The Butler Did It

Patrick Cash throws a few questions over at Andy Butler, the man behind genius production project Hercules & Love Affair. This weekend, Butler takes his label Mister International to Dalston Superstore for a special showcase… 

 


Tell us a bit about you.

I’m an American music maker and DJ that has been in love with house and disco since my childhood. I love collaboration. I most admire people who through their very existence demonstrate overcoming adversity and inspire others and kind of surround myself with them. I like outsiders.

Where did the idea for Hercules & Love Affair come from?

I was inspired by artists and acts like Massive Attack who had rotating line-ups and guest singers, or the industrial band Ministry who could at times have 15 or 20 band members on stage at a time, all from different bands and musical backgrounds. I have written songs since childhood, and once I started producing them with electronics, I started approaching various people to participate in my own project.

Where did the name come from?

I have loved Greek mythology and the stories of gods and goddesses since I was a kid. As an adult in university I studied myths again, but took a more specified approach and examined homosexuality in Greek myths and found that Hercules had numerous tales of love affairs with men, specifically one called Hylas who really captured his heart. I found the idea of the strongest man’s greatest weakness being his heart or sensitivity – particularly because of his love for another man – quite intriguing and beautiful. There were other artists in dance music that referenced Greek myths that I loved too, like Adonis or Marshal Jefferson who also went as Hercules, and thought it was nice to operate in that tradition.

“I like to give the audience a moment or two of ‘Holy shit, this is going off!”

What is the ongoing ethos for Hercules & Love Affair?

To lift people up, and remember music can change things.

Would you describe yourself more as a DJ, musician or both now? Do you think there’s a new sense of ‘hybridness’ emerging in modern music-makers?

I am both. I started playing the piano before playing with turntables but both were big parts of my life by 15 years old. I think that producers/songwriters often do moonlight as DJs and vice versa, and it has historically been kind of the name of the game. You convey your aesthetic more entirely with both activities. But I have a lot of respect for DJs that stick to just that and are amazing as DJs, and producers that similarly don’t DJ, only produce and are tremendous. They are different skill sets. I would like to think I do well with both.

And when you’re DJing what do you bring to the party?

I like to give the audience a moment or two of “Holy shit this is going off” and to think to themselves “I am in the right place!”

Finally, what can we expect from your set at the DSS?

There will be a bit of jacking, tough stuff, melodies, and definitely some of the stuff from between the eras of disco music and house. Maybe if I am really having fun, some clothes come off. At least my hat.

 

• Andy Butler of Hercules & Love Affair presents Mister International at Dalston Superstore (117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB) on Friday 12th December, 9pm-4am.

• Hercules & Love Affair – Do You Feel The Same? (Defected) is March 2015.

• Andy Butler – EP (Mr.Intl) is released February 2015

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