The Tiger Lillies will make a very welcome return to The Stables on March 11.
The tempting trio – godfathers of alternative cabaret, if you will – are back at Wavendon as part of their 25th anniversary tour. Formed by band frontman Martyn Jacques, the collective have been nothing if not prolific, putting out a minimum of one album a year, in addition to the 200-odd dates they cram into the annual calendar.
If you seek flowered up fun, and cutesy stage moments, take a wide berth. The Tiger Lillies are the antithesis.
'A mixture of pre-war Berlin cabaret, anarchic opera and gypsy music, echoing the voices of Bertolt Brecht and Jacques Brel.'
Matt Groening, the man responsible for giving the world The Simpsons, is one of many TL favourers, sold on their uniqueness and twisted fabulousness.
If you are reading this with a piqued interest visit www.tigerlillies.com where they'll be keen to meet your acquaintance in an web-way.
Then race for tickets – visit www.thestables.org or call 01908 280800.
Olivier Award winning Martyn took the Total MK On Track challenge...
The song that first awakened your musical senses.
Well Demis Roussos (RIP) vocally certainly inspired me with his song Forever and Ever
Physical or digital - how do you take your music?
Oh both, they're both better at certain things..
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me'
The first proper Tiger Lillies gig. I was so nervous I felt like I needed to sit down after the first song. I was already 30 but when I walked off stage I knew I could make a living singing for the rest of my life.
Your best on stage memory...
There's lots of great memories that first gig,doing our theatre show Shockheaded Peter to over a thousand people a night in the West End for 11 weeks, playing in Russia, Greece and more recently in Mexico to really excited fans.
A gig at Bimbos in San Francisco after we'd just done a six week theatre run..so many great nights!
And the worst gig you've ever done..
Playing to people having breakfast in a hotel in Basle beneath a toilet sign.
One elderly lady complained to the manager after one song and we had to stop.
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written.
Find the one which makes the most money for its writer and I'll take that one
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance
Probably Banging in the Nails and Crack of Doom...
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
Maybe do an album with some famous singer! It would be a change of direction for them
Are there any current musical influences that you might look to?
I'm always being influenced by things, it's the only way you change
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
A lot of mainstream stuff - rock and rnb - but I'm sure there's good stuff in most genres if you look
Finally, plug The Stables show - what can we expect?
Classic Tiger Lillies songs with a few new ones...
