Since arriving on the scene with their debut E.P. Dials back in 2019, MiG 15 have released a handful of smart, tuneful singles. The latest of these, ‘Too Little Too Late’ arrived in August and marries their most political lyrics to date (the title probably speaks for itself) with a sparkling, upbeat tune which sits somewhere between Future Islands and The Killers.
Founder member and bassist James McCluskey is the latest musician to travel to the virtual God Is In The TV desert island and pick those items he couldn’t live without.
God Is In The TV: You are allowed two albums, what will you go for?
James McCluskey: Well off the bat no questions asked, I’d have to take an album by The Clash. Most likely Sandinista – it’s one of their most underrated albums, and yet has bangers such as ‘The Magnificent Seven’, ’Charlie Don’t Surf’, ’Somebody Got Murdered’ etc. The album has over 30 songs on it, so you’d be covered longevity-wise, and it features lots of different musical styles and genres, so if you had lots of time to kill (like being trapped on said desert island) the music wouldn’t sound stale after a while. My second album of choice would probably be High Land, Hard Rain by Aztec Camera. 80s easy listening pop at its best. Simple as that. Just what you’d need to stay mellow (and again, it’s full of bangers). Coincidentally, that album also has quite a Caribbean sound / groove to it, so it would be perfect if you were stranded out in the middle of the ocean. It would help you embrace your surroundings a little bit more.
You are also allowed two singles…
James: I’d need a song that would put me in a good mood, so I’d definitely have to take ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ by Monty Python. Always gotta be positive, even in the most dire of situations. My other pick would be ‘Jack Sparrow’ by The Lonely Island. If that song doesn’t get you pumped up to be living like a pirate , then I don’t know what will…And let’s not forget, Captain Jack himself managed to survive being marooned on several desert islands, so if anything this song would just give you the incentive to prevail and keep fighting.
What about a TV box set?
James: Hmm, this is a tricky one. I don’t own many series, but the select few that I do all hold a special place in my heart. I’d probably have to take with me one of the early seasons of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia just because I’ve watched that show so many times, and it never fails to make me laugh every time. It’s also super easy to watch and would definitely keep me in a good mood. Now if only i had an inflatable raft and a rum ham…
You are allowed one film.
James: This is also extremely tricky. I’ll go with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly as my choice. Nothing like a classic 3 hour Clint Eastwood spaghetti western film. That film has everything you need in one…lots of action, great one liners, an amazing musical score, and a fantastic premise that will keep you entertained for hours.
…and one book.
James: Admittedly, I don’t read that many books, but out of those that I have read, the one that stands out to me the most is Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari. It also pairs nicely with his book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind too for a great two part read. Homo Deus… is the perfect book to read if you are having an existential crisis, as it tackles all of the possible insights of where humanity is going as a species leading into the future, and what each outcome might be, both good and bad. It may be too much for some people to read, but personally I find it fascinating, and it keeps me on the edge.
You have magical access to one radio station…
James: I’d have to go with 91X FM based in San Diego, California. They are one of the few radio stations I’ve consistently listened to since I was a kid. Being from San Diego originally certainly contributes a lot to the nostalgia factor of it, but even since moving to England and living here all these years, I still have yet to discover an alternative, independent, local station here that can match or even better their quality. Everything from the DJs, to the wide array of tunes they play spanning over the last 50+ years.
You can take one of your own creations with you…
James: I’d take out our debut E.P. ‘Bite The Bullet’. It’s still got the biggest collection of tracks on it out of anything we’ve released so far (single, B-side, 2 demos). But it brings back a lot of good memories for me whenever I listen to it, and is a reminder of just how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. Listening to each track takes me back to our very early days, when all I had was a small collection of raw instrumental demos and sounds, and then I met Adam (lead singer) and he threw some lyrics onto a few of them, and we began to rapidly craft fully fledged songs.
And how about a personal live stream gig from any artist, living or dead?
James: If they had the technology back then in the 50s and 60s, I’d love to have seen a live stream/gig of Sam Cooke or Buddy Holly (I can’t choose one). Both artists had such an impact on shaping the sound, legacy, and future of their respective genres, which also just happen to be two of my personal favourites too (soul and rock & roll). They both had so much energy and class, and were both excellent showmen. Not to mention, brilliant song writers as well. It’s just a shame they both died so young.
MiG 15’s latest single Too Little Too Late is out now via Soundcloud and streaming platforms.
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