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What influenced the band towards making the music we ultimately hear?

Benni is quick off the mark: “In the grand scheme of things it’d be Joy Division for me. But when I say Joy Division I also very much mean the producer Martin Hannett and what he achieved. He was a total pioneer. Hearing Closer when I was about 13 years old had an immeasurable impact on me musically. For what we’re doing in Logikparty, Glenn Branca, DNA, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, Ut, Pylon and Chrome are big, big influences.”

Gib expands on the subject. “European and American post-punk music would be undeniably our biggest, but by no means exclusive, musical influence. Though that covers a pretty large sonic spectrum of bands. The new tunes that we’re playing around with at the moment have loads of other elements in there too. One of them has a kind of Cramps meets Banshees feel to it while another could have elements of Sun Ra. I think taking elements from a wide range of influences and coming up with material that sits comfortably together is the way we operate best. There’s a lot to be said for not taking ourselves too seriously during the writing process, too. Having fun has been massively influential!”

Atonal and loud, Logikparty’s brand of rock has led to then term ‘no wave’ quickly becoming attached to the band. It’s so easy to make comparisons, was this too obvious or misleading a definition?

“Well, we are fans of the no wave era of bands but it’s more of a common ground thing – we are fans of music of all genres.” Gib’s record-collector enthusiasm comes to the fore. “I guess the ethos of the no wave bands and what we do have their similarities. A lot of the Lower East Side bands of the late Seventies and early Eighties were largely non-musicians who were trying to do stuff other than the norm. I don’t think Logikparty particularly sound like these bands sonically but if you reference a few groups more than once you tend to get tarred with the same brush. I think we’re all quite content with these comparisons though. I mean, better that than being compared to bands with which we have zero affinity.”

“I don’t think being described as avid fans of no wave is misleading? We are!” explains Benni. “We like lots of different types of music and have various hints of lots of genres running though what we do from post-punk to free jazz, some ska even. I don’t want to define what Logikparty does at all. Why erect a fence to peg yourself in when enough people try to do that already? That said though, the whole idea and movement of no wave was based around a load of bands that sounded nothing like each other, so I guess in the purest sense we are no wave.”

Joined by guitarist Stevie Dake and bassist Dan Joyce, it is not a style or ethos but the individuals’ proficiency on their instruments that make Logikparty’s sound so tight. Benni’s main charge is to sing, growl and yelp out lyrics but more than just a singer, she also shares some roles with Dan, adding synths to some songs or swapping over to the long-necked bass, an instrument she played for years with other bands. There aren’t many rock bands with a female lead around here. Does it makes a difference?

“I really dont know how to answer this at all.” Benni is thoughtful. “I dunno, its not something we ever really think about and I find it really hard to think of myself as a ‘female in a band’. The structure of how we do things doesn’t really allow for gender-specific roles at all, we all just get stuck in!”

Gib is more certain. “When we started jamming together at the beginning we had no idea set in stone to who would be doing what. The guitar and drums were the only constants. It just happened with a small amount of trial and error that Benni was by far the best and most suitable vocalist for us. It was never the plan to have a specifically female lead vocalist, it just worked out that way. We’ve all seen ads and posters for bands ‘seeking female bassist’ or some such thing. I find this slightly daft. Surely a person’s musical suitability, as opposed to gender, should be the key ingredient when starting a band?

Friday July 2 sees a headline show at Whelan’s in Dublin with support from Children Under Hoof and Fringilla Montifringilla. What’s next for Logikparty? “Aye, it’s actually Gib and I’s first venture into promoting with our little label – White Plague Presents,” says Benni, her excitement palpable. “Then a biggie for us is playing with Trans Festival in Belfast. We’re doing a set with world-renowned stop-motion animator and artist Martha Colburn from New York. This is going to be mega! She worked with Deerhoof at ATP New York and her art also featured on the film The Devil And Daniel Johnston. We’ll be playing a set accompanied by two live 16mm film projections from the filmmaker. Some of the our set will be one-off improvised pieces specially for the night. We plan to have something new to release before the end of the year too.”

“We have some ideas for more releases in the pipeline,” agrees Gib. “Eventually an album I guess, doing some shows in different places would be cool. Then we move to LA and have money fights by our massive swimming pools. That’s what eventually happens to all bands, right?”

Not all bands but they’re well on the way to dreams already with their cruel jeans, smudged eyes and hoarse voices from jamming late into the nights, always looking ahead to the next logical move.

Logikparty play Whelan’s, Dublin on July 2, Castlebar on July 17 and the Trans Festival, Belfast on July 22.

www.logikparty.bandcamp.com