Leftfoot at Mostly Jazz - Introducing Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame
At this years Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival Leftfoot will be curating the entire Friday line-up with Bonobo confirmed as main headline. The day will also see an array of different acts and DJs play across two stages in Moseley Park. In the run up to the festival we’ll be speaking to some of the acts to find out exactly what you can expect come Friday 5th July. First up is local lad and Leftfoot favourite Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame…
– To start could you just tell us a little bit about yourself and the band?
Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame is a project I’ve been working on slowly but surely since 2010. I started off doing a sort of lo-fi dreampop vs 80s disco hybrid for an EP called Shruburbia, and more recently went on a bit of an early 90’s house and New Jack Swing tip for an EP called Black Tableaux. I have pals who help me out with the live situation, but I’m now looking to get more serious with it and hope to launch two separate bands from that material, to cover the two extremes of what I like to do; the gothy side and the souly side. I want these to be real bands in the long run too, as it get’s a bit dull doing everything on your own for too long.
– What can the audience expect to see from you at Mostly Jazz this year, have you got anything special planned?
It will be a totally new line-up to previous performances, with totally new songs. I was really happy when Flamingo Flame were asked to play this year, but felt really uneasy about playing my current material, which is quite camp, all dressed up in goth make-up and leather gloves on a potentially sunny day at a respected Jazz festival! I had an idea for a more straight up soul project already, so this gave me a target/deadline to work towards. Musically, it’s a natural progression from what I’ve done, but it coming out a lot more chilled, lots of pianos and crooning, like Marvin Gaye if produced by Pharrell Williams in 2003, and then remixed by someone like Toro Y Moi today.
– Is this your first time playing Mostly Jazz, What are your expectations?
I played last year, singing for my pals Free School, who are more of an synth-molesting post-rock electronica duo. They’ve really helped me develop my voice over the past year, I’m learning how to play to my strengths now and can’t wait to unleash the tracks I’ve been working on. I’m quite nervous though, I won’t have a sheep mask to hide behind this year and it’s all in my name, so I’m feeling the pressure. The crowd were lovely though so I’m sure it’ll be a pleasant experience whatever happens.
– Looking at the Leftfoot line-up is there anyone in particular you’re looking forward to seeing?
Hypnotic Brass are an absolute beast of a live act, so I can’t wait to get down the front for them and just party. Troumaca are probably my favourite Birmingham band ever right now as well, a truly original band with tons of melody. They were brilliant last year, so it’ll be great to see them play higher up on the bill this time around, hopefully they’re getting the sunset? And Bonobo should be pretty damned epic too, if their new album is anything to go by.
– Have you ever played or been to a Leftfoot show before? If so any particular highlights for you?
I’ve never performed for Leftfoot, but I’ve had some DJ sets alongside my pal Matthew Beck and fluked into opening for one of my heroes Theo Parrish on my own last year, which was a life-changing experience… Quite literally, as on hearing me play a bad mp3 rip of a rare disco tune, he gave me a good talking to and I subsequently went all vinyl! I’ve been to most of the shows Leftfoot have put on for the past two years, including their boat party with Eglo Records in Croatia last year, which was another phenomenal moment for me musically, as the selection was so vast, but all essentially brilliant, soulful party music… I think more than anything else, Leftfoot have been a major influence for the past year, from the legendary DJs they bring over here, and the way house music has therefore affected the way I compose music, to the extra-special soul performances from the likes of Jose James…. I decided that I was no longer focused on any particular zany musical concepts and instead just wanted to make great, soulful songs with solid grooves and vibes, no matter the style, and now suddenly the songs are just pouring out. I owe much of that thinking to Leftfoot.
– What have you got coming up for the rest of 2013, anything excited planned?
This show is the test for me really, and what I’ve been working towards for a while. If I manage to pull off exactly what I’ve got in mind, I’ll be looking at nailing down a solid band, recording an album properly in a studio – no more bedroom recordings – and then teasing out some material for Autumn/Winter with a mind to take over the world in 2014. If I fail, I’ll still be around – For me, music is for life, not just your 20s.
– If our readers want to find out more about you where should they head?
My ‘Greg Bird’ Facebook page is probably the best place to go right now, and also keep an eye out for my house music antics with Matthew Beck via ‘Beck & Bird’ :
https://www.facebook.com/GregBirdFlamingoFlame
https://www.facebook.com/beckandbird
– And finally for those who may not have heard of the band, which one track would you recommend they listen to that will best sum up the band and what you’re all about?
From my most recent release I’d recommend a track that I’m very proud of named ‘Moon Bone’. I decided I wanted to make a gothed-up tribute to the New Jack Swing RnB style, and with the help of a very talented guitarist named Danny Rowe, I think we achieved exactly that. The new material isn’t quite the same, but I think you get a good idea of my sense of melody, rhythm and atmospherics here.
The Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival kicks of with the Leftfoot curated Friday on July 5th. To grab your day or weekend ticket just click here. We’ve also got a limited amount of physical tickets for the Leftfoot Friday behind the bar at the Hare and Hounds, just pop in and ask a member of staff to get hold of one.