“You learn not to give a fuck about what people think.”
This brash belief is held by the lead singer of the eclectic, art-rock, jazz-tinged group Norman, in light of their beloved hometown Bristol - which is where frontman Jack Ogborne finds himself when I get a chance to touch base.
In spite of the familial dependence grounding him to his current location, Jack effortlessly swats away any sort of antagonising emotions, “you’ve got to embrace the nostalgia...accept the cringey Mac DeMarco posters”. This sort of acceptance sharply resembles the Bristol music scene, “everything here is independent, no one’s expected to get a booking agent or manager” - particularly when it comes to the band’s favoured pub titled in their debut mixtape, The Old England. Having recently received an outpouring of funds against in the face of Covid-19, Jack recounts many a gig which has inspired his band to pursue a more avant-garde route with their live shows, something “more progressive...like you’re spectating something which is genuinely special”.
Yet for Jack personally, he mentions one of his friends inspiring “the most significant day” of his life: introducing him to Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, and Nick Cave in one sitting. These darkened tendencies can ultimately be found in the depths of Norman’s debut, three-track mixtape, traversing through tropes of jolty guitar riffs, baritone vocals, and bursts of jazz cacophonies a-la Miles Davis. This ripened musical taste inevitably transcends its way into Norman’s experimental/pull-from-as-many-directions-as-possible facade, aspiring for one ultimate aim: “give people an experience they wouldn’t usually have”.
“We want to give people an experience they wouldn’t usually have."
Having recently released their debut mixtape Songs From The Basement, The Old England etc. earlier this March, the all-in-one mixtape (with accompanying music video) imminently proves striking in its gothic, film noir aesthetic. “It felt like an appropriate introduction just to establish what we are as a band”, affirming that “a single would cut the mustard." Inevitably, the foundations of the Bristol music scene is embedded within this mixtape - not just visually. Enrolling a familiar face to the band for the music video’s director slot, it charmingly resembled the local vibrancy of Bristol’s music etiquette: ultimately helping one another in an endeavour to elicit the most enticing art form.
As we turn to the future, a starkly saturated note of excitement grips Jack’s voice - reciting last year’s End of the Road Festival which the band attended as regular punters, asking themselves the precarious question: “Imagine getting to play here? Maybe in 4 years.” 4 months later they were already signed up to play the following year. Although this has ultimately been pushed back to 2021, Jack eludes to their “biggest support tour...postponed till February” as well as having recorded a single with the rest of the band, too. In spite of the trials and tribulations Covid-19 has thrown each of our ways, the undeniable defiance simmers in Jack’s voice across the tetchy phone line, brightly announcing “I’m feeling positive about it."
In conjunction with their first track taken from their debut mixtape, including a poor soul succumbing to a brash haircut, I only felt compelled to see whether the rest of the band had taken to this during lockdown. “Well, Meg gained a fringe...Henry has a bowl cut but he’s been doing that long before lockdown - he’s ahead of the curve”. Similarly to Norman’s no-fucks-given ethos, Jack believes we “should sacrifice having a slightly shit [homemade] haircut and then go treat yourself to a gig” - it certainly doesn’t pay not to care in this current climate and those savings should involuntarily be used for a Norman show post-lockdown.
Norman's debut mixtape, Songs From The Basement, The Old England etc., is out now and can be found here.
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