Playlist: Music To Cut Hair To with Hannah

 
Music

A trip to the hair salon is rarely just purely functional. When in the right setting, it becomes a shared and social experience. Hairdressers behave like friends and counsellors. The salon is a place for relaxation, self-reflection and a good ol' conversation.

Therefore, there is nothing more annoying than bad music. OK, the stylist can be forgiven if they have as much personality as a wet blanket, so long as the haircut is to a certain standard, but if I hear them banging an EDM number or the latest pop drivel, it’s just unacceptable. Not only is it an interruption of what we believe the salon atmosphere should be but when you are working up to 12 hours on your feet, do you want to be listening to rubbish? No thank you.

Here at the About This Place, a salon headed by the Hair Mistress, Victoria Saunders has perfected that blend. She cuts the hair of half the DJs in London and apparently the reason they keep coming back, aside from a damn fine haircut and our ability to talk bollocks professionally, is the fact the music is spot on – hence being asked by R$N to compile a fortnightly feature for them. Music To Cut Hair To, a selection of some great music played in the salon alongside some appearances from friends…

"Hannah. New friend who has stormed in with a cracking playlist. She is the label manager for Konichiwa Records. She also co-founded the Ladies Music Pub. Now, I REALLY want to be part of that club. Also she puts on a night called LOCAL that is based in South (Sarf) London. Can you see why I wanted her to do this for me?? One other word 'Hold tight London, we will get through this together'."

1. When were you at your happiest? 

The day I left school..

2. What’s your greatest fear?


Letting people down. I’m a people pleaser.

3. Who do you admire?

Val Wilmer – She’s from Tulse Hill, just up the road from where I grew up in Brixton. She was a woman in a mans world at the time (Jazz in the sixties). Her photographs and books documented that world so beautifully. Also Tyson Mcvey who I founded Ladies Music Pub with. And Miranda Sawyer. And Mica Levi. And Linder Sterling. And Larry Levan. And Robyn. Lots of people!

4. What trait do you deplore in yourself/ other people?

Straight up Sycophancy. 

5. What’s your worst habit?

Saying YES to everything / biting off more than I can chew and not admitting it.

6. Favourite word? 

Leiblingsfussballmanschaft (it means ‘favourite football team’ in german)

7. Who would you like to say sorry to? 


People who’s demos I forget to reply to. This rarely happens but i feel bad if it does.

8. Who do you despise?


Really not many people. But one of my first bosses is up there. He seemed to me to be a narcissistic bully who enjoyed shouting at people.

9. Who or what is the love of your life?

South London. James Graley.

10. What would improve your life?

More holidays.

11. Worst job you have ever done?


Doing the door in the pissing rain in Manchester week after week maybe. Although I loved being a door girl generally. Working under the bloke I mentioned in question number 8 although it taught me a lot too: I never compromised. That was probably the problem.

12. What’s your greatest achievement?

Ladies Music Pub. It’s a group for women in the music industry, lots of people have found jobs through it. We do meetings and gigs. Releasing Everybody Down with Kate Tempest on Big Dada was a formative experience that I will always be proud of. And a house party that I threw a few years ago, people met and fell in love.

13. What keeps you awake at night?

Foxes fucking.

14. How would you like to be remembered?

Not a bore. 


15. What lessons has life taught you?

Be lovely. 


16. What would your super power be?

Touching people and they feel blissfully happy and their mental wounds heal. I would personify years of therapy. Imagine the queues!

17. Favourite smell?

Dior Fahrenheit – reminds me of my granddad. 

19. Who would play you in a film?

Someone lanky and clumsy. 

19. What song would you like played at your funeral?

A Guy Called Gerald ‘Voodoo Ray’ – no question. 

20. Top tip?

Ummm how nice are these swanky suitcases. 

21.Tell us a secret…

Mums the word. 

Also anything exciting you would like to shout about, upcoming gigs, parties. weddings etc etc.

Its probably all gonna get cancelled so I dare not promote anything at the moment.


Catch the Ladies Music Pub on Instagram HERE