International Clash Day London Broadcast Preview: Big Joanie

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Clash’s landmark album London Calling, KEXP will travel to London for a 4-day live broadcast and online event, featuring live performances and exclusive interviews. Big Joanie will take the Studio 9294 stage on Monday, Feb. 4 alongside fellow British bands JOHN, Ibibio Sound Machine, and Avalanche Party. Get familiar with the band before their performance below.

British punks Big Joanie may come from a different era than The Clash, but their progressive ideas and DIY spirit are very much aligned. Formed in 2013, the group saw their music as a means to fill the void in the black feminist punk scene, describing themselves as “The Ronettes filtered through 80s DIY and riot grrrl with a sprinkling of dashikis.” After released two EPs, the group released their long-awaited debut Sistahs in 2018 through Thurston Moore's imprint label Daydream Library. 

KEXP spoke to Stephanie Phillips about The Clash and their upcoming performance during our International Clash Day broadcast. Read below.

KEXP: What does the Clash mean to you and have they inspired your music at all?

Stephanie Phillips: Big Joanie were incredibly inspired by the many female punks who were a part of the same scene as The Clash. Bands like The Slits and X-Ray Spex had a huge influence on us. It was a scene that allowed a lot of amazing young bands to thrive and make music that reflected their lives. That punk, DIY ethos heavily inspires us as a band and is something we try and take into everything we do.

Do you find there to be parallels between the lyrical content and ethos of London Calling and the current state of England?

I don't really know what the song meant to begin with. I think the UK is steadily becoming a more fractious and divided society. It certainly feels like we're going back in time but it feels like that everywhere really even in London. We can only hope our society stops regressing.

What can audiences expect from your performance for KEXP's International Clash Day London broadcast?

Nice punx who like tea and snacks singing songs about sleep, relationships and passive aggressive friendship breakups.

Big Joanie will perform at KEXP’s International Clash Day London broadcast at 4:30 pm on Monday, Feb. 4. Check out the full schedule of performances here. Watch the video for recent KEXP Song of the Day, “Fall Asleep,” directed by Andrew Northrop, below.