Mad Hatter: Q&A with MathMan

Who would be the last person you would invite to your birthday party?
The planners in Dublin City Council – for their apparent disregard for the people, culture, heritage and history of my city.

Who would be the first person you would invite to your birthday party?
It has to be my beautiful mammy. There’d be murder if she wasn’t.

Favourite saying?
Shlainshke boys. Shout out to One Sup.

Favourite record?
The impossible question. If I was pushed, I’d have to say Psyence Fiction by UNKLE.

Favourite book?
The Book Of Conquests. It’s a book of old Celtic tales and incredible original art by Jim Fitzpatrick, which my mam and dad bought back in the late ’70s. I used to read it non-stop as a kid, and from there I fell in love with Jim’s art.

Favourite film?
The Karate Kid. Don’t laugh. The score by Bill Conti is outrageous and the soundtracks to the first 3 parts are full of gems. I’ve got them all on vinyl. Very sad, I know.

Favourite author?
Emmet Kirwan. He’s incredible. I admire him on so many levels.

Favourite actor / actress?
Gary Oldman is an incredible character actor.

Favourite musician?
Clannad were something special – “to those with the requisite Celtic soul”, as the great Colm Meaney once said.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
There’s been loads, and there’s not a chance I’ll be telling any of them to you lot.

Favourite food/drink/stimulant?
A pint of plain is your only man.

TV programme?
I still think The Wire is the greatest TV programme of all time. Nothing has ever come close.

Favourite TV personality?
I’d love to have a few pints with Dunphy & Gilles to be honest. The lads would be great craic.

Favourite item of clothing?
My mint Packie Bonner Italia ’90 yellow goalkeeper jersey. Iconic. I’m singing ‘Put Em Under Pressure’ as I type this.

Most desirable date?
November 8th, when our album Casual Work drops.

Favourite method of relaxation?
A walk through Dublin city on a busy day.

If you weren’t pursuing your present career, what other career might you have chosen?
I’d love to have played for the Dubs. Particularly any time in the last five years.

Biggest thrill?
Playing your own music to thousands of people.

Biggest disappointment?
Liverpool losing the league by a point last year.

Your concept of heaven?
Dublin. Summertime. Close friends. Sound system. Cans.

Your concept of hell?
Dublin. Summertime. No friends. No sound system. No cans.

What would be your dying words?
MMMMMathMan…

Greatest ambition?
Win a Grammy, and play Jools Holland & Glastonbury with Mango.

Period of history you’d most like to have lived in and why?
To be in my late teens in London during the late ’80s and early ’90s, so I could live through the birth of acid house, rave, hardcore and jungle.

If you weren’t a human being which animal would you have chosen to be?
Any type of dog. All dogs are buzzers.

If you were told that the world was ending tomorrow morning, how would you react/what would you do?
Call all my mates in the music game and organise a monster rave in the Phoenix Park for the entire country. If we’re gonna go, let’s go the right way.

Your nominee for the world’s best-dressed person?
I’d have to go for Pharrell. He’s always pretty sawcey. He knows what he’s at.

Favourite term of abuse?
Ye little fool ye.

Biggest fear?
Not meeting my own standards or achieving my goals.

Humanity’s most useful invention?
The invention of the sound recording, of course.

Humanity’s most useless invention?
‘Pull’ handles on ‘Push’ doors. Never understood it.

• Casual Work, the new album by Mango x Mathman, will be released on November 8.