THE MYSTERIOU2

The incredible new Oxford based hip hop, electro, funk outfit "The Mysteriou2" will be unleashing their dynamite new single " Fired Up" through Matchbox Recordings via Universal music operations on the 13 Oct 2008. 

Crashing through the atmosphere like a bolt of super heated laserfire, The Mysteriou2 have arrived to shake up the music world with a manic fusion of Hip Hop, Funk, Electro and Soul. Drawing on widly electic inspirations they take aim at the dancefloor in their relentless quest for the holy grail of Dance/Hip Hop; "The Perfect Beat".

Two longstanding friends; Andy and Arron, known under their superhero aliases of Electro and DeFactOh, have but two missions in life. The first to rid the galaxy of Zaproc who infects the ariwaves with staid, wack music. The second is to free you minds, so your behinds will follow.

Missions they hope they can achieve whilst having as much fun as two intergalactic funkateer heroes can possibly have.

   THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

1. What made you decide to start a career in music tell us a bit about your history to date ? 

Andy: Music has always played a big part of my life, and it seemed natural to want to participate rather than sit back and watch others. I think it was a need to carve my own musical footnote however small that spurred me on thorugh the inevtiable roadblocks and heartaches. I have been in bands of various shapes and sizes since my early teens and played everywhere from toilets to enormous hotels. I began my life as an MC but graduated to making my own beats on lo-fi equipment just to have something to record to. I made the transistion to producer when I realised I wasn't good enough to be a proper rapper, especially compared to the competition around me. 


Arron: I've loved music ever since i heard my Dads old Motown records or my Mums Reggae tunes. I've always kept myself around music too. I can't live without it. As for making beats, it all started years ago when i used to listen to National Fresh and i'd hear some funky beats. I always wanted the instrumental version to write raps to, so i'd make my own. I'd find a clear break and record it onto a blank cassette. Then i'd stop it and re-record the break again immediately after to make two breaks/bars etc. Even then i was a bit of a perfectionist and i suppose you could say a bit anal about the whole process. If it was slightly out then i'd start again. Once i had a minute or two of plain breakbeat i'd start writing. Andy got me into making beats properly a couple of years ago after showing me how to do it, i kind of took to it like a duck to water. The rest is what you hear now.


2. Who or what are your influences ?

Andy: My influences range from the obvious to the obscure. I grew up loving Hip Hop and Electro in the 80's so that is really my main inspiration but I also love Funk, Soul, Blues and Jazz from which I draw lots of different elements particulary from the rhythm sections. The Bristol scene of the late 80's early 90's (such as Massive Attack, Smith and Mighty, Tricky and Portishead) left a big mark on me too. My parents music collection was a big influence on me as they introduced me to how music can make you feel, this was mostly stuff like The Beatles and the Stones but also more Folky stuff like Simon and Garfunkel. It also introduced me to the joys of mono recordings where you could isolate different parts of the backing tracks and create your own remixes on the fly. I also am influenced by 70's prog rock, especially the grooves and chord progressions, although I'm not sure I could write songs that last 15 minutes like they did. 


Arron: My early influences came from my parents music collection. Tamla Motown, Reggae & Ska. I suppose it was just natural for me to fall in love with Hip Hop as that was my era, whereas Motown was my Dad's, Reggae & Ska was my Mum's. It's a natural progression really. I loved all the old Electro like Steady B, Mantronix, Roxanne Shante etc but Hip Hop became big in the late 80's for me. Big Daddy Kane, Original Concept, LL Cool J, Public Enemy & BDP we're all releasing some of the best music i've ever heard, even to this day. For me that was timeless, classic. Still sounds a lot better than most of the so called Hip Hop you hear today. My golden era lasted for the next ten years or so. 3rd Bass, Ultramagnetic's, Onyx, Non-Phixion, House Of Pain, De La Soul & Nine. All these artists made a big impact on my life in terms of music. After the late 90's though, Hip Hop lost it's edge and started to go commercial. I started getting into Acid Jazz around the early to mid 90's too. Good stuff to listen to after coming back from a club on a wind-down??. After that period i just started concentrating on collecting the good old Hip Hop i'd missed cos i couldn't afford it at the time.

3. What modern artists do you like ?

Andy: I like a lot of eclectic artists these days even though first and foremost i'm a Hip Hop fan, most of the modern garbage that gets labelled Hip Hop doesn't move me. I still listen to "golden age" Hip Hop but not huge amounts of new stuff. Im quite intriuged by Grime though from an outsiders point of view but I think im a little bit too old to really "get" it. I love bands like The Go! Team, The Flaming Lips and Free the Robots as they have the same eclectic attitude to music that I aspire to. Portishead and Massive Attack get played regularly too but they've been around for ages so im not sure they count as modern.


Arron: For me most modern Hip Hop is garbage, all they talk about is Women, Guns and Bling. Sorry but the 4 elements of Hip Hop are not about this. Yeah i appreciate that this may be the life these rappers have lead but i also think it's bull that management types think will sell. They ruining Hip Hop. I do however like a few modern Rap artists. La Coka Nostra (House Of Pain & Ill Bill of Non-Phixion), Edan, Yungun, Jehst, Braintax and a lot of British rap acts are holding it down too. Common is still doing his thing and keeping it real. I also like Free the Robots. All our guys on Pocket Aces Represents too, i'm not just saying that either, i really do like their stuff, that's why we wanna work with them. Unfortunately though, most of the yung whoevers, jung this, loc that and soulja boy types are mis-representing the game right now. Got no time for that what so ever. That's just bad pop music.

4. Where did the band name come from ?

Andy: It's a combination of various different elements, I grew up loving Sci Fi and comics and stuff as well as music so it is a nod to those as well as a tribute to one of the most underated Hip Hop acts ever (The Audio Two). I can't even remember why we decided to contract the Mysterious and the 2 together, but im sure we had a good reason at the time.


Arron: The reason was we thought it would be clever to spell it like it looks but to have a play on words as well. We didn't want to be recognised for what we we're doing (Like the Gorillaz) so we wanted to stay Mysterious. There are 2 of us in the group. Voila. The Mysteriou2. See it looks like Mysteriouz but with a 2 instead of a z. Although it turned out to be a mess that neither one of us could agree on how to pronounce. Confused the hell out of a lot of people too, but that's also a good thing because it keeps people guessing. We finally settled on something but i can't remember what it is. You'll have to ask Andy he he.

5. What inspires you to write your music/lyrics ?

Andy: I mostly get inspired at inappropriate moments; stuck in traffic, in the shower or on the toilet and so have to try to commit the idea to memory until I can get to the studio. The trouble with this is my memory isn't that great and I usually forget the track idea by the time I get there but this usually sparks off another idea or two while im trying to remember the first.

Arron: I do most of my writing when i'm asleep. Seriously, i've written some of the best raps ever heard when i've been asleep. I just can't remember them when i wake. The inspiration for Rainey Skyes though, came from my late Father. May he rest in peace. I kind of need a beat to write to as well. I'm weird like that. I can't just write without having a specific subject matter to write about. Give me a subject though and i'll come up with something......Usually.

6. Name your all time fave track by another band/artist ?

Andy: Phew, tricky one as I have so many for different reasons but if pushed I will probably say "Hymn from the big wheel" by Massive Attack.

Arron: I'd have to say either Big Daddy Kane "Ain't no half steppin'" Or Ultramagnetic MC's "Give the drummer some" Don't make me choose because i can't.......and because i don't want to either.

7. What sort of sound can we expect from your forthcoming single ?

Andy: It has a lot of different influences and hopefully spans a few different genres, it has little bit of 60's Pop, some killer vocals from a new group called Red Blooded Women, a dirty electro bass and all stitched together by two Hip Hop heads. 

Arron: What he said!

8. What are your ambitions for your music. Where do you see yourself in 5 years ?

Andy: The key for us is progression, we hope to be able to have a long enough career to be able to get better and better as we grow musically. Our eventual aim is to go from being DJ's or having to stand on stage with laptops and keyboards to having a live band recreate our studio machinations.


Arron: The thing is i wanna make music that people love. Wherever that takes us i'll be happy. I'm in it for the passion and the love. If that takes me somewhere then so be it. If not then so be it. I'm happy as long as people are listening. If they're still listening in 5 years time. Brilliant. 

9. How would you describe your music and what genre do you think it fits into ?

Andy: For us its futuristic but with an eye on the past, we are like the old B-movie film; The Blob. We hoover up all these different styles and genres and turn them into a crazy fusion of intergalactic proportions, I hope.

Arron: I really like Andy's answer on that and i couldn't possibly put it better myself. The Blob he he. However i will say that i'm much more Hip Hop influenced in what i create and Andy is more Funk influenced. I bring the boom Andy brings the Bap!


10. Where was your new single recorded and who was producing ?

Andy: We produced it but the vocals were recorded at Dreamtrak studios in London by Oli (who is originally from Abingdon) and features 3 incredibly talented girls; The Red Blooded Women. Watch out for them soon, big things to come from RBW. It was all mixed and made phat by Adib at One Level studios.

Arron: The B Side "Rainey Skyes" was produced in my spareroom studio??. The vocals we're recorded at One Level Studios. We both helped to produce it, as always. What more can i say!

11. What's the music scene like in Oxford and tell us about your label Pocket Aces Represents ? 

Andy: For years Oxford has been synomous with indie guitar bands such as Ride, Supergrass and Radiohead with little opportunity for a Hip Hop scene of it's own. Now however there is a scene that is burgeoning and getting stronger by the day. We have even had a stone cold legend in KRS One do a show here in the last year or so, which is huge in Hip Hop terms. Pocket Aces Represents is more of a family than a typical label; we all help each other out, collaborate and help each other grow. We wanted to get likeminded heads together in a sort of co-operative as for too long the scene has been fragmented and self destructive. With acts such as One Level, Benz, Lo Phi, flooded hallways, Livestock and Heavily Zooted the sky is literally the limit and we want to help them achieve what they deserve.

Arron: There is a lot of talent in Oxford as Andy has already mentioned, unfortunately it doesn't really get a look in. Most of the exposure goes to the bigger places like London and Manchester. We're trying to put our little city on the map and let people know what reppin' for Oxford is all about.

12. Who are the band members and songwriters and what do they play ?

Andy: Although there is just the two of us; Electro and DeFactOh to give you our alter-ego's, we collaborate with many different artists. The core will always be us two though, Me on the beats and Arron on the mic as well as making beats too.


Arron: I'm DeFactOh and Andy's Electro. Andy's a lot deeper in the beat making game than i am, I've only been doing it for a couple of years, I'm still learning but i'm catching up. He's showed me how and what to do and i have a lot to thank him for. I write most of the lyrics to our stuff as Andy's the better beat maker. For now ha ha.


13. In the U.K music and food has combined with celebrity rock and pop stars now appearing and cooking on TV food shows. Please can you give us your favourite recipe ?


Andy: Well I have Italian roots so I would have to go with an old family recipe for Spaghetti e Polpette

1. In a large bowl, mix together beef mince, eggs, cheese, olive oil and cooked chopped white onions. Sprinkle parsley, season with salt and pepper and mix well using your hands.

2. Rub some olive oil into your hands and very gently roll a small amount of the meat mixture creating lots of little meatballs the size of a chocolate malteser. Gently coat them in flour and fry in pre-heated olive until sealed (approx. 5 minutes). When cooked – drain on some kitchen roll and allow to cool.

3. Gently fry the garlic in the olive oil – once golden add chopped tomato with a pinch of suger, a drizzle of lemon juice and salt to taste and allow to simmer for approx. 15 minutes. Take off the heat, add basil, the meatballs and a couple of pinches of pepper and leave so the sauce becomes tepid.

4. In the meantime cook the spaghetti in hot salted boiling water until very al dente and then drain and mix into the tomato sauce allowing the spaghetti to absorb the flavours.

Arron: I'd have to say my favourite dish is Space Yogurt.

1. Get some space dirt.

2. Get some yogurt.

3. Heat the space dirt and crumble into the yogurt.

4. Eat the yogurt.

5. Simmer for about 3 hours.