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Published: 13 January, 2011
by ROISIN GADELRAB

TO many, the title “Mayor” evokes images of Mr T jewellery, stuffy occasions, endless ribbon-cutting and a mature figurehead.

Not so in Camden. This year’s mayor, Jonathan Simpson, is youthful in comparison, spends his spare time on gigs, has 25,000 tracks on his iPod and is ­Camden Barfly’s star DJ on Saturday.

Jonathan is currently sifting through his collection trying to narrow down his favour­ite tracks for a debut DJ set for the 12th birthday of Barfly’s Casino Royale night. His consort, broadcaster Amy Lame, a veteran on the decks, will be helping out.

“I’m scratching my head thinking what on earth I’m going to play,” said Jonathan. “I’m just this music nerd with lots of records but I’ve never played them publicly before. We’ll see if it’s good fun or completely car crash. Amy’s and my music tastes are fairly similar – she has more French pop records than me but we’re both big Morrissey fans.”

Their fee will go to The Roundhouse Trust, the mayor’s chosen charity of the year.

“The Roundhouse is a not-for-profit venue,” he said. “It has great gigs and events and money raised goes back into the studio enabling young people to get involved in music and performing arts. It has a really cheap studio space, concerts are recorded live by young people so can be watched around the world, they have a radio station, cheap instruments to hire – it’s a fantastic space for creativity.”

Jonathan said he chose music as his mayoral theme because “other mayors in the past have chosen themes which have not necessarily related to the true spirit of Camden”. He added: “If you mention Camden around the world, people will probably say first the market and then the music heritage. So many great bands have been born in Camden and while it’s fun to promote, it’s also really important because it creates so many jobs and gives millions of pounds to our local economy.”

And he’s not shy to recognise the competition. 

“Everybody who goes out in Camden has a good time”, he sayd, “while people who speak to me about going out in Shoreditch say they don’t necessarily, and feel like they were desperately pretending to have a good time, be fashionable, and if anybody broke out into a smile they would be frowned upon.”

While he may be drowning in music, the mayor hasn’t yet got to the point of alphabetising his records (downloads excepted).

He said: “I have too much, it’s a constant bugbear. I occasionally wish I didn’t have so much but when I feel my inner geek coming out, the records come out.”

Where others at school headed for the football pitch, Jonathan, aged 10 – who played accordion – was busy organising relatives to drive him to see The Smiths.

“When I have free time I go to concerts and that’s what attracted me to Camden,” he said. “The best gig was at the height of Suede’s popularity, they were on fire and had a fantastic gig at the Roundhouse. 

“There was this surreal celebrity moment when Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys came out and sang Rent with the band. It was brilliant – the idea of the Pet Shop Boys being a rock band. Lots of great gig memories – also seeing smaller bands at venues like The Dublin Castle and them going on to do really well. You can never judge a band until you’ve seen them live.”

Bands he champions include Beirut, Sleigh­bells, Best Coast, The Irrepressibles and Jonsi.

“I find most music completely uplifting,” said Jonathan. “I’m listening to loads of Tom Waits which I suppose most people would find like being tortured in Guantanamo Bay. If I need cheering up I tend to grab a Tom Waits or Leonard Cohen album.”

He’s roped in friend Camille O’Sullivan to do a concert at the Shaw Theatre in March and also convinced Jarvis Cocker to DJ at a charity party at the BT Tower – “It’s not often you can say, ‘I’m the Mayor of Camden, would you like to come play a party at the top of the BT Tower?’”

Jonathan added: “I’d love to take CNJ readers to the pub and talk music for the whole evening and have them leave thinking what a nerd I am.”