This article is a longer version of the Q&A that ran in print.
English duo Simian Mobile Disco, composed of James Ford and Jas Shaw, will take the stage this Saturday and April 20, bringing their trademark brand of electronic beats along with them. Daily Bruin’s Andrew Brady spoke with Ford about the group’s beginnings, its latest album, and next weekend’s Coachella Festival.
Daily Bruin: How did Simian Mobile Disco get started?
James Ford: Jas and I were part of a band called Simian. He was the keyboard player and I was the drummer. We did a couple of albums on a major label but ended up splitting. We started DJing on the side, and as a joke called it Simian Mobile Disco. After the band split up we started getting requests to play and do more and more remixes. We just made some party dance tunes for fun and here we are seven years later still DJing and making music because we enjoy it.
DB: What is it about electronic music that appeals to you?
JF: I seem to remember the otherworldliness of it. I remember the first time I heard Aphex, when you’re used to growing up playing in bands with guitars and drums. And you’re like “how the hell do you make these sounds?” That intrigue and mystery was what attracted me to it.
DB: What would you call the biggest influences to your music?
JF: I remember the whole Warp label, that was something we bonded over while with Simian. Jas and I met at Manchester University and I ended up playing with this band called 808 State which were a classic seminal British rave act. I suppose that was my first proper electronic music experience.
DB: How would you compare your latest album “Unpatterns” to your past work?
JF: I think each of the albums are like a snapshot of where we are in our tastes and progression through electronic music. I think “Unpatterns” is a really accurate snapshot of what we’re into at the minute. It’s less vocal heavy and a little deeper and psychedelic. I think it’s the album we are happiest with. We made it with the live show in mind, it’s made to be club music but it’s not tear-out banger club music like there is a lot of these days. There’s a little more depth to it.
DB: You just released a live album in February. What was your approach with that project?
JF: The live side of what we do has kind of developed into its’ own thing. It weirdly evolves every time you play something. You discover something new and it carries over in the next night. We felt like it was nice to document and give those people who haven’t seen us live insight into our show. And really it was just as we did it, we recorded it off the desk with a bit of crowd noise. We didn’t go back and edit it or mix it.
DB: You’ve also produced for the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Peaches and Florence + the Machine. How do you enjoy that work comparatively to your work with Simian Mobile Disco?
JF: I really enjoy it, and kind of go through phases with it. I did a lot of production and not much SMD stuff for a while and worked really hard at it. I probably did a bit too much, I got a little burned out. It got to the point where I was just really happy DJing for myself. But it has swung around a bit and I’m producing again in L.A. at the minute, and really enjoying it. I can definitely see getting back into that side of it.
DB: You guys are no strangers to Coachella. What was it like to play in 2008 and what did that show represent for you guys?
JF: It was definitely our biggest American show up to that point. It was around the time of Justice and that kind of electro kicking off over here in America. It was quite odd playing in the desert during the day, as we’re obviously used to playing in the dark. I’m looking forward to going back and reliving the dream.
DB: Last December SMD played the Coachella cruise. What was that experience like?
JF: Oh yeah, that was bizarre … incredible fun. It was one of the most surreal experiences. We were playing along with Pulp and Hot Chip in this theater on the ship where they normally play like cabaret type shows. I remember the stage had lifts, and we managed to get our table below the stage and gradually come up in a plume of smoke during the first song. That was a personal highlight.
DB: Depending on your schedules, are there any bands you are excited to see at this years festival?
JF: I’m definitely going to hang out for a fair bit, especially between the two weekends. I know we’re on same stage as Grizzly Bear who I’ve seen recently at Pitchfork Music Festival and they were incredible live. I’m also quite interested to see how the Stone Roses go down. They’re one of my childhood hero bands but it seems like they’re not so well known in the States.