GROOVES: Mr Hudson and Rosie Oddie combine to play festival a little closer to home
Big Kids – Mr Hudson and Rosie Oddie – are set to play at the Standon Calling festival this weekend
Published: 2 August, 2012
by ROISIN GADELRAB
Mr Hudson has taken the stage with some of the biggest hip-hop artists in the US and played in sold-out stadiums around the globe.
But for the Kentish Town musician, there’s nothing like hitting a small music festival or a street party for sheer performing pleasure.
And his return to his north London home has included a return to his musical roots, in the guise of the band Big Kids, which features Ben, aka Mr Hudson, and singer Rosie Oddie, who grew up in South End Green.
The pair are in the midst of a summer circuit that has included the hottest festival gigs: last week it was the Secret Garden Party, this week they are appearing at that very north London-flavoured festival, Standon Calling.
Although stadium shows in the US are fun, Ben admits that he prefers the traditional British festival.
“I love a festival and I’m really looking forward to Standon,” he told Grooves.
“You get an amazing crowd with massive energy.
“You find people discover you unintentionally – they’ll be walking from their tent to grab some Mexican food or something, and then suddenly find themselves dancing, tipping cider over each other’s heads.
“And you simply do not get the same intimacy with stadiums. Of course, they are fun – it is amazing having 50,000 people waving their arms in your direction – but I really love being able to interact with crowds.”
The pair have maintained a low profile since their first release, late last year – an intentional move to allow their music speak for itself.
“In this world of celebrity nonsense, where we both have Wikipedia profiles, we just wanted it to be that it was about our music,” says Ben.
“We didn’t want to use our faces and names, but, of course, once the cat is out the bag, that’s fine.”
The Big Kids came together after Ben was out and about in Camden High Street.
“Ben stumbled across a gig I was doing at the Wheelbarrow with my grungy-sounding band and said: ‘Let’s make some music’,” recalls Rosie.
They went into the studio and what they produced they describe as being a classic Camden sound.
“Hip-hop has been a wonderful diversion, but our sound is essentially very north London,” says Ben.
The Big Kids are helping nurture fresh NW5 talent, with a recent pop video made by teenage film-maker, Billy Boyd Cape. He took them around the Clarence Way estate to shoot the footage.
“We played him the song and then just let him roll with it,” says Rosie.
“There was lots of running around through Kentish Town, it was amazing.
He made a video that record companies would spend £60,000 on for basically the price of a choc-ice.
“He has definitely earned himself a special spot on the Big Kids tour bus.”
And Rosie sums up a Big Kids gig at Standon Calling this weekend in attractive terms: “Think of the very best house party you’ve ever been to, with the absolute hottest music you can think of, and the craziest things going on – that’s what it is like.”
• The Big Kids play the Standon Calling festival this weekend. For more details visit www.standon-calling.com