INTERVIEW: Palma Violets
Ahead of their Splendour In The Grass appearance this weekend, Palma Violets' Chilli Jesson gave us some of his time for a quick chat.
In the midst of the European summer festival circuit, Chilli from PALMA VIOLETS says they’re “just about” alive but can’t wait to come down under for Splendour in the Grass. The only bad part about festivals for Chilli is forgetting to apply sunscreen, so with that out of the way we got onto talking the London music scene, stage antics and last weekend at T in the Park in Scotland.
“It’s a great festival. It’s a great crowd in Scotland. It was a really, really good festival. It was sort of a good mix of pop and rock and a nice collection of people. There were a lot of people who wouldn’t have seen us anyway, which is always nice to try and win over some people so that was cool. It was a good one, we enjoyed it.”
Chilli along with frontman Sam, keyboardist Pete and drummer Will formed Palma Violets in London in just two years ago. Born out of Studio 180, their “love/hate” relationship with the internet and blogosphere has catapulted them into a hectic touring schedule where once it was only a few YouTube videos of their live shows.
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Aside from hanging with Snoop Dogg at T in the Park (who was headlining the night that they played), Chilli says that bands end up running into each other all of the world because the line-ups tend to overlap.
Even Splendour will share headliners Mumford & Sons and Frank Ocean but it’s Babyshambles that Chilli tells us to watch out for. “Good luck,” he says. " I think that will be cool. I can’t wait. I love that group. I think they’re great. That’s going to be their first show in ages at Splendour in the Grass, so that will be exciting.”
But for the moment, the group are back in Lambeth, South London in their “little basement studio” i.e. Studio 180 working on some songs. Their debut album 180 was actually named after the converted Georgian Terrace. Chilli says that 2013 is more about the live shows than churning out new material again (not the easiest act to follow considering their single “Best of Friends” won 2012 NME Track of the Year).
What has surprised Chilli especially since the hype surrounding Palma Violets has spread into the online music press is that suddenly Lambeth has become a place to write about.
“The area that we started our band in Lambeth was completely untouched and we went away for six, seven weeks and now all these music magazines and bloggers are working there – which I love. But when you’re surrounded by people that you’ve known all your life and Lambeth is a place where you come back after tour and you’ve been away for all of that - now it’s been sort of taken over. It’s a really weird thing. It’s a really weird feeling.”
Despite their garage antics and rock vibes [to give you an idea Bleeding Knees Club are supporting on their Splendour sideshows] Palma Violets still have a love-hate relationship with the internet.
“It’s a confusing one but for us at the beginnings of the band the internet is so powerful and some bands have done it really well and we basically just didn’t use it all. That is what creates the hype for us as supposed to recording shitty demos on there.”
Similar to the start of Arctic Monkeys, the group became internationally known when fans began uploading videos of their live shows onto Youtube, long before the release of their debut album. Chilli admits that the internet helps spread the word, especially overseas, but still misses the mystique of old times.
“But now it’s the only medium to talk to people. I’d much prefer to write letters to them all individually - you know real mail – but now you just do it from an email address. It is great because it’s so accessible and it’s so easy but it loses that touch a little bit. I don’t know what it is but I suppose it’s a love-hate thing.”
All of which has brought them over to Australia where, despite having an Australian tour manager, none of the group has ever visited. “I kind of know bits and bobs but I’m kind of leaving it as a surprise really. I’m really excited.”
And when Chilli hears that Byron is a hippie beachside location, just “brilliant”.
In all seriousness, though, Palma Violets draw their roots from Australian music with two of their favourite acts being The Saints and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
“It’s a place that we’ve most wanted to come of any other country because of the music and I love the music in Australia.”
“We’re massive Nick Cave fans. We’ve seen him at pretty much every festival we’ve been to all over the world, which is pretty amazing – the last one was Glastonbury, which was fantastic. You know, he’s the best performer in the world”
Aside from Nick Cave, Chilli admires the stage antics of Glasgow band The Amazing Snakeheads. “They’ve just signed to Domino Records and we played with them a few nights ago at The Great Escape. The singer is just so aggressive and he’s a brilliant performer. Their guitarists sound great.”
From what we’ve seen, Palma Violets put on an energetic show. But at home they aren’t always so bold.
“I’ve always been quite shy. I suppose the whole group is actually pretty shy as individuals. Pete used to be the shyest – our keyboard player – but now he’s flourishing like a flower. He’s not as shy anymore. He’s confident which is good. But everyone was shy.”
They are yet unsure of the crowd situation, knowing that Australian can pick up on the UK’s drinking culture (although Chilli says their crowds are “not well behaved at all –no, no, no”) but are mainly keen to keep meeting people.
“My favourite part of festivals is the people – meeting people. Festivals, especially in England, everyone is actually that particular individual, whether you’re a banker – everyone is one at a festival especially at somewhere like Glastonbury. Everyone’s together in unity, everyone lets their hair down”
And to Australia, “We can’t wait to come and see you.”
PALMA VIOLETS TOUR DATES
Splendour in the Grass – North Byron Parklands - Friday July 26 (SOLD OUT)
Northcote Social Club – Melbourne – Monday July 29 (SOLD OUT)
Oxford Arts Factory – Sydney – Tuesday July 30
Words by Antigone Anagnostellis.
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