Their official bio says it well: “40 years after The Summer of Love (and 30 years after The Summer of Hate), MGMT is celebrating the grand re-opening of the third eye of the world with the duo’s much-anticipated first full-length album, an enigmatic and prophetic collection of hallucinatory sounds and hook-riddled pop tones for the new millennium. MGMT is Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, two psychic pilgrims whose paths first intersected in the green pastures of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, circa 2002.”

Eventually they migrated to Brooklyn, did some home-studio Mbox recordings, finally recorded Oracular Spectacular (easily one of our favorite albums of the year), and became accidental rock stars, touring, it seems, everywhere - forever.
Richard and Weston caught up with Ben over the phone, somewhere in the UK, to ask as many inappropriate questions as they could. Luckily our newest EVB music guru Stef Siepel stepped in and gave us some serious questions to ask, you know, about music.

EVB: Where are you right now?

BEN: On our way to, umm, Scotland.

EVB: What day of the week is it?

BEN: Um, it’s [laughs] oh man… it’s Friday.

EVB: What did you do yesterday?

BEN: We were in Lisbon doing a festival. It was our first time in Portugal. It was really fun - cool place. There’s not too much of an attitude there.

EVB: Where are you playing tonight?

BEN: In Scotland. We’re playing tomorrow night at a festival called “T in the Park”, about an hour outside of Glasgow.

EVB: There’ll be a lot of seriously wasted people there, I can tell you that.

BEN: Yeah, well, judging from the other festivals…

EVB: You’re touring like crazy - you just did Glastonbury. How does that compare to the Princeton show you did a couple years ago that we saw online? It looked like a bunch of douche bags with bottles of beer?

BEN: [laughs] That was a kind of a one-off show. We hadn’t been playing for very long and someone just set the show up for us. It was called Field Days or something - basically every fraternity had a band playing in their backyard - people were falling into garbage cans. So that show - we totally made it up on the spot. We had no idea what we were going to do. Lately we’ve been playing with a five-piece band. We’ve definitely improved. It’s been less of an unstructured mess and a little bit more of a band getting up on stage and playing.

EVB: I presume, as you’re on tour, you have a tour bus?

BEN: Yeah. It’s definitely taken some time to get adjusted to it. Some things I don’t like about it, some things I do. It’s nice to fall asleep in one city and wake up in another and start your day out there, walk around, see the city.
EVB: I’ve been on a few tour buses in my time, and I know the sleeping arrangements can be kind of interesting. Who sleeps on top, and who’s on bottom?

BEN: [laughs] Um… I’ve got a top bunk.

EVB: Andrew is on bottom?

BEN: [laughs] uhh… I don’t… I can’t remember. He may have a top bunk too.

EVB: So you’re both quite versatile?

BEN: [laughs] uhh… you could say that.

EVB: We read in an earlier interview that you guys thought your live performance was still a bit dull and you wanted to make it more theatrical and liven things up. What plans crossed your minds?

BEN: For now it’s still pretty much the same as it has been, except that we’re getting better as musicians - more practiced at getting up in front of people. We’re taking a break at the end of this year and I think we’re going to try some new stuff - hopefully work on some sort of stage presentation.

EVB: I guess there’s got to be a difference between doing a small gig, and playing huge venues with Radiohead or Beck for example, both of whom you’re scheduled to soon be opening for.

BEN: Yeah, I think we’re starting to get over the awkwardness of walking up in front of a crowd. We used to be really nervous because we’re just playing instruments - we don’t really have anything to look at on stage, but I think we’re getting a little more confident about that.

EVB: You need to recruit a Bez - like from the Happy Mondays.

BEN: Yeah, yeah, yeah!

EVB: A guy who just takes loads of drugs and dances like a fool.

While we were doing some research we found a bunch of old tracks from when you were still called The Management. Really minimal, drum machines - most of which we’ve never heard before and was never re-recorded.

BEN: Yeah, yeah - that was the kind of stuff we were making in college.

EVB: There were a few musical references to what’s going on now, but what happened to all that early music.

BEN: It was a lot more kind of goofy, nonsense songs. Kind of pop-satire almost. We weren’t much of a band at that point. We definitely weren’t taking it seriously.
EVB: People are always talking about the “Brooklyn school” - a “school” that includes, Vampire Weekend, Yeasayer, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Boy Crisis, Gang Gang Dance. Does that diversity make the whole idea of a “Brooklyn school” bullshit, or is there something real to that?

BEN: There’s definitely something real to Brooklyn being an influence to certain kinds of bands that live there, in terms of the experience of potentially being an outsider coming to Brooklyn. It would have been much different for me if I had grown up in Brooklyn. I moved there at the end of 2006 and lived there for about a year. I live in New Jersey now, but…

EVB: Oh, we’re not going to print that [laughs]. Do you guys both live in Jersey?

BEN: Well, I live in Jersey but Andrew is homeless right now. He lives on the bus. I do too, mostly. I think being in Brooklyn for a year definitely influenced the way I thought about music and being in a band and being in a big city for the first time in my life. But we never felt attached to the other Brooklyn bands that were coming up at the same time as us - the ones who all started getting buzz at the same time - other than, I guess, Yeasayer because they’re friends of ours, and we maybe have more of a musical connection with them, stylistically.

EVB: We just saw an interview with you where you actually wished bad Karma on Vampire Weekend…

BEN: Yeah, we wanted to start a fake feud with them [laughs]. The British music press got all over it and started spreading around that we were talking shit about Vampire Weekend. We’d never even met them before, we just thought it would be funny. We ended up meeting them and they’re really nice guys and we became friends with them, so any bad karma is gone now.

EVB: It seems the longer you guys play, the richer the music gets, and the more eccentric you seem to get. Usually eccentricity hits when you get older but are you guys are going to be a huge beautiful mess before you’re 30.

BEN: I think we’re uh… I think a couple of things have been happening to us. Since we’ve been on the road we’ve gone a little crazy. I think we’re also getting more confident, which kind of encourages us. We realized nothing bad is going to happen to us if we act like crazy people - at least for now. As long as we don’t develop hard drug habits we’re mostly alright for now.

EVB: About the album - the first part of the album, up to ‘Kids’, has a very poppy sound with catchy choruses and all. The second part is a lot more experimental, and psychedelic, and the lyrics turn from verses with choruses into a more narrative structure. Was that a conscious dividing line on the album?

BEN: Well, it didn’t really start out like that. The “catchy” songs were originally more scattered around the album, with the other stuff in the middle. We ended up changing the order because we had a meeting with Rick Rubin and he strongly suggested we move the single tracks up to the beginning of the album. We weren’t crazy about the idea, but we ended up doing it.

EVB: Have you been asked to remix anyone?

BEN: I did a remix for Black Kids but I used a Kate Bush sample and it didn’t get cleared. I think a rough version leaked out online but we couldn’t release it. We do have a several people who have remixed us, or are working on remixes for us, which is weird because we think of ourselves as more of a rock band, but I guess a lot of people think of us as someone you play in a club - we don’t even go out to clubs much.

EVB: Anything you’d like to tease us with about your side project with Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes?

BEN: He and Andrew have been talking about doing something together for a while. It was before we got a record deal, we weren’t doing anything as a band, and Andrew thought it would be cool to do something together. But now Andrew’s busy touring and I think Kevin is making the new Of Montreal album, so I don’t really know when that’s going to happen.
EVB: Do you guys think that being hot actually makes the music sound better?

BEN: [laughs] I wish it did! There are definitely people in our audience you wouldn’t think would normally be listening to the music we’re playing if people weren’t talking about our band in terms of a style. I also think some people come to the show because they think Andrew is hot. They probably like the music too, but it’s definitely a factor.

You guys probably know the term cryptogay…

EVB: What? No.

BEN: We did an interview in Paris a couple days ago and the guy brought up crypotgay culture, which is where people appropriate popular culture - superheroes for example - and use them in gay sex scenarios. Apparently there’s a movement that’s doing that with music. It’s crazy, but we can’t really read our French press to figure out what’s going on and what people are saying about us over there.

EVB: Wait, so you guys are subjects in some sort of cryptogay fantasy culture?

BEN: Yeah, apparently. We just found that out.

EVB: We’re definitely going to research that. While we’re on the subject, do you have any particular fetish?

BEN: I don’t know, I’m pretty boring in the sack [laughs].

EVB: Do you believe sexuality is fluid? If so which fluid best describes your sexuality?

BEN: [laughs] Yes, I believe it’s fluid, and I would say these days it’s kind of like a fruity, strawberry, champagne drink. With a lot of Vodka in it.

EVB: What’s the golden rule of management?

BEN: Have fun and don’t take yourself to seriously.

EVB: Since Andrew’s not on this call, do you want to start a rumor about him?

BEN: [laughs] He’s probably doing a good enough job on his own.

EVB: He has “Real” tattooed on his chest. What’s the story behind that?

BEN: Yes he does, I saw him get it. I don’t know how long he was thinking about it, but we were hanging out in Athens Georgia, living there for the summer, and he started talking about getting a tattoo, walked in and picked out, like, a cursive font.

EVB: Yeah, but what’s it mean?

BEN: I’m not exactly sure what it means to him, but it seems like [laughs] having a logo that says “Real” on yourself might be life-affirming in some way.

EVB: It seems like Andrew is more of a twink - do you think of yourself as more of an otter?

BEN: [laughs] Did you say otter?

EVB: Yes, thats what I said. Or maybe a mink.

BEN: I don’t understand [laughs].

EVB: What was your earliest gay experience?

BEN: Umm, it’s hard to say what counts as gay when you’re a REALLY little kid, but…

[laughs]

… I made out with a guy in college [laughs].

EVB: We know you guys aren’t gay, but what would it take to recruit you?

BEN: What would it take? Man, that’s a good question. What are you offering [laughs].

EVB: Well, we’ll see you at McCarren Park Pool so we’ll show you then.

BEN: Alright!

MGMT (with The Ting Tings and Black Moth Super Rainbow), plays McCarren Pool in Brooklyn, Sunday July 27. Hot. Sweaty. Love it.

Big thanks to Pavla Kopecna and Phil Ogynist for the photography.

.

We just adore Rufus Wainwright here at EVB, especially when he gets all pantomime, as he did at his recent Radio City Music Hall gig, dressed up in lederhosen, and slapping his thighs with gusto.

So you can imagine our feverish excitement when we watched Teddy Thompsons new video for “In My Arms”, and found our favorite pantomime queen dressed as our favorite pantomime king, and in roller skates, banging on his organ somewhere near the middle of the video. Enjoy, boys!

12 quick questions for Rodrigo Novaes,
Editor of WLTF (where these images came from).

What song would you like to accompany this interview?

“Holding out for a Hero” by ­ Bonnie Tyler.

What’s your story?

Born in Brazil in 1971, grew up in London, became an artist, moved back to Brazil, created WLTF, trying to make it work, and living life as well as possible. It’s funny when I think of it that way.

What’s your favorite city, and why?

London. Memories of growing up.

Who is your alter-ego?

His name is Roger Ego and he does most of what I would never dare. He was born from a misspelling of my name (Rodrigo) by a bewildered office clerk many years ago. From then on Roger has appeared from time to time to save the situation.

What was your most recent jerk-off fantasy?

Gorgeous black man at the back of the cinema. Amazing what we got up to, and nobody saw us!

Shave your balls, or free and wild?

It’s relative… depends on the mood one needs to achieve.

Street, bar, or internet cruising?

Parks!

Is your body a dumpster or a temple?

A dumpster turned temple, with kick-ass lighting.

What was the best thing you’ve ever stolen?

Someone’s boyfriend.

Describe “cock culture” in 5 words.

Small is better than nothing.

What’s your next big thing?

I can’t remember his name… but it’ll be next Tuesday.

Write your own obituary.

Today at 12am Roger Ego died quietly in his sleep. He fucked his way to glory, and he was the most glorious fucker, but now he’s dead, dead as dodo, and without a dildo.

Images, from top left, by Luizo Cavet, Leonash, Gowa, Aaron Krach. All images © the artists.

Finally! UK-based Topshop and Topman are coming to SoHo, New York City! We got a preview of the clothes earlier this week and they’re fucking fantastic! Watch this space for much more, but until then we wanted to at least leak the new store news, and be the first to give you a tease of the ‘Black Trouser Project’ - Topman’s third in a series of ongoing projects where invited designers interpret a specific product. In this case, the classic black wool trouser, interpreted by Patrik Ervell, Todd Lynn, Anne-Sofie Back, Aitor Throup, and East Village Boy friend Tim Hamilton.

As some of you know, EVB just got back from a fantastic time in Hong Kong (big thanks to everyone who showed us the real HK), and Tim’s clothes were in every hot store on both sides of the harbor (or is it harbour). So, come on New York - WTF?

Anyway, check out our preview from Topman, and our chat with Tim.
Richard: What makes for the quintessential black trouser?
Tim Hamilton: Black is timeless and it’s hard to go wrong with a black trouser. More of
a drop crotch and tapered leg look cut will hold up for awhile.

What’s best worn under a black trouser?
Nothing.

What would you most like to put in your black trouser?
A giant black dildo of course.

What would you most like to take out of your black trouser?
You, with an open briefcase of 50 million dollars.

What is your No.1 essential item of clothing this summer?
Trouser shorts in black.

Should flip flops be banned from New York?
FUCK YES!

Should linen suits be banned from everywhere?
HELL YEAH!

So magazines are dead are they? Don’t tell that to Luis Venegas, founder, Editor and Creative Director of two of the most exciting and beautiful magazines to have emerged in the last few years. Coming out of Madrid, Fanzine137 and Electric Youth! clearly demonstrate that the art of the magazine, or magateen (in the case of EY) publishing is far from dead. If anything its getting hotter and cuter.

Anyhow, don’t take it from us let Luis explain.

Richard: Please describe yourself in 137 words.

Luis Venegas: Wow! Love this question! I’ll try the best I can in my not-too-good English.

I’m a Spanish guy who lives in Madrid. Everybody tells me I look like a child when I shave, but I’m 32 years old. I’m not too tall, not too fat, not too thin. As many other gay guys in the world, I studied fashion. Later I became freelance Art Director, and in 2004 I started my own magazine, Fanzine137. Recently I’ve launched a new magateen called Electric Youth! I love magazines in general. I contribute with texts and photographs to some of my favorites around the world. I guess the things I like are the ones that better describe me: tv series, handsome boys, my family and friends, Christopher, singing, kissing, movies, New York City, laughing, Marvel comics, haute couture, Jake Gyllenhaal, biographies, orange juice. I would like to live with the guy I love.

R: When did you start Fanzine 137, what was your initial inspiration and how did you come up with the name?

LV: My endless love of magazines since I was a child. I’ve collected special magazines since I was twelve years old. From Vanity Fair to rare issues of Avant Garde, for example - so it was my dream to make my own special magazine, and hopefully earn money doing it! I’m almost obsessed with numbers, and 137 is a number that’s always brought me luck. I use it often everyday. I mean, for example, if I’m waiting for someone who’s delayed I think “I’ll count to 137 and if he doesn’t come I’ll leave”. I also love to look at the clock and see that is 1:37 - I take it as a good sign. Those kind of stupid things have become very important to me. So I thought it was nice to try to bring that extra luck to my magazine.

R: Editor, Creative Director and Publisher - it must be an extremely hectic life being Luis Venegas. What do you do to relax, unwind and escape?

LV: Well, lately my life is pretty busy, yes, but I enjoy what I do a lot, so I don’t ‘need’ to do anything specifically to relax. Anyway, I love to do the same things that everybody does to relax: watch tv, go out at night, dance, sex, travel, music…

R: So tell us what you did last Saturday night?

LV: I received the visit of a nice, handsome friend at home. After he left I watched episode 12 of Lost season 4 that I downloaded from the internet. I can’t wait to see episode 13 next week - the end of the season!

R: You have an amazing roll-call of contributors for the magazine - how do you select them, or do they pursue you?

LV: Usually I contact them. I show them copies of past issues and they usually like them. Most times that’s what convinces them to get involved.

R: You have published six issues. Which has been the most rewarding, personally?

LV: Always the next one. At this moment I’m finishing it. It will be called ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ and it will be about people with long-time careers. I prefer to look forward, and rewind as little as possible. That’s why I always like the ‘next’ issue.

R: A little bird tells me you are a huge Barbra Streisand fan. What are your favorite Streisand tracks, and why are they so special to you?

LV: I love ‘Guilty’, ‘Putting it Together’ and ‘The Way We Were’. I love Barbra! I know it’s a cliché, being gay, but what can I say? I simply adore her, how great she makes me feel, all she does - but I really can’t explain why exactly. Love comes from the most unexpected places.

R: Do you have a dream?

LV: I have too many to tell you here. The good thing is, little by little all them are coming true. If you ask about an impossible dream, I would like to have Spiderman’s superpowers.

R: You have recently added a new super hot title to to house of Venegas - EY, Electric Youth! Tell us about it, and why you started it.

LV: Because I felt I needed to take a step forward, and do a magazine very different to Fanzine137. I wanted it to be lighter, even more funny and as sexy as possible. I love young guys and all the excitement around them, so I decided to put it all together.

R: You describe EY as the new cult magateen. Who or what is this cult celebrating?

LV: Maybe I’m not the most appropiate person to say, but if we agree youth is one of the greatest times of our lives, well, I guess that’s enough reason to celebrate, don’t you think?


R: Where did you find all the super cute boys?

LV: Most of them are friends of mine. I wanted “real” pretty boys, not the usual models. The ones that I didn’t know I found on MySpace.

R: EY is essentially about the YouTube generation. How do you think the internet is effecting what you do how we communicate and relate with one another?

LV: The internet is absolutely effecting all levels of communication. Luckily. I have no fear of this amazing change - it’s exciting. You and I are talking because of internet. I think in a 100 years someone will refer to the human story as pre-internet or post-internet.

R: I’d now like you to answer some of the questions you asked the 23 hot Spanish boys in the interviews you did for EY.

LV: Cool! I’m enjoying this interview very much! You should do the questions for the US issue of EY!

R: It’s a deal. So, what do you like to drink when you go out at night?

LV: Rum with Coca-Cola.

R: Do you smoke?

LV: No, almost never.

R: What’s the farthest place you’ve ever traveled?

LV: I don’t know which is farthest from Spain. New York or Buenos Aires? I’ve been to both places.

R: Definitely Buenos Aires. According to you who is the world’s best dressed person?

LV: How difficult. I hate that all the celeb men and women these days have a stylist, so it’s difficult to find real taste or originals. I guess Diane Keaton is a true original, and I also like the black simplicity of Grace Coddington.

R: What’s the most incredible nightclub you have ever been to?

LV: In Versailles, for the celebration of Dior’s 60th Birthday. It wasn’t a nightclub exactly, I know, but the night was unforgettable.

R: In what music video would you want to live?

LV: Any of the videos that Bruce Weber has done for Pet Shop Boys: ‘Being Boring’, ‘Se a Vida é’ or ‘I Get Along’.

R: And finally, what is your tip for the future?

LV: To have as much fun as possible. To keep the joy.

There are many grossly overrated DJs who jet from one continent to the other lugging their ‘anthemic’ tunes with them, and then there are those DJs who are more interested in developing a style, reputation and atmosphere in front of a weekly audience. Luke Howard is one such DJ. He began DJing in the late 80s and was the resident at London’s infamous Brixton-based QUEER NATION for over ten sweaty years. We caught up with him on his return from a long, hot trip to Rio De Janeiro…

Richard: Hey Luke, what have you been up to tonight?

Filthy Luka: I went to The Joiners Arms for a night called Macho City, a night of Hi-NRG. It was a lot of fun, just like being in a gay bar in 1985.

R: How did you come by the name Filthy Luka and when did she hit the scene?

FL: Well, I was working at another gay night on a Sunday and then Horse Meat Disco started and the other club didn’t want me to play at two gay things on the same night so I decided to have an alias and came up with Filthy Luka. So she’s been around since Horse Meat Disco began really.

R: How long have you been DJing? How did you get into it?

FL: I have been DJing since 1989. I started doing squat parties in London and then I got a warm up slot at a night at Dingwalls, and then Patrick Lilley gave me a try out when he opened Queer Nation in December 1990. He liked me, so I got the job and was resident there for 14 years.

R: Describe your DJ style in five words.

FL: Jumping groovy disco dancing songs.

R: And you also produce music and perform?

FL: I’ve done a few tunes over the years, mostly for Afro Art which used to be Ashely Beedle’s label, I had an electro pop project with Princess Julia called The Most, and we did a ton of stuff and had a record out on German label Beauty Case - one of our songs was used on the soundtrack of John Maybury’s feature film The Jacket. I haven’t been in the studio for ages but I’m just about to start a new project with Foolish Felix of Cynic records, so I’m looking forward to that.

R: You play at London’s Horse Meat Disco, which is at a boozer called The Eagle in Vauxhall. Over the last few years Vauxhall has become a new gay ghetto in London. What’s that all about, and how do you find it?

FL: Vauxhall is really a massive after hours scene, which I’m not really into. Currently most of the clubs down there are quite generic and I can’t do that up all night thing. However, boozers like The Eagle and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern are a lot of fun and add a bit of variety to things.

R: We hear you have spent the last six months in Brazil (lucky Luka!). Why Brazil?

FL: I just love it. I first went in 2003 and I’ve been back every year for a month but this time I decided to stay longer so I could improve my Portuguese. I really like the way things are down there. People are super friendly and know how to live in the moment and just enjoy life. I love samba and carnival and of course the weather is wonderful compared to winter in London.

R: Where were you? What did you do?

FL: I was living in Rio and I worked for a while making outfits for a children’s samba school. I had to make 120 outfits for the bateria (the drummers) of the school which took about ten weeks to finish. When they paraded there was a mighty thunderstorm and all the outfits were ruined in about ten seconds - feathers don’t like rain!

R: Tell us your finest daytime story and nighttime story from your Rio adventures.

FL: Daytime: One day I was jogging on Flamengo Beach and I met a Brazilian man who was my physical ideal - older, broad shoulders, salt and pepper hair, rugged-looking. We struck up a conversation and learned that we had the same taste in American female soul singers. He started singing songs by Alcione - this female Brazilian singer with a deep voice - which was very romantic. I was just about ready to marry him. I gave him my number but sadly never heard from him. His name was Eros, so if you’re out there reading this, I’ve got my wedding dress out of the dry cleaners…

Nighttime: After I had watched the carnival parade all night I walked down to this place called Elite which is a samba gafiera dancehall that goes gay at carnival. On the way there, down a darkened street, I could see a large group of guys standing at the side of the road. As I got closer I realized it was about forty guys, all having sex. Even I was stunned, as it was just a regular street with quite a lot of cars and people passing by. Needless to say I didn’t join in as I had a lot of money in my pocket, but it was quite a thrill stumbling across and outdoor group sex scene like that.

R: Nice! Very different than your home in London. How does gay culture differ in Brazil from the rest of Europe?

FL: Rio doesn’t have as much gay nightlife as São Paolo as it’s more of a beach culture. There are quite a lot of saunas though. In some areas of life gay people are very integrated into the mainstream, like samba, carnival and Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion). In samba school rehearsals there will be quite a lot of gay people and some trannies - they belong there as much as anyone else. In Candomblé most of the priests are gay, the participants are a mixture of straight and gay, and everyone is given equal respect.

R: what clubs or bars do you think an east village boy might find… rewarding?

FL: Unidos da Tijuca samba school have rehearsals every Saturday in the months leading up to carnival and it’s very gay there. Dama de Ferro, a club in Ipanema, is good for afterhours on Saturdays. And there’s a bear party called Encontro dos Ursos (Bear Meet Up) twice a month at Espaço Marun in Catete which is quite fun.

R: I hear Rio is all about the cruising - any hot tips?

FL: Parque do Flamengo at Flamengo Beach is quite cruisy once the sun has gone down, but I hear it can be dangerous. Rio can be quite cruisy everywhere and there are love motels where you can rent rooms by the hour if you get lucky - they’re better, and safer, than taking someone back to your apartment.

R: Name your three all time favorite tracks and why they mean so much to you?

FL: Not wanting to sound morbid, but I’d like these three played at my funeral:

1. Chaka Khan, ‘Love Has Fallen On Me’. I listen to this everyday and it always gives me a lift. Her vocal performance is stunning and the production by Arif Mardin is gorgeous.

2. First Choice, ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’. This is pure Philly Disco perfection. It has quite a melancholy feel, but is uplifting at the same time.

3. Labelle, ‘I Believe That I Finally Made It Home’. Nona Hendrix wrote the lyrics - they’re really powerful. It’s one of Labelle’s finest moments as they all take turns with the lead vocals.

R: Any tips for the future?

FL: Don’t try too hard to be anything in this over-competitive world. We all end up as dust anyway.

R: Are you a Speedo or short shorts boy?

FL: I love Speedos. I have a bit of a fetish for them. It’s great in Rio as all the men wear them at the beach so I’m in heaven.

R: Prove it! ->

EVB has never before had to issue an apology, but apologies in advance for the multiple equestrian references you’re about to endure.

Riding into town on their super-hung stallion James and Jim from London’s Horsemeat Disco bring their wonderful nosebag of disco delights to Club 205 on Tuesday night.

This will be the boys’ final gig in NYC (they were support DJs for Hercules and Love Affair on Saturday night at Studio B) before jumping back into the saddle and galloping (or should that be cantering) back to London.

Here at the EVB stud ranch we are all waxing our chaps and slipping on our stirrups for a right royal hoedown.

Come join us and the wonderful Horsemeat boys tomorrow night, May 20 at Club 205, 205 Chrystie St (at Stanton), NYC. If you bring a sugar lump, wear a rosette and impersonate a horny stallion at the door, who knows what might happen…

London’s Horse Meat Disco is dedicated, simply, to “the industry of human happiness”. It’s the queer party for everyone - homos and heteros, club kids, bears, fashionistas, naturists, guerilla drag queens and ladies who munch. Musically it’s a disco behemoth of classics, Italo-disco, oddities and punk funk, spun in the friendliest venue south of the river (the Thames that is). East Village Boys caught up with one of the co-founders, and resident DJ, James Hillard and milked him for a few answers and an incredible mix.

Richard: Hi James, how’s it going?

James: Very well, thank you. The weather is being vile so I’ve pulled down the blinds, put the mirror ball on and I’m dancing around the living room in my pyjamas listening to Voyage… It’s 3:00 in the afternoon!

R: Please introduce us to the HMD team?

J: That would be myself and Jim Stanton. Hiya!

R: What did you do today?

J: I did the mix you can hear on your website, and drank a shed load of coffee.

R: What’s the Horse Meat Disco story?

J: Horse Meat started back in 2004. It rose from the ashes of a previous party. We just wanted to do a gay party where music was crucial, and one that drew on various tribes to make the crowd more interesting. The gay scene in London had become so stale and commercial. We just wanted to shake things up a bit… and play music we loved. All at the behest of Adam Goldstone. A resident of your parts until he sadly passed away a couple of years ago. He was the one who got me and Jim together to throw parties in the first place. I miss him.

R: Where did the name come from?

J: I was cleaning the flat one day and went to chuck out a pile of newspapers, and one of the headlines was “horse meat discovered in salami” although it was partially covered to reveal “horse meat disco”. I thought it was a genius name, Jim agreed and the rest is history.

R: Who designed your wonderful logo?

J: Adrian Fillary does all our artwork and he is a genius. He always gets it spot on and the logo is proof of that.

R: Who are your resident djs?

J: Myself, Jim Stanton who I co-promote with, Severino who hails from Mantova in Italy, really is one of the most underrated DJs in London - I’m always in awe - and Luke Howard AKA Filthly Luka. He’s currently sojourning in Rio De Janiero and we miss him so much. Luckily he sold me a load of his records before he left so his music lives on… even if that makes me a toon teef.

R: Speaking of music, what’s the HMD music policy?

J: Disco across the spectrum and in all its metronomic glory.

R: Many gay clubs are simply about the chase or cruise but HMD feels more like a social. There is a very friendly atmosphere there. How do you make it happen?

J: I think the music first and foremost, plus mine and Jim’s ability to reach across the tribal divisions in gay clubbing and bring together a great mix of people, gay and straight, who love the music. Being on a Sunday and in a South London boozer helps too.

R: What is the wildest thing you have seen at the club?

J: We did a Mexico inspired party after I visited there a few years ago. We got some piñatas and filled them with bottles of poppers. Didn’t think for a second that when people began to whack the piñata the vials would break. Needless to say they did, and for a while the dancefloor (including myself who was djing at the time) seemed to fall in on itself. The place smelled like a swimming pool for a week!

R: Does it often get out of control? Have you ever had to throw anyone out?

J: I can’t think of any club that hasn’t thrown someone out at some point, but bad attitude and blatent drug taking would do it.

R: At the club you often have some amazing performance artists - which have been your favorites.

J: It’s not so much the case that we plan anything they just come down. Our resident naked guy Ernesto is a poet and performer. He’s lovely and always raises a smile to the uninitiated. We miss Booby Tuesday who moved back to New Zealand earlier this year. She ruled the roost as far as I was concerned. Also the gang from the NYC Downlow our traveling gay club that we did at Glastonbury last year. Too numerous to mention but off the top of my head, Le Gateaux Chocolat, Jonny Woo, Janette, and Holestar were my favourites, and always bring the party when they’re down at Horse Meat Disco.

R: Last year you did a tent at Glastonbury - are you the first gay club to host a tent there? What was it like?

J: We were indeed the first gay space at a UK festival. It was amazing! For me it was even more special as it’s my home village, so coming back and doing what we did had special resonance. The concept came from our friend and regular down at the club, Giddeon Berger, who is an amazing set designer. His idea was to recreate a bombed-out New York tenement terrace with a gay club down a back alley. The effect was incredible, populated with crazy trannies and leather men. It looked like a cross between the film Cruising and Priscilla Queen of the Desert in knee-deep mud. I can honestly say that it was the best week of my life!

R: Who are your fave djs and who would you most like to have perform at the club?

J: I’d have to say Daniele Baldelli. The man is a legend both technically and musically. He’s always an inspiration. When he plays at the club I lose a few pounds because I dance like a loon all night long. We’ve had so many great DJs play at the club I can’t think of anyone else I’d like to have play down there. Danny Krivit, Carl Craig and DJ Spinna would be great at some point.

R: Do you have any celebrities frequent the club… any good gossip?

J: We get a few, but I wouldn’t like to say who. In the ethos of the club’s egalitarian policy, everyone who comes down is a celebrity in my eyes.

R: I hear you are a foodie? What are your special recipes?

J: Well I guess being the son of a butcher and an Italian cook I couldn’t not be. I lived in Italy for a year and picked up a few recipes along the way. I can now make an amazing ragu, but I have to start it in the morning and cook it all day. Also I do make a great roast dinner. You can’t do much better than a well hung piece of British beef! I’m all about great British food at the moment and I’m quite into offal.

R: Have you ever eaten horse?

J: I have indeed. Air-cured is my favorite way of eating it, but a good horse steak is gert lush (a little Westcountry expression for you).

R: When can we expect to see some horse meat on the menu in the East Village?

J: Whenever a promoter sticks their neck out and books us - we’ll be there with wigs on!

James Hillard Live at Horse Meat Disco

Queen Samantha - Sweet San Francisco
Lovefingers - Mexico (Barrio Edit)
DC Larue - Cathedrals
Gepy & Gepy - Body to Body
Dennis Parker - Like An Eagle
Andrea True Connection - Party Line
Wilton Street Band - Don’t You Even Know Who You Are
Dolly Parton - I Wanna Fall in Love
Gregg Diamond & Bionic Boogie - Fess Up to the Boogie
K.I.D - Don’t Stop
Gordon’s War - The Rock is Gonna Get You
Lipps Inc - Funkytown
TC Curtis - Body Shake (Instrumental)
The Mike Theodore Orchestra - High On Mad Mountain
Barry Mason - Body, Get Your Body (Faze Action Edit)
Biddu Orchestra - Voodoo Man (Remix)
Sphinx - Collision (1982 Remix)
Vivienne Vee - Give Me A Break
The Beach Boys - Here Comes the Night
Faze Action - Stratus Energy (Disco Mix)
Cerrone - Supernature
Tantra - Hills of Katmandu
Vivienne Vee - Remember
Patrick Cowley and Sylvester - Do You Wanna Funk
Stephanie Mills - You Can Get Over
Baby O - In the Forrest
Wilton Street Band - Disco Lucy
The Richard Hewson Orchestra - What Shall We Do When the Disco’s Over

Dutch photographer Joost Vandebrug has been popping up all over art and fashion exhibitions, books and magazines, and most recently just closed his show ‘New Faces’ at Amsterdam’s Foam (Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam). Joost’s documentary-like, emotional, atmospheric work features five guys, all recently scouted by modeling agencies, all shot specifically for the show. While we’ll probably be seeing a lot more of them in the next few years, we’re definitely going to see more of Joost.

Richard: Hey Joost, whats up? What did you do last night?

Joost: I’m ok, just a bit tired from shooting today, and a little sad because my best friend has moved to London this morning to work for a magazine. We have been working, living and partying together for almost two years (I met him in Melbourne). So last night was the last night of our time together in Amsterdam. We had some dinner and went to a party called Rauw.

R: Your ‘New Faces’ pictures are of young up-and-coming models - Were they all comfortable in front of the camera? Why did you choose these guys? Where did you find them?

J: My first plan was to shoot some guys in Holland, but after a while I discovered how dificult it was to get just the right ones. I had a certain look in mind and didn’t want to compromise. It was also important was that they were new at modelling. I wanted to be their first photoshoot - or as close as possible to it. In the end I widened my search from just Holland to the whole of Europe and found guys in London, Cologne and Amsterdam. I shot them at wherever they lived - their house, their city. And this was the best thing about the whole shoot - they talked about their city and their lives there and I just shot while walking around with them. It was great to hear their stories. I grew up in a tiny village in Friesland - which is a small province all the way in the north of Holland. Although I hated it then and it was a big struggle to get out of there, I do realize now how important my years were there. So it was just nice to hear theirs and to be part of it for a day.

R: How was the exhibition received?

J: Great! I got lots of press and I have been busy doing fun stuff ever since!

R: Your shots feel raw, unpolished and at times candid - why is this important to you?

J: When I create a story I want it to be about the moment, not the technique. With this story I shot on everything from disposable cameras to medium-format Hasselblad to Polaroids. I want the viewer to think he or she is looking at random photos that anyone could have shot. The connection should be the moment the photos where shot - like a certain look on the models face, movement or emotion. You won’t get that emotion with that stupid, pretentious, big and unnecessary equipment on the set.

R: You trained with the super talented Erwin Olaf, how was that and what was the most interesting thing you learned from him?

J: I was about 17 and I really had to move away - my life in Friesland was not working for me anymore. So when I had the possibility of interning trough my school I sent Erwin an email. He invited me over and the next Monday I was working there. Looking back I was a little young maybe, but the people were welcoming. I could sleep in the make-up room, the lunch was free and I had like 200 new friends all at once, so it was fine with me. What did I learn? Hmm… I learned that drugs are fun. I guess I also learned some lighting techniques and Photoshop.

R: You lived in Melbourne for a year working as a freelance fashion photographer - why Melbourne?

J: By the time I was ready to leave for Melbourne I was about 22 and found out that drugs weren’t always fun ;) I was also a bit sick of the city and felt like I was stuck (all over again) so I wanted a break. I felt like this break had to involve a lot of sun, beach and friendly people. Melbourne is the most livable city in the world so that made it easy. I also lived in Sydney for three months but that wasn’t very nice. I partied 24-hours a day (23 to be correct, they close the clubs from 6 to 7 am) and was a bit tired of it after a while. I never intended to shoot, but when I finally landed back on my feet in Melbourne I started shooting some stories which got published in a fashion magazine and I kept working for them from then on.

R: What about the surfers?

J: Yes, they are hot! I’ve lived on Bondi Beach though so I was over it after a while. I got more into the skaters.

R: You’ve been around - which city to you think has the hottest guys?

J: There is something about Swedish guys - not just their accent. So uh, Sweden?

R: You live in Amsterdam now - how is it? Where do you hang out?

J: It’s nice to be back, and I’ve made some amazing friends here since coming back. Fashion-wise its getting better and better. We have a very nice and energetic new generation coming up. I’m sure some of them will be known internationally as well. For fun I usually go to Studio80. It’s a gayish, dark, grungy dungeon were most of the fashion kids hang out.

R: What are you working on now?

J: I’m shooting almost everyday. It’s mostly editorials for international magazines. And mostly guys. I’m also going to London, Milan and Paris in the upcoming month. And next Month I’m starting to work on a new exhibition that I’m going to shoot my friends for, so I think that’s going to be fun!

R: Who would you like to work on next?

J: Cole Mohr. He is amazing, I would love to shoot him. He’s also on the cover of DANSK magazine at the moment.
all images ©Joost Vandebrug

DJ Vikas Sapra dropped of this mix earlier in the week, he forgot to tell us anything more about himself other than he can be found spinning around the LES at nights in places such as Skinny. Check the mix, we love it here at the East Village Boys office. It even inspired our oh so cool (in a Joy Division sort of way) intern Ian to get off his yoga ball and shake his skinny hips.

‘I Predict a Riot’ (Vikas Sapra mix)

Mick Jagger – Charmed Life
Gang of Four – Not Great Men (Phones Extended Version)
The Rapture – Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks
MGMT – Kids
Black Kids – I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You
David Bowie – Rebel Rebel
The Cribs – Men’s Needs
TV on the Radio – Staring at the Sun (In Digital Time Remix)
Pixies – Gouge Away
VHS or Beta – Alive
The Killers – Read my Mind (Pet Shop Boys Stars Are Blazing Mix)
Fortune – Bully
Every Move a Picture – Signs of life
The Futureheads – Hounds of Love (Phones Wolves at the Door Remix)
Foals – Hummer
Paradise Boys – The Young and the Guestlist
The Ting Tings – Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix)
Bloc Party – Hunting for Witches (Crystal Castles Remix)
Justice – The Party (Luvtek SMBU Remix)
Gui Boratto – Beautiful Life
Cut Copy – Lights and Music
Dragonette – I Get Around (Midnight Juggernauts mix)
DJ Dig – Paramount (Rogerseventytwo remix)
Crystal Castles – Air War