I first encountered Paranoid London, the electronic band of Gerardo Delgado and Quinn Whalley, at Sports Banger’s riotous AW20 show, soundtracked, modelled, and co-hosted by the acid house duo – or, as Sports Banger calls them, “anarchic acid fuckers”. Stepping out in printed velour tracksuits and tubesock balaclavas, the pair are unlikely fashion figures, I remember thinking, yet the event’s unbridled chaos perfectly captured the pair’s punk ethos – a tongue-in-cheek take on old school rave music that gives zero fucks.

Now releasing their new album, Arseholes, Liars and Electronic Pioneers, Paranoid London are once again joining forces with Sports Banger, this time for a merch collab featuring the sort of riotous DIY iconography that underpins their beautifully anarchic sound. With contributions from the likes of Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and DJ Genesis, the album is punk rock at its core, though you can expect horny techno tracks and acid house squelchers, with beat poetry interludes that conjure saucer-eyed nights spent dancing under sweaty neon lights. 

Below, the acid house duo share a riotous mix that spans folk music to 140 bpm techno (“we‘re not even sorry”), featuring the likes of Meat Beat Manifesto and Jennifer Touch – listen below.

How’s your winter going – any plans?

Paranoid London: Did we have a winter? we only had to wear our (fantastic) coats the last couple of days. Our climate has changed so much we’re thinking of getting into the wine game. Our friend has a big back garden so look out for a nice PL Sangiovese next year.

Your new album Arseholes, Liars & Electronic Pioneers is out next month. Can you tell me a little about what we can expect?

Paranoid London: The usual unusual parade of creatures narrating their late night escapades over knarly, bass heavy speaker testers. We’ve made some new friends: Joe Love from Fat Dog, Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream and the worlds classiest goth Jennifer Touch – and our old harem of Mutado Pintado (Clams Baker from Warmduscher), The Sexorcist Josh Caffe and Detroit’s DJ Genesis are still with us.

And what about the name?

Paranoid London: The aresholes and liars that have taken over politics, the media and the public debate are inescapable and seem intent on making the world as awful a place as possible. Then look at the diversity of the electronic pioneers that have changed things for the better eg. James West (Black inventor of the electret microphone), Wendy Carlos, Aldo Marin, Patrick Cowely, Delia Derbyshire. We just thought it would be interesting to put pictures of them all together and let people see who was the best looking, the most fun, the best people to hang with.

Tell me about your Sports Banger collab! How did it come about?

Paranoid London: Johnny Banger can explain that way better than me ... see his answer.

Jonny Banger: We first collaborated with the anarchic acid fuckers a few years ago. A late night green room chat ended with Paranoid London playing live at our a/w 2020 fashion show. They thought they were just providing a tortured 303 soundtrack for the models to walk the runway. We told them there are no models, it’s just you lot and we’re changing your outfits six times. We had Quinn performing with a shopping bag on his head wearing a sock balaclava, Josh Caffe wore a 90s Aaliyah Hardcore Hilfiger tribute called Fisting Tommy. It was outrageous to see this reported in Vogue. Del’s told us to turn the colour television on. This brought the audacious neon pink pantone into their black and white world; it continues to run through our collections together. Arseholes, Liars & Electronic Pioneers. You could easily replace the word pioneers with cunts.

OK zooming back, what are some of your earliest memories of music?

Paranoid London: Ian Drury, Adam and the Ants, Animal from the Muppets, Rye Cooder, Randy Newman (Quinn’s dad is a blues musician), Streetsounds Electro compilations, The Specials, Roland Rat – ‘Rat Rappin’, Flamenco and Salsa Meringue (Del is Spanigh), Stray Cats, Joe Dolce, Joe Fagin, Sparks.

What would you say are some of your most formative musical experiences? 

Quinn: Bruce Mitchell the drummer from Durutti Column was in my dad’s band. He used to kick his drum kit apart during his solos. My old man playing at Glastonbury – I used to cry on the way down there cos I hated hippies. My dad getting a drum machine.

Del: The Piranhas – ‘Tom Hark‘, Popcorn, Tomorrow‘s World when they had a sampler on it, and the Doctor Who theme.

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given? 

Paranoid London: Join a band

And the best advice?

Paranoid London: Never ever anything, bloody ever (obscure comedy reference).

What are you listening to at the moment?

Paranoid London: We’re in a hotel room with two gay friends listening to them tell us how to bottom.

Tell us about your Dazed mix.

Paranoid London: It’s only an hour and it goes from folk music to 140 bpm techno – and we‘re not even sorry.

How were you feeling when making it?

Paranoid London: Like we were going to change the world with our one hour mix. Like we will be recognised as the geniuses we are when it comes out. Like this is the year dot in DJ mixes. Like we nailed it. Like no one can touch us. 

Tracklist

1. Heart Kill Giant – “Heart Kill Frankie”
2. Renegade Soundwave – “Renegade Soundwave (Leftfield Remix)”
3. Ouvre Ta Bouche (Fm Dub) – “Front De Cadeaux”
4. Meat Beat Manifesto – “Prime Audio Soup”
5. Caribbean Dreams – “Caribbean Dreams”
6. Nic Arizona – “Floating The Flood (Dalo Remix)”
7. Jensen Interceptor – “Auto Express”
8. Xy0815 – “Tool Matter”
9. Chris & Cosey – “October (Love Song)”
10. Lfo Vs F.U.S.E – “Loop (F.U.S.E Mix)”
11. The Rising Sons – “Afghan Acid”
12. Jennifer Touch – “The Attic”