The Electric Disco.
Everything's Balearic When You Believe
Mike Wilson of 100 Poems talks to us about his background, musical influences and the fantastic Everything is Balearic project
Words by Mark Limb • July 12, 2024
Hey Mike, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us, hope you're well!
Could you briefly introduce yourself for our readers?
Thank you very much Mark for the invitation and the opportunity to chat about my music and more. I’m Irish, married 33 years to a lovely English girl, and we have three sons.
We moved back from the UK in 2012, and live 50 km to the west of Dublin in a place called Rathangan. It’s a beautiful part of the world, a place transitioning from village to now a bustling little town. There’s a canal, a river, clatter of pubs and a thriving live music scene here. I’m from a very musical family.
My Dad’s a great musician from the showband era, he turned 80 and still plays out three times a week, my Mum was a great Irish dancer. One brother is a talented guitarist, the other a singer - and my sister is very involved with the arts and theatre.
I moved to London from Ireland in 1988, part of the Second Summer Of Love Acid House generation. And I haven’t stopped smiling since.
Mike Wilson aka 100 Poems
Can you tell us a bit about the concept behind 100 Poems and where the idea came from?
The central idea behind the project is inspired by Irish poet and playwright Seamus Heaney. I write music that is uplifting, the tunes contain a positive message. So from the outset it was to create a space where this music could live. And Seamus Heaney’s writing, approach to life and beautiful observations was that collective - “100 Poems”.
The anthology of his work. I think there is something wonderfully romantic about it and ‘poems’ too - that’s maybe also what the music is. Love letters, observations, notes to the listener.
Special mention here to Adam Turner, and his great blog “Bagging Area”.
He wrote a very generous review of the new album. Adam was the first person to comment on the Seamus Heaney connection - and the epitaph on Seamus’s headstone:
“Walk on air against your better judgement".
That’s what it’s all about. You can read the wonderful review here
The music itself is inspired by electronic, house, psych, prog, blues, downtempo, dub, jazz. It’s the 80s mix tape you had as a teenager with James Brown, Mantronix, The Cure and Madonna - sitting next to the Chieftains, Scott Walker and Ennio Maricone. Wrapped in all the positivity, energy and vibe from then.
For me - that’s Balearic. Whatever ‘Balearic’ is.
What’s the appetite like for Balearica in Ireland? Is there much of a scene?
There is great music being made and championed across the island - shout out to Jonny Mac of WoTD, Denis Heaney, Micko Roche and Peter Fitzpatrick (Circuit3). I think we see and hear music differently here. We are a small island. The last port before the Atlantic.
There’s a spirit here in our language, music and culture that’s wild and adventurous. We’ve always mashed things up. You can see that in the recent artists that do go ‘off island’ and get recognition and success “on the mainland '' - Lankum, Kneecap, Fontaines D.C.
You can hear the DNA in their music on what the origins are. But they are making it wholly their own. We have a huge thirst for music here - it’s flying - venues, bands, a real variety of styles and genres. It’s vibrant and ever present. We very much live in the now, with our past and heritage, not forgotten, but right beside us here in the moment.
I think it’s a very Irish thing.
Cover art for 'Everything's Balearic When You Believe'
More generally, with the underlying Balearic theme to your releases, what’s your relationship with Ibiza? Have you spent much time over there?
I have never been to Ibiza. The same way I have never been to Chicago, Detroit or Philadelphia. Yet the music and culture that has come from these places, around the world, and back again to these sources have had a profound effect on me and my life. So Balearic to me is like House - it’s not music, or a place - it’s a feeling.
The first release was “Everything Is Balearic When You Believe”. The cover is a black and white image of the one street running through Rathangan, and off into the distance, to a 70s nostalgic postcard of Ibiza - almost mythical. That was something in the approach - EVERYTHING is Balearic, when you BELIEVE.
So it’s as much about attitude and life outlook, as music. It puts a needle in the question - what’s Balearic? The answer… Everything. And everywhere.
“What’s Balearic? The answer… Everything. And everywhere. ”
Prior to the 100 Poems projects were you already writing and releasing music?
Music has been with me since childhood - bands, then DJing - then returning back to music in a studio setting and recording. Last project before 100 Poems was ‘Silver Moon’, I created with a great friend, and hugely talented artist, Aidan Casserly (check out Aidan’s solo work - he’s released 40 or so albums!).
I was the music and production - Aidan words and vocals.
We released an album, a clutch of singles and an EP. The personal highlight for me was a release on the NUB label of the single “A Soldier’s House’ with War Child as a fundraiser for Syria relief.
There’s a very powerful video we made to accompany the song, using the art from Syrian kids - it’s heartbreaking what’s still happening there
It’s clear that you’re a talented multi-instrumentalist and both of your 100 Poems albums are extremely polished, both musically and from a production perspective.
Can you tell us a bit about your writing and recording process?
Thank you very much, that’s very nice of you to say!
Writing is nearly always on guitar first - chords and melody. In fact the most electronic of the tunes, never had a synthesiser anywhere near them until much later. Writing and recording is really, really fun. I love it. There’s not a moment that I am not happy or smiling. It’s something I get a huge amount of pleasure from.
Sometimes writing is random and a jam, sometimes, it's more structured - or locks into place really quickly.
Recording is done in my home studio. I purpose built it when we bought the house, it’s 240 sq feet, and away from the house in a corner of the garden. It’s a real joy and I am very lucky. I like naming things and places - so the studio is called ‘Sunset Labs’.
I like that mix of nature and science - there’s a Yin & Yang to that. I also demo LOADS - so will have half a dozen projects and ideas happening at the same time. I get feedback, I really like getting people’s advice, I listen A LOT.
“Creativity is a muscle. the more you flex it, the stronger it becomes.”
That sounds ideal. I know a lot of people that produce entirely in the box but having a dedicated recording space must give you a real sense of freedom.
For sure freedom, and also having a dedicated creative space, away from the house it feels like you’re ‘going to work’. I think that is a really important thing that I have learnt. The more you do, the ‘better’ you get, the more you practise.
Creativity is a muscle. the more you flex it, the stronger it becomes. So having a space just for that, is great. It’s fun - but I take it seriously. And it’s constant learning. I can also make a bit of noise out here!
What about the computers and sequencing, what do you use for that?
On the tech side I run Logic Pro, synths are mainly all VSTs - I have some plug-ins - all the iZotopes! Some ARP stuff - not much in the way of sample libraries or loops, as I play or make most things.
I have a fantastic keyboard controller - a CME, I think Thomas Dolby uses the same one. It's fabulous - I really enjoy playing piano. And I have a KORG MS20. I have had that since I was 15 - my first synth and still use it today. Martyn Ware’s Travelogue inspired me to get it.
Instruments. Guitars, banjos, mandolins - they’re all there! I have a good range of guitars including Gretsch, Takamine, Tanglewood, Fenders, and my prized Antoria Jazzter, with later custom pick-ups. It's not the most expensive - but I bought it 36 years ago when I first moved to London, saving up my first pay cheques, and got it on legendary Denmark Street, in Regent Sounds, and I love it.
I went back there some years ago - to get my son Tadhg his first electric guitar. That was a lovely feeling.
Some of Mikes guitars in the studio
In terms of production. I have got a great Genelec monitor set-up, with an active subwoofer, and I love Audio Technica ATH-M50X cans - they are brilliant to work with - and I think a huge part of the production sound. They are brilliant for the price. I’ve used them for what must be 15 years - I highly recommend them and Genelec.
I was very fortunate to get advice from three great mentors and friends - Martyn Ware (Human League, Heaven 17) - told me to always produce my own stuff. Jon Fugler (Fluke), taught me the importance of sidechain compression in the mix, and Richard Norris (Grid, Beyond The Wizards Sleeve), to always master my own stuff - to learn that craft - and gave me great advice.
That’s an impressive roster of mentors!! How did you hook up with them?
Jon I have known from back in the Fluke days. I was a HUGE fan. Groovy Feeling was actually the message on our answering machine! A very good friend of mine, James Gillespie (he released under Scope), got a programming room at Fluke’s Kensal Rise Saga Centre - and that’s when I met Jon. So we did a lot of partying and hanging out.
I will never forget being at the Saga Centre in their studio and hearing the first mix down of Bullet from Oto. Evey hair stood up on our heads. Years later we went on to work together at our ditto creative studio. He’s a great friend, and Fluke are a band that I love everything about. A huge influence.
Great to see them back writing and releasing - their new single “Insanely Beautiful” is fantastic.
On the ditto journey I got to work with Richard Norris, he collaborated with another great friend Mike London, on ditto’s Roundhouse show that we produced. Their piece went on to win best new music video at the London International Film Festival.
Richard and I have been good friends since, and he has appeared as a guest in lots of our shows. A top man, and another huge musical influence. His work ethic, and quality, is just incredible. Richard never stops. It’s inspiring.
It was through the ditto journey that I also got introduced to Martyn - he is an icon to me. I was properly starstruck. I got my first synth after hearing ‘Being Boiled’ and Travelogue. We had the pleasure of working with Maryn, and Glenn, we produced their “Music For…” radio shows at our studio - and Martyn is a great friend.
Two absolute total legends. Heaven 17 played their first headline gig in Dublin earlier this year - and tore the roof off. Fabulous. If you want a good night out - go see H17!
Your tracks span a wide range of sounds and genres, from downtempo jazz and electronica to dub and house. What influences have shaped you as a musician?
There is one overarching influence across everything - Andrew Weatherall, Sabresonic best club night we’ve ever been to. Everything that man played and touched. I wouldn’t be doing what I am today if it wasn’t for the Guv’nor.
Behind, there's a potent mixture in the venn diagram. ‘Black’ music - jazz, soul, funk, disco, house and dub… mixed with electronic - new romantic / wave, ‘techno’ - with a lashing of indie… The Velvets, The Cure, New Order. So all of that blended.
There are bands that have been a huge inspiration for my writing and production - David Sylvian, Prefab Sprout, Kraftwerk, The Blue Nile - and Heaven17 Let Me Go on 12” - out of all of them - Talk Talk, The Colour of Spring and Spirit of Eden. Those albums. Peerless.
Andrew Weatherall's Sabresonic
You simply can not understate the importance of Andrew Weatherall can you. Such a sad loss for the scene but what an incredible legacy to leave us with.
Fail we may, Sail we must.
Do you think some of those classic techniques used by Sabres and legendary producers such as Phil Brown (Talk Talk), Martin Hannett etc... are at risk of being lost to future generations with the rise of AI technology?
The AI and tech conundrum. It’s like the DJ question - are you really a DJ if you never learnt the craft on vinyl? Are you really a musician if you never played anything and just use a sample library.
I am not sure there is a right or wrong answer - for me - it's all about creating and it’s a very personal craft in the art of learning stuff. For me that’s a huge amount of the fun. I want to be a better player, engineer, producer. It takes time. There’s no shortcuts.
I think the tech is fantastic. On one hand as artists we can create incredible quality releases at a fraction of the production costs and time, compared to even just a couple of years ago. With Bandcamp and socials we can reach and build an audience.
Then on the other side of the debate - some streaming services have 100% killed music, and AI tools - some are great - but for sure you can imagine a label preferring to have a machine make and do everything, for their marketing teams to sweat, with no artists to pay.
My advice. Get a guitar. Learn three chords - you can then play a whole heap of Irish trad songs, and you’ve got a great night out!
Short Circuit festival at the Roundhouse
You feature and collaborate with quite a few artists on both of your albums. How did those relationships come about?
All from friendships - and lots of love! Remi Rough and I have been friends for years, we collaborated on lots of projects - he is a founding member of The Agents of Change.
I founded ‘ditto’ a creative studio in London in 2009. Our first ditto show we produced was at The Roundhouse - the first Short Circuit Electronic Festival - and Remi and AOC took part in that project. I love him, his music and art very much.
So when he and the incredible rapper Mike Ladd founded TheDeadCanRap, Remi and I were just chatting and the remixes / collaboration came about that way.
For Hyson Green - I have known David Osbourne for what must be 20+ years, we were colleagues together in a previous life, he is a great friend, and someone who I also love very much, great fun to be with. One of the most honest, straight up people you will ever meet. He lives in LA, we were chatting about music, David and his brother Nigel write and release great blues infused tunes.
So those projects evolved from our friendship.
The new album includes your remix of "Generadora De Rayos" by NuNorthern Soul artist Tambores En Benirras (Graham Newby). Were you already connected with them?
Graham Newby aka Gripper - that’s a new friendship. Lots of love here too. I love and admire the man’s music, attitude and the whole way he approaches things.
Graham pinged me a message and invited me to remix one of his tunes - I was completely blown away and honoured.
A very special thank you to Graham and Phil Cooper for allowing me to include that remix on the album - it’s part of a bigger remix project out on Phil’s fabulous NuNorthernSoul label later this year - keep your ears peeled for that.
Can I also give a huge thank you to Steve KIW, amazing DJ, great champion of artists, selector, and writer too.
He wrote an amazing piece when “Everything Is Balearic When You Believe” was released, and picked the album in the NuNorthern Soul Newsletter “Office Sounds” - named it an earlier contender for album of the year - and he asked the question “Well, do you punk, do you believe?” - It's a great review!
Just to say a hats off to Phil and everyone in the NuNorthernSoul family - they have been brilliant supporters - they are a very classy bunch.
So collaborators old and new are all from friendships. I say that the friends you make in music are the friends you have for life.
Is there anyone else you’d like to collaborate with if you were given the opportunity?
There is an incredible Irish singer / songwriter Stephen Hodd, who is based in Suffolk, and there is a song of his I have the privilege of remixing currently. It’s beautiful.
There’s an Irish artist Kendal Moody, she’s a wonderful singer, that I had hoped to appear on the current album, but dates and planning didn’t work out. So hoping to get that worked out.
There’s lots of folk I would love to work with - I am getting some time with good friend Brian Christopher and his fabulous AMALGAMATED WONDERS OF THE WORLD, at his UNITtwozero studio - for some dubbed out acid drenched sonics, I am very excited about that.
I love collaboration - so anyone reading this, and wants to work together - get in touch. Let’s do it!
Looking back on your body of work so far, are there any personal highlights or tracks that you are particularly proud of?
I love all the tunes. I love writing them all so much, and I have such a fun time creating them all. But I have a couple.
I wrote ‘No Greater Love’ for my wife Tracy, I love the song very much, it was just brilliant to write - especially the ending and how it crescendos. There’s a video I made, that I think it captures love and the song.
And I really like ‘Paint The Sky In Dreams & Patterns’ - it's got this great psychedelic vibe. It’s like the first time. Red pill. Blue pill.
Everything changes from that point onwards - you hear everything differently. It all makes sense. I think I was channelling a lot of my inner Screamadelica too!
There’s a great video for that - set lasers to stun!
Finally, from the new album ‘Warm Breeze On My Face (Like A Hot Summer Sigh)” - I wrote that in memory of my good friend Dan Bellinger, who sadly passed away too young.
The lyrics are my poem to Dan.
In that place where the sea meets the sky,
Warm breeze on our face like a hot summer sigh.
Like a hot summer sigh.
Absent friend. Together Again.
Not gone. Just waiting beyond.
Just waiting beyond.
Poems. Back full circle to Seamus!
Sorry to hear about your friend. What a lovely tribute to him.
The new album, "Everything's Possible When You Balearic," has been out for just a few weeks and has already received considerable praise. How does it feel to receive such a positive response in such a short time?
It’s completely mind blowing. You create music to trigger an emotional response. You have no idea really what people will think until you release it. I have lots of self doubt. So I am never sure what the reaction is going to be. So when people like it, play it, message me to say that the album has cheered them up, or brighten their day - it's something I feel very privileged to be able to do.
I got a message from one chap, who said he had a terrible night, with noisy neighbours, and he took refuge in the music, and it made him feel better.
That was brilliant.
The biggest shout out to the DJs and selectors and champions of music - who have made this all a reality. I am listing them here because without these people there isn’t a scene or music. They give hours and hours of their time for free, to find music, not just mine - but all the artists out there making stuff.
They have been really generous in their support of my music to Ed Mahon, Graham Newby, George Mihaly, Martin Colloff, Dave Baldwin, Denis Heaney, Otto de Vries, Andy Wilson, Steve KIW, Adrian Finch, Brian Christopher, Phil Cooper, Mike Bradbury, Mark Challacombe and Mark Ratcliff.
A very special thanks to David Freeland, with Ben Horner, they are the brilliant Sundowners. David really helped encourage me and the release and he introduced me and the album to the Balearic Ultras, and all that crew. I will always be grateful for his support.
Through that I got introduced to Chris ‘Howler’ Howell-Jones, and his fabulous Howler’s Balearic Breakfast (also on Facebook). Chris really helped raise awareness about the album and championed it, Chris interviewing me on his show was brilliant - a really special moment, I will never forget.
And a very special thank you to John Bawcombe and all the Balearic Burger family (check out the Facebook group), the community there is amazing. The DJs, producers, labels, and folk who are passionate about music. John’s been such a champion of so many artists and DJs - it’s incredible - check out Balearic Burger and their UK tour currently underway. What a family that I feel blessed to be a part of.
A huge thank you to Joe Muggs for his really generous review and inclusion of the new album in the ‘Best Of Electronic Music on Bandcamp in June’ - that was really brilliant!
And a very special thank you to the incredibly talented DJ Greg Royle, who has taken both albums and created a fantastic mix of all the tunes.
Greg Royle presents ‘100 Poems Sunset Classics Vol. One’
It's a summer treat for everyone, on the 100 Poems SoundCloud page, for folk to listen, to download for free if they want to and to enjoy. Have a great summer!
Catch Greg and all the Balearic Burger crew on tour in the UK this summer - and in Ibiza first weekend in October. And I’m going too! So I will eventually visit the White Island!
Everything's Possible when you Balearic
You’re donating all the proceeds from your sales to the charities Jigsaw and Shelter which is a wonderful gesture and something I’m seeing more and more people do.
Was there a reason you chose those 2 charities in particular?
I think a lot of folk are giving to charity because I think the act of ‘giving’ is more important than ever. So I ‘give’ by creating and giving the music I love making, to others who if they can afford to, give what they can - and we all benefit from that giving.
Good music. Doing good, Good people. Doing good things. There’s something beautiful about that. I think there’s echoes back to DiY and free-parties, and that spirit too.
I only release on Bandcamp - no streaming - and there is something about that community and tribe too. We feel part of a family - and that’s a great feeling too.
We support two charities - both equally. One in Ireland, and one in the UK.
Jigsaw are an Irish charity who work with youth mental health, giving them the support and tools to manage in an ever more complex world. We’re parents of three lads, so we have first hand experience of the challenges young people face. The covid generation, anxiety of climate, economic and political change, the pressures of social media.
Shelter UK - because everybody needs shelter. One of the single biggest issues for me is housing. Imagine having nowhere to live. Nowhere called home. Or under the threat of eviction. 30% of kids in the UK live in poverty. That is shocking.
So you’re two albums in, the summer is on our doorstep.. What's next for you and indeed the 100 Poems family?
Writing and recording well underway for the next album - really loving it. So lots to look forward to there. I am getting great feedback on the early demos. I also like making videos, they are a lot of fun as well, so lots of videos for the current album.
The ‘Believe (Everything Is Possible)’ video, I really enjoyed making, my son Tadhg did the editing - it was great creating it together.
So more videos for sure…
I can’t wait to hear what you’ve got lined up next.
Mike, thanks so much for taking the time to speak to us, it’s been an absolute pleasure.
Do you have any last thoughts before we sign off…
Just to say thank YOU Mark. Thank you for the opportunity to share some stories, some of the emotions that go into creating the music. Thank you for creating and managing this wonderful blog, for giving your time, your energy, passion. That’s the tribe again - giving. It’s wonderful. More power to you brother.
If folk would like to hear more 100 Poems check out my website for DJ sets, radios shows, video and playlists and my Bandcamp page
Huge thanks to all the folk who play, buy and share my music. Big up. X
Music. Friendship. What a thing.
In the immortal words… “Can you feel it!”
Peace & Love,
100 Poems (Mike x)
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