london Mike Monday Throws Beach Party // 54::MILE END // Sunday

[Jukeboxalex]

 

After a successful first month, 54 Mile End is back, bigger and better than ever. With guests such as Clinton Oliver, Truman Industries, Tom Budden, DIGS, Living City and Da Sunlounge, you are guaranteed a mouthwatering month down at the Urban Beach surroundings of this east London venue.

 

54 teams up with one of London's hottest DJ’s, Mike Monday this weekend, bringing you 54 BBQ Beach Club. Music, games and tom foolery is on the menu and this is one beach party not to miss this summer.

As an Oxford graduate, Mike Monday is a rare breed of producer. He’s not just good at it, but highly qualified to do it too. Starting life as a double act with Andy Cocup (now of Groove Armada) and forming the Beat Foundation, he eventually decided to spread his wings and blaze his own trail, taking on the turn of the millenium with single releases on his own MM label, as well as Whoop! and Kinky Vinyl before releasing his first full-length instant-classic, Smorgasbord, on Playtime Records.

Now, after a 2 year hiatus, Mike returns with a fresh new album and fresh new approach, on the ridiculously cool Om Records. We took some time out with him to get the lowdown…

 

1. What has been keeping you busy in 2008?

Until about a month ago completing my second album 'Songs Without Words - pt 1'. I was supposed to finish it in November, but it took another 6 months. Now it's done I've been working on a live show, as well as catching up with the remixes that have built up while I've been completing the album.

 

2. Being a budding producer I always ask this question. What equipment you have in your studio?

I work mainly in Logic on a Mac, although I've recently been moving away from soft synths and plug ins, and have been going back to using real instruments, electronic and otherwise. On the album I even play the saxophone and bassoon.

 

3. Who would you say your biggest musical influences are?.

Prince, Parliament/Pfunk/Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Buckley, Johnny Cash, Radiohead, Sonny Rollins, Jack Kerouac, Stravinsky, Messaien, Philip Glass, John Cage, Erik Satie, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, Realworld, Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Carl Craig, Jamie Liddell, James Murphy, Wighnomy Bros, Dr Dre, Burial, Tiefschwarz, Villalobos.