Interview: Super Massive Raver

Franco Milazzo
By Franco Milazzo Last edited 150 months ago
Interview: Super Massive Raver

One of the first music artists to react to last month's riots, Super Massive Raver (Simon Wan to his mum) braved the streets of an affected neighbourhood to survey the damage and make a video which combined a speech from Hamlet, the music of Stevie Wonder and some beatboxing from the legendary Killa Kela.

He has built up a collection of off-the-wall music videos mixing party-sized sounds and polemics against contemporary targets (from the Pope and Lady Gaga to The X-Factor) and we stopped him long enough to get a few words in sideways.

Introduce yourself in one sentence.  What would somebody not guess about you having met you?
Neon green, occasionally obscene and from the rave scene. I can sing better than Leona Lewis.

What are you up to at the moment?
I am working with a sweet bunch of guys developing an idea we have for the old groovy electronic childminder and also I've written my first feature film (I had five weeks to sit on my bum bum tapping away and it just fell out of me) so I've been busy going online and ordering a pink Lambourghini, gotta be pink, so everyone knows I'm rich as I drive round Knightsbridge trying to race fat billionaire Arab Princes. Also been back in the studio with Ian Curnow (80s legend) laying down some new chunky tune tunes.

What was your experience of the riots?
Well, I was in Kilburn at the time, and the area seemed to be lucky. I watched it unfold with excitement at first, I thought cool, a bit of rebellion, but rebellion was in the wrong place and for the wrong reason and aimed at the wrong people. It was a full broken record instead of a last track party banger.

Do you think the rioting was down to sheer opportunism or something else?
It was both, neither and something else. I'm all for sticking it up the arse of the fuzz, but stick it up the right arses. People just latched on, but for bad times, in my day, the frenzy was about getting a fuckload of speakers, love drugs and happy times. It's all guns and knives these days. The only things we shot were half pint glasses of tequilla at 8am on Monday morning when you had to knock yourself out to get to sleep or face another 12 hours of talking shit with your new best mate, you know the one who just ended up in the car, what's his name?

I'm not gunna blame the government, the police or the people. I'm just glad that the people of London didn't freak out and lose the plot.You can't fight the power, you just gotta know how to get the most fun out of it without getting your dick frazzled. I can't judge the rioters for what happened, some of the images made me feel proper comedown gloomy, I'm in no position to say what was right or wrong, but, they say you can judge a man by his shoes...

Describe your musical philosophy to us.
My musical is if you like it, if it makes you nod, if it makes you move, if it makes you happy, if it makes you sad, then it’s proper. No matter what it is. I hate people who say they’re eclectic, when they just mean they like listening to lots of one type of music. Trust me party pants, I can get down to Dolly Parton 9 to 5 no doubt.

At the same time I love spunking my brain full of dubstep darkness. And let's not forget the old Motown classics, as sampled by every rave producer in the 90s. I love everything. (Except Diana Vickers, who sounds like someone swapped her vocal chords for Dot Cotton’s, but in all honesty she'd probably get it, after a couple of pills. I'm talking about Dot, I love Eastenders,and I'm not afraid to say it.)

Apart from Shakespeare and Stevie Wonder, who are your influences?
Bad boy Micky J, The Eagles, Maria Carey, Formation Records, LTJ Bukem, MC GC, General Levy, The Prodigy, DJ Seduction, and I like that big girl with all the Grammies, chasing pavements and all that. She can belt out a proper song, lungs on her like two musical fag-filled tubas, love it.

We loved your X-Factor parody. What's your take on TV talent shows?
If it was a real talent show it should be full of people that have talent. Like, I used to know a bloke (Richard Spyve RIP) that flipped up BMX bikes so the wheels were in the air, he'd twat the pedals round till the back wheel was spinning at a 100 miles an hour then whack his dongle out and use it as a brake, it would screech and smoke as his foreskin almost melted. Now THAT'S talent. But I Iove watching people have a go, it's awesome, and also cringy as tits. Genius. As for the final ten parts, couldn't give a flying Bernstein.

Recommend one album to our readers you don’t think they will have discovered.
I just found out about a new album from ICOMETOSHANGHAI they are giving away the album for pay if you want. It's 8 bit, sweeping chip tunes, surf, electro, huge strings, guitar music.

What’s your favourite…

…music venue to go to in London?
Last place I MC'd at was at the free LDF rave @ Hidden for DJ Casual Breakin and Kid Chameleon, so I'm saying that one. It was tasty, there was quite literally a 55 year old lady smoking a joint on crutches queuing up to get in wearing a raincoat.

…place to get inspired?
This can be anywhere, inspiration usually strikes at the strangest places. I got struck with inspiration in my balls once, I then wrote a 2000 word essay on Ulrika Johnson's neck skin.

…place to chill-out?
I love just wandering around late at night in central London. It's a cliche, but Piccadilly Circus, China Town, all the 'so what' tourists places most people take for granted. By 3am, the streets are a different place.

You got lovely lovely love birds who are having a saucy weekend trying to find their cheap hotel room, the dude with a ring in his back pocket hoping like buggery she says yes, business men shuffling out of strip clubs, corporate credit card maxed out by sexy professional man champions, well dressed Italian students running around shouting cause they're gunna get a slap off the chaperone for being 4 hours late for the coach, all mixed with locals coming home from a late shift or trying to get back to the flat from a quick drink that turned into a large jug of 'yeehaa knickers off'.

It's proper great, if you just stop and look, you realise that London is full of stories, happy hardcore and chill out tunes, dubstep and jazz bass faces. If you can't get inspired wandering the neon streets of late night London then you're probably got marshmallows for eyeballs and pork buns for ears.

…place to get lashed?
I like drinking at the Strong Rooms bar in fashion vacuum Shorebitch, mainly cause I saw Pixie Lott there and she was like an angel, in a green parker coat. Legs like two succulent sculptures with a magical treat at the top, amazing face. I'd like to show her my bedroom ornaments, we could play DS two player, I got loads of games. Plus, every time I go there, luckily some ones else is always buying. Score!

…place for a last-minute kebab?
Woody's grill in Kilburn is the meaty meaty business.

…view in London?
I used to go out with this dancer who lived in a tower block in Knightsbridge, yes, oo la laa, how posh, it was juicy. We used to go to the top floor and look out, you could see 360 degree London. I used to have a cheeky tootle up there and just look and stare and goggle for ages. It's a truly amazing sight. I took a picture out of the window every day for a year on my phone. Since we split, it's ground level from now on.

…form of public transport?
I do love the tube, when it's working, I feel all futuristic and like a robot in a space tunnel. I love seeing the faces of tourists with the 'What the fuck is this cramped, rude, horrible nightmare face". Always makes me smile. I also like helping people with luggage and push chairs but not stopping at the top and going just a bit too far so it looks like i'm gonna run off with the Mothercare 3 wheel baby cart. I hate buses, they are always stinky and too hot. Also, I love overpriced grumpy rickshaws of course! It's an exciting ride home when you're so pissed you can't see and the guy doing the peddling wants to kill you! Better then Alton Towers.

Which musicians should we be looking out for around London?
I've been working with a new girl called REESON, she's a redheaded dance floor singer. We cut a record together last month called 'TAKE IT OFF' and we rocked it out at PUNK the other week. It was chocolate bass line, the roof was on fire (hmm, not the right phrase these days). So, look out for her other stuff.

Finally, where can we expect to hear or see you next?
I got shows coming up in clubs from October, and I'll be rocking the mic right with Casual Breakin, Kid Chameleon and DJ Cutmaster Elskid. They'll be new video packets with mouth bandit Killa Kela and a couple of foul mouthed puppets courtney of a handsome play farmer called Henry on the YouTube and the website www.supermassiveproject.com.

And fingers crossed we'll start filming the jaw dropping comedy action bonanza buddy movie poetic and uplifting feature film in spring of next year. So, hopefully have it in the can ready to edit just before the world blows up in December 2012 like the last vinegar stroke of mankind.

If there's a bass box, put your head in it. If there's a cuddle on the go, grab it. If there's lasers, well, put your fucking arms in the air.

Last Updated 15 September 2011