Photos: British Punk Band Savages Takes Brooklyn - Slideshow - Vulture

January 28, 2015 8:00 am

Photos: British Punk Band Savages Takes Brooklyn

By David Marchese

For the latest edition of “Life in Pictures,” photographer TIM followed the burgeoning London punk foursome when they took up residence in Brooklyn for nine shows in 19 days, from January 13 through 20. Ahead, front woman Jehnny Beth speaks about discovering Bedford and brunch.

*This article appears in the January 26, 2015 issue of New York Magazine.

Waking up: I stayed with our producer, Johnny Hostile, in Williamsburg. I’d always stayed in Manhattan before. I heard there was a shooting on the street outside this place. So Brooklyn is pretty much America. It was intense.

Waking up: I stayed with our producer, Johnny Hostile, in Williamsburg. I’d always stayed in Manhattan before. I heard there was a shooting on the street outside this place. So Brooklyn is pretty much America. It was intense.

Rehearsal space, Brooklyn: We wanted to come to America to finish writing the record. The label is here. The clubs are here. Your environment is going to influence what you’re doing, so New York was the best option. That said, we’re not on holiday. The schedule is tight. We haven’t been able to wander around and go to museums or anything like that.

Rehearsal space, Brooklyn: We wanted to come to America to finish writing the record. The label is here. The clubs are here. Your environment is going to influence what you’re doing, so New York was the best option. That said, we’re not on holiday. The schedule is tight. We haven’t been able to wander around and go to museums or anything like that.

Baby’s All Right, Williamsburg: “It looks like we’re eating,” says Jehnny Beth, “but we were at the venue planning the set list. The purpose of the trip to New York was to shake things up, but the set list is a ritual.”
The group, from left: Ayse Hassan, Fay Milton, Gemma Thompson, and Jehnny Beth.

Baby’s All Right, Williamsburg: “It looks like we’re eating,” says Jehnny Beth, “but we were at the venue planning the set list. The purpose of the trip to New York was to shake things up, but the set list is a ritual.”
The group, from left: Ayse Hassan, Fay Milton, Gemma Thompson, and Jehnny Beth.

Record shopping in Greenpoint: I was trying to do Brooklyn things, like go for brunch and walk on Bedford and look for records. It’s not often I eat brunch, but it’s quite popular here. The record prices are cheaper than in London, but I can only bring back one or two. They’re heavy to pack.

Record shopping in Greenpoint: I was trying to do Brooklyn things, like go for brunch and walk on Bedford and look for records. It’s not often I eat brunch, but it’s quite popular here. The record prices are cheaper than in London, but I can only bring back one or two. They’re heavy to pack.

Dinner in Bedford-Stuyvesant: This at Gabe’s house—he works for our label, Matador. It’s not often we can all get together and meet, and it was a free meal. The food, thankfully, was suitable for a band that has vegan and gluten-free things going on.

Dinner in Bedford-Stuyvesant: This at Gabe’s house—he works for our label, Matador. It’s not often we can all get together and meet, and it was a free meal. The food, thankfully, was suitable for a band that has vegan and gluten-free things going on.

On the rooftop of Ayse and Gemma’s building: We’re doing a residency all January. When you’re on the road, you have a crew to help. We don’t even touch the gear. But during this residency, we’re doing pretty much everything ourselves because there are budget limits. We’re staying in one place, but it’s almost as tiring as being on tour.

On the rooftop of Ayse and Gemma’s building: We’re doing a residency all January. When you’re on the road, you have a crew to help. We don’t even touch the gear. But during this residency, we’re doing pretty much everything ourselves because there are budget limits. We’re staying in one place, but it’s almost as tiring as being on tour.

Backstage glamour: I’ve been struggling with mirrors since I arrived—my flat doesn’t have one. Most venues don’t. At Baby’s All Right, there’s one above the toilet. I had to stand on it to see what I looked like before going onstage.

Backstage glamour: I’ve been struggling with mirrors since I arrived—my flat doesn’t have one. Most venues don’t. At Baby’s All Right, there’s one above the toilet. I had to stand on it to see what I looked like before going onstage.

Jehnny at home: It’s important to give yourself a rest. The danger is that you wreck your thinking if you don’t have enough down moments.

Jehnny at home: It’s important to give yourself a rest. The danger is that you wreck your thinking if you don’t have enough down moments.

The Monday show at Baby’s All Right: The crowd, without knowing it, is part of our writing in some ways. We were playing new songs, and just by being honest in their reaction, the crowd was telling us what’s crap and what’s good. Mostly it was good!

The Monday show at Baby’s All Right: The crowd, without knowing it, is part of our writing in some ways. We were playing new songs, and just by being honest in their reaction, the crowd was telling us what’s crap and what’s good. Mostly it was good!

Costume fitting: This is also at my flat, with a designer named Creepyyeha. She does lingerie—with leather. She didn’t know us before. Now she’s a fan.

Costume fitting: This is also at my flat, with a designer named Creepyyeha. She does lingerie—with leather. She didn’t know us before. Now she’s a fan.

“DFA’s Winter Workout” party at Baby’s All Right: Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem invited us to come. She’d seen us four times in New York before, but we’d never met. Me and Johnny Hostile have an electronic-dance-music project, which is what this is. James Murphy was there; Juan MacLean. It was an actual dance night, which was exciting.

“DFA’s Winter Workout” party at Baby’s All Right: Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem invited us to come. She’d seen us four times in New York before, but we’d never met. Me and Johnny Hostile have an electronic-dance-music project, which is what this is. James Murphy was there; Juan MacLean. It was an actual dance night, which was exciting.

Sound check, with gum, at Saint Vitus: I get bored easily. You’re just waiting and waiting. It’s important but takes so long. It’s like when you’re doing a movie and have to wait for technical things to get sorted before you film. It’s an invitation to do silly things.

Sound check, with gum, at Saint Vitus: I get bored easily. You’re just waiting and waiting. It’s important but takes so long. It’s like when you’re doing a movie and have to wait for technical things to get sorted before you film. It’s an invitation to do silly things.

Before going onstage: I was surprised by Williamsburg. In Manhattan, everything is happening all the time. Brooklyn feels different, a bit more residential. I didn’t expect that, to be honest. But I just have to embrace it.

Before going onstage: I was surprised by Williamsburg. In Manhattan, everything is happening all the time. Brooklyn feels different, a bit more residential. I didn’t expect that, to be honest. But I just have to embrace it.

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