Nizlopi are a two piece band: Luke Concannon (guitar and vocals) and John Parker (double bass affectionately named Stephanie, human beatbox and vocals). Based in Leamington Spa, United Kingdom and educated at Trinity Catholic Technology College, they are becoming increasingly popular with their fresh brand of folk music. Nizlopi are renowned for crowd involvment at their gigs, giving an energetic performance. Often improvising, inviting people up on stage to sing and dance or unplugging and going into the crowd. They took part in 'healthy concerts' or 'gigs in digs' where artists play in someone's house. The duo also ran an auction on Ebay to have a song written for the highest bidder in November 2005. The band are named after a Hungarian girl that Luke had a crush on at school.
Luke and John met on the school bus when they were thirteen. The beginning of a long-standing friendship and musical collaboration. Always excited about this band or that artist. About the new U2 or Bjork album, or about discovering an Otis Reading, Tom Waits or Morrison record.
They played and wrote verciously over the years. And not just in the same bands. Playing Jazz, Funk, Indian Gurbe, Irish Soul, Ska, Bluegrass, Hip Hop and experimental, with a broad variety of different musicians. Always wanting to push the genre's, always passionate.
Nizlopi have so far released one album, Half These Songs Are About You, which was generally very well received. It features the track JCB Song which has a highly-acclaimed accompanying video. The song was written about Luke's troubles with dyslexia at school and his escape to accompany his dad at work, and was released as a single in June 2005, reaching number 160 in the UK Singles Chart. The single was then re-released in the UK on 12 December 2005, reaching number one the following week on 18 December 2005.
