What do you get when Kid Koala, Dynomite D, and former Wolfmother members Chris Ross and Myles Heskett come together on an album? The Slew, Kid Koala’s latest masterful mashup orchestration. The fierce rock energy of The Slew will soon take to the live stage in a 7-city, one-off tour that features live drums, bass/keys, DJs working six turntables, and “seventy minutes of raw guitar cuts and heavy beats.”
Excited to be hitting the road with fellow musicians Chris, Myles, and DJ P Love, Eric (Kid Koala) took a minute last week to chat with Supernova about his new album, and his big plans for The Slew’s live tour
First I gotta say it’s great to see you put out another album!
Heh yeah, I work in a 4 to 5 year arc, like a graphic space cadet – I’m very down tempo and like to take my time. In a way it’s cool, from the dynamic side, that I have pulled it off.
I’m really enjoying The Slew, with the first track starting with a Zeppelin-esque scream…
It’s very rock inspired, as always with massive sample mashups. I’m a Chinese Canadian, born in Vancouver, doing music and a craft that was born in New York in the 70s, signed to a British record label… none of it makes sense! But then it does, if you have a passion for this craft.
I know the album leaked a bit early, but have you seen a good reaction so far?
Well my main concern was recording the album, and now how to present it on stage.. so I don’t really know. You hear some people whine about file sharing cutting into pocket books, but I’m too focused on the show itself. If I’d wanted to make money I’d be in textiles.
Besides, if people get a hold of music, then people have more fun at the show! The enthusiasm is more contagious.
I’m sure that you’re at a point now where you don’t have to worry about people loving the music, and can concentrate on your craft.
Yeah but even before Ninjatunes picked me up… the music isn’t happening when you cash the cheque - it happens in the studio.
You certainly spend a lot of time in the studio. What was it like working in collaboration with so many artists on The Slew?
Well, Dylan (Dynomite D) and myself are used to collaborating, but the difference was our motivations. I mean if it was up to me, I’d just ask myself ‘What would Jim Henson or The Kids in the Hall do?’ haha… But for this album we asked more. Basically we wanted to make a record that would sound like Black Sabbath produced by the Dust Brothers… we asked, how do we bridge these genres?
How did this project all start?
About 4 and a half years ago it started with a movie… the catalyst was the movie, but they didn’t have a budget and they were just trying to ask if I’d do it. Instead it turned into an album and tour.
Was the album and prep for tour a more difficult process?
It was the most masochistic! We hand cut every layer, and I’ve cut about 80 custom records for this tour. P Love and I are practicing a lot, and I actually spent most of the week trying to build shock proof turntable stands – buying earthquake gel absorbancy sheets, haha!
So you’re an engineer, too?
I used to be in engineering! But yeah I’ve been at this for 20 years and there’s still no table developed that I like.
Why the design issues… Is the show going to be a ‘rough’ performance?
Yeah! A lot of it has to do with fact that Chris and Myles want to REALLY go at the instruments, and with a spring loaded tone arm the turntables just need a bit of help. But I don’t want them to hold back; I want it to feel like the first time you heard Black Sabbath, or Public Enemy! Those in equal parts.
So are you feeling good about taking this album on the road?
Well, with 6 turntables, Myles on drums, Chris on bass… it should be awesome. But then, once you bring analogue turntables in, it could all fall apart – we’ve just got to keep that adrenaline going. And Chris and Myles are just, palaces of fire!
And it sounds like you’re expecting a great response.
All our skater friends love this album – I always believe the turntable is a complete music service and can live in many realms quite comfortably. People who have been following my work for awhile know that it’s all done on turntables. The Slew is still about the craft of turntabling…
Just in case people don’t know, tell the story about how you ‘made it’ into the music biz?
Back in ‘96 I made a cassette that Ninjatunes got ahold of, but before that I was hand-delivering my tapes to stores in Montreal. At some point it caught on, and when I was in Detroit a few months later (I had never been) a kid came up with a blank cassette – and it was a copy of my tape! I said, how’d you get that? Because as far as I knew there were only 15 copies in Montreal
WELL, my friend was in Montreal, dubbed it and mailed to Detroit; all of a sudden he came to the show, brought 6 people with him to my show because they heard the tape – the chain of events that led to that was just… amazing. That was in ‘96, and now you’re two mouse clicks away from finding my music!
Do you have any advice for other artists starting their musical careers?
Do something you’re really into – I’m kind of living proof of that scenario… if you’d seen the faces of the people at the label when I explained my idea… hahaha. They actually said, this is EXACTLY what we thought you’d do, but we have no idea how to present this. But I had an idea, and as long as you’re into what you do, if you do the work, you may not have an immediate result but NONE of that time is wasted.
I guess also do some sort of music that you’re into, so that you can practice… if you’re into it you won’t notice the time passing. When it’s released, people will hear the love and passion for what you’re doing.
Any "industry" advice?
No label doesn’t mean music is less valid - you could start a label with your Mom, as long as you’re enthusiastic! I know people that have signed and had the best or worst times… it really depends on your process. For me I don’t know if a label would work… but sometimes a deadline is exactly what you need. I think if you have the opportunity to work with a label that understands having a bigger vision and can support that, then go for it.
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Kid Koala, DJ P Love, as well as ex-Wolfmother members Chris Ross and Myles Heskett will be hitting the road this Fall, on tour in support of their powerful album of mash up rock cuts The Slew.
This one off touring event promises to be one of the most exciting live performances coming to a city near you, and you won’t want to miss your chance to see these musical heavyweights combine their powers on the live stage:
WED 9/23 - VANCOUVER, BC - Commodore
THUR 9/24 - SEATTLE, WA - Nectar
FRI 9/25 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Independent
SUN 9/27 - LOS ANGELES, CA - Key Club
WED 9/30 - BROOKLYN, NY - Music Hall Of Williamsburg
I’m really enjoying The Slew, with the first track starting with a Zeppelin-esque scream…
So are you feeling good about taking this album on the road?
