He was the warm-up promoting the next Brit-pop-rock big thing. He was an unlikely choice then in view of the target (and packed) audience. With his acoustic guitar and unannounced, he was clearly a little nervous.

"like biro sketches that might appeal to those with less able attention spans..."

On a night when the beer was free, he admits "I can't remember exactly what I played except 'J for Julian Sleeps'. He's got a stage presence and it wasn't long before the crowd warmed to him. Not in the wholesome nice boy of Willie Mason or the pretty-emo-ubertalent of Conor Oberst way. He's seemingly more interesting, dark and strange.

He told me that he really likes Syd Barrett. Strange in itself for a 19 year old? One of his songs is called 'Lucky 6'. I asked him what that was about. He said, "Child Abuse" before taking a moment to think again and suggesting "anything that gets you through really."

He says he likes honest lyrics, "like Willie Mason's" but really likes the acts on the Warp label (Prefuse 73, LFO, Aphex Twin etc). Early on he played two 'songs' called 'The Murderbirds' and 'Sex Scene #1'. He said that he'd like to make a classical album and these songs were 'extracts', "more like biro sketches that might appeal to those with less able attention spans". Is he taking the p?

As he grew in confidence, he started announcing the song titles and ended with 'Mathilda V', which is about failed marriage proposal, the aforementioned 'Lucky 6' and reggae flavoured 'Dick Strange & The Nasty Boys'. I wasn't brave enough to ask what that was about.

He's from Chatham and has already been described as "a romantic and dashing acoustic genius". Yet to prove the 'genius' element but there lots of support. John Kennedy of XFM has had him in session on his X-Posure show earlier this week (hopefully it will be posted on his web site, see link below). He's also appeared this month at the folk/blues/country/psych club 'In The Pines' which as a twice monthly gig near Kings Cross. They've got one of his songs entitled 'Staghead And Monster' on their site to listen to (see link below).

I liked him as he reminds me of the strangeness of the "abrasive folk-blues" of Kevin Coyne in his Marjory Razorblade period (one for old fans of Peely). There's an EP released on Tap 'n' Records next month and hopefully this will see him is extend his horizons from "the forefront of Kent's new-folk scene". We may even see him at the Wychwood Festival. You never know.

Links
XFM: Lupen Crook Live in Session [19th April]
In The Pines [Sunday afternoons and free]
Kevin Coyne -- An Overview
http://www.lupencrook.co.uk [Coming Soon]