Fault Radio Talks: A Conversation with Nick Philip

Interview by Michelangelo Battaglia

April 22, 2020

Nick Philip was integral in defining the cyberdellic aesthetic of early 90’s San Francisco rave culture. Creator of pioneering streetwear brand Anarchic Adjustment he collaborated with luminaries such as Timothy Leary, Terrance McKenna and John Lillly. A founding contributor of Wired magazine, Philip won an Academy Award as part of the CGI team for movie “What dreams may come”. In addition to becoming an “Absolute Artist. His project the Imaginary Foundation is credited with popularizing the “Cosmic Surrealism” design movement. Philip’s design work is included in the permanent collection of SFMOMA and MIT’s Journal of Design and Science.

As a DJ Philip has played in Europe, Japan and the US, becoming a regular at the Big Chill opening up for Zero 7 on their first gig. His critically acclaimed audio and interactive release “Radical Beauty” featured collaborations with Mix Master moriss, T-power, Skylab, Daniel Pemberton and Jonah Sharp. Philip regularly played and the chillout rooms at both Community and the Gathering. As well as garnering a spot at the now legendary “Gardening club”. Philip was the founder of ambient collectives “the Champions of Chill” and “The Chill-Core Collective”