The Flying Mojito Bros, consisting of producer/musician Ben Chetwood and DJ/digger Jack Sellen, are pioneers of a unique genre blending acid-fried, funk-fuelled, and country-infused disco and house music. Known for their electrifying performances, they seamlessly mix on-the-fly remixing, live instrumentation, and trippy visuals, captivating audiences from Glastonbury to Ibiza.
Ben and Jack met through Ben’s younger brother, with whom Jack lived. Bonding over a mutual love for country rock, classic rock, disco, and house music, they embarked on a mission to create music that fused these genres. This innovative blend became the foundation of their unique sound, described as cosmic country funk. Their influences span from the sunsets of the seventies to modern dancefloors, channeling the spirit of Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Doors, and The Orb.
The Flying Mojito Bros pride themselves on their distinctive style, which they refer to as “house-gone-country.” Their productions are a mix of Balearic-Joshua-Tree-chug, funk-driven peak-time outlaw house, and NYC Latin disco. Ben’s talent for electronic music production, combined with their shared passion for guitar-based music, gives their tracks a unique sonic DNA that is unmistakably FMB.
Their live shows are a hit among partygoers, featuring mashups, on-the-fly remixing, edits, live instrumentation, and trippy visuals. They have performed at renowned festivals such as Glastonbury, Bestival, Truck, and Port Eliot, and held residencies at Basement Tapes, The Social, The Constitution, Spiritland, and Nobu. Their ability to transform any venue into a dazzling honky tonk discotheque has earned them a dedicated following.
The duo has worked on remixes for artists like Flamingods, Raf Rundell (The 2 Bears), Black Peaches, Jouis, 77:78 (Heavenly), Scott Hirsch, Gloria Ann Taylor, and Katy J Pearson. One of their early breakthroughs was remixing a track for Black Peaches, which accelerated their journey as FMB. They also have a strong relationship with Ubiquity Records, highlighted by their remix of Gloria Ann Taylor’s track, which showcased their ability to add layers of instrumentation and accentuate the original’s soulful, gospel-inflected vocal with disco glitter.
Ben and Jack are avid record collectors, enjoying the thrill of finding rare vinyl. While they prefer digital masters for their pristine quality, their mixtapes often feature vinyl rips that cannot be found on digital platforms. Their passion for digging deep into the music of the 1970s and early 80s ensures that their sets are rich with unexpected gems and heritage music.
The Flying Mojito Bros are continually evolving, working on fresh material in their new studio. Their summer schedule includes performances at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, and a big end-of-season party at Pikes. When they aren’t making music, they enjoy country walks, stone pubs, cooking up feasts, and indulging in their love for crisps and Old Speckled Hen.
The Flying Mojito Bros have carved out a unique niche in the music world, blending elements of country, disco, and house into a sound that is entirely their own. With a strong foundation of musical expertise, innovative live shows, and a dedication to their craft, Ben Chetwood and Jack Sellen continue to enchant audiences and push the boundaries of modern dance music.
DISCOLYPSO QUESTIONNAIRE
What was the first record you can remember buying?
Jack: It was all tapes and CDs when we were growing up. But the first LP I recall buying was ‘Stephen Stills 2’ as a birthday present for my ma from Crazy Barefoot Dennis’s bric-a-brac shop in Swanage. We reverently put it on the turntable at home and every single song skipped like a bastard.
Ben: MC Hammer – ‘U Can’t Touch This’. On tape circa 1990. I still love this tune. Although I was obviously unaware at the time the backing is sampled from Rick James’ ‘Super Freak’. Some of the best trousers around too.
What was your first musical composition, edit or remix?
Our first excursion billed as the Flying Mojito Bros was a mixtape called Gulf’n’Western that we threw together several years ago ahead of DJing for our friends the incredible boogie band Black Peaches. It includes some early FMB edits of Sopwith Camel, Ry Cooder and the Doobie Bros. Still sounds good.
If money and death was not a factor - who would play at your wedding or birthday - both live acts and djs?
Ben: Steely Dan. And I would insist on Donald Fagen reeling off some anecdotes with a Q&A after.
Jack: Surely some kind of unholy Last Waltzy jam band festival with heroes like Elvin Bishop, Jerry Reed, Jorge Ben, Little Feat, Ronstadt, Manassas, Merry Clayton announced as surprise guests throughout. And some bot versions of us performing so that we can properly turn it loose as punters at our own audio-video-rodeo-cosmico show for once!
What song do you put on when you wake up?
Jack’s place has Shaun Keaveny’s 6 Music show on in the kitchen and a phone disco in the bathroom. Ben gets going to something really uplifting and funky like Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ album.
What is your favourite track that you have discovered on Discolypso?
Where to start… We have loads of time for Psychemagik, Greg Wilson, Bill Brewster (an FMB champion – thanks man), Todd Terje, all those folks. But as proper new discoveries go, it’s probably gotta be Discotheque Fantastique’s awesome dancefloor rework of Music De Carnaval from a few months back, or the really inventive Whiskey Barons rework of Bill Withers…can you send us a wav please?
If you could have the audio stems to any track what would it be?
To have our Steely Dan ‘Do It Again’ Refrito blessed by the powers-that-be would be amazing. People clearly dig it. It would also obviously be epic to legitimately get stems for big dogs like the Stones, JJ Cale, Eagles, Crosby Stills & Nash, Little Feat.
We’ve done official remixes for the likes of Raf Rundell, Black Peaches and Flamingods which have all gone down well – any current acts or labels wanting us to turn around an FMB Refrito, hit us up.
Where are you most at peace?
The English countryside, where we’re both from… The Deep South, the Wild Westcountry. Drinking beer by the fire with our gals. Oh and at Glastonbury – Jack runs a mobile pub in a horsebox there and at other festivals.
Which musical acts do you feel have not been dealt their fair hand in the annals of time?
We, the people, have missed out… because there’s such a relatively tiny amount of that music we love that exists at the crossroads of country, funk, boogie and disco. Where it does intersect, it’s almost always banging. They’re such a natural blend. A small selection of such unlucky/underappreciated acts:
Muscle Shoals maverick Paul Kelly
Little Feat, because of Lowell’s untimely death
Later LPs of Floridian harmony farmhands Cowboy
Lee Shot Williams, even did a song called ‘Country Disco’
Batshit Nashville studio allstars Barefoot Jerry
Nicolette Larson, unfairly outshone at the time
Southern-rock-jazz-fusion Sea Level (from the ashes of the Allman Bros)
Hoodoo Rhythm Devils, why weren’t they massive?
What song do you put on when you go to sleep?
The sweet sound of silence. Or the occasional earworm. Currently Sandy Denny – Fotheringay.
If you could ask any musician alive or dead one question, what would it be?
“Dear Tony Joe White, is it just us or is your otherwise amazing disco LP ‘The Real Thang’ poorly recorded? All the versions we’ve found have distortion throughout – please can you remaster it and release it on CD? Your firm friends, the Flying Mojito Bros”. That’s not a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity wasted is it?
