Sounding out Simian Mobile Disco
Johnno from Bugged Out! gets the boys to dish the dirt.
One of the hottest production outfits of 2007, Simian Mobile Disco need little introduction. Their debut album ‘Attack Decay Sustain Release’ was a fierce rollercoaster of a record, full of rib shaking basslines, feverish synths and pounding beats. They joined Bugged Out!’s birthday in October ‘07, and the chaps were good enough to have a chinwag with the Bugged Out! guys as they prepared…
Bugged Out!: What can we expect from you at Bugged Out! on Oct 20th? Any new tracks or new remixes getting aired?
Simian Mobile Disco: The last remix we did was for Bjork and that will probably get a spin. We have been on tour since the start of the summer and have had very little time for messing around in the studio so have had to turn down lots of great tracks for remixing, which is really gutting as we love doing them.
It’s been quite a year for you guys. Are you pleased with the reception that the album got?
It's been amazing, I had no idea how people would react to the album. The live gigs have been great too - me and James are studio bods and were not sure about doing a live show but it's been really fun. In fact we only intended to do a dozen or so shows and have ended up being on the road for most of this year.
Any tracks from your Bugged Out! presents Suck My Deck mix still in the box?
Yep, there are some tracks off that mix that I love and though they don't get played that often it's always nice to dust them off. I’m not one to play a whole set of new stuff, for me if a tune is relevant then it does not matter when it came out.
What have been the highlights from the year so far?
It's hard for me to remember further back than breakfast at the moment but the festivals have been great. Benicassim was particularly messy. We got to go to Japan too which was great.
You are supporting the Chemical Brothers this winter. Have they been an influence?
I remember going to see the Chems when I was at college, they were one of the bands that got me into electronic music, along with the Warp records stuff. They were definitely a big influence. We are also supporting Klaxons and sharing a bus with them so that's going to be a treat. We have done quite a few gigs with them and it's always good.
Where did the idea for the live show set up come from (the equipment is set up ‘in the round’)?
On one level it was a practical way for us to set up loads of stuff and make sure that we could see each other for the changes as we do lots of it on the nod. On another level it was about making a spaceship.
I noticed you have had a cartoon logo done – any plans for a series and if so what would it be about?
A friend of ours had those done and we thought that they were really funny. There are no plans for a South Park type feature movie but we are in LA tonight so maybe we will meet some Hollywood producer dickhead and get convinced that it's a good idea.
Published: 23/10/2007
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