Photo by Tonje Thilesen
Guest List features artists filling us in on some of their favorite things, along with other random bits. This time, we spoke with UK producer Josh Leary, aka Evian Christ, whose forthcomingWaterfall EP is due out March 17 via Triangle.
Best Birthday I Ever Had
Last year I was meant to be on a yacht with Rick Ross. I was in America playing a couple of shows and was planning on flying back to England to celebrate with family and friends. Then Then I went to this meeting with DJ Khaled and Rick Ross, just playing them beats and shit. Ross was like, "Cool, I got a bunch of different projects we can work on. I'm going to Miami for a couple of days, want to come out with me? You ever been on a yacht?" I'm just like, "No, I have never been on a yacht, Rick." But then it fell through, so I went back to England. So that definitely wasn't the best birthday I ever had, but it could have been!
Favorite Cartoon
I loved Pokémon for way too long, watching at a time when those days should have passed me by. You go to school and no one would talk about it, but on the low I think everyone still watched Pokémon—I would like to commission some research to find out if that's true.
My Dream Merch Table Item
There's a club near me where you can buy hot dogs and just walk onto the dancefloor. That is the pinnacle. My merch stand would be a mini-deli. You know how people say they made a piece of toast with Jesus' face on it? I could do that kind of shit, with my face and logo. That's my dream scenario in 2014, and that should be the dream scenario for clubgoers all around the world.
Dumbest Thing I've Bought in the Past Year
I was drunk recently in New York and went to this spot called Crif Dogs and bought two bacon-wrapped hot dogs with baked beans and sautéed onions, and started eating that, then fell asleep. That ruined the rest of the next day for me.
Favorite Music Video
The collective works of Busta Rhymes. "Fire", "Gimme Some More", "What's It Gonna Be?"—all incredible and super high-tech for the time with all that CGI. The money they used to spend was insane. I understand that investment in music videos died because television wasn't the main outlet anymore, but now you can monetize that shit on YouTube. It's amazing to me that record labels aren't piling money back into it. The bit in "Break Ya Neck" where Busta goes, "you want to ram with me?" on this weird overdubbed kung-fu film—it's just beautiful. I’m really passionate about that era of Busta videos.
My Karaoke Jam
It's a very controversial subject. In my life, I've never sung karaoke and I've never seen anyone partake in any sort of karaoke in the flesh. Recently, I got invited to a dive-y karaoke bar, so I was thinking about what I was going to do and I realized, "I have absolutely no idea what this looks like." Karaoke exists in this strange void, it's like The Matrix to me.
Ideal Selfie Positioning
I'm not that experienced, and I had my selfie debut (left) on a very public scale. I see people going for dramatic angles, but I figure full arms-length at nose height is the classic approach. Straight and true. Mine came out slightly crooked though, I was in a rush. I'm sure Burial spent weeks perfecting his, but I wasn't allowed that liberty.
Favorite Cereal
Honey Nut Loops
The Best Thing About Being on the Road
The best thing is also the worst: the way you consume food. You give yourself free reign because of the scheduling and you're working hard, so you go, "Fuck it, I'm going to buy whatever crisps I want, some huge chocolate bar, and I've never seen this ice cream before—let's see what it tastes like!" It's amazing for five days, then you pass a point of no return, and it becomes an ingrained habit; you feel like you're dying. That's the gift and the curse.
Favorite Trance Banger
[awed gasp] Ah! System F's "Out of the Blue". In those pre-teen years, my stepdad was a trance DJ. I remember sitting and listening to Belgian trance via early-stage internet radio on RealPlayer, through dial-up: The most euphoric music on the most mind-blowing technological medium. Perfect music for a 10-year-old.
Favorite Comedian
Let me think, because [emphasised slowly] I… hate …most… stand-ups. To me, there's something inherently unfunny about someone whose job is to stand around, waiting to make you laugh. But I like Steven Wright a lot.
First Record I Bought For Myself
The CD single of "My Name Is" by Eminem. A lot of shit came after that, and it could have so easily gone the wrong way. Part of me must have known I was going to be asked this question in 15 years time. Looking at Britney or whoever and thinking, "The picture's incredible, but think of the future!"
Dinosaur I Most Closely Resemble
Pterodactyl. It just flies around eating shit.
Most Bizarre News Story I've Seen Lately
"Rich Homie Quan Didn't Know He Did a Mixtape With Gucci Mane"
Last Album I Downloaded
E+E's The Light That You Gave Me to See You off Bandcamp.The music is completely insane: He does really amazing drone ballads. There's one which is this six-minute long, bizarre, completely free-form ambient cover of "Take Care":
Last Great Concert I Saw
Wolf Eyes at one of the 285 Kent closing shows:
