Lonely Joe Parker & Jackie Paper are just to release an acoustic split ep “What’s Wrong With Broken Glass” on Sotones. All profit on sales goes to OXFAM, a leading NGO. Make a move, stream it and if you like it, just buy it! Bonus interview below:

What are you up to at the moment?
JOE: Getting ready for the release – been rehearsing up a new band. Writing furiously last month, think there’s enough for a double-disc next year, about half reflective stuff like on “What’s Wrong with Broken Glass EP” and half garage-y, grungy stuff. Probably going to call it ‘Loud & Quiet’, we’ll see… been asked to do a few christmassy gigs as usual which is always nice – mulled wine makes a nice change from shit carling riders!

DAVE: Juggling a few projects… I have a handful of Jackie Paper songs that need to be finished, so hopefully I can arrange another recording session with Peter Lyons soon. Right now I’m up in Yorkshire recording the new Thomas Tantrum record, Megan is laying down her vocals for a track as I write this. I’m also christmas retail temping for chump change.

What are your main musical influences?
JOE: Joe Strummer, Evan Dando, Tom Waits, Cat Power, Pavement, At the Drive-In. I’ve been listening a lot to Blood Red Shoes and Ladyhawke this year too…

DAVE: Hefner, Neil Young, Silver Jews, Abba, Frank, Hank… too many to mention really.

Do you think your music should ‘belong’ or ‘fit in’ to a particular musical family or genre?
JOE: Um… no. The only thing my Dad ever told me was “don’t listen to anyone. Do whatever you want to do.” I’m not very well-travelled, musically speaking. Maybe that makes me a bit weird but on the other hand I don’t give a shit about genres. Last night I spent 4 hours watching Jay-Z to that “Empire State” song live on repeat, and just thought, ‘hmm, let’s give that a go.’

DAVE: Music is music – there are certain conventions that you can follow or ignore as you choose – who cares. Do what you want to do.

You are releasing records in a difficult time for the music industry: how do you see the future for it?
JOE: Well, everyone’s making less money than ever in the traditional territories; but then it’s easier to sell and travel abroad than it used to be, and half of my enjoyment of music is playing strange places anyway. so ‘guardedly optimistic’, I guess.

DAVE: I’ve heard people being really pessimistic about how there’s no money about and no one is getting signed these days, yada yada yada. But I think it is a genuinely exciting time for the music industry. it’s like someone’s pushed the big red ‘reset’ button, now its DIY all the way. If you know anyone with the basic means to lay something down on tape, and have the time to play the odd gig, a world of opportunity opens up to you.

What do you expect from a label in 2009?
JOE: Timely royalties, curry instant noodles, clean socks… But really, Sotones are a great label. I always feel like I can trust the other artists to give me honest critical opinions, and never feel pressured into releasing anything I don’t want to. It’s great to be working with like-minded people the competition is really healthy. It’s the only co-op label in the UK, i think.

DAVE: …and everyone shares the workload, plays on each others’ records, helps out with artwork, posters etc. It really is a ‘cooperative’ in the literal sense of the word.

Please could you let us know a bit more about your collaboration?
JOE: I think we got drunk at Christmas last year just after I got back from the states, and thought it’d be fun to do a split record. Oxfam and Sotones were both really up for it. It started off being really low-key, just a couple of songs into a dictaphone, then I think Dave brought Pete Lyons in to produce one of the tracks, and I thought, ’shit, he’s going to make something really good’, so I pulled a few other people in, Dave fleshed out his songs a bit more, etc. Real one-upmanship! Then we wrapped it all up in a frantic 4-day session at Furnace Studios (then in London, now moved to Bulgaria) over the summer – long days, sunshine. Plus Tom and Rysia, who run Furnace, had just had a baby (you can hear her here and there in the tracks). So the atmosphere was really optimistic and stuff, different to a normal session, where it’s all a bit grimy and a bit blokey really.

Could you you tell us what is the most important source of income today ? Records, syncs, tours, merch…?
JOE: Pocket money? Larceny? Blood donation?

As an artist, how do you use & see the web today? How important is it for you and how do you see it evolving in the coming years?
JOE: Um, well, you can’t really do without it, can you? I had to cut down how much time I was spending on twitter and facebook recently, it’s ridiculous.

What’s your favourite: digital and physical format and why?
JOE: DEFINITELY 12″ vinyl all the way! It’s a bit indulgent but sooooooooooo nice. My mum thinks I’m not a total waster now. Do I have a favourite digital format? If pushed, I’d say live gig footage on youtube.

Recommended music sites? And non-musical sites?
JOE: For quality of writing krugermagazine.com is ace. Blogoteque are always pretty sharp too. Non-music? Campaign Against Arms Trade are awesome, they’re so underfunded but totally committed and do an incredible job – they took the government to court last year and won! caat.org.uk tells you everything you need to know about why the UK spends billions of taxpayer dough every year sponsoring arms dealers’ exports to places like Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Zimbabwe…

DAVE: Okay, I’m going to count spotify as a music site, although you could say its more of a software application. I dont care. Non-musical, i’d say fat-pie.com. the animations of david firth strike a chord with me.

Best thing that happened to you recently?
JOE: A friend mentioned they’ve got keys to a little cottage out at Land’s End. I want to go there in the new year to relax, go swimming and climbing and finish demos for this album.

DAVE: It’s not really a secret, but at the same time I don’t want to jinx it. And seeing as I can’t think of anything else, I’m not going to say anything.

Number one junk food?
JOE: Bombay mix.

DAVE: Rhymes with figmac. begins with ‘B’. and no, I’m not ashamed. well maybe just a little.

Best live venue? Why? Best gig of the year? Best gig ever?
JOE: Hamptons, in Southampton – really doing loads to support local music. Best gig this year was Orphans & Vandals there. Band of Skulls at Koko was pretty damn amazing too, because we’ve all grown up together and it was ace to see them doing the do in front of all those people.

DAVE: I second Hamptons. it’s pretty cosy but in the last year they’ve updated their PA and have a couple of consistently good in house engineers. always have a soft spot for Southampton’s Joiners and Pompey’s Wedgewood rooms too. the Haunted Stereo EP launch at the Joiners the other day was spellbinding.

A movie you would like to watch now, right now?
JOE: Dave’s probably gonna pick either a porno or Ghostbusters. All I can say to add to that is that Ghostbusters II is massively underrated.

DAVE: Erm, yeah Ghostbusters gets me off every time. actually I want to see Where The Wild Things Are. I cant complete my ‘Films of 09′ blog without forming an opinion on that first. Oh, and Herzog’s remake of ‘Bad Lieutenant’ has really restored my faith in Nicholas Cage.

Best TV shows (current and ever)?
JOE: The Thick Of It, Black Books, Father Ted… anything with celts swearing, it seems.

DAVE: Coronation street, Orangutan Diary, Six feet Under.

Last book you enjoyed reading?
JOE: ‘Amarillo Slim’s autobiography. He was like, the greatest gambler/swindler ever, and there’s a few tall tales in there… plus, now when I’m half cut I talk like a cowboy.

DAVE: ‘Things the Grandchildren Should Know’ by Mark Everett, the guy from Eels. Tragic and beautiful.

Last album you enjoyed listening?
JOE: Orphans & Vandals’ ‘I Am Alive And You Are Dead’ though Ladyhawke’s debut is pretty good too, and I’m still struggling to come to terms with how good ‘You Are Free’ (Cat Power), ‘Orphans, Brawlers & Bastards’ (Tom Waits), ‘The Reminder’ (Feist), ‘Box Of Secrets’ (Blood Red Shoes) and (YACHT) are – individually and as a total listening experience…

DAVE: really digging ‘How to get to Heaven from Scotland’ by Aidan Moffat & The Best Ofs. Plenty of Arab Strap too for that matter.

Fave night drink and morning beverage?
DAVE: Rum & Ginger ale / coffee. Blacker than Joe’s soul.

JOE: White Ace / White Ace.

2009 top albums?
JOE: see above (Ladyhawke, Orphans & Vandals)
DAVE: It’s not a new album as such, but Nirvana at Reading ’92, hands down.

2009 top tracks?
JOE: Band of Skulls – Honest
DAVE: Karen ‘O’ – Worried Shoes

Visit Lonely Joe Parker Myspace
Visit Jackie Paper Myspace

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