Monkey Pilot or DJ Monkey Pilot, also known as Richard Sutcliffe is a British professional disk jockey and co-organizer of Whirl-Y-Gig and Whirl-Y-Fayre. ^[1] Monkey Pilot used to live in Harrow, London but currently resides in Somerset.

Early life and education

Sutcliffe attended University College School before studying Youth and Community at Sheffield University. ^[1]

Whirl-Y-Gig

In 1981, Sutcliffe attended a second event of the Association of Humanistic Psychology (AHP) called Whirl-Y-Gig.

The event was started by Ros Madden as a social space for anyone who enjoys dance as a means of self expression.

Sutcliffe became v ery involved and in 1985 he took charge of Whirl-Y-Gig’s future welfare.

He built the first Dance Trance Sound System and was was initially assisted by DJ Floyd Freud and was also sole DJ at Club Dog.

The multi box sound system was designed to fit in the back of Ferdinand, a 1962 Vanden Plas Princess Hearse Reborn.

In 1986, Monkey Pilot was joined by his wfe and partner at Whirl-Y-Gig, Mary the Faery, who brought her skills in crew and policy management and decor design.

Unlike other clubs, Monkey Pilot DJs with his back to the audience and no microphone.

He has been described as "the worlds first faceless DJ". He is still accessible, but has the humble intention that the DJ is only a small part of the Whirl-Y-Gig experience, which the decor, visuals, lighting and atmosphere caused by every member of the crowd contribute to creating.

in 1988 Whirl-Y-Gig outgrew the AHP and they separated amicably.

Whirl-y-Gig became a weekly event in 1989 and around this time Jim arrived introducing an integrated psychedelic lightshow, creating a unique combination of sound, light and decor.

It was from that time on that Monkey Pilot became Sutcliffe's sole personalised DJ identity and Whirl-Y-Gig his spiritual journey and only regular gig.

Although Whirl-Y-Gig is his only residency, he sometimes plays at other events, such as Edensounds, Return to the Source, and even at Ministry of Sound.

WOMAD & festivals

Monkey Pilot worked with Peter Gabriel to introduce club culture to the WOMAD festivals. Over seven years, Monkey Pilot hosted Whirl-Y-Gig stages at the World Music festival in Reading, as well as one at Beautiful Days Festival in 2007. Monkey Pilot still regularly plays at the Glastonbury Festival and will be appearing on the Glade stage on Sunday, 30 June 2019.

Meaning

Monkey Pilot was the title of a track by the Comsat Angels, from their first and classic album called “Waiting for a Miracle”, inspired by the first living animals sent into space. Sutcliffe adopted it as a creative device during a cassette compilation exchange relationship with a friend. Sutcliffe adopted it as his DJ name from 1984. He submitted “The Reality Scandal” for publication in Self and Society under the name of Monkey Pilot in late 1981. This first version was rejected as too journalistic for a semi academic AHP journal. In later form it was finally accepted in 1986 with the title “This Fear Of Gods” and credited to his real name. This essay laid the foundation of thought that led him to choosing Whirl-Y-Gig as his perfect means of expression and most valid activity for this lifetime, a way of achieving everything and explaining nothing.

Influences

Vice Magazine have noted that Monkey Pilot is

**