Liam Monaghan

DJ / Event Programmer — Nottingham

01Profile

A Liam Monaghan Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from? 
Liam Monaghan, Nottingham

What do you do? 
NHS Covid Vaccinator & DJ and event programmer.

Describe your style in three words? 
Clean, simple, sharp.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Toots & The Maytals at Manchester Arena a few years ago! Toots was amazing and I'd waited for years to see him. '54-46 Was My Number' was the record that got me into reggae.

If you could put any three bands in history on a lineup?
Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Jam and The Kinks. Reason being that the aggression of the protest music and the mod music of The Jam and The Kinks I feel would go hand in hand and also, what a green room!

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Dub music for sure, King Tubby is my hero! Jungle definitely shaped my music production and the events I like to go to in London today. Growing up mods, skinheads and punks definitely shaped the way I dressed and the music I was listening to too.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Hard one! probably King Tubby. Making music at the point in time that he was alive was very basic, the man made equipment from scratch and created sounds using the most basic instruments. If we recorded in his studio I'd expect King Jammy and Scientist to be there as his apprentices so that would be a touch!

Where is your favourite independent venue?
I'd probably have to say Warehouse in Leeds, I had the pleasure of working there and I’ve seen everyone from Fatboy Slim through to SHY FX perform. It has a great layout, an unreal sound system and caters for all music.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I'd have to say Noel Davey/Wayne Smith. These guys discovered the 'Sleng Teng' riddim which went on to be the most sampled riddim of all time. Having not been able to afford the equipment they wanted, they bought a Casio MT-40, had a mess about and the 'Sleng Teng' riddim was born.

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
Difficult to be 100% correct as I've been surrounded by music since I was small! I remember rinsing 'Alternative Ulster' by Stiff Little Fingers and 'Swords Of A Thousand Men' by Tenpole Tudor for sure! I think I just like pretending to drum along to them.

A song that defines the teenage you?
'Granite' by Pendulum. They were at their peak when I was around 16 and 'Hold Your Colour' was an unreal album!

One record you would keep forever?
'Murderer' by Barrington Levy but an original pressing.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
"You pick him up, you lick him down, Him bounce right back, What a hard man fe dead! (Hard man fe dead!)"

From 'Hard Man Fe Dead' by Prince Buster.

A song you wished you had written?
'Redemption song' by Bob Marley.

Best song to turn up loud?
'Rich Man Poor Man' by The Gladiators.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'White Winter Hymnal' by Fleet Foxes.

A song to get you straight on the dance floor?
'Here Comes The Hotstepper!' by Ini Kamoze.

Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Comfortably Numb' by Pink Floyd.

Any new music you’re into at the moment?
There are a few artists I'm really digging currently, Gentlemans Dub Club, Kioko, Easy Life and the Wise Bloods. Individuals are doing bits also such as Gardna, Mungos Hifi and Macka B.

03Interview

Name, where are you from? 
Liam Monaghan, Nottingham

What do you do? 
NHS Covid Vaccinator & DJ and event programmer.

Describe your style in three words? 
Clean, simple, sharp.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Toots & The Maytals at Manchester Arena a few years ago! Toots was amazing and I'd waited for years to see him. '54-46 Was My Number' was the record that got me into reggae.

If you could put any three bands in history on a lineup?
Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Jam and The Kinks. Reason being that the aggression of the protest music and the mod music of The Jam and The Kinks I feel would go hand in hand and also, what a green room!

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Dub music for sure, King Tubby is my hero! Jungle definitely shaped my music production and the events I like to go to in London today. Growing up mods, skinheads and punks definitely shaped the way I dressed and the music I was listening to too.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Hard one! probably King Tubby. Making music at the point in time that he was alive was very basic, the man made equipment from scratch and created sounds using the most basic instruments. If we recorded in his studio I'd expect King Jammy and Scientist to be there as his apprentices so that would be a touch!

Where is your favourite independent venue?
I'd probably have to say Warehouse in Leeds, I had the pleasure of working there and I’ve seen everyone from Fatboy Slim through to SHY FX perform. It has a great layout, an unreal sound system and caters for all music.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I'd have to say Noel Davey/Wayne Smith. These guys discovered the 'Sleng Teng' riddim which went on to be the most sampled riddim of all time. Having not been able to afford the equipment they wanted, they bought a Casio MT-40, had a mess about and the 'Sleng Teng' riddim was born.

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
Difficult to be 100% correct as I've been surrounded by music since I was small! I remember rinsing 'Alternative Ulster' by Stiff Little Fingers and 'Swords Of A Thousand Men' by Tenpole Tudor for sure! I think I just like pretending to drum along to them.

A song that defines the teenage you?
'Granite' by Pendulum. They were at their peak when I was around 16 and 'Hold Your Colour' was an unreal album!

One record you would keep forever?
'Murderer' by Barrington Levy but an original pressing.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
"You pick him up, you lick him down, Him bounce right back, What a hard man fe dead! (Hard man fe dead!)"

From 'Hard Man Fe Dead' by Prince Buster.

A song you wished you had written?
'Redemption song' by Bob Marley.

Best song to turn up loud?
'Rich Man Poor Man' by The Gladiators.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'White Winter Hymnal' by Fleet Foxes.

A song to get you straight on the dance floor?
'Here Comes The Hotstepper!' by Ini Kamoze.

Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Comfortably Numb' by Pink Floyd.

Any new music you’re into at the moment?
There are a few artists I'm really digging currently, Gentlemans Dub Club, Kioko, Easy Life and the Wise Bloods. Individuals are doing bits also such as Gardna, Mungos Hifi and Macka B.