Ja Ja Ja :: Simon Raymonde

Now that the dust has just about settled after last nights Ja Ja Ja (curated by Sean Adams of Drowned In Sound) it’s a good time to reveal that the line-up for February has been finalized with the curator revealed as Simon Raymonde of Bella Union. A huge fan of Nordic music for many years, Simon has chosen Denmark’s The Good The Bad, Vuk from Finland and Ungdomskulen from Norway, he’ll also be DJing with TLOBF’s Rich Thane. As always, the event will take place at The Lexington, London on the third Thursday of the month (two days after TLOBF’s other affiliated club night ILL FIT) on February 25th. For full details visit the Ja Ja Ja website.

Ja Ja Ja caught up with Simon for a quick chat about what Nordic music means to him…. Before we start, here’s a potted history about him. In his own words.

Simon Raymonde, a young freakishly handsome man who single-handedly saved the music business from extinction. In Hollywood, my biography would begin thus. However, I am so busy with 4 albums out in the first month of 2010 that I barely have time to pee.

Quickly then, I was born, then I went to school, spent most of my summers in a Spurs kit and dreamed of being Glenn Hoddle. Then I got dragged along to Chelsea’s training ground once by Pat Nevin and he made me train with the first team squad. Luckily I was awesome and scored in a training exercise of free kicks. He tells the story that I scored some incredible overhead kick but that part I don’t actually remember. I do recall having to run round the back of tree to get several puffs of my inhaler though.

By then I’d joined some pub rock band called Cocteau Twins and we knocked out a few records over a few beers, across a few years. There were a few of us. Three actually. A holy Trinity, you may laugh but we actually had a singer who may have been the Messiah! I know, right?!!! I didn’t think so for the first while but then some writer in the Melody Maker or NME said ‘This is the Voice Of God’. I started to look at her QUITE differently after that. Then we all decided to have a career change. None of us managed it, and I wound up discovering bands and verily I did enjoy it. I have been close to having a career change again a few times over the past 13 years but now I am reaching an age where my freakishly handsome looks are transforming into just freakish looks.

Thankfully Chelsea never called. While my ex-wife was keen on the Nordic name Stig for our second child, I resisted. This isn’t why she is my ex-wife by the way. But for sure my son is no Stig.

When and how did you first hear of JaJaJa, and what did you think of the concept/idea?
I read about it online and saw that my friend Rich Thane from The Line Of Best Fit was involved so thought I’d throw my hat in to the ring! I think it’s a great idea and I am all about promoting music from other countries where it is hard to get attention. So much great music to expose. If i can help a little that’s a good thing.

Is Nordic music special to your heart in any way? Are there any particular countries or bands you have a fondness for, for example?
Yes. I have lots of friends there since the Cocteau Twins days but my first proper involvement was in the 90′s with Bel Canto singer Anneli Drecker, who is from Norway. We became friends and I co-produced some songs on her record Tundra. Also Anneli and I released a vinyl 7-inch together, with our version of ‘Morning Glory’ by Tim Buckley which also came out on a Buckley tribute album. She’s ace. She introduced me to Nils Petter Molvaer who I was excited to discover was on ECM, a label I had been following since the early 1980’s. ECM was a great source of inspiration and I started following a whole load of Norwegian classical and folk musicians through my obsession with the label. Some of my faves are Trygve Seim (who is so underrated, listen to Sorrow from Different Rivers, it’s as good as Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis, and has a vibe of Jon Hassell about it too) and I like the voice of Sinikka Langeland who has the most amazing control quite like the Bulgarian singers I so love. Also there’s this superb album by the pianist Jon Balke called Siwan which is a collaboration with Jon Hassell and this incredible Morrocan singer Amina Alaoui – I could go on!!

Oh and I have always loved Hanne Hukkelberg and her first 2 albums were genius. I saw her show in Denmark in 2009 at the Spot festival and it wasn’t amazing but it was great to hear her sing live.

Sweden: I love Stina Nordenstam of course and would love to work with her. From Sweden also I am friends with Wildbirds and Peacedrums and Emil from Loney Dear who are two of my fave bands ever. I also have been a fan of Soundtrack Of Our Lives over the years. I also signed recently a young Swedish artist called I Break Horses which is the work of a woman called Maria Linden. And re: Denmark, I love Efterklang and I have Rasmus from that band to thank for introducing me to Peter Broderick, now signed to Bella Union! Peter also plays in Efterklang. I like Taxi Taxi, The William Blakes, and of course I am working already with Danish bands The Kissaway Trail and Chimes and Bells… So yes I am close to Nordic music!

What have been the most exciting Nordic bands in the last year or so in your opinion?
I really love what Wildbirds and Peacedrums are doing, Chimes and Bells too of course, and I am super-excited to get the new Kissaway Trail album out there to people in March as it’s a helluva fantastic LP.

What kinds of aspects do you think manage to set Nordic music apart from other sounds?
It seems that technically the musicians are insanely good but rather than do what say the Japanese do with their technical abililty (i.e show it off) the Nordic musician looks to express themselves in a very intuitive way. I think the culture has a massive part to play in this, as many modern artists take Nordic folk traditions and imbue them with the influences of Americana and European traditions. It often creates intereresting results. and Nordic musicians rarely seem to be starting to play music ‘to make it big in the industry’, they’re doing it because they have to.

How did you set about selecting the specific three bands for the Feb show? What gave those bands the edge over the others?
I was just looking for a good mix – a balance of music rather than one thread. I took a long time listening to everything on the radar but the three I chose I felt would make an exceptional night of live music. It will be exciting, and uplifting and something I am really looking forward to.