The Cuban Brothers Interview
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Miguel Mantovani, Kengo Oshima and Archerio are The Cuban Brothers, a trio driven by sexy tunes, hilarious comedy and outrageous dancing. Providing a party atmosphere that encourages you to let your hair down and embrace the weekend, they have been chosen by Sir Elton John and Sir Richard Branson to make their events something to remember, and this March, they’ll be bringing their famous vibes to Australia, including a set at Return To Rio. We got the chance to chat to Miguel a.k.a Mike, to discuss dance music, comedy, travelling and nudity in this hilarious interview!
Hi Mike, how are you?
Yeah, very well, we’ve been away in Cuba and Tenerife and having a bit of a rest and writing new music. We have a new record coming out after the UK summer. My wife had to go to Australia this morning so I’m left at home with the kids!
You’re famous for the party vibe that you bring to every event; is partying important to you guys and has that always been consistent?
I guess so; before I started doing The Cuban Brothers I was a promoter and a DJ, and partying is a part of our culture, I grew up around what some people refer to as rave culture in the late 80s/early 90s. I was DJing when I was 15 so I was in places I wasn’t even old enough to be in! The partying aspect of The Cubans was always an important part of why I created the characters and the show. I watched dance music go up its arse a bit in the mid 90s, and I just wanted to create something that was a little left-field, irreverent and comical! The music was still important and we’re all B-boys, so there was comedy but we also took the art form and the music seriously – just not ourselves! I mean, we’re not as loose as we used to be, I’m a lot less naked, but we always try to bring a party.
You’ve been chosen by some huge names like Elton John and Richard Branson to entertain guests at parties; what’s it like to be approached by someone of that status?
It’s no different to doing a party anywhere; you might get to be in a slightly posher or nicer environment, like when we went to Necker Island that was beautiful, and Elton’s place in the south of France – they’re lovely environments but their celebrity doesn’t bother me because I’ve never been starstruck, apart from my heroes like James Brown, Chuck Berry and De La Soul – when we performed with them I was like, “wow!” – but when you’re coming to do a job, it doesn’t matter what their status is. It could be 100 postal workers or very high profile cats, we come to do our thing and hopefully turn the party out and, touch wood, we receive very positive feedback.
Do you get to enjoy the parties afterwards?
Yeah of course, we always have a few drinks. It’s nice, because if you get to create the atmosphere and minor hysteria, it’s nice to go and get involved afterwards. We can’t do it all the time, because as you get more mature, there’s a certain amount of picking the parties, because when you’re on the road and going right through, it can affect your performance. There’s a certain amount of professionalism that dictates that you can’t do that every time or you’re gonna be shit rather than shit hot when you get on stage!
You’re playing at Return To Rio in Australia in March, and that seems to fit so well with The Cuban Brothers’ vibe, there’s going to be lots of dancing and drinking and sun; is this the kind of party that you’d like to go to yourself?
Yeah, definitely. Ricky, the promoter, has been a long term friend of mine and I met him the first time we ever toured Australia which would have been 2000. To be able to finally get to do one of Ricky’s parties is amazing, and I’ve heard good things about it and how it’s a proper fun rave with nice people who are into their music, so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s gonna be fun! We’re also doing a couple of shows in Thailand and Bali, and the Espy in Melbourne. I’m looking forward to coming back to Oz; my wife’s an Aussie and I was brought up half in New Zealand and half in Scotland, and I’m a full-time Cuban for a living, so I’m a bit of a mongrel! I don’t know who I am half the fuckin’ time! I love Australia and we made a film there, which is coming out this year, where we go from Melbourne to Fremantle on a pilgrimage, so I’ve seen a lot of the country – I’ve probably seen more of Australia than a lot of Aussies have!
Is there anywhere in Australia that has been a highlight for you from your travels?
I think Byron has a magical energy, I love the bay, and if I could live anywhere in Oz, it would be Byron. I know over the past two decades the hippy element has been dwindling because it’s expensive to holiday and live there, but there’s a good energy and it’s very beautiful.
I know you like to entertain the crowd, so do you have a favourite party trick?
We’re dancers so I suppose when we get down; it’s our routines, head spins, flips, all sorts of stuff. That’s always been in our armoury. I don’t turn my eyelids inside out or roll my tongue in the opposite direction. Some people would say that they’ve seen my cock more times than they’ve seen their own, so that might be an indication as to what my party trick might have been in the past! It’s not something that I’m particularly proud of!
On a slightly more serious note, you said in the 90s that dance music has disappeared up its own arsehole, so what do you think about dance music now?
Dance music has morphed into so many genres and sub genres that I wouldn’t know where to start, but in the mid-90s, there was a lot of chin stroking and I was going out and people were standing with their backs against the wall, nursing a beer and not really having fun or dancing. That’s why I created The Cuban Brothers. There’s a lot of great music being made now, and there’s a lot of absolute fuckin’ drivel. Everyone’s got their own hussle and that’s how you get by, but EDM, I would rather pour sulphuric acid inside my ears and grate my ball skin off than be in a club that’s hammering out that bullshit. You can quote me on that!
Catch the brilliant Cuban Brothers at Return To Rio in March. Head to the Return To Rio Facebook page for more info!
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