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Get it Loud in Libraries is the brainchild of Stewart Parsons, head librarian of Lancaster's music lending division. It's a simple scheme aimed at getting more young bums on seats. Instead of shushing them, Parsons reasons, we should encourage kids with noise; bands among the bookshelves, even.
Parsons swerved well clear of the classic mistake: trying to relate with hum-able Dad-rock. Instead, he booked a slew of breakthough acts so of-the-moment the ink had barely dried on their latest splash in the NME. Mono Taxi, Bricolage, The Long Blondes, VFormation - all have graced the patch of carpet between Large Print Fiction and Gardening.
Get It Loud's success lead to a nomination at local government's equivalent of the Oscars. And Parsons has drawn the attention of the music industry.
Mercury Records contacted him to
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howard byrom finds that books are still relevant to the iPod generation
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orchestrate a national tour of lending libraries for their latest acquisition - the tweed and trilby-tastic Mr Hudson and The Library. Their considered rhymes took them to Jools Holland's show without having sold a single record, and the tour has sold out.
Mr Hudson (Ben to his Mum) studied English at Oxford. Other members read languages at Cambridge, or were at the Royal College of Music. Which makes them perfectly placed to comment on cultural matters: "It's almost like culture is a rude word isn't it?" Hudson muses. "People need to realise that books, talking and ideas have nothing to do with class and nothing to do with money."
But are books still relevant to the iPod generation? "Yeah. The more you read, the better your rhymes will be. The more you read the better your songs will be. Just like if you don't listen to any records, how's your band going to be any good?"
Mr Hudson and The Library's tour finishes in Poole on February 3. The single Too Late is out February 19.
FIRST POSTED FEBRUARY 4, 2007
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