Mighty Boosh hunt for new bands

by Kev Geoghegan
Radio 1 music reporter

The Mighty Boosh are running into some problems as they prepare to host their first ever music festival. They claim they have not booked any bands yet.

Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt backstage at the Royal Albert Hall

The Boosh festival takes place at The Hop Farm in Kent on 5 July. The award winning pair have become the first comedians to be handed the reins at a UK music festival and are, understandably, a little nervous about it.

"We've made enquiries with some quite big people, people like the Beastie Boys", Noel Fielding told Newsbeat as the pair settle into a lime green couch that wouldn't look amiss in Naboo's Dalston flat.

"But they can't do it." added his partner Julian Barratt, with a wry smile.

Har Mar Superstar performs at the NME Awards USA

Fielding, a mainstay on the London scenester party circuit, counts celebs like Johnny Borrell, Courtney Love and Russell Brand among his friends.

He said: "We've got a wish list, haven't we? I'd like Har Mar Superstar, I've tried to contact him and Peaches but he hasn't got back to me.

"The Horrors haven't got back to me either.

"Gary Numan is interested, Serge from Kasabian is interested but I don't think the band will play because they're too big.

"But maybe he'll come and do an acoustic gypsy set."

Barratt said other characters from their TV show should make an appearance.

"So far, we've just one small tent in the middle where Naboo is going to read palms and tell your future and Fossil will be roaming loose.

Noel Fielding and brother Michael, who plays Naboo

"It'll just be us dressed as different bands."

Festival comedy

While a festival hosted by a comedy act is a first, the idea of music and comedy getting into bed together isn't new.

The Comedy and Cabaret stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals is well established and both Fielding and Barratt have performed at Glastonbury.

Fielding said: "I love going to festivals, playing them is a bit different but this is great because it's our own."

And, unlike last year's rain drenched Glasto, they are convinced the weather shouldn't make an impact.

Rich Fulcher as Bob Fossil

Fielding said: "I don't think it matters really, I think it's good if it's sunny because it makes people feel good but if it's not, then they all pull together."

Barratt agreed: "In comedy terms, usually when the weather's bad it goes much better.

"When it's sunny, people don't come to see comedy gigs because they're all really happy and don't need cheering up."

Corporate cool

The Boosh festival has been part organised by live music supremo Vince Power, founder of the Mean Fiddler Group, which promotes some of the UK's biggest clubs and music festivals.

He left in 2005 and this year launched the Hop Farm festival, which takes place the following day from The Mighty Boosh's stint.

Power has pledged to cut down the corporate presence which has become familiar at most live events.

Fielding insists the Boosh festival will operate under a similar ideal.

He said: "All these festivals seem to be sponsored by some ridiculous company that wants to be cool with the kids.

"It goes against the grain of what it's all about."

Aside from their own festival, Fielding and Barratt say fans may see them at a few more events this year, performing as a band.

Barratt said: "We really wanted to play the festivals this year but we wanted to do it as a band rather than comedy, because we kept being offered the comedy tent."

Sighing, Fielding added: "Once people found out we had a band, then they started getting quite interested."

They are also curating an evening at the Big Chill festival in Eastnor on 1-3 August.