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| Ladyhawke, bird of prey |
Music Feature |
Interview by Ariel Katz
Pip Brown found out that when one person in a band gets sick, they all do. She also found out it can affect your alter ego’s health. Yes sir, Pip Brown is actually Ladyhawke and during this interview she was mad illin’.
The notion of Ladyhawke began “more as concept, as an idea” suggests Pip. She had played music since she was 11-years-old, on her own and as well as under various other guises. In 2003 she even played CBGB’s; the very same, unrenovated, graffiti-covered place that Blondie, Talking Heads and The Ramones – amongst others – had played before. It wasn’t until about three years ago, that Ladyhawke truly arrived, “I was quite shy and I had this idea that if I had this character, called Ladyhawke, it would be a way I could overcome my shyness and I could almost be a different person on stage.” It was the perfect plan but as time passed and she performed more shows, she came the realisation that “I can’t really escape that I’m Pip, I’m still really shy and awkward on stage.”
Her self-titled debut album was released earlier this year and she has been non-stop since. Its success was “kind of a surprise” to her and she concedes that in the last month “stuff has really, really built up.” It certainly has. Yet, while her name began popping up all over the worldwide webs she was busy touring and playing shows, “I was quite oblivious as to what was happening.” I guess that in these very Modular-centric times we live in things can get big, quick. Recently, it all got so blog-tastic for Ladyhawke that Popjustice designed cards saying, “The Ladyhawke album is very good indeed.” The idea behind it being that anytime a conversation begins drifting towards Ladyhawke’s album, all you have to do is hand over one of these pre-prepared cards and you’ve saved yourself five minutes explaining exactly how awesome the album actually is.
Ladyhawke’s music seeks to capture that “happy/sad vibe” which Pip says is a musical aesthetic she has always loved. “Certain chords that you play do this weird happy/sad thing.” She explained that this sound involves a major bass line and then minor chords, combined with a guitar… But to be honest, it was a little confusing. What it comes down to is that when those chords get together, it can turn into nostalgia, “I don’t know why that happens, but I associate all nostalgic feelings with those happy/sad chords. I think it’s because that was such a huge way of song writing in the 80s.”
Ladyhawke’s sound is definitely a bit of a homage to the 80s, “growing up, that’s what I associated pop music with”. Her music, although it’s probably more because of her hair, gets a lot of “Stevie Nicks comparisons”. Pip likes it better when people consider more than just her look when they talk about her though. Like the fact that she writes all her music and plays the drums, guitar and synth. Not necessarily at the same time, that wouldn’t work, but she is definitely more than just a pretty face. Hipster Runoff have placed her in a category of ‘indie rock hot girls who create an image of the perfect girl because she combine hotness, talent, creativity, bangs and other cute ideals.’ She liked that too.
Being signed to Modular earlier this year was almost like being given a golden ticket, Pip says that “It’s cool… With all the bands on Modular, it seems to be the perfect time. It’s really exciting for everybody.” She attributes some of her success with the fact that “the antipodean sound” is going gangbusters these days. “There’s this huge Australian buzz happening in England” and Pip acknowledges, “I’m getting swept up in amongst all of that, even though I still associate with New Zealand and consider myself a New Zealand artist.”
So what else does Pip think? She thinks everything’s “really grouse and I was really happy when I found out so many people were excited about the music.” Yep, Ladyhawke says 'grouse' and she’s that cute (and talented) she gets away with it.
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