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Man Like Me are set to play at the Camden Crawl this weekend |
Men for the big occasion
PREVIEW - MAN LIKE ME
Jazz Cafe - as part of Camden Crawl
WHEN Johnny Langer wants to clear his head, he heads to Hackney City Farm.
So this is where the former Acland Burghley pupil and Man Like Me frontman found himself on Friday.
“I go there when I need a bit of tranquility after a big night,” he says. “I just bypassed the animals and headed straight for the café in the middle of it. They do wicked food.”
Camden boys Man Like Me return to the borough this weekend to appear at the Jazz Cafe as part of the Camden Crawl.
Johnny, 24, spoke to Grooves the day after the band showcased new single, London Town, to an audience of friends, family and... strippers.
He said: “It was in Ye Olde Axe, a strip club in Hackney. We spent all day sound-checking around dancers. Everyone was getting stressed because we couldn’t keep our concentration. It was surreal.”
But he did feel the pressure. Johnny says: “I sort of lost my bottle a little bit mid-set. Playing in front of so many friends and family kind of threw me. We made a few mistakes, but everyone said they had a good time. We saved London Town until last. As soon as that started, everyone cheered and went for it.”
The single is based on a hook an old friend gave them when reminiscing of his garage MC ambitions when he was young. He’s now a primary school teacher.
The video was shot at Smithfield meat market and features some funky dancing and a lot of raw meat.
Johnny says: “We had access to everywhere. It felt like it was turning into a bad idea when we turned up at 4am and it was so cold. Not only was it freezing but we had to get in the freezer and perform in a shirt.
“It’s bit much at 6am when you’re surrounded by a load of proper hard Cockney geezers and you’re trying to jam out.”
But, he says the butchers were “wicked”, adding: “They really liked the song and loved the video.
“We had to lift all these half pigs and cut up bits of cow and you’re covered in blood by the end of it.”
Johnny, who grew up just off Royal College Street, said his favourite Camden hangouts are Monkey Chews – “It’s hidden, a bit like going into a seedy 1970s tropical bar – and The Golden Lion.
But, he says he hasn’t played in Camden for a while: “It used to be nuts, all mates from Camden, but everyone’s old and got jobs now.
“I’ve driven past Acland Burghley but it scares me. You see all these kids you don’t know sitting on your bench. It’s weird not knowing anyone.”
He fears he’ll feel the same playing the Crawl. “It’s probably a bit too close to home.
“I know it too well. I love it, but it scares me a little bit.
“But it’ll be great to play the Jazz Café.” |
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