BYT Interview: Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem

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BYT Interview: Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem

June 20, 2008 by Cale Send to a Friend Send to a Friend

Have you seen LCD Soundsystem live before? Pat Mahoney destroys it on the drum kit. The man is a machine. Oh yeah, he’s also a super disco DJ.

The story pretty much goes like this: Pat was playing drums with Les Savy Fav.  James Murphy was their sound engineer.  They went on to make indie rock history together, getting hipsters to dance for the first time since Manchester 1977.

Last year they put out a FabricLive mix, it’s a pure deep gay ass disco explosion with like one LCD b-side thrown in.  Brilliant.  Pat will be DJing the next Blisspop @ 9:30 Club this Sat (6/21) with Will Eastman & Chris Burns (Disco City) plus the bands The Dance Party and Wallpaper.  We threw around some emails last night:

BYT: What are you doing right now besides this interview? Be specific.

Pat Mahoney: Fending off my seven year old son, he apparently needs to use the computer quite desperately.

BYT: Total rock star. If you were trying to impress a lady on a first date, what song would you play for her and go “yeah I play drums on that”?

PM: “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TApA1fyoSdk

BYT: How was the Fabriclive mix created?

PM:
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons lard
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 beaten eggs
A grind of fresh pepper
1/8 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 bay leaf, pulverized
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb leaf lard diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups fresh pork blood

Instructions:
Have ready: Sausage casings. Cook gently without browning 3/4 cup finely chopped onions in 2 tablespoons lard. Cool slightly and mix in a bowl with 1/3 cup whipping cream, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 2 beaten eggs, a grind of fresh pepper, 1/8 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1/2 bay leaf (pulverized), and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1/2 lb leaf lard diced into 1/2-inch cubes and 2 cups fresh pork blood.
Fill casings only three-fourths full; the mixture will swell during the poaching period. Without overcrowding, put the sealed casings into a wire basket. Bring to a boil a large pan half full of water or half milk and half water. Remove pan from heat and plunge the basket into the water. Now return pan to very low heat (about 180°F; 82°C) for 15 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing sausage with a fork: if blood comes out, continue to cook about 5 minutes more or until barely firm. Should any of the sausages rise to the surface of the simmering liquid, prick them to release the air that might burst the skins.
To prepare, split and grill them very gently.

BYT: Using the fresh pork blood really shows on this mix. I’m not saying that other FabricLive mixes are bad, but sometimes they sound like they’re using blood that’s been sitting out for a few days. (Real answer, they used an old hand-built Bozak mixer from the 60’s) Do you think people picked it up with expectations that it would be a DFA-style mix?

PM: What is a DFA-style mix?

BYT: Fair enough. Is it similar to what you’ll be playing in DC? (Please say yes)

PM: It will be disco-y

BYT: Did you guys have anything to do with the packaging concept/cover art for that album?

PM: No

 

BYT: Ok, well whomever did have something to do with it is awesome. John, I’ll stop writing your column now. “DJ Pat Mahoney” doesn’t really do it for me in terms of DJ names, what should people in the know refer to you as?

PM: DJ Career

BYT: Going to bring anything fancy to the DJ gig in terms of equipment like a drum machine or sampler or one of those wooden scrapey fishes. Actually can you please bring a scrapey fish? It’s the new cow bell.

PM: I’ll bring some magic plastic discs that are saturated with music that you can dance to.

BYT: What is your most regretted impulse purchase? (e.g. scrapey fish)

PM: No comment.

BYT: What happened to [LCD's former bassist] Tyler Pope?

PM: None of your business.


I miss you Tyler, I hope you’re ok.

BYT: You have writing credits on some of the tracks from Sound of Silver - what part do you play in the LCD Soundsystem creative process?

PM: Sometimes I play the drums. When James isn’t.

BYT: Can you grab your ipod/itunes/zune/whatever and do an all song random play and tell us the first 5 that come up. And don’t cheat/lie no matter how embarrassing it might be.

PM: In the Air Tonight X5

BYT: Damn son, View > Show Duplicates > Delete. Next time LCD plays DC can I come up on stage and play the scrapey fish? It’s ok to say no, I’ll understand.

PM: What the fuck is this scrapey fish you keep talking about?

BYT: Would you take a bullet for me, a stranger, knowing only that I’m a pretty decent person and my mom loves me? Be honest.

PM: Please don’t get shot at around me, OK?

BYT: Harsh. What’s next on the agenda for DJ Career?

PM: Dinner!

http://www.blisspop.com/
http://www.930.com/

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Patrick Says:

I really hate it when musicians respond to interview questions with recipes.

June 20, 2008 at 9:42 am
Michael Says:

The scrapey fish could have given better answers.

June 20, 2008 at 10:18 am
Jesse Says:

Sounds like DJ Career was not fully comitted to this interview.

PS: Scrapey Fish rulz percussions. See Steely Dan’s first record and all the good Santana albums for proof.

June 20, 2008 at 10:27 am
Chris Burns Says:

I think he may have been a bit more receptive if you asked him about his favorite records, his new party with James at Santo’s party house, where does he like to get his records, etc. he would have taken it a bit more seriously….

June 20, 2008 at 10:40 am
Jeff Says:

Henry Rollins redux.

June 20, 2008 at 10:46 am
RJ Bentley Says:

Ay Yo Patrick

In response to your query:

–bagel
–cream cheese
–OJ

June 20, 2008 at 11:12 am
william alberque Says:

I don’t get it. Why are all your interviews so squirm-inducing?

I mean, sure, you have all the ridiculous questions ready to go, but it seems like you really only let them loose after the subject has demonstrated the ol’ chip-on-the-shoulder-the-size-of-Silbury-Hill-type respect.

“None of your business?” Really? FTW? FYI, Mr. Pope dj’d in Brooklyn last month. Unless something terrible has happened to him since, Pat’s just acting like he has sand in his vagina. Douche.

June 20, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Ed Says:

Perhaps what chris is trying to say is that this review, along with most of your other ones, are completely unilluminating and vacuous. If you put a bit more time into researching your interview subject and a little less time basking in the glow of your ego, both the interviewee and the readers would take you seriously.

But, I mean, it’s the internet, right? None of this matters anyway.

No hate, just being honest. This “oh my god, you’re in a band. i’m zany.” shtick is just getting pretty tired and reflects poorly upon the legitimacy of a fledgling site. Serious journalism is never uncool.

June 20, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Cale Says:

Chris and I have kissed (french) and made up so I have deleted the name calling comments.

June 20, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Cale Says:

Ed – thanks for the thoughtful criticism. First, I’m not interested in being taken seriously. Nor is BYT. I thought that was obvious. Second, I actually do exhaustive research prior to any interview, whether you believe that or not is up to you. Third, I started doing interviews on BYT because I was sick of reading boring indie rock interviews on other sites. There are plenty of interviews on the internets with Pat where you can get all the standard questions answered. My idea for BYT interviews from the beginning was to be able to present something to readers that would be an entertaining read even if you had no idea who the interviewee was. Many interviewees over the years have personally told me that my style was a breath of fresh air. Others didn’t get it. But I always encourage them not to take it seriously and be creative. Cause it’s not serious. It’s an interview for a DJ night in Washington DC. I thought Pat’s answers were funny. I also cut him a little slack because he had just gotten home from travelling, had been stuck in layovers at shitty airports, and had to turn around and leave home again. Fourth, we’ve had many calls for contributors and are always looking for more, so if anyone thinks they can do a better job, by all means let us know, send us a sample, and we’ll get rolling. Fifth, I don’t get paid to do this. Finally, and somewhat beside the point, I do love LCD Soundsystem with all my body (including my pee pee). I’ve been a freakishly huge fan for a long time. I honestly think James has some sort of clairvoyance where he knows exactly what Cale wants to hear, and then writes it. It’s scary. Wait, I guess that’s not really helping the argument against my purported big ego…

June 20, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Melissa Says:

Hilarious interview, as usual.

June 20, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Ed Says:

It’s apparent you’re not aiming at serious. I just don’t think that is made apparent to your interview subjects in a lot of cases until midway through an interview. This will often lead to painful exchanges like the one memorialized above.

You also should have included the bit about pat being tired. That’s pertinent information, and it frames Pat’s responses much better. Now, I read the interview rather than him being entirely snappy and slightly offended more as him kinda tired and dealing with the real world, i.e. his kid climbing all over him.

I’ve written for the site a couple times, btw.

Finally, Some people take DJing, dance music, etc. very seriously. That’s not your style, and that’s why we love you, but you should refrain from saying “it’s not serious. it’s an interview for a DJ night in Washington DC.”

P.S. I don’t hate you, Cale. I just like the voyeurism of the Internet.

June 20, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Cale Says:

Just to clarify, for me, there is a difference in taking something seriously and being passionate about what you’re doing. I don’t think indie dance nights are serious business. That doesn’t mean I’m not ridiculously passionate about what I do. I spend days working on new stuff for an event that will attract 20 people. Often times I spend more money on giveaways and effects than I make. I’m always on time and always professional when it comes to dealing with venues and staff. But it’s a fucking dance night. So I do not take it seriously. LCD Soundsystem doesn’t take their music seriously. They write funny songs. They make funny DJ mixes. But they do it with integrity and passion and creativity that rivals, in my opinion, any other band making music right now. But the shit ain’t serious.

P.S. I love awkward interviews.

P.P.S. I know you’ve written for the site, I’ve published your articles, that was meant as a note to anyone

June 20, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Marty Says:

Cale, baby, what the hell is this?

“getting hipsters to dance since manchester 1977″?

I think there were a FEW Indie/Hipster dance bands in between 1977 and 2002.

June 22, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Taylor Says:

Agree w Michael. Interview the Scrapey Fish next time and give us the answers in audio.
I feel sorry for Cale. The PATD interview I did came out worse than this one, if that makes him feel better.

June 22, 2008 at 6:13 pm
justin Says:

i’m afraid to say i agree with both sides of the criticism. i got absolutely nothing out of this interview and seriously feel like you should give me those 2 minutes of my life back some how. i think dfa guys have a bit of a rep for being difficult interview subjects, not sure why, i think they confuse being clever with being douche bags a bit too often. as for the interviewer, you’re allowed to ask one stupid question, maybe 2, but they should be towards the end after the actual succesful interview bit which you somehow forgot. fix up.

June 23, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Jason Bond Says:

Justin, look at the ads on this site! “Save Reno” and a free ad for local theater, in addition to the month of free advertising we just did for artomatic! It’s a free site baby! Delivered by volunteers! Nobody’s making any money off of your minutes! Relax man!

June 25, 2008 at 12:20 pm