Londonist asks someone some random questions. This time it's cooler than cool music comedy legend Jazz Emu, who's touring his show Knight Fever, which Londonist recently gave★★★★☆. Here, we talk cable cars, freaky food and silent Ks.
Your song Dear English Language sets out your issues with pronunciation. What's the most stupidly pronounced Tube station?
The most stupidly pronounced station is, of course, Knightsbridge. Far too many people treat the K as silent, when in fact it should be leant into with the full force of the British tongue and gullet. I don't want a single letter in that word going unpronounced! In fact I often stand at the entrance of the station and test people on their pronunciation before letting them through the barriers. When said correctly, "Knightsbridge" should sound like a small boat's engine being started, and should almost rhyme with "a pilot's stingray", if you see what I mean.
Freakiest thing you've eaten in London
At home, last week, which is technically in London, I accidentally ate the little tissue that soaks up the juice from the meat at the bottom of a beef mince packet. They really need clearer signage that those aren't edible.
How many songs have you had to throw away because they were just too good?
How many plays did Shakespeare throw away? It's that many, in fact probably more. I've never written a play personally, but I imagine it's probably in the tens of millions? My biggest regret was throwing away my 74 hour experimental concept album titled Jazz Emu Hits Different Sized Bits of Wood. I thought it got really good at track 547, but the cowards at the label weren’t having any of it.
Have you been anywhere in London that's so achingly hip, your hips actually ached?
My hips tend to ache after any performance onstage, which is understandable given the levels of gyration going on. After that I usually take a dip in the Brockwell Lido, I like the effect it has. It really is the place to be.
Favourite song about London?
It's between Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks, and my own song Lime Bike In The Thames (Oh No, No, No).
Sexiest mode of transport: tram or cable car?
Cable car hands down. The eye contact enforced by sitting opposite another in an enclosed cabin is highly seductive, particularly in my case as I make sure to wink coquettishly every 20-30 seconds. Though trams do often have a compelling boarding and/or mid-carriage ticket mechanism, particularly the central-European models. On second thought I'll have to get back to you on this one.
Jazz Emu is currently touring Knight Fever across the UK. He's performing twice at Leicester Square Theatre in London on Saturday 1 March. The evening show is now sold out, but at time of writing you can still nab seats for the matinee.
