Bird's Eye View

Closing Night Talents: Plaster of Paris Interview

One of the brilliant acts bolstering the talented musical line-up for our Closing Night Party & Festival Awards on the 13th Feburary is the “indiefied gypsy jazz duo” Plaster of Paris. Having experienced the band’s magical performances twice before, and them both stamping a hearty impression on me to call myself a fan, I was keen to ask them who they are, how they are and what they like.

Molly and Lewis perform as Plaster of Paris. Photo courtesy of Francesca Perry

Harriet Fleuriot: Really thrilled that Plaster of Paris are in the festival again (PoP played at the Whitechapel event at BEVFF08). I have seen you perform a couple of times now at other events, and each one was always slightly different but consistently compelling, so what new delights are you bringing along to the Closing Party?…What have you been up to in the last year?

Thankyou! We had a fantastic time last year and are big fans of the festival. So yes, this year has been great… Festival season was super fun playing Bestival, Secret Garden and Glastonbury… It was really exciting getting to play to people who had no prior knowledge of us and had just stumbled into our tent. I think it must of been quite surreal for those not quite with us…if you know what I mean! We also featured  in the film, ‘Unmade Beds’, alongside the music of Kimya Dawson, Daniel Johnson and Good Shoes. The film has gone to Sundance, receiving a warm response so that was great! Along with writing, gigs and final years it’s been a little insane. The 13th is going to be a treat for us, a moment to just play, which is what we love!

Molly, you mentioned that you are a filmmaker, studying sculpture. How does this have an effect on the creative approach and development of Plaster of Paris?

Well both of use are on Arts courses, Lewis is studying Architecture and I think we both look at things from quite a similar perspective. We met on an Art Foundation and I think we both are interested in creating music which isn’t predictable and aims to take the listener somewhere. The way I write my lyrics is quite sculptural in a funny way, writing about intangible feelings through quite a physical poetic style and the mood of them is kind of carried by Lewis’s guitar line, which is often unexpected and lyrical, whilst maintaning that kind of rhythmic, pulsating mometum. I’m not sure that made sense but what I mean is that we aim to for the song to be like a little voyage: bumpy, pensive, lots of corners, silly whatever.

There is a strong aesthetic running through the music, the clothing, and the performance, that harks back to a bygone era. Is this very deliberate? Where does this come from?

Oh aesthetics! I have brain-freeze with that word, doing fine art, it’s mentioned every other sentence! But well…Lewis and I have similar taste, so it kind of comes out quite naturally. I have a seriously epic wardrobe and love to dress up… a bit of Carmen Miranda, 1940′s heroine got a bit array, flapper, Barbarella, Yma Sumac never goes amiss. I suppose it does come from somewhere – I am the spawn of an opera singing mother who dealt antique clothes. Musically I think we like the rawness of things like early Billie Holiday where her voice is almost scratchy it is so intimate.

I’ve always felt that Plaster of Paris lyrics are incredibly sensual and tactile, delivered by you with poised grace and emotion, but with a perfect amount of self-aware cheekiness and sense of performance/tease. How do you want people to experience your music?

We might quote you on that soundbite! I’d like the lyrics to bend your ear so close that you’re worried I ‘ll spit on you and the guitar to wrap you up and make you giddy with suspense. You know what I mean, right? Hah!

And finally, apart from the closing night party (obviously), is there anything else in the festival programme that tickles your fancy?

Well for sure all of the Screen Seductresses Retrospective films, what a treat! As an artist making short films I ‘m keen to see Sarah Baker’s ‘Studs’, looks like it’ll be an art film where you’re supposed to laugh, for a change. I’m currently working on a little erotic ‘zine so looking forward to the ‘high class erotic shorts‘

I would also just like to say seeing as this will be seen by film enthusiasts that if have a chance to watch ‘The Big Empty’ by T. Sigel and J. Lisa Chang, do! It was released by the DVD quarterly, Wholphin, and it’s amazing, vaginal tundras have never been so beautiful!

www.myspace.com/weareplasterofparis