Milo Blake

Name, where are you from?
Milo Blake, Angel, Islington.

Describe your style in three words?
Mod meets Hip-Hop, I know technically four but let that slide. ;)

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
It's torn between the Gorillaz at the Roundhouse, was one of the first gigs I went to when I really started to get into music, with such a good venue and artist who has great live music credentials. The standout track for me during it was 'Empire Ants' (ft Little Dragon). My other option is Connan Mockasin at the Barbican, was with two close friends and I think Connan is such a unique individual, It was largely sitting down but the quality of the music was just so high. Track of the performance was 'It’s Choade My Dear'.

If you could collaborate with any artists in history?
Actor wise I think it would have to be Marlon Brando or Vincent Cassel. They both have such natural charisma and are willing to venture so deep into the characters they play, sometimes in Brando’s case too far. Artist, I think Kara Walker, I love her silhouette work and I think it would be cool to work with that in an animation or moving medium. Then DP or Director wise I’d love to have been involved with Christopher Doyle and Wong Kar Wai, the two of them together made really fearless work and I think as a trio with me involved who knows what we would make!

Which subcultures have influenced you?
For me, I see a lot of common ground with subcultures in England that would be listening to and bringing over rare soul from America but also listening to the sound system culture coming out of the Caribbean which then led to the groups and style that would emerge with The Specials and many others. As a more modern reference, I draw a lot of influence from the Mo'Wax generation, in terms of the visual representation and collaborations, fusing together punk, electronic, hip-hop. I think that Mo'Wax was a precursor to the subcultures and scenes that we see existing today in the UK, I think because we aren’t looking back in hindsight on it, there isn’t a name but I definitely think there is style of thinking and eclectic expression which I defo get a lot of inspiration from.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Muhammad Ali is a big hero of mine so it would be a huge honour to share company with him and then maybe as someone more related to what I do, just to pick their brains, Orson Welles or Francis Ford Coppola at their peak.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
I’ve had some great nights at Corsica Studios, and I thought Passing Clouds was a sick venue before it got shut down. I think a good venue is made by the community it fosters.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
On a personal level, I think Roots Manuva is a really under-appreciated figure in UK hip-hop, always had crazy creative instrumentals and lyrical style that was uniquely him, yet I rarely hear his name thrown out in the conversation about rappers from Britain.

Milo Blake is a Film Director from London. You can watch some of the music videos he has directed below or follow him on Vimeo and Instagram for more.