FANZEYEVIEW
Becca Langsford Interview. ©Fanzeyeview 2011
When did you first start singing?
I guess I started singing (or realised that I actually could sing) around the age of 10 or 11. I had a very musical upringing, mainly from my father, but I didn’t feel pressured into studying any instrument. My two elder brothers were both beginning to play instruments so maybe I picked up the idea of learning more about music because they were. I think it’s a slightly different learning process if you’re a singer – its more about training and bending into shape something that you can’t rely on so much in a visual sense, so I guess it’s more about feeling. It was good to have other people around me who wanted to play music too, and I sang a lot with my brother when I was younger.
Early Influences, music that you listened to or started singing-along with ?
At home, we always listened to a lot of blues – mainly artists like Taj Mahal, Ray Charles, Ry Cooder & Aretha Franklin. I can remember going to Bishopstock Blues Festival when I was about 9 and seeing Taj Mahal, The Blind Boys of Alabama & Charlie Musselwhite perform, which was one of my first experiences of live music being played to a big audience.
I listened to a lot of female vocalists too, such as Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Patsy Cline. When I started singing I wanted to emulate the style of these artists, not only because they were the ones I’d heard the most, but because I was fascinated by this type of music, which could be so emotive. I was also hugely influenced by my family – there was always music playing somewhere in the house!
First band you played in?
The first band that I was a full time member of was ‘Thomas Ford & The Dirty Harmonys’with my brothers Thomas Ford (Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals) and Tim Langsford (Drums) as well as Vince Lee (Guitar/Vocals), Al Wallis (Bass) and Patrick James Pearson (Piano/Sax). We played a lot of cool gigs and made 2 albums together. It introduced me to playing live, and I’m lucky to have started playing with such a talented group of people.
What kind of gigs did you play?
We played a lot in Devon and Cornwall, plus a few shows in London. One of the highlights for us was getting a slot at Moulin Blues Festival in Ospel, Holland, which was the biggest audience we played to. I felt a great sense of empowerment playing to so many people, and also getting to watch the other bands that were performing. It was a great experience.
The present band; how did that come about?
About 4 years ago, I met Vince Lee in Plymouth. I put some backing vocals on an album he was working on and after that we started jamming out a few songs together. He introduced me to a lot of music and artists such as Ruth Brown, Janiva Magness, Roxanne Potvin and Bessie Smith. I felt that this was more like the music I wanted to be singing, and over time we put a set together and started playing duo gigs. In July 2010 we started doing some recording and then it gradually turned in my first album, which we released in May 2011. The rest of the band was put together through the recording, with Sebastian Boleslawski (Drums) and Martin Vowles (Upright Bass). We play as a full band as well as a Trio without drums.
Do you like touring?
I do, although I haven’t done much yet! I’d love to have the opportunity to tour with the band and get to see some different places. I’d love to go back and play again in Holland as well as other parts of Europe.
Favourite gig so far?
Probably the launch tour for my debut album, in May 2011. We did 13 gigs in a row all around Devon and Cornwall. It was great to get to show everyone what we’d been doing for the past year in the studio, and the response we got from people was amazing. We played good gigs and sold a heap of records!
Future projects?
2012 is going to be all about playing lots of gigs, and hopefully playing some new places too. We’re adding new material into the set all the time, and I’m confident about the set we’ve got at the moment. I’d like to do some more recording too, perhaps something a bit different from the first album.
Favourite song and artist?
There’s definitely something about “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell, but that’s just one in a long list. At the moment I’m listening to a lot of Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Howlin’ Wolf, Ruth Brown…
Away from music,do you work elsewhere and do they help in your career?
I’ve recently started a job in an Independent Bookshop in Plymouth, which I really enjoy. It’s works well because it allows me to have the time in the evening and at weekends to gig, and the people I work with are very supportive.
I guess I started singing (or realised that I actually could sing) around the age of 10 or 11. I had a very musical upringing, mainly from my father, but I didn’t feel pressured into studying any instrument. My two elder brothers were both beginning to play instruments so maybe I picked up the idea of learning more about music because they were. I think it’s a slightly different learning process if you’re a singer – its more about training and bending into shape something that you can’t rely on so much in a visual sense, so I guess it’s more about feeling. It was good to have other people around me who wanted to play music too, and I sang a lot with my brother when I was younger.
Early Influences, music that you listened to or started singing-along with ?
At home, we always listened to a lot of blues – mainly artists like Taj Mahal, Ray Charles, Ry Cooder & Aretha Franklin. I can remember going to Bishopstock Blues Festival when I was about 9 and seeing Taj Mahal, The Blind Boys of Alabama & Charlie Musselwhite perform, which was one of my first experiences of live music being played to a big audience.
I listened to a lot of female vocalists too, such as Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Patsy Cline. When I started singing I wanted to emulate the style of these artists, not only because they were the ones I’d heard the most, but because I was fascinated by this type of music, which could be so emotive. I was also hugely influenced by my family – there was always music playing somewhere in the house!
First band you played in?
The first band that I was a full time member of was ‘Thomas Ford & The Dirty Harmonys’with my brothers Thomas Ford (Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals) and Tim Langsford (Drums) as well as Vince Lee (Guitar/Vocals), Al Wallis (Bass) and Patrick James Pearson (Piano/Sax). We played a lot of cool gigs and made 2 albums together. It introduced me to playing live, and I’m lucky to have started playing with such a talented group of people.
What kind of gigs did you play?
We played a lot in Devon and Cornwall, plus a few shows in London. One of the highlights for us was getting a slot at Moulin Blues Festival in Ospel, Holland, which was the biggest audience we played to. I felt a great sense of empowerment playing to so many people, and also getting to watch the other bands that were performing. It was a great experience.
The present band; how did that come about?
About 4 years ago, I met Vince Lee in Plymouth. I put some backing vocals on an album he was working on and after that we started jamming out a few songs together. He introduced me to a lot of music and artists such as Ruth Brown, Janiva Magness, Roxanne Potvin and Bessie Smith. I felt that this was more like the music I wanted to be singing, and over time we put a set together and started playing duo gigs. In July 2010 we started doing some recording and then it gradually turned in my first album, which we released in May 2011. The rest of the band was put together through the recording, with Sebastian Boleslawski (Drums) and Martin Vowles (Upright Bass). We play as a full band as well as a Trio without drums.
Do you like touring?
I do, although I haven’t done much yet! I’d love to have the opportunity to tour with the band and get to see some different places. I’d love to go back and play again in Holland as well as other parts of Europe.
Favourite gig so far?
Probably the launch tour for my debut album, in May 2011. We did 13 gigs in a row all around Devon and Cornwall. It was great to get to show everyone what we’d been doing for the past year in the studio, and the response we got from people was amazing. We played good gigs and sold a heap of records!
Future projects?
2012 is going to be all about playing lots of gigs, and hopefully playing some new places too. We’re adding new material into the set all the time, and I’m confident about the set we’ve got at the moment. I’d like to do some more recording too, perhaps something a bit different from the first album.
Favourite song and artist?
There’s definitely something about “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell, but that’s just one in a long list. At the moment I’m listening to a lot of Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Howlin’ Wolf, Ruth Brown…
Away from music,do you work elsewhere and do they help in your career?
I’ve recently started a job in an Independent Bookshop in Plymouth, which I really enjoy. It’s works well because it allows me to have the time in the evening and at weekends to gig, and the people I work with are very supportive.
Becca Langsford - Big Surprise
