Lifestyle

Hozier's My London

The singer eats fried chicken in Shoreditch and likes spooky dates
My London: Hozier
Hannah Nathanson
2 March 2015

Home is…

A small town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It’s quiet, spacious, green and near the coast.

Most romantic thing someone’s done for you?

Rang a box office all day to see if there were any last-minute tickets for a Stewart Lee gig. I’m a big fan.

Building you’d most like to buy?

Abbey Road Studios, for very obvious reasons.

Where do you stay in London?

The K West in Shepherd’s Bush, which is right by Westfield and the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. I got to catch Lorde and Blondie there last year.

Last play you saw?

An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Portrait of Dorian Gray at the Ambassadors Theatre, which was set in the near future and entitled Selfie. It was cleverly done with period costume and furniture, explained through the hipster fetish for an old-world aesthetic.

What would you do as Mayor for the day?

Announce that 100 grown kangaroos would be released on to the London streets. I would then only release 75, painting numbers on them randomly to make it seem like 25 were missing, and then hand the reins back to Boris.

At the moment you are...

About to embark on a 15-hour drive from Vancouver to Salt Lake City. When I’m on the road I read comic books, such as Batman: Year One and play video games.

Last album you bought?

Sounds of the South on vinyl, recorded by Alan Lomax, which is amazing.

Have you ever had a run-in with a London policeman?

I once called the police on a drugged-up young man who attacked a woman in our party. Not so much a run-in; they were very understanding and helpful.

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Building you’d most like to be locked in overnight?

The Natural History Museum. I’d have endless time to wander around all those dead things.

Favourite shops?

Being so tall [6ft 5in], it’s hard to find clothes that fit. I like the suede jackets at AllSaints on Portobello Road. I also like Levi’s denim jackets and Converse sneakers. I’ll go to Boots to stock up on leave-in conditioner and Armani Code.

Earliest London memory?

Being fascinated by the bearskin hats worn by the Royal Guard.

Best place for a first date?

Philip Pullman’s immersive fairy tale Grimm Tales for Young and Old at Bargehouse on the South Bank. If she’s not into that, she’s not coming on the second date to the catacombs (in Highgate).

Best meal?

Clutch restaurant in Shoreditch for amazing fried chicken, cocktails and a great hip-hop playlist.

Where would you go for a nightcap?

Probably just the hotel bar for a Whiskey Sour or a Jameson’s.

What do you collect?

I’ve recently started a record collection for when I have enough time off to build a home somewhere. My prize record is John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, and Chet Baker Sings gets spun a lot, too.

Who are your heroes?

Tom Waits, Nina Simone and David Bowie.

More My London

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Hozier’s single ‘Someone New’ is out now