There is an air of mystery shrouding the true meaning behind the acronym of M.A.N.D.Y., an alias which embodies the mutual talents of childhood friends Philipp Jung and Patrick Bodmer. The pair readily indulge this curiosity by toying with various clever possibilities, including Me AND You, but the truth is likely a giggle under each of their talented breaths. P and P have carved a unique niche in electronic music by consistently selecting productions that induce their audience into a somatic frenzy. On the platform of their aptly titled Get Physical label, M.A.N.D.Y. has achieved massive success in colluding to create music that simply makes bodies move. Their foot stamping, hair flying passion is the ultimate expression of a dance music phenomenon for many years.
If we can get started, you guys had your first release as M.A.N.D.Y. in 2001, but before that you met and worked together in the 90’s. Can you tell us a little bit about what you were doing?
I hooked up with Walter and Arno from Booka Shade in University. We were studying law together and after two lessons Walter told me that he preferred making music. This was in 1990, so I told him [Phillip] that I met this guy with a studio at home. We were both ravers in the rave scene so we thought lets do some music. We called Walter and went in the studio to play around and very quickly we had some results.
Phillip : We don’t know if it was good, but we had some results.
Patrick : We had three or four releases on different labels from 1992 to 1995.
What’s the story behind the acronym M.A.N.D.Y?
A very long one actually. Many different stories are floating around. But we think the very solution and explanation is Me AND You. Which stands for Patrick and me, or the party people and us, or the universe and us here.
Many describe your sound as minimalistic. What draws you to it?
You know as someone who creates music, you can’t really refer to something like this. But of course, the outside world has to label it to describe it and that is super fine. But you can call it anything you like, and it won’t change our approach in the studio. We don’t go and say today we’ll do a minimal song, or maximal, or this or that. You just sit there and you hope something nice will happen.
Outside of the world of dance music, who are your biggest influences?
There are so many. I am very lucky to have amazing friends who always give me shit in the right moment. {Like} when things get too loose, or you get lost in your DJ world. I talk to my Dad very regularly which is always very calming and soothing. And of course, there are so many artists out there in the world. Just listen to the new Radiohead album and this should give you inspiration for a couples of months. We do love art a lot as well, but sometimes it’s in the lil’ things. You just walk around with open eyes every day, you listen to people talk, you sit in a bar and actually look at people, all this might be my biggest influence. Life as such.
https://soundcloud.com/m-a-n-d-y/mandy-miss-jonson-snippet
You’ve played at some of the biggest and best clubs in the world. If you had to play only ONE club for the rest of your life, what club would that be and why?
My living room with my best friends. In that situation I’m sure to have good people around me and the right music.
So you have a solid collection with a lot of variety, old soul, funk, hiphop, rock… what artists are you typically listening to when not in M.A.N.D.Y./Get Physical mode, and you’re just listen to music for you?
Philipp: Always a tricky one as it changes every day of course. I’ve listened to the Twin Shadow album a lot lately, love that, and I always like to hear Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Miles Davis, Chat Baker. Always makes me happy. Hardly listen to electronic music at home.
How did you and Patrick actually meet, cause you’ve been friends from over two decades…
Philipp: We met on the tennis court. We did all kinds of sports when we were younger, it was a good place to meet and bond.
And when did the music really take off for the two of you? Did you explore any other avenues/careers before this route really took off or was this always the idea…
Philipp: We started actually right away recording music for each other. Making music tapes with all kinds of music and then we got infected with Acid House in 1990. Big thing for us!! Good times!
You have worked intimately with Booka Shade. Tell us about the evolution of that relationship.
We are childhood friends, so it’s a very special relationship we have. We were, and are always in contact. It’s a friendship for life. And whenever we find some time, we’ll go in the studio together. But unfortunately due to our schedules, that happens only once a month.
Between record sales, chartings and polls, what do you feel is the most accurate way to measure achievement in the modern music industry?
Philipp: Success can only come from within. Being happy with your accomplishments is the ultimate achievement. If you’re obsessed with making the Top 100 poll [and you finally make it], the next year you’ll be fixed on making the top 50, and so on and so forth. That’s a dangerous cycle. As artists, we must stay true to the music and continue to impress ourselves. However, I still have respect for DJs like David Guetta; even though they search for fame and money, it still takes them a lot of hard work to stay at the top. But those goals are not for me. I don’t think we should measure underground musicians that way, because there’s simply no end to the measurement.