PREVIEW MUSIC
It’s the regal thing
A name like Bandit Queen carries with it an implicitly confrontational agenda, but it’s one that the Manchester-based trio who bear the moniker are pleased to endorse. Emerging two years ago, they were quickly and with some justification absorbed into the post-Polly Harvey school of ambiguous female-fronted primal screamers. Even after the blithe charming pop of their most radio-friendly single ‘Miss Dandys’
Girls on top: Banlt Quee
(about Japanese transvestite escorts) "
3 there is still a raw rage and swampy Bandit Queen have a more varied minimalism to some of the tracks on hand than the petulant fem tantrum their debut album, ‘ilormone Hotel’. card and like Drugstore, Shriek (both It’s certainly a more rewarding listen playing this fortnight) and, if you must, than Ms Harvey’s recent stubborn Veruca Salt and Belly, are opening out utterances. the lyrical concerns of female
‘Sexual politics is one of the things musicians which in turn should help to that people pick up on,’ says singer, evaporate a few stereotypes. guitarist and principal songwriter Not bad for a band who have only just Tracy Godding. ‘It won’t be so much on got to grips with the mechanics of the next album. It’s something we’ve being a trio, after being part of six- got out of our system. We’ve shouted piece combo Swirl in a previous life.
about it. ‘lt’s changed us totally but not on
‘I mean, “Qestrogen” is almost a purpose,’ says Godding. ‘We started comic song about PMT but a lot of practising as a three-piece and really people have picked up on it being a liked how it sounded because there
sexual politics song and really it’s an was so much more space for the everyday thing. It’s almost like if you melodies and the guitar.’
write from a woman’s point of view flow it’s time to make room for some you’re a stroppy bitch. If you’re strong outlaw activity in your record
about it as a woman you’re not seen collection. (Fiona Shepherd)
as being strong, you're seen as being Bandit Queen play Evol, The Music aggressive.’ Box, Edinburgh on Fri 5.
Sheppard and ilarle: the Gilbert and George of the. contemporary saxophone
with a Piano Concerto he is writing for Music Director Anne Manson, to 3 Joanna MacGI'Cgm' and the Orchestra Emil- combination of factors. “We really try
I never played together before. Indeed,
; they have only met a couple oftimes,
l hthUEh ihc)’ have done 3 PhOIO'ShOOt of St John's Smith Square. who have - to do strong oertofmehoes which “oh
l h‘ Wthh they came 0th ‘13 Andy Pm its 5 also commissioned works from Tommy the drama and the music. we get
' "Wklhg 1‘ hh hkc thcn and GCOFEC'- ' Smith and Django Bates. It includes singers who can act, and the
l By "19 hmc ihc)’ rChCh Edlhhl'rgh. what he describes as ‘the dream . production director John Aholatia’ and
though, they will have soned it all out. saxophone pan for me to play _ it's I work we” closer together mm the WVC hilVC (1 fair idCil Of what WC'li (l0. really anarchic mnonggt a” the beginning to get a unified
but you never really know with these discipline around mcg' pedormce.’
; things until you try them. it should be a That will be included in the The 'epenoife the company presents
many lmW'C-‘hhg CVChh‘g- With two orchestra's winter season, but before is also given a great deal of
diffcrcm Sides 0f ‘hc SaxOPhOhC then he will be back in Scotland for the considetatioo. ‘we aways get
brought together. and a real mixture of opening night of the Glasgow jazz something shone to hold an audience.
music. John is really into jazz, but he is chtival' with another genrecmochihg we aim to “mom 20th century opera
Very mUCh ‘1 Chis-Sim] Player» and his band. lnclassificable (pronounced as and music theatfe’ not strictly
intonation and technique is fantastic. per the Spanish word. for reasons contemporary, but any".an 0' this
it‘s great for me to work with someone which will be clear in a moment) “Mu”. It “he” be Shastakwich of It
from the dag-“cal Side Of things — that features Andy, the now inevitable mtoht be new work. At the moment,
is "‘UCh more mutual respect “OW‘ Lodder, and Brazilian percussionist we’re doing a lot of commissiohlne Both players have been commissioned Nana \lasconcclos. we “8' that opera and music than".
‘0 write new PiCCCS. and both Wi” (haw ‘lt started when Nana and myself went to a good way to introduce audiences
on material from their very different to play in Barcelona, and they gave us to contempo'aw music. more Is
Mecklenburgh Opera’s Anne Manson
WPCTIOhCS. ranging from Sheppard and these stickers with just our names and something oomomhoosibte, a way in) Chrla Blcy ‘0 SIOCkhJUSCh and Nymah- ‘lnclassificable' — which was the name The name may be familiar south of the From a ofeottoal ootot of View, The 23th Plan is roughly {0 diVidC [he of the festival itself — on them. Nana border, but Mecklenburgh Opera’s Meokteohoroh also needs repertoire two hours 0f ihc concert into half an thought that was great, so we adopted night of ‘Passion Killeis’ at Edinburgh which on" too, easily. {he highest hour CQCh Playing 3010 (OF Whh Planist it. We had Orphy Robinson and Ernst Festival Theatre this month marks the orchestra they have used is eighteen SICVC LOddCf). flhd an hour togethcr- Reijseger at one point, but when we company’s Scottish debut. Opening at and “passion Kmer to the soonest. ‘WC'VC 80' tons 0f material» there's "0 were asked to do a dance piece called the Young Vic before touring to scale ever. of the three om, the thlem there ‘ "'3 1h“ ‘1 QUCStiOh 0f i Modern Living last year, I wanted Edinburgh and the Bournemouth first is a solo performance from SCICChhg What Works hC-‘t- The hm keyboards. so I brought in Steve. We International Festival, ‘Passlon homohe mohan "alto", "rho gatdoh' half will Probably be acoustic. and in ’ really liked the trio. and decided to give Klllers’ is a trilogy of short one-act takes Inspiration hem Mooteyfldps in the second half WC may use some V it as much priority as possible. We’ve operas by Stephen Oliver - ‘Bad Times’ comhetthheoto t" moored] e momma! CICCUOhiCS ‘3 well- We want 10 "eat it got an album coming out on the French (1975), ‘The Garden’ (1977) and and the third, ‘Ehoosmoo m A 31“ 3" Ohgomg thing that we can Label Bleu. i hope before the festival.‘ ‘Exposition Of A Picture’ (1985) - ptotme!’ is about two painter, develop. rather than iUSt setting UP 3 Andy Sheppard and John Harle present scored for a combination of three meeting to a gallery. it won't; m thrce'WCCk (our “Ow and then that‘s h. 'liventieth Century Saxophones at The singers, string quartet and Manson, 390" the 30me by “Hill! 50 we.” see how it Works 0m" Festival Theatre in Edinburgh (m Thurs harpsichord. you who they any (cam “3|”, Sheppardv IncanWhilcv is also taking a Inc/assificable (“‘6’ (I! III? The awafd'Winning companY's Hecklenbumh up.“ further plunge into the ClaSSiCal Sphcrc Fruitmarket in Glasgow ()II 30 Jilllt’. reputation i0! success '3 duo, says i Festival on F'l‘ay my.
The List 5- 18 May 1995 47