GB: How chaotic does it get working with ten people?

JM: It does get pretty chaotic. The orchestra consists of ten people and for the bigger shows we have up to sixteen additional people that make up the production team.

GB: Are you drawn more to order or chaos in life?

JM: In terms of what I do creatively it has to be very structured. But within that it is important to be able to be spontaneous in creating ideas, creating music. It is very interesting to see what you can do within a given time.

I have been to a point where I have been nearly homeless with very little money. That was a very chaotic period of my life. And that’s through trying to do things that I wanted to do. 

It is definitely the organisation that allows the creativity to blossom, because creativity is quite organised. It is about making decisions. It is saying I want this idea and that idea.

GB: But there seems to be a general impression that artists’ lives are always chaotic. Is that unfair?

JM: Yes, I think so. But it’s difficult to say because there are a lot of different types of artists. You need to embrace the idea of chaos in life in order to develop and find new ideas. If you are too structured in what you do and have very definite ideas, it can become very restrictive.  For me as a composer it is important to be able to respond to ideas that spring to mind and to be in touch with the subconscious…

GB: Music is very interesting in that it can be broken down to single notes. It has this almost mathematical precision…

JM: Yes, certain composers compose very mathematically. My approach is more sculptural…

GB: How chaotic is the world and society?

JM: I am very proud of society. I believe in it. It structures the chaos.

GB: What is the artist’s role in society?

JM: The artist’s role is to subvert - subvert everything. But not by making an angry noise. Aggression is only one noise. It is very animal like. People should divide themselves between the animal and the human. There are two parts to every person. You might want to eat all the pies in the shop and have sex with everything that moves but you have to remember your human side.

GB: How important is the sense of play in what you do?

JM: Incredibly important in everyday life and professionally. I spend most of my time talking in a child’s voice and being incredibly stupid while hanging out with my boyfriend and having fun. 

From the Circus to The Sea, a CD & DVD, music and film package, is released officially at the end of January.

www.myspace.com/theirrepressibles