POP LIVES:Phil Boyle, aka Ghostboy, is the resident DJ at Dublin club night Mother
What are you reading?
I picked up a copy of Alex’s Adventures In Numberland by Alex Bellos recently, a book that explores the history of mathematics and tries to make the subject slightly less baffling by linking abstract concepts to real- world examples.
Mathematics is a subject I love and I wish it wasn’t quite as feared or as hated as it seems to be, especially by school kids. Having studied pure and applied mathematics in college for four years there were bits I hated too, don’t get me wrong, but the mental skill-set a good grasp of mathematics can give you seems invaluable to me, especially in a world driven by technology.
Last film you saw and your verdict?
The Bourne Legacy. While I wasn’t expecting much, it failed to meet even my lowly expectations.
You have a golden ticket to Easons – what magazine is first on your list?
About the only magazine I buy regularly is Empire, usually when Im getting on a plane, but their recent layout re-design was a complete disaster to my eyes. It’s a real pity when that happens.
What are your most clicked bookmarks?
I work for a website, looking at ways to get more traffic, so I’m online most of my working day. I use Google Analytics a lot. It still surprises me that they can give this product away for free to anyone who wants to use it. It’s pretty phenomenal in what it can do. I use Twitter regularly to find out what’s happening right now. I know a lot of people still think it’s just a bunch of idiots saying “I had toast for breakfast today. #ROFLCOPTER #LOLCANO” but I think it’s pretty amazing that I can watch a rugby game and discuss it with my friends, the TV pundits and the rest of the world at the same time, in real time. I use Google Reader to keep track of the blogs I’m interested in and Soundcloud and YouTube to discover new music. I spend a lot of time on news websites, too.
Do you have a favourite podcast or radio programme?
The podcast I look forward to the most is Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews, which comes out once a week, on Fridays usually. There is an amazing chemistry between the two of them which makes it incredibly comfortable listening even when theyre arguing, which is quite often. I have an appreciation for Mark Kermode’s depth of knowledge even if I regularly disagree with his opinions. It’s well worth a listen if you like films, or like listening to two slightly grumpy slightly old men chat for an hour and a half.
When you fall into a YouTube hole, what’s the general subject matter of the videos you’re watching?
Music, music, music. I don’t use YouTube for much else, actually. I tend to go and listen to a new track I’ve been sent a link to, then either more from that artist or more from the label the release is on.
What track should we listen to right now?
I can’t just pick one so here are three: Róisín Murphy – Simulation, (Mano Le Tough remix); Luca C Brigante feat. Róisín Murphy – Flashlight (Solomun Remix); and Hot Chip – Let Me Be Him.
Which boxset/TV series do you have on the go at the moment?
I just finished watching the first two seasons of Boardwalk Empire which was fun but maybe not quite as good as I was expecting. Im also watching Breaking Bad, which manages to just about live up to all the hype. The most recent episodes have been breathtaking.
Last gig/concert you went to and your verdict?
Nile Rodgers and Chic in the Button Factory a few weeks ago. I’d seen them before and thought they were amazing – and they were amazing again. An unbelievable back catalogue was exploited perfectly (unlike Madonna recently at the Aviva).
Which app do you use the most?
Boring, but it’s the bog standard music app on the iPhone. I listen to music all the time. Other than that I use Echofon, which is a Twitter app, a lot and I use TuneIn Radio to listen to talk radio mainly.
And finally, if you request one record in a club this month, make it . . .
Yacht - I Walked Alone (Jacques Renault remix). I recently re-discovered this and played it out in Mother. The roof nearly came off! It’s one of those tracks that doesn’t sound like much when you listen to it on little speakers but put it on in a club and the repetition, the swells, the bass, they all come together in an amazing fashion.
