The13th AÑO: 3
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NÚMERO 28
UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA
KAS PRODUCT | INTROFLIRT ALAN COURTIS | LIGHTS THAT CHANGE | MICHEL LEROY THE CULT OF FREE LOVE | THE SWAGGER | TAN FRÍO EL VERANO
[ Interview with Mona Soyoc of Kas Product By Diego Centurión ]
¡HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!
How was the band formed in 1980? I arrived in 1977 in Nancy, a provincial town of the north east of France. I loved singing. I had taught myself electric guitar and keyboards. I met Spatsz in a “Jam Session” in 1977 in his cellar. Spatsz had synthesizers’ and the sound coming out of a big amplifier was new and fascinating to me! We decided to form a band and compose together. What was the inspiration to form Kas Product? At the time we would listen to many American, English and German underground bands at a local record shop called Punk records. We both wanted to create a music that was different and that you didn’t hear on the radio. We loved powerful synths sounds and fast and crazy rhythm drum machines. With more than thirty years of career. How do you see those first steps today? We were very determined. We said, “let’s do a record”, so we recorded a few songs live on a tape machine (Revox) in a friend’s living room. DIY was our motto: Do It Yourself! We went to our local record store and asked him if he’d like to create a label. We produced our first concerts too. We were independent. The English magazines (NME-Sounds) wrote
reviews and various clubs in Europe started playing our songs. In those days the word went pretty fast even though there was no Internet! They have shared the birth of the Cold Wave, with bands like the Marquis de Sade, Trisomie 21, among others. At least they usually mention it within that movement. Do you feel part of a musical movement in particular? I think we don’t feel part of any particular movement; people categorized us to our own surprise. I guess if someone asked me what type of music do we do I might say it’s sort of “cold wave-postpunk” but later here, in France, they called it “ElectroClash”. But for a lot of bands in those days and for us, it was a political act to do music, it was necessary, it was nearly a survival act or anarchist act! We had to express ourselves and maybe that’s also why people say KaS Product’s energy is still so actual and contemporary. Three albums in the Decade of the 80's. And then why not had a new album Apart from the years of inactivity. There is a 4th album that was published in 1990 called “Black and Noir”. It has the first 2 singles (6
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songs) first issued on Punk Records in 80’ plus 5 new songs. The band stopped its activity end of 80”. Living apart and far from each other didn’t allow us to continue composing though we have a lot of unreleased tapes. You have compared often with Siouxsie. How do feel that comparison? I have been compared to many singers … I guess people always have to refer to what they know and feel confortable with! Do you currently follow as a duo? Do they never thought about other members? We are 2 on stage but we take up the space of a full band… just come and see for yourself! In the beginning we tried playing with other musicians but they were doing heroine and were too stoned to play or too difficult to work with, so we ended up Spatsz and me rehearsing in an apartment: the birth of our duo! In 85, for a few concerts, we played with some musicians and also with Rowland Howard (Birthday Party-Nick Cave) Being 2 seems easier, but who knows… maybe one day? With the possibilities of the Internet, the editions are more accessible. In these years not have edited nothing new? The re-edition of our albums and on the Internet platforms has been a success and allowed us to tour
professionaly again; we travel to countries we never thought we would play in! Who could tell …30 years later…. someone in Argentina would interview us? We have released one new song called Holy Cow on Born Bad Records on a compilation for the designer Agnes B foundation. There are new songs? We play a couple of new songs on stage and have several new ones ready to go…A new album is in the making. What do you expect from the concert in Buenos Aires? I love Buenos Aires, my parents are from Argentina. I hope to set their soul and minds on fire and bring them into a field of no time and infinite possibilities! Music is an attitude, and I intend to share my guts and heart! In the words of El Che.. Hasta la Victoria Siempre!...The final Victory is the end of all forms of Tyranny! And Music is the universal language and energy of change and free expression! The future is NOW! I want to thank you for the possibility of carrying out these questions. I enjoyed answering your questions Thank you for giving me this opportunity! Gratitude Mona
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The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA