OUR LIFE IN TEN SONGS: PIP BLOM AND WILLEM SMIT

Pip Blom and Willem Smit have been in a relationship for ten years during which they have spent time apart touring in their respective bands (Pip Blom and Personal Trainer) and just released their self-titled album under the band name Long Fling (my review here). Hands down it’s an instant indie classic, ‘the collision of two fiercely creative minds, each with a strong musical identity, that has meant this album fizzes and crackles with so many ideas that collide and explode into such exciting music‘.

Joyzine were given the opportunity to find out more about the music that they both love, the songs that bring them inspiration and enjoyment. Pip and Willem have brought us a list of 10 exceptional songs, many of which were happy finds for me and I hope do the same for our readers. This feature is normally called ‘My Life In 10 Songs’ but when I received the list they had delightfully re-named it Our Life in 10 Songs, and who were we to change it.

Micachu and the Shapes – ‘Curly Teeth‘
This is a band Pip recommended to me when we first met. It’s her favorite band. 
I didn’t listen to them until way later, and this record became one of my favorite records.
We organized this festival in Amsterdam named after this song.

Parquet Courts – ‘Borrowed Time‘
Before we really knew each other, we’d run into each other at concerts we’d both go to. Neither of us was the type of person to really walk up and say hi too much, so we’d kind of wave or say hello briefly. We definitely saw each other at a couple of Parquet Courts shows. This band was a big band for both of us when we were teenagers, especially Light Up Gold.

Ought – ‘More Than Any Other Day‘
Another one of those bands that were very cool to both of us as teenagers. We probably ran into each other at one or two Ought shows too.
My favorite is the second record, the last one’s Pips favorite. So here’s a good one from the first record as a compromise.

LCD Soundsystem – ‘All My Friends’
We both really got into LCD Soundsystem around the same time, probably eight years ago or something. Saw them a couple of times at Dutch festivals together when we were 21 or something. An amazing live band of course!

Mozes And The Firstborn – ‘What’s Wrong Mama?’
A Dutch band we both really liked. They were quite a big deal when we were 18 or so. They were probably a couple years younger than we are now, when they started out. I think they inspired both of us to try and play abroad. Their first record is a bit of a Dutch classic to us. We saw their last show a couple of years ago and are still hoping for a reunion.

The Breeders – ‘Little Fury’
The Breeders are one of my favorite bands ever, then Pip tells me she’s going to support them when we were like 22 or something. I was so stoked (and a little bit jealous). I went to London to go see them play together at Roundhouse, very memorably moment. I remember Kim Deal saying she had never seen a band with bouncy hair like Pip Blom, which was very cool. I remember my flight back to The Netherlands was delayed, so I had to take a train and hurry back to a show of my former band, supporting Courtney Barnett, who we were both very much into. I think I got to the venue five minutes before showtime!

Eton Crop – ‘Government’
We live with/above Pip’s parents. Her dad Erwin is a musician with quite the history. He is in Eton Crop, who were a Dutch band, relatively early to Punk in The Netherlands. They did a couple of Peel sessions and opened for The Fall. 

Scram C Baby – ‘Last Of The Great Smokers’
My dad JC also likes The Fall. He’s in a band called Scram C Baby. I think he was a bit younger than Erwin, and I guess Eton Crop was what Mozes and the Firstborn was to us. Both our parents have been very supportive of us (doing the music thing).

Getdown Services – ‘I Wish It Didn’t Bother Me’
After Josh supported my band Personal Trainer in Bristol with a solo GS show, we invited them to play our festival Curly Teeth. They were even more awesome with the two of them. They supported Pip Blom on a tour and have just sold out Electric Ballroom twice, which is very cool. We caught them at End Of The Road and they still rock.

Sorry – ‘Echoes’
Last band we saw that we both loved was Sorry. We saw them at End Of The Road.
Pip has been a long-time fan. If Pip’s a fan of something one record or song is on repeat all day. 
I wasn’t too sure about them at first. I got into the second record, then it clicked and that kind of got me to like the rest of their stuff that I had all heard a million times before.

Huge thanks to Pip Blom and Willem Smith for taking the time to compile these 10 songs and for the glimpse into what has them dancing around their home.

Pip Blom: Website |Instagram | Facebook Willem Smit: Instagram Personal Trainer: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Long Fling are playing a small number of shows in the UK with band members Sal Rubinstein, Darek Mercks, and Tender Blom:

October 15 – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
October 16 – The Lexington, London
October 18 – YES, Manchester

Introduction by Paul F Cook 

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