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Nizlopi

AFFABLE Nizlopi singer Luke Concannon has his hands full valiantly trying not to be sick after a run in with some badly cooked Warwickshire sausages.

"We are not feeling 100 percent round here, bass player John brought these sausages round and I left them out before heating them up," admits the duo’s frontman speaking from his family’s home in the suburbs of Leamington Spa.

Though the town may not be renowned for its sounds, Nizlopi are setting out their stall to put the place on the musical map with their surprisingly eclectic blend of jazz, blues and just a hint of reggae.

It’s a bold sound that takes a little while to appreciate, but once tasted you’ll be humming along with the best of them when the lads make their debut in Kent this weekend.

Their first album’s emergence is impressive given its complete lack of corporate backing. But like many young acts, they were quick to seize on the power of the internet to generate interest in their unique sound.

"We just made the record at the bottom of the garden - my mum and dad both helped us out. Between John’s Fiat Uno and an old van we went down to London with his double bass and would busk and sleep on people’s floors. If you commit to doing what you love then people will pick up on it."

And picking up on it they are, with the fantastic lead single The JCB song making its way to the top of the charts last December. It was only prevented from being the festive number one by X Factor winner Shayne Ward.

This quirky tale of a childhood ride in his father’s digger shows Luke’s storytelling ability at its best and also deals with his dislike of school, which he couldn’t get on with due to suffering dyslexia.

"We thought we would release the songs as people responded well to it at shows, but we never thought it would get to number one.

"Both me and John are dyslexic, but I think that’s just a catch-all term for people that may not be good at things like grammar and spelling.

"The JCB song is about us both having a hard time at school and at looking back and how my father took me away from that system. It's also about remembering your dad is your hero."

As well as driving round in a JCB, his dad was also a keen guitar player in his younger days which helped inspired the young Luke. He would often join in with his old man and other family members in traditional pub singalongs.

They have also done their fare share of house gigs in light of a lack of suitable venues in their home town.

Taking their name from a Hungarian girl Luke had a crush on at school, their popularity is in no small way down to the power of the internet. Their Myspace site is attracting plenty of interest and they continue to be gain encouragement by the success of others online.

"One of my favourite songwriters is Rory McCleod, who is a wonderful guy and an amazing musician. He’s releasing music via the internet, so you don’t have to be working for a corporation, I think its brilliant people can share their music that way."

Whether they can repeat the immense success of their first single remains to be seen, but they are undoubtedly enjoying the ride while it lasts.

Luke himself does not come across as the kind of person who will be phased by too much and enjoys taking life at a slower pace when the chance arises by chilling out in the country is one of his favourite things. His girlfriend Kate is also a musician, playing cello.

At the heart of Nizlopi's material lies a playful spirit which often takes them off at unexpected tangents.

"We like to improvise and go out on a limb which is a challenge to us. That’s the great thing about when we play live, it's a completely fresh moment and anything can happen.

"We want to create an atmosphere for the audience that’s not just a passive experience. When we come to Kent I want people to feel they can bring along say a trombone or other instrument if they want to get on stage and play with us."

Not concerned by seeming uncool by such an all-embracing attitude, they are sure to go down a storm with their upbeat summer vibes. They’ll just have make sure they keep an eye on their cooking though.

Nizlopi play the lounge on the Farm Festival at Merton Farm, near Canterbury, on Sunday, July 16. The strong mix of DJs, local and national acts across the weekend include Billy Childish and the Buff Medways, The Fat River Band, The Dualers , The Cherubs, Lupen Crook andDJ Andy Smith (of Portishead).

Weekend tickets are £25 or daily tickets £15 (children are £12.50 for the weekend). Box office 01227 787787 or see www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk.

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