We Talk To Baby Tap About His Upcoming Album ‘Enki’ And Its Release Party at Rough Trade

Where does the name Baby Tap come from?
There's a definition on Urban Dictionary, which I actually found out about afterwards, that fits with my music but is definitely very explicit. I’ve always liked industrial, hardcore, electro, and metal, but I’ve always found the scene very masculine and serious. These genres take themselves too seriously. I had a Myspace project back in the day called Swollen Doll, which was influenced by Jack Off Jill, but then decided I wanted something a bit more playful so I don’t have to make a certain type of industrial music, rather, I can just have fun with it. So, Baby Tap is tapping into the baby within – just being silly, being playful. It’s a little bit sexual, going back to the Urban Dictionary definition. But that kind of goes as well: disgusting and aggressive, but it kind of goes.

How does Baby Tap’s image reflect the music you make? 
It goes hand in hand – it's just me being me and allowing myself to be me. It’s to be as weird as I want. It's to make music that reflects the way I feel, and it's exactly the same as the way I dress: will it be cute or hardcore today? My image and music also invite people to be as crazy, abstract, and experimental as they want. Life’s too short! Baby Tap is a vague blob of glowing energy of whatever it wants to be that day.

How important is social media in sharing your project?
Social media stresses me out so much – I still look at numbers way more than I should. I try not to take it too seriously in some sense but it's very present in my everyday life. Ten or twenty years ago you could do shows and become known or hand your record into a record company in person. Today, we have to take hold of whatever platforms we can get. I love Instagram because it's just visual, whereas Facebook is more personal, and sometimes I just can't be bothered. Presenting people with a visual image is much more important since people eat with their eyes: they might like what they see, and then eat it, or in my case, listen to it. Whatever medium I use, whether that’s my fashion or Photoshop on Instagram, it’s a way to show off that creative side of me in digestible amounts. I love old school and nineties, but futurism is a massive part of me. If I'm not pushing things forward, what’s the point? When you do things authentically your way, you are pushing it forward.

What was it like performing at Rock City with Tokky Horror?
I'm like “woah” – I just got to perform at Rock City! I almost didn’t, my friend told me that I had to ask them about it, but I was scared to. I've known them for a little while. Mollie is so fucking cool. They're fun and have a similar vibe to me – they’re just doing what they do.

What is the meaning and spirit of your new album, Enki?
Enki is a Sumerian God all about mischief, fun, and creation. That’s what I’m about, too. The last album was called Orion so these ancient gods work in the same lore. With lockdown, we felt the weight of the world upon each person’s shoulders. Our health and mobility were at risk constantly. It was time to write a record which wasn’t only about me, but what was going on in the world, the state of things. The futurism element of my music was bound with these ancient gods. How would they have interpreted the events of today? What would Enki say and do in a society that is crumbling in front of us? Whilst we still can, we need to rejoice and have fun, even if it's atop the crumbling debris of society. I picture Enki standing atop all of this playing techno music because what else can we do other than form human connection? After destruction, new things can be created, and that’s the rebirth, the futurism.

Three words to describe the album?
Chaotic. Aggressive. Rejoiceful.

Is there a song on Enki you’re most excited about, especially to play live?
I’m not sure about most excited to play live, as that changes. I like to play some of my old music live – one of my favourites is called Bounce Me on Your Dick. It’s just such a fun and cheeky song to play live, especially when you spot the straight guys in the audience like “what?”. I think my favourite on the album is Owie. It’s such a gabba beat which contextualises who I am as a person. The lyrics are fun and sarcastic: “Babe make me smile, brighten up my day, rip a razor blade right across my face”. It’s a play towards the fakeness of society. But I love every track – they’re all me without any constraints. In retrospect, I used to make songs envisioning them to become popular.

Enki releases on 25 October. Is everything set for its release?
All the tracks are ready and mastered. I pulled a track out of the album last minute because I didn’t think it fit. The album is already set for Spotify and iTunes. I just need to do a little more artwork, and I’m also hoping to get another video done. It’s a lot for one person! But to be honest, the album has been ready to go for about a whole year. I just get pedantic about the little things, like the tracklist order. I consulted a very music-oriented friend about it too as it's hard to re-listen with a fresh pair of ears. It was a case of me putting the songs in different orders for six months, but always knowing to put my strongest songs at the start and end. It's all a learning experience where I’ve learned I can’t be too much of a perfectionist, even if I did fall asleep listening to the album every single night.

How did the album-writing process develop? 
Owie was the first song to define the album, but there was a song before that, Burn the House Down. This was a track I recorded in a studio, in fact, it was all supposed to be recorded in a studio, but then with Covid I recorded it all at home. Owie was the first of this process and it really made me feel that this is the music I want to do and create. Recording music at home has always been the process for me. I used to just sit down, get stoned, and write. It was a relaxing thing for me. Lockdown was great for me in that it gave me something to write about and also gave me the time to be at home instead of work.

How are you feeling about your upcoming album release party as Rough Trade?
I’m extremely excited about it. But also, of course, anxious. The build-up is stressing me out as I’m working full-time but still want to work on different promotions and posters for the album and event. It feels like twenty birthdays rolled into one – a celebration all about me! On the day, I want to play my whole album live and show Nottingham the spirit of Enki. It’ll be a cyber-punk event. But also, one to celebrate my friends, Gladrags, and queerness. I’ll have G4YBOY perform for me which involves one of the founders of Gladrags. I’m so honoured to have this support and trust without money being an issue. Friends support friends. I deserve to have the space to celebrate my work. I’m still planning my outfit, too. Dressing so stupid and weird, like my previous bunny outfit, lets me forget about it all and be in the element of weirdness. I’m yet to do the backing tracks too. And I have some events before this one I’m preparing for, but ultimately I want the focus to be on my album release event.

What is the problem with queer venues in Nottingham? 
The Foresters shut down, but now it's back. There’s also the Lord Roberts which is a queer place. But in terms of clubs, there really isn’t much. There was @D2 which was a really cool lesbian place, but it's gone. NG1 is supposedly gay-friendly, which just isn’t true. I’m really grateful for what we have though: the people here are amazing! However, we deserve a venue. We would like government funding for queer spaces. Venue management also cares too much about the money despite how fun the lively the club nights are. On the last Pride Event, venues wanted to be packed like a straight sports night. It jeopardises our safety and the demographic isn’t us anymore.

Can we do more to support queer artists in Nottingham?
We can do more, but I'm not sure it's specifically we because I feel like we do enough. Whether it's how we present ourselves, turning up at queer events and being in our daily lives. There are amazing, cool and badass people in Nottingham. It's not even just in the club, I mean just walking around. There is the student scene, art scene, tattoo scene, punk scene… And there is a queer scene – you can see it. To me, it’s all standing up against the norm, status quo. I’m not sure how it all works, but I feel that the government or council could recognise the gaps more. But since the lockdown, it almost feels bad to ask for more considering how many problems have arisen since. But then again, we’ve lost queer spaces, and I’d even say they're not gay-friendly – I don’t know any gay people that go to them. Since Drag Race has become popular there are more opportunities for my drag queen and king friends at random straight places. We need a venue.

How did you integrate into Nottingham’s queer scene? 
I’m originally from Nottingham, but moved to London for seven years, and then came back. It was sheer luck to meet Marilyn (aka Lewis), Nick, and Tom. London was where I started to do my music. I never intended to be a DJ, but I became part of the underground scene which is full of weird Klub Kid clubs. I think people here recognise that I’ve been part of that and have given me a chance to perform here too. I've not only become good friends with them, but best friends. I never meant to be a DJ, but they said: “You’re cool. Your music taste is cool. We love what you do.” And invited me to DJ for them. Even if there are people I only see at the clubs, there is such a bond because we’re there for the same reasons: catharsis and to celebrate differentness. It's important that we meet like-minded people and get to express ourselves because it can be isolating to linger in the mainstream. When we’ve been teased by the government about anti-trans bullsh*t, it’s even more important to stand up against that and be united, whether that be in the club, at brunches, or coming together in town and dressing the way we do. Being part of the Gladrags team is the highlight of my life. It’s silly and stupid, but I need that in my life.

Final words for the people of Nottingham? 
Rough Trade is amazing, I’m so glad that people still buy music. Digital accessibility is great, but Spotify doesn’t pay artists well. Support your local drag queens and kings. Support your local queer performers: you’ll have the best time and make new friends. Dress however you want to dress. Put that makeup on your face – you are gorgeous. Be yourself. Be a kind person. Listen to my album. Come to my show! P.S.: follow @chrisboyzero. They designed my album release poster’s artwork. They’re amazing.

Baby Tap's album launch show will take place at Rough Trade on 8 November 2023