Shaun Ryder and Zak Starkey on Mantra Of The Cosmos: “Do you know what a supergroup means? Four guys having a wank”

nme.com:

Mantra Of The Cosmos – the new group featuring Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays, Black Grape), drummer Zak Starkey (The Who, Oasis), guitarist Andy Bell (Oasis, Ride) and Bez (Happy Mondays, Black Grape) – have shared their new single ‘X (Wot You Sayin?)’ and spoken to NME about their forthcoming plans.The collective were formed by Starkey – who is the son of Ringo Starr – after he initially tried to work on a krautrock project with ex-Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos during the pandemic.“I wanted him to produce it and write the lyrics because I really like his solo work and what he did with Kraftwerk,” Starkey, who is at pains to point out that Mantra are not a supergroup, told NME over Zoom. “He’s got really mad words and he can think outside the box.

So I tried calling him and he goes [adopts German accent], ‘You should have called me 10 years ago when I was young enough to do this.’ So I shelved it.“Two years later, I thought about it again and it was implied that I should form a supergroup.

I said, ‘Do you know what a supergroup means? It means four guys having a wank’. It’s not very honest music. It’s got nothing to do with words.

I thought the only guy that’s gonna make this psychedelic poetry – not stupid fucking guitar riffs – is Shaun. So I got his number and called him up and said what I’ve said to you now and Shaun said, ‘Fucking hell I’m in’.The collective have already released the maraca-shaking electro single ‘Gorilla Guerilla’ and recently performed at Glastonbury.