Tessa Pollitt

Name, where are you from?
Tessa Pollitt (The Slits), London

Describe your style in three words?
Dark, Moody, Mysterious.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Sun Ra and his Arkestra, because it was an otherworldly experience.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Sun Ra and his Arkestra! For intergalactic experience.
Burning Spear. Because they are one of the old school genuine, authentic Reggae groups from what I consider the golden years of Reggae and Dub.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Jungle, Grime.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Leonora Carrington surrealist artist and writer, because after I discovered her, I realised her drawing style was similar to mine, and another woman written out of the history books, with her unique and individual style, I would like to know what inspired her talent and dedication to her art and writings.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Holland Park School in the late 1970s, because it was an unusual choice. Ari, our singer, was at school there at the time. Some of the youth had just come out of a cookery lesson, armed with butter and eggs. An egg landed on my chest; I carried on playing the bass regardless. What is worse, being spat at or a raw egg I ask myself! At least I had a sense of humour. It was 5p entrance fee!

Your greatest hero or heroine in music?
Nico from the Velvet Underground, we shared a similar darkness! I met her and hung out with her for a while in the later years.

Tessa Pollitt was the bassist with British punk innovators The Slits in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and along with Ari Up was also a member of the reformed line up in 2005 for their 'Revenge of the Killer Slits' EP. Tessa recently joined Don Letts to DJ at London International Ska Festival's Clash In Dub event.