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Before establishing Kinky Star, you played in the Sexmachines. Can you tell us more about the history of the band?
"Danny Mommens and me (Luc Waegeman) formed a band together back in 1992 called "La Orta". Its line up changed all the time, till we met Jan Wygers and felt an uncanny desire to upset our mums and call ourselves seXmachines. The line up has remained solid ever since... Danny Mommens: vocals/guitar, Jan Wygers: bass, Lucce Waegeman: drums. In 1996 we contributed to two Belgian compilation albums: "Debuutrock '97" (Double T/Sony Distribution) and "Cannabilise Legalism" (Bong Records/ Bang! distribution). During a rather springy spring of that same year, the band really started to "happen", playing at least 50 memorable gigs around the underground scene in Ghent and Flanders and as support to bands such as dEUS, Evil Superstars, Kepone, Rocket from the Crypt, Blonde Redhead, Penthouse..."
Do you plan to release anything new by the Sexmachines? As far as I know you only released one EP, right? Actually, does the band still exist?!?
"No new releases are planned. seXmachines is (temporarily) out of action for the moment. Danny's busy with Vive La Fête and Jan with the new Mauro Pawlowski band."
Why did you go from playing in your own band to starting up a label?
"In 1996 we kind of built our own structure to be able to handle our finances better. By doing this we could also construct our own label and publishing. We'd been playing with this idea for a long time already; we wanted to take things into our own hands; we wanted to go our own way! At first, we intended to release just our own material, of seXmachines that is, but we noticed that other small bands we played with also felt the urge to record and release their "stuff". When we had a bit more time on our hands, we could start focussing on the "business-side" of Kinky Star. That was the time I was also on the look-out for a bigger office to do my promotion job on all labels and bands distributed by Bang! (Belgium). Finally, the 1st of April 1997 we found a perfect space right in the centre of Ghent. On the groundfloor we have the club with a stage and a "meetingpoint for musiclovers" (annex pub)."
Sexmachines... Kinky Star... Hmmm, your hormones are active. Why did you pick the name Kinky Star?
"KINKY = strange/creative/excentric/weird/bizarre/out of your mind/perverse/sexy......... STAR = famous/quality/Born under a lucky----/the rising----/(lucky) stars/All Star cast................ It just sounds very good and it is life!!!!"
There really isn't a Kinky Star sound, is there? How do you decide what bands get signed?
"For the label we're just looking for good music with "soul". We're not into one specific style. All different kinds of passengers on the same boat and with the contribution of us all, we sail with a shared musical passion we all have!"
How do you find these bands anyway? I noticed how incestuous the Kinky Star world is. Members of Capt Moon play in No Tomorrow Charlie, then there's the Magik Ballet Ensemble-'t Hof van Commerce link... Is this legal?
"All bands on the label are friends, mainly from Ghent and Antwerp who make "good", "soulful" music. They never got the chance to release something before. We're all D.I.Y. people on all levels (graphical, music-technically, promotionally, bookings...) Creatively, we're all that active. We got more than one band or project, and a lot of cooperations do happen this way of course."
How much control do you give bands? Do you like to pretend you're Malcolm Mclaren and dress them up in red leather clothes saying that that is the only way to get a hit record?
"The purpose is to stimulate the band itself on all levels. They have to be motivated themselves and they're even obligated to take control on as much as they can. I just try to coordinate the things. We all seem to "manage" it together, and we don't need a so-called "manager"."
If someone would ask you how much 1+2 is, what would you reply? Seriously, what record are you most proud of?
"I'm proud of the whole catalogue so far. But the first Hof Van Commerce CD was the one that made things possible (sales of 7000 CDs)."
You started Kinky Star in 1997, right? Can you give a detailed Kinky history from the first day you opened till today (friday 3 pm)? Please include every experience from cleaning the toilet to how many pens you need on a weekly basis. Hold on, can you explain what Kinky Star does? It's not just releasing records, is it?
"Sorry, can't answer this question. Need a few weeks to write all of this. Use your imagination! There's the club, the label (27 releases + Other series in less than 2 1/2 years), the info-service, the promotion-service for a lot of small bands and a lot of cooperations with other labels and young artists' organisations. During the summer there's the anual Gentse Feesten with more than 30 concerts in ten days at the club. In fact, we're a so-called socio-cultural centre focused on music and supporting the music (sub)culture."
How does Kinky Star run? On Nikes or Adidas? Just joking, describe the average Kinky Star day. Please delete X-rated things. Or no: give us all the juicy stuff. My life's been pretty boring of late.
"We get our finances mainly from the club. Most of the releases don't sell more than 500 pieces, you see...(so far)."
Kinky Star is cyber. How important is the internet? I noticed you also put up real audio files!
"For us the internet and the site are very important. We try to update it almost daily (thanx to Sebbe), and in the future we will create our own mail order and Kinky Star Radio online."
Apart from releasing records, you also have a cafe, right? What crowd can I find there? Sixty-year-olds sipping martinis while playing strip-poker?
"Music lovers of all ages, all kind of artists, students, squatters, party animals... There are different DJs every night, so all kinds of "alternative" muisc is played. Diversity!!!"
Do bands play there?
"Bands play only during the Gentse Feesten. For the moment we're limited by the judge concerning concerts during the year, it's a pity!"
What does the future hold in store for Kinky Star? Anything new coming out? Signed any new bands? Getting a new hairdo?
"Future releases: "City Kingz 003". A new compilation in the "City Kingz Series" with the best of the Belgian hip hop scene. Release on CD and 3LP vinyl with two extra tracks (We love vinyl!). Boenox: An onusual quartet playing instrumental music which explores the frontiers of jazz, classical muisc and a bit of electronica. Freestyle Fabrik: The Antwerp hip hop collective who are recording their first full album with DJ 4T4 as producer. The Whodads: Their fist full album will arrive. Magik Ballet Ensemble: "Hell". The magic of the Ballet Ensemble getting more black and the artdevil DJ 4T4 is in action! Also, a compilation in cooperation with the Flemish Institute for Healthcare. Future plans: Focusing more on Kinky All Stars Night Tour through Belgium, foreign concerts (tours), distribution all over the world. Is that enough?"
http://www.kindamuzik.net/label/709/kinky-star/737/
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