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Lib Dem revels in a life of grime | Lib Dem revels in a life of grime |
(31 minutes later) | |
By day Norman Lamb walks the corridors of Westminster; by night he becomes an impresario of grime, a form of urban music sweeping the UK. | By day Norman Lamb walks the corridors of Westminster; by night he becomes an impresario of grime, a form of urban music sweeping the UK. |
The Lib Dem health spokesman has become involved in the career of up-and-coming artist Tinchy Stryder, who works for his son's recording company. | The Lib Dem health spokesman has become involved in the career of up-and-coming artist Tinchy Stryder, who works for his son's recording company. |
Mr Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, attends gigs, has offered his car for lifts and even invested £10,000. | Mr Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, attends gigs, has offered his car for lifts and even invested £10,000. |
He told the BBC that he and his wife were "living the grime scene". | He told the BBC that he and his wife were "living the grime scene". |
'Opened up' | 'Opened up' |
Mr Lamb, whose musical choices before his son took up a career in the industry were more likely to be Mozart and Led Zeppelin, is transfixed by the genre. | Mr Lamb, whose musical choices before his son took up a career in the industry were more likely to be Mozart and Led Zeppelin, is transfixed by the genre. |
He said: "It's been the central part of our lives for the last three years. We've lived grime. | He said: "It's been the central part of our lives for the last three years. We've lived grime. |
ON NORMAN LAMB'S iPOD Mozart's clarinet concertoRobert Plant/Led ZeppelinBruce SpringsteenAlison KraussTinchy Stryder | |
"We've heard the music at home and I suppose every parent is opened up to new stuff by youngsters. | "We've heard the music at home and I suppose every parent is opened up to new stuff by youngsters. |
"It's stuff we wouldn't ordinarily hear and we wouldn't normally go to the gigs." | "It's stuff we wouldn't ordinarily hear and we wouldn't normally go to the gigs." |
Grime originated in east London and its best-known exponent is probably Dizzee Rascal, who won the Mercury Prize in 2003. | Grime originated in east London and its best-known exponent is probably Dizzee Rascal, who won the Mercury Prize in 2003. |
Mr Lamb's son Archie, and his friend Jack Foster, left school half-way through sixth-form to set up a recording label Takaover Entertainment. | Mr Lamb's son Archie, and his friend Jack Foster, left school half-way through sixth-form to set up a recording label Takaover Entertainment. |
Soon afterwards, the MP remortgaged his house to give them a £10,000 business loan. | Soon afterwards, the MP remortgaged his house to give them a £10,000 business loan. |
'Discussions' | 'Discussions' |
Last year Archie and Jack's company managed to get Tinchy Styder - real name Kwasi Danquah - onto BBC Radio 1's playlist. | Last year Archie and Jack's company managed to get Tinchy Styder - real name Kwasi Danquah - onto BBC Radio 1's playlist. |
And the 22-year-old's latest song, Take Me Back, got to number three in the UK charts earlier this month. | And the 22-year-old's latest song, Take Me Back, got to number three in the UK charts earlier this month. |
Mr Lamb said: "We've sort of followed the thing as it happens. We've had lots of discussions about whether one track or another should be released." | Mr Lamb said: "We've sort of followed the thing as it happens. We've had lots of discussions about whether one track or another should be released." |
Sometimes the lyrics in urban music are quite challenging, but there's other stuff that's really good and clever Norman Lamb MP | Sometimes the lyrics in urban music are quite challenging, but there's other stuff that's really good and clever Norman Lamb MP |
He has also checked frequently to see how sales of Take Me Back are going. | He has also checked frequently to see how sales of Take Me Back are going. |
"Archie and Jack left school and that was that. It's an interesting collaboration between two middle-class lads from Norfolk and a lad from London. | "Archie and Jack left school and that was that. It's an interesting collaboration between two middle-class lads from Norfolk and a lad from London. |
"I've met Tinchy a few times and he's been to our house. I've got some Tinchy on my iPod. I would be in big trouble if I didn't." | "I've met Tinchy a few times and he's been to our house. I've got some Tinchy on my iPod. I would be in big trouble if I didn't." |
Mr Lamb, a solicitor by training and North Norfolk MP since 2001, has been known to attend gigs wearing his suit, having voted in the House of Commons. | Mr Lamb, a solicitor by training and North Norfolk MP since 2001, has been known to attend gigs wearing his suit, having voted in the House of Commons. |
He said: "I've got a catholic taste in music. I think there's merit in all genres, whether it's classical or modern stuff. | He said: "I've got a catholic taste in music. I think there's merit in all genres, whether it's classical or modern stuff. |
"Inevitably there's a diversity within grime or urban music. There's stuff that is accessible and there's stuff that's not. | "Inevitably there's a diversity within grime or urban music. There's stuff that is accessible and there's stuff that's not. |
"Sometimes the lyrics in urban music are quite challenging, but there's other stuff that's really good and clever." | "Sometimes the lyrics in urban music are quite challenging, but there's other stuff that's really good and clever." |
Of his son's career choice, he said: "We take the view that, had he gone to university, we would have given him as much financial support as we could afford. | Of his son's career choice, he said: "We take the view that, had he gone to university, we would have given him as much financial support as we could afford. |
"My younger son is applying at the moment, so he will get that support. | "My younger son is applying at the moment, so he will get that support. |
"It would have been unfair if we had not done the same for our older son, who is doing something entrepreneurial and exciting. | "It would have been unfair if we had not done the same for our older son, who is doing something entrepreneurial and exciting. |
"The only bad thing is that my Vauxhall Astra was driven around the country, taking Tinchy all over the place. It was ruined, so I had to use a Citroen instead." | "The only bad thing is that my Vauxhall Astra was driven around the country, taking Tinchy all over the place. It was ruined, so I had to use a Citroen instead." |
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