 Public libraries aren’t the first place you’d think of to hold a gig, let alone do a tour of them, but Ben Hudson, of newcomers Mr Hudson And The Library highly recommends it.
“It was great. It was just lovely it was a lovely surprise to have kids coming down, because obviously it was an all ages event. Normally if you’re playing at the Barfly or something you’ve only got a few lucky sixteen year olds maybe that squeeze their way but otherwise it’s over 18s. Because of the different clientele there were a couple of people in chairs because they were easy access venues and some family. It was a really fun atmosphere,” he enthuses. “It was just more of a family thing. There were still plenty of gig goers, but the sound is great in a library because of the books. The books soak up the sound to get a nice kind of dry sound. It’s just a different vibe and everyone kind of smiling because it’s a novelty and the pictures look good”.
Their next tour will be more conventional in nature, supporting jazz chanteuse Amy Winehouse. “That’s gonna be great, she’s really cool. I’ve met her a couple of times briefly, but hopefully we’ve got a fair bit in common in terms of our record collection,” reckons Ben. “She’s into her old soul, and so are we and she’s from the same part of north London as well. She likes a game of pool so do I, so hopefully we’ll hit it off”.
Ben was destined for a career as an actor before deciding that he wasn’t actually that good an actor and was probably better off as a singer. “I thought I was going to be an actor until I was about 20 and then I realised I was a terrible actor and I could only get bit parts or be in the chorus line. I suppose I was a better singer and songwriter and you end up often going with things you’re good at, don’t you? I was always going to be a professional show ofm” he explains. “The thing is, song writing combines my love of words but in a concise way. I love the discipline of trying to get a message across in three or four minutes. I’m a very social person so I always love gigs and I was never shy about playing my songs to people. I’ve always wanted to get a reaction and entertain people so I’m really lucky that the form exists”.
It took a year to get his band The Library together gathering his motley crew from a variety of clubs and bars around London. “I was really pleased with how it all came together even though it took a year to get the line up finished. The bass player Maps was a school and we’ve always helped each other with things and collaborated. I met the drummer in a heavy metal club, and I met Joy in a bar in Soho where she plays percussion. She does lot of things like that around London but I met her in a candy bar and turned out she played steel pan,” recalls Ben. “I just wanted to do something really different and then TJ came along, and he has a classical background with the piano. So we ended up with this great combination of hip hop beats, my old fashioned song writing, Joy’s background from the west London carnival scene and calypso with her steel pan and then TJ with his piano, so it was a real mash up. No one sounds like us, I’m really proud of that”.
Emerging from the London urban scene and championed by the likes of Sway there’s no doubt that we’ll be hearing a lot more from the dapper wearer of trilby hats and his gang. Their Bread And Roses EP is just a taster of what to expect from their debut album, A Tale Of Two Cities, which will be released in March.
“I’m not intending to conquer the world immediately in terms of sales,” says Ben. “I look at a band like Radiohead and their constant climb and I’d really like to have a career like that, that’s sustainable and don’t you have to conquer the world in five minute”.
And don’t be expecting him to appear on shows like Celebrity Big Brother either.
“Celebrity is something I’m going to try and avoid. I want my music to be celebrated. Once you’ve a certain number of records it’s probably difficult, but I’d still like to be able to buy a pint of milk without being ramshackled,” says Ben. “ I think someone like the Scissor Sisters have a good balance because once they take off the make up and stop dancing around they can probably just go and do what they want. I’d just have to take off my hat, shirt and tie off, and dress as a chav, I’m sure I can be as anonymous as I like”.
Their single Too Late Too Late is out now.
For more info: www.mrhudsonandthelibrary.co.uk
Words: Helen Duong
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