Emily Capell
Two years ago, North West London’s Emily Capell, was presented with ‘The Boisdale Music Award for Best Newcomer’ by Jools Holland. Since then her single Bonanza was made Record of the Week on Radio X, 6 Music, and BBC Radio London. And her album Combat Frock was raved about in Louder Than War magazine. Le Document agrees with Gary Crowley’s view that Capell is “one to watch” and we were delighted she was up for answering 12 questions for us ...
How are you? Has your life during lockdown been mostly fun or have you found it tough going?
Emily Capell: I am doing very well thank you. We were just about to go on tour with Madness when lockdown started and so those gigs have been postponed to the end of the year… hopefully! But who knows!? I have kept myself busy writing my blog and writing music with others bands. We have also been doing free live sessions online and uploading covers for our Lockdown sessions on social media. We’ve had some great radio play and support, but I am ready to get back out and gig now! Hopefully it will be soon and people will start to feel safe and happy to see live music again!
I really like lyrics you've written like "let's eat Maltesers and pray for Jesus" and "we are the perverts who make your ears hurt." Have you always had a way with words? Can you tell me about the first lyrics you wrote and how you started writing songs?
Thank you so much for saying such nice things! I like writing lyrics and blog posts, but I don’t know if I have a way with words… hahaha! When I first started writing lyrics I was really in to Frank Sinatra and so all my songs were about ‘toddling in to town’ and stuff like that! Thank god I grew out of that phase! I just write about things I have seen, heard and things I’ve read. Lyrics are important to me!
You seem very linked to the 2-Tone bands. You've toured with The Selecter, Roddy Radiation from The Specials, Rhoda from The Body Snatchers etc. Do you have a favourite band from that era or a favourite 2-tone single?
I have had the great pleasure of supporting such cool artists from the 2-tone movement. I am very lucky! Ahhh my favourite single is a hard question, it changes A LOT! I can’t pick a favourite as I like them all! I didn’t know that Elvis Costello was signed to 2-tone for one singlel, I found that out the other day! I’ll say Elvis Costello today cause I’m reading his book right now and its excellent! But tomorrow it will change!
Are you a Keir Starmer fan? Who would you like to be Prime Minister of this country?
Keir Starmer did great things for the Stephen Lawerence case. I would go and see Corbyn speak during his campaign and I was active in the last election for the Labour Party. I am a Labour voter. It is important to use your vote and to be politically aware, you don’t have to go on and on about it, but don’t be ignorant. Use your voice!
Not long before he died, Malcolm McLaren pointed out that the bands on the Creation records label such as Oasis were making albums that young people and their parents enjoyed together. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing and suggested parents should hate the music their kids listened to and say it was just noise. Do you love any music that your parents see no worth in?
I really like a lot of rap and my mum and dad aren’t really in to that. I love the first Kanye album and I love Tupac, the Beastie Boys, Biggie and all those homeboys!! Wehey! My mum and dad don’t really like do wop either and I love that super old 1950’s stuff. I also like rubbish pop music and I am totally on my own there. I love McFly and my mum and dad don’t like them either! And I have been known to go running listening to a bit of Bros …
If you could invite any 6 people (alive or dead) for a dinner party at your house who would you most like to have round?
I am not very good at eating. I hate eating in front of people. My favourite dinners are just at home with my family and friends but I know that’s not what you want me to say so I’d probably pick…Millicent Fawcett, Joe Strummer, Joey Barton, MCA, Michelle Obama and Judy Garland and I’d have Frank Sinatra on the door cause I can’t not include him. We’d eat prawn cocktail and then spaghetti Bolognese and then share a massive box of chocolate fingers and Battenberg cake!
What can you tell me about your band? I know your bass player is called Steve Oates and your guitarist's name is Keir Moore, but that's about it. How long have they been working with you and how did you find them?
I have the best band and team in the world. Kiki (Keir Moore) is my incredible guitarist, Steve (Stephen Oates) is my favourite on bass, Mafu (Matt Cowley) is amazing on drums and the fantastic Dan Faulkner on saxophone! I am very lucky with them! We also have such a laugh which is super important. I love them. I met Mafu first when he came to my residency at The Dublin Castle and then through Maff he introduced me to the other guys. Our first gig was supporting Rhoda Dakar at the 100 Club and we’ve been together ever since!
You were involved with "Save Soho" campaign- can Soho still be saved? What's your biggest worry about the future of Soho?
That we will lose all of our history and it will become all shiny and new. I have been to places in Soho that aren’t like any other places in the world. The music history alone is so amazing and inspiring! Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues bar is my favourite night out in Soho. It’s a unique place and it’s so important we don’t lose the heritage it’s gives us all.
It's been announced that Q magazine is about to fold. Have music mags had their day? Do you have a favourite magazine? And what magazine would you most like to be on the cover of or have your album rave reviewed in?
I don’t think music mags have had their day, it is a shame that they’re not as popular anymore. I guess it’s the curse of the internet. I used to get the NME religiously, they stopped selling them in shops and gave them out for free at stations and I’d pick up a copy on the way home from music college. I used to like reading Mark Beaumont’s reviews. I think I’d have liked to be on the cover of the NME but to be honest its not something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about! I’d be terrified they’d give me a bad review. MOJO magazine reviewed my stuff and that’s been amazing!
What was the last good book you read?
I read The Beastie Boys book super fast as it’s so brilliant. My mum bought it for me for my birthday. I like to read biographies and autobiographies. I’m a bit of a nightmare as I have to keep stopping to Google what they’re talking about or YouTube the music they’re discussing! At the moment I am half was through the Elvis Costello book and loving it. It’s nearly 700 hundred pages, it weighs an absolute ton!
One of your songs name checks the 80s legend Smiley Culture. How did you get to hear about Smiley?
I heard about Smiley Culture after I went on some anti racism marches in London and people were holding up signs with ‘Who Killed Smiley Culture?’ written on them. I went home and researched his story and listened to his music and I am so glad I did as its brilliant!”
