not working?

I like walking down hills. The is the unfortunate precursor of walking up, which seems to be a necessity so I do that too. 

6)       You’ve performed all over the world and in so many different venues and festivals.  Are there any places you’d love to perform in, but haven’t had the chance to yet?

I would love to go to Cuba.

7)       As a band, you are unafraid to experiment and stretch the boundaries of music- it’s what makes you so unique. Do you have any favourite musical genres you like to explore?

Pragmatism plays a big part, and so we spend a lot of time messing about with electronics, it is relatively cheap now if you have a computer and portable and you can do it with sleeping children in the house, so increasingly I spend time down glorious sonic rabbit holes of electronics. 

8)     What are you working on at the moment?

We are rehearsing for the ‘Decade” tour, which starts next week, we do two halves, an acoustic half stripped back to how it was at the start, round one mic, very close, very focused. and a second half of newer stuff, some actually new stuff and all the exciting pieces of equipment we have found/made/stolen over the last 10 years. It’s the most enjoyable show for us that we’ve ever done, because we get to play a lot of music, which is the fun bit. 

9)      You’ve collaborated with so many big names. if you could work with any artist (dead or alive), who would it be?

Bowie and Eno in Berlin, they didn’t know how much they were missing without that accordion...

10)   What’s next for Lau?

We are putting together tracks for what will be the next record, it’s important not to get stuck looking back, so having these new things to work on and jam in sound checks on the Decade tour is a great antidote to any possible nostalgia. 

Lau are performing at Revelation on 2nd December. Tickets available here

[revelationashford]

BLAIR DUNLOP ARTIST IN THE HOTSEAT

Blair Dunlop is no stranger to the Revelation stage. He has performed at Revelation twice already, playing alongside Jon Boden and Thea Gilmore. He’s already released 3 albums and 2 EPs, performed on the prestigious Glastonbury Stage and won the Horizon Award at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Now Blair will be entertaining audiences at Revelation again on 3rd November, alongside special guest Brooke Sharkey. 

Blair took some time off his busy schedule to tell us about his love of Italy, his new music and the worst experiences of his music tour. 

1)      I really love the style of your music, especially ‘The Egoist’ We find ourselves singing along in the office. What inspired its lyrics?

Thanks for the office spins! The lyrics for The Egoist were inspired by my crippling guilt complex haha. Something many people can relate to.

2)      I notice you write a lot about Italy. What is it about Italy that you love? Would you perform there if you had the chance?

I've just got back from Italy actually; I was playing in Emilio Romagna with my old man. We both share a love of Italy, we've got many friends over there and we avidly support Fiorentina, the team of Florence. It's always such a pleasure to gig there.

3)      We really enjoyed your performance at Thea Gilmore’s concert in June. You toured with her for the whole of her UK tour, I believe. What was your experience of touring with her?

Thea's ace. Brilliant songwriter and brilliant person. I love her family too; we get on very well! I'd not seen them for years - we toured together back in 2012 or something - so it was a lovely tour to be a part of. The band were great too!

4)      Are you working on new music? What direction is it going in?

Yes, I'm halfway through recording album 4! Same band as the last record, with producer Ed Harcourt laying the bass. It's sounding vibey, I'm very excited about this record for a number of reasons. It should be out by next summer if all goes to plan!

5)      It’s not surprising that you are so talented, what with two musician parents! What did you learn from your parents that helped you become who you are today?

It's hard to say really, because I've known no different! Beyond any genetic traits I may have inherited, the main thing is the support. They could have very easily told me to get a proper job, and I may never had considered it as a way of earning a living. Having instruments around the house from a young age will have played a big part n my interest. Also, the fact that mum always used to sing to me.

6)      If you could perform anywhere, where would it be?

Oooo good question, it's impossible to pick just one. I'm going to go with either the Troubadour Club in LA (for the history), or the Park Stage at Glastonbury. We played the Acoustic Stage at Glasto last year and it was amazing, but The Park is my favourite stage... But if you ask me the question again in half an hour, I'd probably have a completely different answer. It depends on my mood!

7)      For all those guitarists out there, what’s your favourite guitar?

Well the best acoustic I ever played was a sunburst Santa Cruz H13. That was a magical instrument! I couldn't single out an electric, but I'm really enjoying the Filtertron pickups in my Gretsch at the moment! They chime but they can also get quite throaty!

8)      I found out that you played the young Willy Wonka in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- very cool. What is your ‘filming highlight’ from it?

Well it was so long ago, I don't remember a great deal. Working closely with Tim Burton on set was probably the highlight, he's a great mentor and a very kind man.

9)      The worst experience of your music career so far?

Any time I've had sound troubles at festivals... And then people start heckling you as if it's your fault there's no sound!

10)   An artist you think should be on the Revelation playlist?

Aoife O'Donovan, Olivia Chaney, Rory Butler, Punch Brothers, Frank Ocean! If you like any of them, come back for more high quality suggestions.

Blaire and Brooke are performing at Revelation on 3rd November. Tickets available now: http://bit.ly/2xC5usI

Quote BLAIR4 for £4 off advance general admission tickets