Interview with Paul Benney

The Focused Mind Podcast

Paul Benney describes himself as having spent 30 years at the coalface of music, media, and acid house.

If you’re into electronic music, you’ll likely know his work as a co-founder of seminal 90s magazine Jockey Slut and its associated club night, Bugged Out!, which began in Manchester 30 years ago. Since then, Bugged Out! has held residencies in Liverpool and London and now hosts a weekender event, next taking place in March 2026 in beautiful Bognor. Most recently, Bugged Out! curated a day celebrating its 30th anniversary at the Stonebridge tent at Glastonbury Festival.

After Jockey Slut folded in the 2000s, the spirit of the brand was revived post-pandemic as Disco Pogo — a more grown up electronic music print magazine published twice per year. It’s a coffee-table-quality publication featuring long-form writing on all things electronic music, both past and present. Disco Pogo has also published books on Andrew Weatherall, Daft Punk, and Aphex Twin.

As a journalist, editor, promoter, manager, record label founder, publisher, and distributor, Paul has remained constantly active. For the last five years, he has been developing a hybrid artist services company and media platform DMY.

In our conversation, we explore the mental health challenges that come with maintaining such boundless energy, especially after burning the candle at both ends in his 20s and early 30s. He shares how becoming a father, moving out of London to Leigh-on-Sea, and taking up cycling helped him adopt more sustainable physical and psychological habits.