Crazy P - Danielle Moore
Words: Jo Taylor
Crazy P can trace their origins back to the distant days of 1996 when James Baron and Chris Todd met at University and formed the UK outfit. The band has released six studio albums, including 20011’s When We On. 2002 saw the band expand to include bassist Tim Davies, percussionist Mav Kendricks, and vocalist Danielle Moore.
The band will be bringing their “dance music with voice, heart, and soul” to Harvest Festival, starting this weekend, as well as support slots for Santigold in Adelaide and Perth next week. Caughtin the Mosh spoke with Danielle Moore about all things P.
You recorded back in Nottingham for your latest album When We On; did the overall recording process go to plan and how did it compare to the making of your other albums?
It actually went well! I sort of had some time off from music so going back into the studio was quite new again and began coming up with some new ideas with how to go about recording stuff. So instead of taking the full live band into the studio, which is how we did the last couple of albums, just the three of us went in. So it was just Chris, Jim and I. We utilized the instruments and such in a different way. We experimented with percussion sounds using inanimate objects. We used the vocal looper which is something I really got stuck into. So rather than just singing, it was good to do vocal loops and layering vocals, which was really good for me. So we went for that more production based album and I think it came out sounding a little bit different and something I’m really proud of.
How important is the focus of playing as a live band in achieving your sound?
I suppose we’ve sort of stuck to the live band formula when we’ve gone out live. And I think the way that it feeds any studio work that we do is the amount of energy it creates. So it’s almost like presenting your CV or giving a presentation to a group of people on something you’ve worked really hard on and it’s your opportunity to give it to the people. Our lives shows create so much energy for us, that we try and take that look at whats worked well, look at whats resonated with the crowd and use that information in the studio. So when in a more production based recording, that’s how we use the live band experience in the studio.
You seem to love the festival circuit and the festivals seem to love you. Do you think you’re style of music was made for the festival crowds and is the crowd reaction something that keeps you coming back each year?
We don’t necessarily make music with festivals in mind, but what it is, is that we absolutely love to rock our socks off playing at festivals. We adore going out on stage and we adore playing live. I think the energy between us comes across and the crowd can see it on our faces. And it’s when we take our music on-stage that we become more energetic with the music and you can communicate with the crowd as well. And I think people resonate with how we are on stage
Live, the band can feed off the crowds energy and vice versa...
Exactly! And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Without the crowd we haven’t got a show. It’s the crowd’s energy that feeds out excitement to play! We’re also really fortunate that within the band we’re all really close and really good friends, still after all these years and I think that’s also what the crowd can see. The two elements are absolutely vital to each other. We can’t wait for Australia!
The band will be bringing their “dance music with voice, heart, and soul” to Harvest Festival, starting this weekend, as well as support slots for Santigold in Adelaide and Perth next week. Caughtin the Mosh spoke with Danielle Moore about all things P.
You recorded back in Nottingham for your latest album When We On; did the overall recording process go to plan and how did it compare to the making of your other albums?
It actually went well! I sort of had some time off from music so going back into the studio was quite new again and began coming up with some new ideas with how to go about recording stuff. So instead of taking the full live band into the studio, which is how we did the last couple of albums, just the three of us went in. So it was just Chris, Jim and I. We utilized the instruments and such in a different way. We experimented with percussion sounds using inanimate objects. We used the vocal looper which is something I really got stuck into. So rather than just singing, it was good to do vocal loops and layering vocals, which was really good for me. So we went for that more production based album and I think it came out sounding a little bit different and something I’m really proud of.
How important is the focus of playing as a live band in achieving your sound?
I suppose we’ve sort of stuck to the live band formula when we’ve gone out live. And I think the way that it feeds any studio work that we do is the amount of energy it creates. So it’s almost like presenting your CV or giving a presentation to a group of people on something you’ve worked really hard on and it’s your opportunity to give it to the people. Our lives shows create so much energy for us, that we try and take that look at whats worked well, look at whats resonated with the crowd and use that information in the studio. So when in a more production based recording, that’s how we use the live band experience in the studio.
You seem to love the festival circuit and the festivals seem to love you. Do you think you’re style of music was made for the festival crowds and is the crowd reaction something that keeps you coming back each year?
We don’t necessarily make music with festivals in mind, but what it is, is that we absolutely love to rock our socks off playing at festivals. We adore going out on stage and we adore playing live. I think the energy between us comes across and the crowd can see it on our faces. And it’s when we take our music on-stage that we become more energetic with the music and you can communicate with the crowd as well. And I think people resonate with how we are on stage
Live, the band can feed off the crowds energy and vice versa...
Exactly! And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Without the crowd we haven’t got a show. It’s the crowd’s energy that feeds out excitement to play! We’re also really fortunate that within the band we’re all really close and really good friends, still after all these years and I think that’s also what the crowd can see. The two elements are absolutely vital to each other. We can’t wait for Australia!
You've got a lot of fans over here in Australia and you’re here for Harvest Festival. What were the standout memories from past trips here?
When we did Good Vibrations and we were actually touring with Moloko. Being part of such a big festival like that, it was about 2004 I think and we got to see some amazing bands and amazing performances. We were still quite young as a live band, weren’t young people (laughs) but as a live band, so we got to see some of these performances that really stuck with us. And we really bonded together as a group on that tour, we had some massive ups and downs on that tour. And every time we’ve been back we’ve been treated to amazing shows. Playground Weekender was another one. We’ve just been really fortunate to have some good collaborators behind us that have managed to form a good Australian crowd. We still don’t quite understand how. it’s just brilliant. To be able to go away to the sunshine and be part of something like that is just a bit.. whoa, this is good! (laughs)
Do you get to enjoy some down time when you’re here, and check out some of the other bands at the festivals?
Yeah, absolutely! On this upcoming tour we’re really looking forward to seeing Beck. That’s going to be the focus for Jim! We’re all going to be there watching that. But also Santigold, she’s an amazing performer and looking forward to doing some stuff with her. We’ve also made some great friends in Australia and they’ve all got a schedule planned out for us (laughs). So yeah, we do get time to kick back a little bit.
I was watching my friends daughter dance around and sing to a really funky song the other day, I imagine being a singer you had many childhood moments like that. What were some of your favourite songs to jump around and sing to when growing up?
Oh gosh! You’re right, yeah. I used to shut the curtains so no-one could see and then pretend I was on-stage. I would always bounce around to Madonna. Prince was a massive one. I was a teenager in the 80’s and there was so much good pop about then that you were spoilt for choice really. It was always pop music for me.
I can assure you, you weren’t the only one!
(laughs) I’m sure we caused a few natural disasters by jumping around the front room, badly! I’m sure I looked strange, always trying to do the high kicks or splits, but it felt good.
When we did Good Vibrations and we were actually touring with Moloko. Being part of such a big festival like that, it was about 2004 I think and we got to see some amazing bands and amazing performances. We were still quite young as a live band, weren’t young people (laughs) but as a live band, so we got to see some of these performances that really stuck with us. And we really bonded together as a group on that tour, we had some massive ups and downs on that tour. And every time we’ve been back we’ve been treated to amazing shows. Playground Weekender was another one. We’ve just been really fortunate to have some good collaborators behind us that have managed to form a good Australian crowd. We still don’t quite understand how. it’s just brilliant. To be able to go away to the sunshine and be part of something like that is just a bit.. whoa, this is good! (laughs)
Do you get to enjoy some down time when you’re here, and check out some of the other bands at the festivals?
Yeah, absolutely! On this upcoming tour we’re really looking forward to seeing Beck. That’s going to be the focus for Jim! We’re all going to be there watching that. But also Santigold, she’s an amazing performer and looking forward to doing some stuff with her. We’ve also made some great friends in Australia and they’ve all got a schedule planned out for us (laughs). So yeah, we do get time to kick back a little bit.
I was watching my friends daughter dance around and sing to a really funky song the other day, I imagine being a singer you had many childhood moments like that. What were some of your favourite songs to jump around and sing to when growing up?
Oh gosh! You’re right, yeah. I used to shut the curtains so no-one could see and then pretend I was on-stage. I would always bounce around to Madonna. Prince was a massive one. I was a teenager in the 80’s and there was so much good pop about then that you were spoilt for choice really. It was always pop music for me.
I can assure you, you weren’t the only one!
(laughs) I’m sure we caused a few natural disasters by jumping around the front room, badly! I’m sure I looked strange, always trying to do the high kicks or splits, but it felt good.
With the expansion of online media allowing you to connect with fans and distribute music to a wider audience, have you found you have fans and toured in places that you never expected?
Yeah, definitely. We’ve done some podcasts and radio shows on Ministry of Sound radio. Then we’ve done our own little podcasts that you can download on the internet or upload onto sound-cards or whatever it is. Then we played in Georgia, which we never could imagine we’d get to see. And it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s lush. It’s dramatic. It’s coastal. And the fact that we missed our flight back. We were trying to get to Ibiza, but missed our flight so we had to get 4 flights overnight to get there. It wasn’t our fault (laughs). We’ve been to the most beautiful places. The one place we’ve not been to yet, that we’d love to go to is Japan. We’d love to get out there. We’ve done South America, North America, Canada and some beautiful exotic places throughout Europe. We’ve been so lucky to get to the places we’ve been.
And finally, what is one of your favourite songs to perform live personally, that always gets you going?
That would definitely have to be Never Gonnna Reach Me. It’s quite long (laughs). It’s got some heavy beats and it’s got a bit of attitude. It’s just a bit different to our other stuff and one that I always enjoy performing. I like the attitude.
Yeah, definitely. We’ve done some podcasts and radio shows on Ministry of Sound radio. Then we’ve done our own little podcasts that you can download on the internet or upload onto sound-cards or whatever it is. Then we played in Georgia, which we never could imagine we’d get to see. And it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s lush. It’s dramatic. It’s coastal. And the fact that we missed our flight back. We were trying to get to Ibiza, but missed our flight so we had to get 4 flights overnight to get there. It wasn’t our fault (laughs). We’ve been to the most beautiful places. The one place we’ve not been to yet, that we’d love to go to is Japan. We’d love to get out there. We’ve done South America, North America, Canada and some beautiful exotic places throughout Europe. We’ve been so lucky to get to the places we’ve been.
And finally, what is one of your favourite songs to perform live personally, that always gets you going?
That would definitely have to be Never Gonnna Reach Me. It’s quite long (laughs). It’s got some heavy beats and it’s got a bit of attitude. It’s just a bit different to our other stuff and one that I always enjoy performing. I like the attitude.