The Magic Mod

A card magician and entertainer of huge esteem, The Magic Mod - aka Ben Taylor - can proudly count himself as probably the coolest member of the elite Magic Circle fraternity.  

His shows astonish, perplex and entertain, blending spellbinding illusions with warmth and humour. Which is why people endlessly return to see him perform and audiences are growing with every tour; all evidenced by his sold-out run throughout the UK late last year. Now this versatile entertainer is out for another string of UK live shows, including an appearance at the Komedia in Brighton on Sun 13 April. You can expect to see a modern take on the magic tricks of Tommy Cooper and Paul Daniels, performed by a fella who wouldn’t look out of place in the best rock n roll band in the world.

Born in Crawley, and living in Belfast, he’s acquired himself some immaculate rock credentials - previously supporting artists like  The Libertines, Paul Weller and The Brian Jonestown Massacre on tour. These are all people he’s come to call friends, along with Liam Gallagher, Shaun Ryder, Rick Witter and even Eamonn Holmes!

As Ben prepares for a return to Brighton, we spoke to him about climbing to the top of his profession and the popularity of magic in the UK.

Penn & Teller showed that magic could be quite rock and roll and almost confrontational, but there’s been few people in this country with the same attitude. Is magic traditionally quite a reserved entertainment form?

Every magician is different and no two are the same. You have magicians that will perform with music and hardly interact with the audience, and you have some that just don’t talk at all but that is their style. Me, on the other hand, I get everyone involved and make sure they are all part of the night. People that come to my show always say, “We have never seen a magician like that before”.  

I’ve seen poets, mime artists and bingo callers support bands… but never a magician. How did you end up on line-ups with so many cool artists?

My love of music has played a big part in this. Every gig I went to I would have a deck of cards and 9 times out of 10 I would blag my way backstage or to an after-show party where I would be doing all sorts of tricks. Next thing you know, I’m getting followed on social media by bands all over the world.

I’ve been very lucky to have supported so many amazing artists and even my heroes. My style is so different that when I walk on a stage, people think I am in a band so I will start singing when I start making playing cards appear from thin air. The reactions are priceless. It’s been an honour for me to have supported Paul Weller, The Libertines and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, to name just a few.  

There’s a lovely quote from my time with the Brian Jonestown Massacre by Joel Gion from the band, who said: “The bravery to contend with the rowdy punters and win them over single-sleight-of-handedly takes nerve, but when you’re good and you know you are, it’s just another night.”

How difficult is it to get into the Magic Circle? What illusions did you perform to impress the judging panel?

You need to be up to a very good level of magic to be a member. There are some incredible magicians out there, but they have no patter or anything about them. It’s just, ‘Pick a card, put it back in the deck, do 7 fancy cuts. Boom! It’s back on the top’. It’s a good trick but there is nothing entertaining about that. What they are looking for is someone who eats, sleeps and lives magic, and that’s why there are less then 2000 members of the Magic Circle worldwide.

I did four card tricks that, when I first saw them, made me believe magic was real. And it worked.

How many illusions have you developed for yourself? Which is your favourite?

I’m learning new tricks all the time, but cards are my favourite, and they work well with my style. I love the old-school tricks that Tommy Cooper and Paul Daniels would have done. I don’t think I have a favourite to be honest but, as a kid, my best trick was making my Mum and Dad’s money disappear, and now my son Lonnie is doing that one. He has a good teacher!

Let’s be shallow for a moment. Most popular magicians are either a bit scruffy or knock about in that suit and ruffles business, so it’s nice to see someone with a bit of style. How similar are your stage outfits to your everyday wear. Have you always been fascinated by the modernist?

I always take great pride in my appearance, a bit like my old man who always looks good and smells great. Always has a comb in his back pocket too. Old-school. So, yes, I would say I was born into the Mod movement and that’s me for life. It feels good to look good. The first album I really got in to was Setting Sons by The Jam. I love everything about that band: the style, the attitude. they had it all.

Got any tips for anyone wanting to get into the Mod style? It’s not just about neatly detailed clothes, is it?

No, it isn’t at all. Music plays a massive role in the Mod scene. See, you can’t just put on a parka and all of a sudden expect to be Jimmy from Quadrophenia. It’s a bit like wearing a Stone Island jacket and thinking you’re Danny dyer from Football Factory. It don’t work like that at all.

You’re originally from Crawley, which has huge potential yet gets overshadowed a bit by London and Brighton. Can you tell us five great things about the town?

Crawley is where it all began for me, and I will always call it home. They have a great music scene in Crawley with lots of solo artists and bands playing the pubs and clubs. It’s great to see and I wish them all the best of luck.  

It has lots of shops, which is always a bonus, and Tilgate Park is, and will always be, the most beautiful park I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve spent many hours sitting by the lake learning my tricks.

And, as you said, it’s so close to London and Brighton – 30 minutes from each one on a train. Brighton for me is my second home as I spend so much time there with family and, of course, it’s the home of the Mods.  

When I was a kid, there were regular magic shows on TV., but the form has fallen out of favour recently with the main broadcasters – which is odd, because clips of artists on YouTube do tidy business. Do you think the right kind of performer could bring it back into the centre of Sat night teatime viewing?

I think people have been screaming out for a Saturday night magic show. Everyone loves a bit of magic: it’s entertaining, fun and at times dangerous, as people that have come to my shows have found out. I believe it’s time for a Rock N Roll magic show to hit the television screens.

And I think I know just the man …

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The Magic Mod comes to Brighton’s Komedia on Sun 13 13 April 2025

www.themagicmod.com  

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www.komedia.co.uk  

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