Electro Magnetic: Vicarious Bliss at Yugong Yishan on Saturday

Vicarious Bliss, or Andy Gardiner as he's known in his own house, is one of the artists making up the roster at electro label Ed Banger Records. He's in town this weekend along with labelmate Mr. Flash as part of The M-Ed Banger Weekend. The pair play Yugong Yishan on Saturday night, but we asked Mr. Bliss a few questions about his name, ideal festive plans, and why he thinks a few of his fellow DJs are just "wankers."

What is vicarious bliss for you?
Aha, the million dollar question ! “Vicarious” is something through procuration, ie. you can stay for a week in a chateau and for those five days you are the lord of the manor. Parents get vicarious joy through the success of their children, and I suppose you can attain vicarious bliss through the use of two bottles of vodka. More to the point though, “Vicarious” is a rather proper grown-up word that looks good on paper and is easy to find among millions of other band names on the net. And I try to use it as often as possible in conversation to impress my friends.

What’s the opposite of vicarious bliss?
You’ll probably find it living on the bottom of ponds. Or possibly shortly after having drunk the two bottles of vodka that I mentioned in the previous answer ...

You’ve criticized DJs how play with their heads down, emotionless. What makes you different?
Did I? Oh dear … I’m really nice usually! Er, does jumping up and down a lot, screaming at the audience and tipping vodka down the front row’s necks count? (I promise I won’t mention vodka in the next answer!)

How would you teach those “wanky DJs” a lesson?
Turning up the monitors full pelt is always a good one, especially if they’re wearing their custom- fitted earplugs. There’s a point where protection just doesn’t work anymore and they start dribbling from the ears, nose and mouth. Then, of course, my personal favorite: any DJ that travels with an assistant is a wanker. Period. So do the necessary, then sit back and enjoy as said assistant rushes around backstage screaming “Has anybody seen Erick Morillo’s headphones, he’s on in two minutes!” Hehehe …

What’s one thing you’re glad you did this year?
Went to Italy a lot, for gigs and a holiday. My “popularity” there is possibly due to the “Bloody Beetroots effect,” as I’m one of Bob’s (Bob Rifo, producer behind Italian electronica duo The Bloody Beetroots) sometime collaborators. I just seem to always be there at the moment, and I’m definitely not complaining! And neither is my girlfriend. And neither are both our stomachs. Or both our arms, as we got Sicily’s Mt. Etna tattooed on them a few weeks back!

And one thing you regret doing this year?
Not using about a squillion trillion air miles and then finding out after that they are automatically canceled. For weeks afterwards, holiday adverts made me feel physically ill.

What’s 2011 going to bring for Vicarious Bliss?
A new record! I’m finishing it at the moment and am mega-excited! I’m in the process of hooking up with various vocalists, and it all seems to be coming together rather nicely.

If you could only have one track for company on New Year’s Eve, what would it be?
“Pur” by Cocteau Twins, without a shadow of a doubt.

Who would you invite to your ideal Christmas/New Year party?
My girlfriend and 500 strangers, so we could rudely grade them at the door and basically behave like complete degenerates ...

And who wouldn’t be welcome?
Any of our friends. That way, you avoid having to apologize for previously mentioned degenerate behavior, thus spending all day January 1 on the phone going “I did what? Oh no! Er, sorry…”

Finally, give us a three-track playlist to keep us warm this December.
Da Trikkaz remix of the Cassius classic “The Sound Of Violence;” The new Gucci Vump track – I don’t know what it’s called as nothing is written on my CD-R; and my own new track “The Dark Side Of the Hills."

Vicarious Bliss, along with Mr. Flash, plays The M - Ed Banger Weekend on Saturday, Dec 18 at Yugong Yishan. RMB 100. 10pm.