Hot & New
INTERVIEW mit LAZY HAMMOCK
In diesem Interview stellen wir euch eine Künstlerin vor, die ihr vielseitiges Talent wohl schon in der Wiege gelegt worden war. Die Rede ist vom britischen Allroundtalent „Lazy Hammock“ aus London. Ihre musikalischen Darbietungen liegen von, Djane, Sängerin, Komponistin, Songwriterin bis hin zu Produzentin ihrer eigenen Tracks. Luzy Hammock schrieb schon mit gerade mal 12 Jahre ihren ersten Song und so gab es danach kein Halten mehr was die musikalische Laufahn betraf. Nach über 600 Songs, Remixe und Projekte mit weiteren Künstlern, kann sich das Gesamtergebnis sehen/hören lassen. Die breite Palette von Ambient, Soulful House, NuJazz, Downtempo, hat es ihr vor allem die Genre, Chillout & Lounge Music angetan. Viele ihrer Produktionen sind auf zahlreiche Compilationen in Download Format, Streaming oder auf CD Veröffentlichungen wiederzufinden.
Was eine Frau dazu bewegt, sich in der Chillout & Lounge Music Szene zu bewegen, darüber wollen wir mehr erfahren.
Redaktion:
Hallo Lazy, vielen Dank für das Interview. Die Musik begleitet dich ja schon seit dem 12. Lebensjahr, was hat dich damals inspiriert gerade das Klavier beherrschen zu wollen? Mit wie viel Jahren hast du Gesangsunterricht genommen um deine jetzige Stimme mir einem bestimmten Wiedererkennungswert zu geben? Mädchen in diesem Alter lesen lieber gerne, du allerdings hast schon das Schreiben von Songs bevorzugt. Was war der ausschlaggebende Grund dafür?
Hallo Lazy, thanks for the interview. You’ve been interested in music since you were 12 years old, why did you want to learn playing the piano? When did you start taking singing lessons?
Lazy Hammock:
Hello, thank you! Yes my interest in music started very young. When I was about 5 or 6 I started playing the chime bars, then when I was 8 I started playing the piano as my mum had booked me into classical piano lessons. I loved playing but I wasn’t that interested in the theory. I wrote my first song at 12 after my sister taught me a popular chord progression. I haven’t stopped writing since. I didn’t have any singing lessons to begin with. I just wrote and sang, it was only when I was about 15 that I started lessons.
Redaktion:
London ist bekannt für seine zahlreichen Musikszenen, also auch ein guter Standort um eine musikalische Laufbahn zu starten. Wie bist du in die professionelle Musikszene gekommen? Welche Musikgenres hast du als erste damals im Visier gehabt? Welches Genre zählst du zu deinen persönlichen Favoriten?
How did you became a professional musician? Which music genre did you want to perform in the Beginning of your career? Which genre is your personal favourite
Lazy Hammock:
I became a professional musician by just following my dream and never giving up, even when it got really tough. When I was in my early 20’s I did a performance and technology course at college and I met some great people who I started collaborating with. At that time Asian Dub Foundation were working at the college teaching some of us. I recorded some vocals for them and they also asked me on stage to perform alongside them, then I became a drum ’n bass MC for the DJ Filthy Rich, my artist name then was ‘Hermione,’ and we played many venues in London and all round Europe. We then performed at a festival in Vigo Spain one year where I met and performed with Jose Padilla and also Steve Miller from Afterlife who asked me to co-write a couple of tracks for his ‘Simplicity’ album. I co-wrote ‘Show You Something’ and ‘Borneo is Burning.’ In the beginning of my career, I just wanted to perform, so I worked with many different people in different genres, just to get experience, but mostly I had a dream of writing and performing all my own material one day, the songs I had been writing for years. I then formed my own band ‘Kyoto Moon’ which was Soulful Funky music and then I was the lead singer for a band called ‘Mrs Burns’ which was a mix of drum ’n bass, indie and punk, and when that ended I decided to start the ‘Lazy Hammock’ project. It was after writing and producing my first LZH album that I got signed to Diventa Music. I love so many genres of music, as they all take you to a different place, and some days you connect more to some than others, however some of my favourites are chillout and electronica, neo soul and post dub-step.
Redaktion:
Dein bürgerlicher Name ist Lucie Burns – Hermione, wie bis du auf dein Künstlername „Lazy Hammock“ gekommen? Gab es vorher schon andere Künstlername die du für vergleichbare Projekte verwendet hast?
How did you create your artist name, what was the idea? Did you have any other artist names?
Lazy Hammock:
The name Lazy Hammock came into my head one day after a long meditation session. I had no idea what it meant at first or what I should do with it, but I knew it meant something, so I decided to use it as my new artist name, and that day 10 years ago I wrote my first Lazy Hammock track. I had 2 other artist names before that ‘Hermione’ and ‘Brown Girl.’
Redaktion:
Welche Einflüsse spielen bei deinen musikalischen Projekten von anderen Artisten und Künstler eine große Rolle? Gibt es ein oder mehrere Vorbilder, die deine Musik mit verkörpern? Kannst du uns einige Namen nennen?
What are your musical influences, which artists inspire you?
Lazy Hammock:
The artist who has most inspired me over the years is Sade. I always loved her music from the first time I heard ‘Your love is King’ and ‘Smooth Operator,’ she had me hooked. When I was young I listened to artists such as Joan Armatrading, Diana Ross and Bobby Womack then later Tracy Chapman. I also liked the 80’s as chart music then was so diverse and it was ok to love it all.
I love artists that write music to touch the soul and lyrics that you can connect and identify with. I like music to take me on a journey, whether that be emotionally or lyrically. Submotion Orchestra do that to me in every way. They are one of my favourite bands right now. I also love Michael Franti and Eivor and producers FKJ and Tom Misch. So much good music out there. I have so many influences, it would be impossible to name it all.
Redaktion:
Die zahlreichen Veröffentlichungen widerspiegeln einen sehr starken Drang (ja man kann fast schon von Sucht sprechen) immer etwas neues und gleichzeitig experimentelle Songs zu produzieren und zu veröffentlichen. Wie erklärst du dir diesen Drang danach. Wo kommen die meisten Ideen für deine Songs her? Gibt es vielleicht einen besonderen Platz, wo du dich speziell zurückziehst, um ein Feeling für deine Songs zu bekommen?
You create lots of new and experimental songs. Where do you have your ideas from? Is there a special place where you can find inspiration?
Lazy Hammock: I’m always writing…haha. I just write whatever comes from my soul. I write so much music, down-tempo, up-tempo, so many styles and genres. I don’t always know where my ideas come from, they just come, and come and come. I never run out of ideas for songs. I have written over 1000 songs, just not finished them all. I walk in nature most days, so that is probably where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Trees are very powerful and very calming for the soul.
Redaktion:
Es gibt nur wenige Frauen in der Musikbranche die sich mit Ambient, Chillout & Lounge Music befassen und produzieren. Siehst du dich da als große Ausnahme, was das Schreiben und Komponieren von Songs betrifft? Für wie wichtig hältst du die Genre; Chillout & Lounge Music für deine musikalische Laufbahn? Woher kommt der Bezug zu diesen Gattungen?
In the ambient, chill out and lounge scene there are not many female artists. Do you think you are an exception and maybe an inspiration for others? How important ist he genre chill out and lounge for you?
Lazy Hammock:
I don’t really think I am an exception, look at Cathy Battistessa, she is such a great artist and songwriter. My music is different though from most other chillout artists and quite unique I think. I also do all my own production, writing, vocals and arrangements (unless I’m collaborating) and I DJ. I hope I am an inspiration for others and that people will see that with focus and determination you can move towards your goals and dreams and that if you want to learn something, there is no short cut, you just have to get on with it, but once you do that your world opens up and anything is possible. I taught myself production and DJ-ing, as they were skills I needed as part of the Lazy Hammock package. I didn’t know how to ‘bounce down a track’ or what the different mp3 size files were when I started, but you just learn these things on the journey.
The lounge and chill genre is really important for me as it transports people to a place that can open their mind, give them space and take them away from stress. I love being a part of the genre, but I also think the genre is evolving, artists and producers are adding new influences. We all evolve whether it’s musically, emotionally or socially, and these elements will always make a difference to the music.
Redaktion:
Du hast laufe deiner Musikkarriere schon mit zahlreichen Labels zusammen gearbeitet. Deine Songs sind auf zahlreiche Compilationen erschienen. Labels wie EMI, BMG-SONY, Ministory of Sound und zahlreiche andere, behältst du da selbst noch den Übersicht wo welche Songs veröffentlicht wurden? Die neuesten Alben sind auf dem deutschen Label Diventa Music erschienen. Wie kam es zu dem Kontakt und zu der Entscheidung, Veröffentlichungen über ein deutsches Label vorzunehmen?
You worked with lots of different labels. Do you still know where all your songs was published? Your latest album was released by German label Diventa Music. Why did you choose them?
Lazy Hammock:
I have worked with and am licensed to lots different labels but I am signed to Diventa Music. Diventa was one of the many labels I sent my first Lazy Hammock album to. They originally signed a couple of tracks for a compilation album they were releasing, then they went on to sign me as an artist rather than just the tracks. So we kinda chose each other. I have a great working relationship with them and I am given complete creative control, which is the most important thing for me. Creators need freedom. I couldn’t be with a label that wanted to mould me into some sort of robot. That isn’t what music is about.
Redaktion:
Dein Musikleben habt mehrere Seiten, nicht nur dass du mit einer Live – Band tourst, sondern auch als Djane unterwegs bist. Du legst hauptsächlich Drum & Bass auf. Was bewegte dich, weit weg von Soulful und Chillout & Lounge, gerade diese Genre aufzulegen? Welche Musikrichtungen beinhalten bei deinen Gigs noch so, wenn du als Djane unterwegs bis? Gibt es eine Musikrichtung die du nie auflegen würdest?
You mainly play drum’n’bass as DJ. Why this genre? Are there any genres you would never play?
Lazy Hammock:
Hmm…I mainly play chillout as a DJ but depending on the gig/venue I may also play electronica, post dub-step, broken beat, chill house, beach house, some soul and reggae. I probably wouldn’t play rock or techno, not because there is anything wrong with that music, just because they are not genres I listen to often, so I don’t have much knowledge in that area, also they probably wouldn’t blend that well with the sets I play.
Redaktion:
Wenn man deinen Homepage so betrachtet, gibt es nur noch wenig was du im Musik Business noch nicht gemacht hast. Es kommt so vor als sei dein Tag mit 48 Stunden voller Termine. Wie bewältigst du diesen Stress, wenn man überhaupt vom negativen Stress sprechen kann? Was machst du abseits der Musik sonst noch hobbymäßig?
How do you handle your numbers of dates and bookings? What are your hobbies?
Lazy Hammock:
Well I am currently looking for a P.A…haha. I try not to overload myself, as being tired and stressed is not conducive to playing or making good music. My hobbies are; writing music (can you believe it…haha) walking in nature, sailing, and swimming.
Redaktion:
Was ist als nächstes bei dir so geplant? Wie sieht für die Zukunft deine Tour aus? Wo bist du Live als Djane zu erleben? Kommst du vielleicht auch mal nach Deutschland? Welche musikalischen Projekte (ggf. mit anderen Künstlern) sind von dir noch zu erwarten?
What comes next, where are your next dates? Are you going to have some dates in Germany? What musical projects are planned?
Lazy Hammock: Well the next big date will be my album showcase on Oct 29th @ The Islington in London. Tickets will soon be available from my website; lazyhammock.co.uk. I’ve also been playing a lot of dates recently for the design week in London. I have already started working on my next album and I am also hoping to get back in the studio with Asymmetric to work on our ‘Sofa Junkiez’ project. I’ve got a few collaborations on the go at the moment too. I’m afraid I haven’t got any dates currently booked for Germany, but I’d love to come over and play in the near future.
Redaktion:
Wie können also gespannt sein, was sich da so entwickelt. Wir wünschen dir weiterhin viel Erfolg mit denen Projekten.
So we’re very excited of your future projects, releases and live dates. Thanks for the interview, we wish you much success!
Thank you
Weitere Informationen auf ihrer Homepage:
More Info´s:
