We caught up with Laurel Collective before the show for a beer and to play our Chatterbox game which we’re pretty sure they thoroughly enjoyed.
The experimental pop outfit from London, who are set to release their long awaited first album this month, have been very busy boys for the past year with the Artrocker New Blood festival being their first gig of 2012. In addition, the band members also host a festival –‘In The Woods’, held yearly at a secret remote forest location!
We launched head first into an intense game of Chatterbox with the guys. The first question Original Penguin had for the boys was what is their cure for a blinding hangover?
Mark: There are a few stages you need to take; caffeine, sugar, shower, orange juice and then maybe a walk. With every stage, you feel a bit better. It takes the same amount of time the hangover would last. Then you start drinking again!
Bob: More booze!
Olly: Raw egg with chilli sauce and raw garlic! They use that in Chile.
Original Penguin Chatterbox: If you were an instrument, what would you be?
Charlie: It has to be a rusty trombone – actually drums seeing as I’m a drummer! I like to hit things and be hit!!
Martin: I would be an oboe. I like the sound of it.
Mark: A zither! It’s a piece of wood with metal strings on it.
Bob: A casiotone keyboard because you would get valued and loved.
Original Penguin Chatterbox: Boxers or pants?
Laurel Collective: Um….
Olly: We actually have a funny anecdote about this. Our female housemate was involved in a clothes swap with her friends and we asked her if she swapped pants but she didn’t. So before she left, we sneaked some of our pants in her clothes swap bag and when she and her friends found them, they were like what?! Funnily enough, no one swapped anything for our pants.
Original Penguin Chatterbox: There’s a fire – who or what would you grab?
Olly: You and the cat, Spatz!
Mark: Maybe we would save the firemen.
Original Penguin Chatterbox: Digital download or vinyl?
Martin: I would have to say digital download because it’s the future. One day, we will be able to download songs to our brain and just play them in our heads. But nothing beats the sound of vinyls.
Once we had finished our hilarious Chatterbox game with the boys, they brought us up to speed with their plans for the year. They are set to play at different festivals around the UK, such as Secret Garden Party as well as their very own one. They also told us that we should look out for Washed Out; a new band that they’re listening to at the moment. With the fun and games over, we headed inside to watch the Laurel Collectives energetic set that had the crowd in a frenzy and dancing like crazy. The boys also wore a cheeky bit of Original Penguin too to cement our mutual love a little further. Items worn by Bob, Martin and Mark can be found over at www.originalpenguin.co.uk
A great night was certainly had by all. Remember to keep an eye out for the release of Laurel Collective’s first album this month.
Bob wears the Heritage Fit Shirt in Baker Blue by Original Penguin.
Martin wears shirt by Original Penguin.
Mark wears hoodie by Original Penguin.
A special mention to our photographer Lucy Arup and big shout out to our friends at Artrocker for putting on such a fantastic run of shows this month. Be sure to catch the last instalment of the festival tonight at the Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, with sets from Trip Wires, Royal Treatment Plant, Public Service Broadcasting and Skeletons on Holiday.
