KAITO

Interview

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Kaito. November 2003. La boule Noire Paris (Fr)

1/ Ok, 1st, could you introduce yourself??? Dee: I play the drums Niki: Guitars + sing Gemma: Bass and backing vocals Dave: Guitar and backing vocals 2/ When the band started? Dave: I guess the band started in 96 with Niki and myself...

Niki: err, we kind of started...I met Dee though Dave. He was in a band at the time and we just said "Come along and have a go...". Where we lived, was a really rural area. There wasn t much to do so you had to entertain yourself in someways. We just played. We had a different bass player and drummer at the time from Dave s old band. It didn t really fit properly, that s when we met Gemma about 2 years after and then Dee. 3/ How would you describe your music? Gemma: It s a bit of everything. It s probably got a name of its own, but we haven t thought one up yet. It s kind of of Art Noise but with Pop songs behind it so it s dificult to explain. 4/ What are the bands you were influenced by? Gemma: The Pixies Dave: Sonic Youth Dee: It s  hard because there s the obvious ones, but there s a lot more things as well. All of us come from backgrounds where we ve liked a lot of different things. *for me, sometimes it sounds like Blonde Redhead* Niki: Yeah, we ve had some comparaisons with bands we ve never heard of before, it s really funny... Dave: There are loads. That s great because you then check the band out and you can see, sometimes, where it s coming from, and say "It s really strange we ve never heard of that band".

We ve more influenced by us and what s surrounding us at the time, what sort of noise we can make. We don t listen to a band and say "we want to sound like that" It just comes out of what we ve created. We ve been together for 6 years, so we ve found our own sound now! There were bands like Sonic Youth and all that , that inspired us to say "Yeah, I wanna be like them"... 5/ Is that your 1st gig in France? Gemma: Oui Niki: We've been touring America a lot, we got signed there. We put a record out in England on Fierce panda 2 or 3 years ago, but it never brought us to toured in Europe. Then we met up with an american Label and toured there, we ve been there 7 times. We haven t even toured England much. We ve so excited to be here!! 6/ Now, you signed on an English Label?? Niki: Ohh Blast First... Everyday it s "give us 2 days" for the past month. Any day now...hopefully. Dave: We re really excited about Blast First. The bands that they ve released are just incredible - Sonic Youth, The Butthole Surfers, Liars' first album, Suicide, Erase Errata...- it s a chance for us to actually be a band. It s a Label who s interested in what we re going to sound like on the next record, not what we ve done right now; in what we ve achieved and how we can achieve something better. Gemma: Like to create a new sound rather than copy sounds that exist. Dave: When you start a band, i think you dream of meeting that label. They  want you for who you are, rather than "Oh Yeah this is the next..." We re not "the next..." We re just being Kaito.

7/ What are your plans after this gig?? Niki: Germany Dee: Cologna and Berlin. We need more shows in EU!! * New album??* Niki: We re gonna have 2 weeks off. That will be the 1st 2 weeks in the last 3 months. We ve been over to the US, back to England, back to the US again, now here to support The Liars...So we re having 2 weeks off, so that we don t have to see each other everyday!!! We have a few weeks off over Christmas, then we ll start work on the new album. 8/ How many albums you have?? 3 or more??? Niki: It s mainly singles...There are 2 albums and one EP. Then loads of 7" Dee: Catnap, go singles... Niki: we were on several compilations as well. Dave: We ve got some nice coloured vinyl, which is all gone now... Niki: they were done on really small indie labels, 500 presses at the time. Gemma: Hopefully it will be easier in the future to find Kaito albums.. Do you think french people get (understand) us? 9/ Stupid questions time!!! What do you hate the most??? Niki: I hate dishonesty the most. And aeroplanes. But i m growing to like them!! Gemma: I hate meat, I m vegetarian... Dave: I hate traffic. The last tour has been traffic jam after traffic jam Dee: that would be my answer too. The amount of life we ve wasted just sitting in a car. Gemma: Guitar solos...some are good What you like the most? Gemma: Sweets!!... Gin!!!! Dee: Everyone in this room AH!! Dave: Cats and blue sky Gemma: Little fluffy clouds Dee: Seasons Gemma: Being happy 10/ Few words to French people??? Niki: Dance at our gigs!! Dee: Kiss us 3 times on the cheeks Dave:  Which cheek?? Dee: 4 times, one on each cheek Dave: Come and say Hello at gigs Gemma: Come and say Hello so that we can practice our french!! Dee: Yeah; When we try to speak to you, don t speak in English. If i say " Ou est... err..." Gemma: Le chateau Dee: ...l hotel" don t say "It s up there, mate", go " c est là, allez tout droit" Dave: For me, speak english, because i m very slow! Gemma: Fuckin hell, excuse my french Dave: And well done for not supporting Bush Dee: Yeah!!! Interview Mary, Simon and Jacob