On the eve of his gig in Mumbai, King Unique talks to The Sherp for a light and surprisingly insightful interview!
FS: The best bed you’ve ever slept in?
KU: My sofa, for about an hour one afternoon when my first son was around 6 weeks old & waking up a few times every night. I still remember the delicious luxury of taking a nap on that lumpy old sofa – whenever I need to fall asleep somewhere I picture myself lying down to sleep that day.
FS: One thing you can’t leave home without?
KU: Clothes, I’m old fashioned that way.
FS: Biggest inspiration in your life?
KU: The Apollo moon landings – what it took from hundreds of thousands of people to put those 12 men there, what it meant to humanity that they went & what it meant individually to the men who went there. I managed to meet/hear all of the surviving moonwalkers and speak about ‘it’ in person – very interesting people.
FS: Weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
KU: Sea urchin at an extraordinary sushi restaurant in Tokyo in 2001! It’s also the worst tasting thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.
FS: Biggest fail behind the console?
KU: Picking up Col Hamilton (the promoter of Lush! in Northern Ireland) to wave him at the crowd and smashing his head extremely hard into the ceiling.
FS: Best moment behind the console?
KU: Hard to say (see next answer) but I always have a soft spot for playing to any group of people who’ve decided to have a good time. Doesn’t need a big crowd or great venue – just that spark going round everyone to make the most of the night. Those are the legendary gigs.
FS: Happiest moment of your life?
KU: That’s rather a hard question to answer as I’m currently trying to quit that outlook. Hanging your greatest happiness’s on particular moments is like fitting a rose tinted rear-view mirror in your car – you just keep looking over your shoulder. Additionally you can become overly defined (both artistically & personally) by your ‘legacy’; what you did becomes a disproportionate determinant of what you do. I’m happy to be sitting on a plane and answering these questions J
FS: What would you be if you weren’t an artist/musician/DJ?
KU: Archaeologist – I bought a 170 year old house recently that hadn’t really been lived in for years. I found loads of interesting old bits & pieces under the floors, stuffed in the chimney, packing out door frames etc. Everything from coins & jewellery to old newspapers & bus tickets – if someone wants to pay me to do that I’d love to.
FS: If you had a superpower, what would it be?
KU: To let people look clearly into each other’s hearts, and into their own.
FS: Top 3 tracks on your iPod right now?
KU: Debian Blak “Six Months from Mars”
Boards Of Canada “Reach for The Dead”
Any of the dozens & dozens of pieces by ‘Max Richter’