While Mr. and Mrs. Musical-Retard spent their summer humming along to Kid Rock, some of us had a different sunshine anthem. Blind - the debut single from musical collective Hercules and Love Affair - was the bongo-based hit of the year.

We went to catch up with Andy Butler, the project’s founder, in a weird, starkly lit cabin outside London’s 02 before his late-night show.

Your music is largely influenced by Greek mythology ‘“ who is your favourite character?
I like the goddesses.The empowered and magical women. The witchy women: Athena, Diana and Heket.

What else inspires your music? Is there going to be a different theme to your next record?
Greek mythology serves more as a vehicle for telling personal stories than a direct inspiration. Athena, for instance, is really just a song about my mother. I was writing all these qualities about my mum when I realised that Athena, a Goddess I admired all the way through growing up, was a similar character.

Are you religious?
I’m not religious now, although I was very religious whilst growing up. I was a Catholic and participated actively in the church. I was an alter boy. I studied theology. I’m fascinated by religion and spirituality.

Honestly, I’m not a religious person.

Your live shows are always aesthetically pleasing, was that a conscious decision?
Definitely. I wanted to have every base covered. From the album cover, to the outfits that are being worn on stage. Everything is highly considered.

I didn’t want this to be something that was slapped together. We all thought about which of our friends we wanted to invite into this and who we trusted to get involved.

How did you come across the people you invited to be a part of the project musically?
Anthony I met eight years ago in an art circle in the East Village in New York. We just had dinner one night.
We became close and completely bonded through our love of music and our interests in culture and nightlife.

I was at school. When I’d hang out with Anthony I’d hear all these stories about what New York and the East Village was like in the late eighties and early nineties.

Nomi I met just around town. She was dating someone in Anthony’s building and I’d always see her in the hallway and think, ‘˜Who’s that girl?’ She was working on a hip-hop project at the time.

I remember one time when I was at Anthony’s apartment, he had a CD of hers in his room, and he put it on and said, ‘˜Andy, this is that girl that’s dating Todd upstairs.’ I was all, ‘˜No way!’ but after a long period of song writing I decided to ask her to sing on a song.

She came round to my house, we did one demo together and that was that.

Kim Anne Foxman was from San Francisco; a club scene I was very fond of and knew a lot about. I was paying a lot of attention to house music at the time and we really bonded over that. We started throwing parties and events around New York for a while actually.

What were you like as a fifteen or sixteen year old?
My interests are pretty similar now to what they were then. As a sixteen year old I was getting into heaps of trouble.

My main concerns were finding the best parties and staying out all night, every night. I would just be out dancing, dancing, dancing.

I didn’t know at the time per se that I would be making a living out of music as an adult. I really followed my gut. I felt like I was experiencing and learning so much at these parties and these events and from the people I was meeting.

I did do a pretty good job at balancing what I was doing with school work though. I graduated from University. I did well in fact, but I still feel that between the ages of fifteen and sixteen was when I did the most exploring.

Hercules and The Love Affair answer questions on Hercules and love affairs

Do you want to do a superficial quiz about Greek mythology that has nothing to do with your music?
Sure! Let’s see how this goes. Oh my God, I hope it’s not super hard, but it would be sort of funny if it was.

I just want to find out if you actually know anything about it, and that you’re not bullshitting to look really deep.
Girl, come and give it to me. I’m ready.

Put your laptop away so you can’t Google the answers.
GIVE IT TO ME.

Nike was the goddess of victory, daughter of the giant Pallas and the River Styx. Nike is also portrayed erecting a trophy, or, frequently, hovering with outspread wings over the victor in a competition. Whom is her Roman counterpart? Aurora, Neptune, Victoria or Diana?
Victoria.

Hades was God of the dead and ruler of the underworld. Hades also had a pet named Cerberus. Cerberus was a three-headed dragon-tailed dog that guarded the entrance to the lower world. Whom is Hades’ Roman counterpart?
PLUTO!

I think its all about Roman counterparts.
That’s good, its challenging!

Poseidon was the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Although he was officially one of the supreme Gods of Mount Olympus, he spent most of his time in his watery domain. Who is Poseidon’s Roman counterpart?
NEP-TUUUNE! Where did you find this quiz? I love it!

Demeter was the goddess of agriculture-
VESTA!

Oh, okay.
You’re gonna be SO mad at me.

Shall I just read the fucking names? Hera?
Juno.

Zeus?
Jupiter.

Artemis?
Diana.

Oh my. You got them all right.
I’M SORRY! I’m a huge nerd when it comes to this. I’m obsessed!

I was hoping I’d completely show you up.
That would have been absolute genius. I have to say I think this is just about the best stuff I’ve ever heard from a journalist. Actually in my entire life.