Sam Battle, also known as Look Mum No Computer, is a dedicated enthusiast of vintage audio technology. Recently, he offered a tour of his unique music museum, coinciding with the unveiling of his impressive exhibit: the Megadrone, featuring a staggering 1,000 oscillators.
“Eurovision wasn’t really on my radar at all,” Sam Battle admits as he guides me through his museum. With a shock of what looks like a slightly mad scientist’s hair framing his young face, he manipulates abstract metal boxes, coaxing ethereal drone sounds from them as we move along. “I was talking to Johnny, a friend who works here, and we joked about how amusing it would be to participate. So, we sent an email to the BBC, asking, ‘Is there any possibility of us getting involved?’ and they responded, ‘Well, this individual might be of interest…’”
Battle has cultivated a dedicated following through his innovative blend of music and unconventional technology. The Look Mum No Computer persona originated as a side project during his time as the lead singer of the indie band Zibra in the mid-2000s. Following the band’s dissolution in 2016, Battle immersed himself in the world of Look Mum No Computer, populating his YouTube channel with videos showcasing his transformation of everyday electronics into extraordinary musical instruments. Whether it’s repurposing Sega Megadrives into functional synthesizers or turning Henry vacuum cleaners into flame-throwers, nothing is discarded in his creative process, with any amount of material being transmuted into sonic gold.
English Translation:
Fire up the Furby synth! Meet UK Eurovision entry Look Mum No Computer at his mind-boggling music museum
Sam Battle is a retro audio tech obsessive. Our writer gets a tour of his museum just as he unleashes his prized exhibit: a 1,000-oscillators-strong Megadrone!
“I didn’t really plan to do Eurovision at all,” muses Sam Battle as he takes me round his museum, pushing a shock of ever-so-slightly mad scientist hair from his youthful face and coaxing drone sounds out of abstract metal boxes as we go. “I was chatting to Johnny, my friend who works here, and we were saying wouldn’t it be funny to do it. So, we sent an email to the BBC asking, ‘Is there any way we can get on it?’ and they said, ‘Well this guy might be interesting …’”
Known to his fans as Look Mum No Computer, Battle has built a cult following with his wild fusions of music and esoteric technology. The persona started life as a side project when he was lead singer with the indie could-have-beens Zibra in the mid-00s. When the band split up in 2016, Battle threw himself into the world of Look Mum No Computer, filling his YouTube with videos of him rejigging everyday technology into weird and wonderful new shapes, whether that be by turning Sega Megadrives into working synths, or Henry vacuum cleaners into flame-throwers. In this world, nothing was thrown away, and any amount of lead could be transmuted into the gold of a song.