Gaggle
The definition of Gaggle is ‘an adjective describing a largely disorganized group of women, that tends to be annoying and lacking in her own individual opinions, putting forth discontent among all related fellows’.
We all know them; you may cross the street to avoid them on a Saturday night with their wobbly dildo headdresses and mini skirts. There is a certain noise that they make too, a high-pitched cackle and scream that breaks through any feeling of internal happiness.
But this particular Gaggle is somewhat different. It’s a 22 strong, all female acapella group.
NME named them in the top 50 Pictures of The Future back in August, although they hadn’t even got a record released- they were so fresh and had already gained a strong cult following, from Lauren Laverne to Nihal- basically the whole Radio1 office are in love with them, and who’d blame them. These girls are bloody innovative. Headed by the courageous Debra Coughlin, and there are no instruments in sight, not even a little itsy-bitsy guitar solo, thank god. They write tunes with the help of Simon Dempsey, a former member of 586 (as was Coughlin). This does not distract from the girl vibe though, not at all. Their songs, and when I say songs I mean war chants, rip through all the shit that Radio1 normally dirties up the airwaves with.
My favorite is Liar, an operatica call and response with a stamping drumbeat, they wail, ‘How can I tell if my man’s a liar?’ They bring girl power up to a new level- push the memory of the Spice Girls from your mind, as Gaggle are an intelligent collaborative choral explosion. They make sexy boring, with their psychedelic hooded garments they look like altar boys on acid.
I saw them perform out of the corner of my eye at Field Day in August, amid the rain and shit sound systems. These shining beauties shot past me and up into a bandstand to fire out their noise while they rocked like a silky cult.
They are gigging all over London until the end of December, and you can also follow their hilarious blog that covers everything from PMT, poetry to their latest gig.
Keep it girl power!
Aquila Dunford Wood