200 lbs of bananas and a hippy stick of the sticky stuff, the clouds of skunk and funk swirl making way for the Drunken Doja Monkey. One of our assets in the area linked up with the Doja Monkey at his meditation chamber of seclusion hidden deep within the mountains of Connecticut, where he trains with his primate percussionist counterpart. We got the inside scoop on his new hip-hop mix Allston Rat City, living life with a banana dependency, and last months residency.
[LiS] Why did your Kung Fu master name you Drunken Doja Monkey?
[Drunken Doja Monkey] There is a legend from the Ming Dynasty of China of a Monkey King that stole all of the peaches from the spiritual peach tree and drank all of the wine of the Heavenly King reserved for his special guests. The Monkey King drunkenly defeated all of Heaven’s warriors sent by an enraged Heavenly King, until he was eventually subdued by the Buddha. Absolutely classic. But no, I don’t know why I was given that name.
How have your studies of Kung Fu affected your abilities as a professional DJ?
DJ’ing is like Kung Fu in many ways. You have to A – make sure you can get your girl in. B – have enough drink tickets for YOUR WHOLE SET. If you’re half way through your set and you’re out of whiskey and coke, you are standing in front of a bunch of people with an empty cup and you look like a ding dong. C – once your girl is in and you have a few reserved whiskey and cokes, you harness your inner Qi, close your eyes and trust your instincts on your Traktor controller. If they fail you, only then can you discover that the point of battle is not to win, but to lose and learn from your mistakes, for our greatest enemy lies within.
Your associate “Monkey 2” the percussionist, where did you pick him up?
“Monkey 2” is a rock drummer for a French all male-trio picking up steam in the northeast. We have been allies since we were but young, eager chimps.
If you could have one banana where would you eat it?
Excellent question. Probably on a mountain top where the air is freshest.
How many banana’s do you have right now?
None… But about eleven plantains in my storage closet.
Last month you hosted The Brain Trust’s new residency at The Middle East in Boston every Thursday. What are you guys doing differently, and what can we expect?
You can expect some of the world’s most talented DJ’s and producers, even if you haven’t heard of them yet, and a dance party that includes the occasional Japanese monster battle…
What were a few highlights, and what are some rituals you use to prepare for each show?
Working with the Kaiju Big Battel guys has been really fun, and the main ritual for Boston shows is avoiding parking tickets. Rory and I stand around a parking meter and “ohm” for about five minutes.
You just released a new mix entitled Allston Rat City. Why “Allston Rat City,” and what were your motives with this selection?
“Allston Rat City” is a reference to the diamond in the rough that is Allston, MA, where I currently reside. People who live here tend to have a love/hate relationship with Allston, but really she is a sweet girl once you let her into your heart. There is filth and rats, but there is love and torn jeans too.
Any big plans for DDM in the future?
I hope to audition for bass in Drunken Doja Monkey Live Band. I also want Pretty Lights in the band.
