WestFordNeedles are the earthly remnants of a 1960s cold-war experiment to create an artificial ionosphere, occasionally formed of musicians, AV artists, and poets: Jodie Saunders (Drones Over Keyham, amongst many musical projects), Daniel Leahy (Whitleigh Shaman, Poet extraordinaire, Dumnonia), Lucy Dafwyn (Oddstep Deployment Unit, NSWAC, COMBS, Burning World Quartet), Scott Noskills (Wives of Farmers, purveyor of locked grooves, the colour Orange and good vibes) and Sion Lewin (Oddstep Deployment Unit, WyfOfBath, Dumnonia, Gugalanna). They recently soundtracked Chaplins’ Shoulder Arms for the Atlantic Project 2018, at what was once the Gaumont Palace Theatre, Union Street. They like orbiting in a path around the earth together.
Q & A with WestFordNeedles
What do you love about showing and/or making work in Plymouth?
An opportunity to have an ongoing conversation with everyone else who is trying to make the best out of a life on the borderlands of late capitalism, saying what we see and seeing what we say. A chance to try out ideas in novel locations. The work is done because it is otherwise absent, that’s why we do it. It is essential – enjoyment and entertainment are simply some of the many benefits that may result.
What can you tell us about this project, and why is now a good time to share it?
To mark the latest recolonisation of the atmosphere by Elon Musk (a 90’s cinema baddy almost worthy of Die Hard) by StarLink, the current apocalyptical vibes of the Trumpson era, to celebrate the glory of pre-internet memes and our love of soundtracking and outrageous gwencore, and frankly because it’s begging to be done, we will create our mash-up of Wayne’s World and War of the Worlds; a theoretical look at the potential remodelling of Plymouth by the combined forces of collapse, alien invasion and a rebooted 90’s icon. A satire to complement the strange new visions and polystyrene ambitions of an absentee council and a construction mafia which neither shows its hand nor pays the full amount. Gas masks for the working crew but the public can whistle. There will be film, music and models. We will also have the extraordinary Blessed Pangolin blessing us, plus Ubiquitous Meh! And we will all probably DJ. You need to join us.
What are you excited to see at this year’s PAW, and why?
We haven’t seen the listings yet, so any statement would be a vacuous product of a hastily scanned document obtained through social networks. That’s no way to behave is it? The pink plaque idea is pretty great, dig the detournement (blue plaques too)… In general the PAW ethos of letting Plymouth bloom into a drift of feral creativity is superb. I can’t wait to see Tudor Evans eat Drake’s Island. Seagulls fighting humans for pasties – the seagulls will win – though it may depend on the pasty – Dewdney’s or Oggy Oggy’s? Friary Mill’s do a good cheese and onion. The Sunday Parade. Luxury communism sounds fun, also the monumental monuments walk on Sunday – North Star are doing good things… As are Imperfect Cinema. Bill Gates quantum Morris troupe, the Medieval Walking in Collywestonwards workshop, Notopia. As for musical content, we feel that Toe Jam and the Metatarsals have a similar artistic goal to WestFordNeedles, so we look forward to seeing their latest interactive output. Plymouth zine library will be worth a dropin. Splattered Grampians will be a hot ticket.
25, 26 & 27 Sept 2020 