| It’s been an age since we had
a decent new genre tag to chew on, and we’ll likely spit out its ‘lazy’ categorization
6 months from now in a fit of righteousness, but right now grindie (a logical
street-level splicing of grime and indie) is king of the new kids. It’s cheeky
and it’s giddy and it’s stimulating like a tickle stick shoved somewhere inappropriate.
And vying for the position of crown prince is Brixton native Marvin The Martian,
part of the Why Lout? crew, who’s light fingers are out grabbing snatches and
samples of indie up and comers – getting them at first base – and teasing their
insides out, reforming, reinterpreting and rapping out his own tweaked tales over
the top. His forthcoming ‘Hoods & Badges EP’ offers a striking portfolio.
‘I Don’t Go (Alone)’ takes scruffy haired electro-poppers Good Books’ ‘Walk With
Me’, rams up the tempo and weaves a developed patchwork of home-patch paranoia
on top, while ‘Stay Off The Kane’ twists Art Brut’s ‘Emily Kane’, a sweet tale
of undying love, into a stalker’s angry memoirs. We find out where Marvin’s head’s
at as his tale begins to unfold… 1. Where are you now? What can you
see?
I’m in the Stockwell Park Community Centre in the back office, I
can see a big desk, I can see a laptop, I can see a copy of Artrocker with
Pete Doherty on the cover looking dead and I can see a Home Alone 2 DVD.
2. What was the last thing you ate?
I had a Tuna, Mayo and
Salad roll which my producer Jack Nimble bought me for breakfast. In fact, you
know what? It was brunch. 3. What was the last album you bought?
Kano ‘Home Sweet Home’. I don’t buy albums often. I’m tight, nah seriously. I’m
tight. I loved Kano’s album. I had it on promo but still went to a chain shop
and bought it. That’s how much I liked it. ‘Sometimes’ is amazing to me, I really
like ‘9 to 5’ but it should have been longer. The album’s just got a motivational
sound. It sounds very London. 4. What was the last movie you saw?
‘The Hills Have Eyes’ which is a kind of horror film about some radio active mutants
who kill people that drive through the desert because they’re mad at the government
for testing nuclear weapons. It was flipping pants. Waste of my life. Seriously.
5. What are you most looking forward to?
Lunch. Chips in pitta
baby! 6. What do you hate right now?
Big Brother! It will probably
take over my life in a few weeks and I don’t have time for it. It’s crap too.
Why does it do that? 7. What was the last thing you saw that you liked
on TV?
The F.A Cup final. I support Liverpool and Gerrard is what I think
I’ll call my first born son. Although that’s my uncle’s brother’s name, who should
really be my uncle too. But no! He’s my uncle’s brother. Let’s just leave it at
that. 8. Where or how do you feel most comfortable?
At home.
In my underwear. Same as all people, right? 9. What do you regret?
Not winning the lottery. I fucked up.
10. What are your plans for
tonight?
Baby-sit and avoid Big Brother. ‘Hoods & Badges’ is out
on June 5
Relevant Sites:
http://www.myspace.com/marvthemarsh
http://www.marvthemarsh.co.uk
James Berry for Crud Magazine 2006©
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