Simian Mobile Disco Interview
We chat to the duo ahead of their Bugged Out! headline set.
Simian Mobile Disco are the production and remix duo who burst onto dancefloors worldwide with tracks like ‘Hustler’ and the near-legendary ‘We Are Your Friends’ produced in cahoots with Justice. James Ford and Jas Shaw originally started SMD to blow off some steam and play some records whilst on tour with their then band Simian. When Simian split in 2005, Simian Mobile Disco continued, putting out one remix and single after another until it all snowballed and their fans demanded an album. This turned out to be one of the hits of 2007 and proves that, if nothing else, there really is a silver lining to most clouds. They’re firm favourites with the Bugged Out! camp - everyone still talks about the time that they dropped the theme from Willy Wonka and left the crowd half grinning in a confused manner and half dancing like the floor was electrocuted.
Simian Mobile Disco join Bugged Out! on Saturday 10th May. You can recreate the joys of a Bugged Out! disco in the comfort of your own home with their excellent ‘Suck My Deck’ CD series - the Boys Noize mix is out now.
Endclub.com: You’re joining Bugged Out! at the weekend for the first time since October last year. Can you tell us some of your favourite Bugged Out! moments?
Simian Mobile Disco: We used to go to Bugged Out! at Sankey's a lot when we lived in Manchester. Lots of lost weekends – to be honest I don't remember specifics but it must have been good as we went back whenever it was on. More recently I really enjoyed playing with Erol, JoJo de Freq and Boys Noize - a messy night. Playing at Razzmatazz in Barcelona was fun too - it was Felix Da Housecat's birthday and he was plying everyone with that amazing tequila that he always seems to have with him.
What is the Simian Mobile Disco studio set-up like, and how do the two of you work together on tracks?
Our studio is really just a pro-tools rig surrounded by a pile of synths and drum machines. Recently we have been buying lots of outboard stuff too. The way we work in the studio is we just keep plugging stuff in and messing about until something interesting happens.
What¹s the weirdest / oldest / most broken thing you have in your studio?
We have a Moog that works perfectly unless you touch any of the dials - then it makes a strange loud buzzing sound. It never gets turned on - we really should get it fixed.
Simian Mobile Disco started as a bit of fun on the side of your touring commitments with Simian - have you still managed to keep that element of fun now that SMD has taken off?
Yeah, SMD is still a laugh. We are both doing lots of other projects so that it doesn't start to feel like proper work.
You’re currently signed to indie Wichita - would you work with a major label again?
We could do if the right people were working there. I'm not against big labels, I'm just against getting involved with people who don't get what we do. Wichita is four people who all love music, it's like being signed by a band!
Who’s better to tour with, The Chemical Brothers or The Klaxons?
Come on - that's not fair! Both tours were great.
With your live show, how much is pre-planned and how much do you just let the machines do their stuff? James is an amazing drummer - would you ever incorporate live instruments?
We spent a long time working out a system where we could leave lots of room for dicking about in the live set. We can totally alter the structure, mix and sounds of the tracks and there are lots of sections where we don't even have anything planned. In fact we can get so far from the tracks that we spent a few days in the DFA studios using the live rig to make up new stuff in preparation for making a new album. None of the things we came up with sound anything like any of the old
tracks. It's a very flexible rig.
You invited former Simian vocalist Simon Lord to feature on the track ‘Believe’ on your album - what do you think of his new project The Black Ghosts?
It's really good. Simon has just done a solo project as well - really interesting electronic stuff.
What bands and DJs do you rate at the moment?
I really enjoyed Radio Slave's DJ set in Miami. The Hercules and Love Affair album is holding its own on my iPod at the moment.
What's your favourite monkey?
Normally I'd say "fuck off" to this question but as it's you... spider monkey.
Published: 9/05/2008
