Interview: Tom Johnson of Lazy Genius

(Everyone’s favourite G. Lazy Genius)

Live music at Mojo. It just sounds right doesn’t it? Well not according to the big boys at the top of the chain. For years Mojo was the place were unsigned bands and artists got to play on the same stage as many big touring artists. Artists such as Miles Kane, Frankie and the Heartstrings and Three Trapped Tigers and only a few months back it was practically the home of the hugely successful Liverpool Music Week! But now Mojo’s decision to scrap live music has left us all (most of us) in tears. Plus, the music scene down on a night that played an important part on the circuit. A night that filled a gap. That night was Club Lazy Genius…

Every monday, for free or cheap depending what time you got there, Lazy Genius brought you new bands, old bands and favourite bands from around the city and out of. Now that things have gone down the pan at their home I talk to head honcho, Tom Johnson, about the venue, the scene and the future. Don’t be put off! It is all, and I mean ALL positive!

Joe ManGone: So for those who do not know, introduce us. What is Lazy Genius?

Lazy Genius: Well Lazy Genius has been in Liverpool for about our or five years now I suppose. I describe it as an all encompassing beast. We are live event promoters, we’ve got a weekly club night, were a management company and we also do general consultancy, bookings and promotion for bands. We do everything really. Were there on the local scene on a local level or local bands who need help and advice.

JM: Well I suppose there’s no point in beating around the bush. What happened with Mojo?

LG: I worked at Mojo as an outside promoter so I can’t speak officially as a representation of Mojo. What I know is there was a very sudden snap decision made by the directors; it wasn’t made in house in Liverpool. They just wanted to stop live music in Liverpool and go back to what they were two or three years ago which was a cocktail bar, a drinks orientated bar. I can’t understand it. I don’t really understand the decision but we have to accept it. 

I haven’t got a bad word to say about Mojo in terms of the venue in Liverpool. The management and staff there are good friends of mine and I love the place. I’m going to miss working there but I don’t think it was handled at the top very well in regards to how the decision came about. I’m disappointed by it but I’ll still always go there for a drink. I recommend it as a nice place to go for a beer or a cocktail. It’s the end of an era but these things happen. It would have be nice to have a little more notice though (laughs) but luckily I think Lazy Genius is going to end up moving on and becoming stronger.

JM: You didn’t just host live nights at Mojo. You provided an online platform for bands to get out through your show on Lazy Genius radio. Will you still be doing Mojo Radio?

LG: No. I’d love to but I don’t really see the connection there anymore. What I’d like to do is turn it in to a podcast every month. Unfortunately, Lazy Genius is in no way connected to Mojo now… besides going to get drunk there.

JM: We all know it is not the end of Lazy Genius. Where is Lazy moving to?

LG: Well I had gigs booked at Mojo that had to be moved.  I had two gigs on Mondays which have been moved to Shipping Forecast and Kazimier. Club Lazy Genius as we know it is going to move to Bumper on the 30th of Jan and is going to be a full blown indie club night. So we’ll have live music early on then the Lazy Genius DJ through till 4am. Nothing much will change really. We’ll have ethos, same approach to bands, there’s going to be a £2 charge and it’s a shame we can’t have it free at any point but we have DJ costs to cover now and we’re going to work on incentives or bands. You know? so they can make a bit of money. I want to make this sort of a ‘premier Monday night’ now. Whether you want to see live music or whether you want to stay out later and go mental.

The gigs that have been moved elsewhere. Discopolis on the 6th of February will be at Shipping Forecast and then there will be an after party at Bumper from midnight. Then The Men on the 20th of February will be moved to The Kazimier. Support will be Being Jo Francis, The Temps and Police Squad  so that will be a fantastic night! Again there will be an after party from midnight at Bumper. Also, we’ve got Spotlight Kid coming up on Tuesday 6th March at Shipping Forecast and The Spring Offensive on the 4th of April so there will be a lot of things happening outside the Lazy Genius club night. We’ll still be doing our regular thing but you’ll see Lazy Genius doing bigger gigs at Shipping Forecast, Kazimier, LEAF. It’s going to be a good two strands.

JM: Do you think this will help the music scene get more local mainstream attention?

LG: Yeah, Mojo was brilliant for me to develop Lazy Genius as a night. I mean it couldn’t have been any better. Now, I think it’s a good time to go to Bumper. I think the crowd it’s the night a bit more. More students go to Bumper. There was always a certain type of person I wanted to get down to the night that wouldn’t go to Mojo. No disrespect to Mojo, it just wasn’t on the circuit for that type of person so this is a chance to branch out. I mean this was planned before I was doing anything for Bumper but  on one of the Monday nights they’ve got the Maccabees doing a DJ set after their gig at the academy so that will fit in great for me! It’s a chance to get more of an audience an get students involved in the night. 

JM: How will your new move benefit the scene?

LG: I will want to bring bands from out of Liverpool to Bumper like I was doing at Mojo as well. Try and make connections so we can give Liverpool bands connections with other cities. Swap gigs ect, that kind of thing. Liverpool still needs to be put on the map a little bit. We’re still not in a position were record labels and A&R guys are jumping on the Virgin Pendolino from London every weekend to come Listen to bands. That’s still not happening but that’s just the way London is. I don’t think anyone wants to leave London or get any further than I don’t know, Watford probably. But there’s bands like Outfit who are getting a bit of national press, Loved Ones too. There’s still good things happening. I mean that’s why I love Liverpool. Everyone always knocks it, that won’t change, but it’s nothing that bothers me. I’m focusing on Liverpool with an outward look. It’s like with Get Back Colquitt, they will be playing London soon but that doesn’t mean you can’t do any good in Liverpool.

JM: What do you think we need to boost the scene?

LG: I actually think the scene is pretty good. Some people are saying in some ways it might be a good thing that some venues are closing and I can see their argument. It is a shame, it is not a nice thing to have happened but I can see their argument completely. I think more collaboration is needed. I was talking to Sam from EverIsland about their ‘THIRTEEN’ show which I thought was amazing! I didn’t get down because Mojo things kicked off but I want to do a show later with them later in the year. It does seem like a lot of people are starting to work together now which is good. When it comes to Sound City there’s a lot of promoters involved so I think more of that and I don’t think venues and bands should fight against each other. I know there is competition but there’s more than enough people in Liverpool who like music to go around. Maybe now it can concentrate better with less venues. That is a good point.

(Misty Miller when Lazy Genius brought her to Mojo)

JM: Did you think there were too many venues?

LG: Well no disrespect to the CUC but it was always going to be a difficult place. It was really hard to get anythingto work there really. The Masque is a different case. That was a big loss but we’ve still got the Kaz, Shipping Forecast, We’ve got MelloMello who do a lot of DIY and punk things, now I’m going to try and bring Bumper back in the live music mix. I mean there’s absolutely loads! LEAF with their American folky stuff along with more obscure places like the Wolstenholme Creative Space and the warehouse places like Camp & Furnice. There are still a lot of venues! I don’t think we should live with a cloud of fear hanging above us. Obviously it’s tough times, people have got less money to go out and spend but when a recession hits the things people most spend their money on are booze, smokes and getting out more. Otherwise it’s all doom and gloom isn’t it? (Nod my head in stern approval).

JM: Thoughts on Sound City then? How can that boost things this year?

LG: I’m looking forward to it. I think bands need to do more national things and hopefully we’ll see a few labels pop up. That’s what I’m hoping to do with Lazy Genius.

JM: Before you go, tell us about Lazy Genius Records.

LG: It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. It seemed like the obvious thing to come in to the Lazy Genius mix. We do everything else so why not do that? Lot’s of bands these days are self releasing. It’s just the way it is and that can be quite hard. I can’t remember who it was who said about the opportunity self release, I think it was Zane Lowe the other day who said, “It’s not been more power in the hands of the musicians, it’s easier to release music on your own. It’s just getting people to listen to it”. So for Lazy Genius there are no grand ambitions yet. I know the score, I’m not going to pretend to be Richard Branson or a major record label. The idea is the bands I know and already work with, they’re going to be releasing and I’ll be helping them with that. If we can we’ll help with recording costs. It’s mainly the distributing of the recording digitally and physically that we’ll be doing; getting some press, generating a buzz, get tracks in to record shops ect. Just give them that level of support. You know how hard it is? You put a track on Itunes, you wack it out and say “listen to our track and download our single”. You might get a few downloads and that’s great but that’s it. We’re just someone other than the band who will shout about them.

First release won’t be untill around April and that will probably be Get Back Colquitt.

Words: Joe Mangone

Photography(ish): Joe ManGone

Links:

• http://www.lazy-genius.co.uk
• Lazy G Relaunch Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/370168556332912/
• fb: http://www.facebook.com/thomasvalentinejohnson
• twitter: @LazyGeniusUK

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