Milk Kan
Sandwiched between White Stripes and Antony & The
Johnsons with ambitions of being sandwiched between Rachel Stephens and
The Pussycat Dolls, first broke to the nation by a review from Steve Lamacq
which drew interest from Def Jam Records, Milk Kan are one of the most
hotly tipped bands since the Arctic Monkeys broke through on the net less
than 6 months ago. Although the Anti-Folk scene is burgeoning in the States
with people like Beck and the Moldy Peaches kicking it all off in the early
90s, now Milk Kan have ambitions to turn the UK onto anti-folk with songs
such as "Bling Bling Baby". We caught up with band member Si who explained
how it's all about "Get Milk or Die Trying"
Q: Anti-folk. To us the biggest Anti-folk band we know
were the Moldy Peaches. For the sake of our readers explain what anti-folk
is?
A: Well we kinda stumbled upon it oursleves whilst we
were in new york. Altho had heard about it when Beck claimed to be part
of it back in the late eighties early nineties and was well into all that
early stuff. Then when we got back to london met like 4 other artists who
were into the same kinda vibe.
Heres a qoute for ya from Filthy Pedro who runs the antifolk uk website. "Antifolk is a rediscovery of early folk ethics and a reaction against the rigid genre that folk became in the 60s. It's about using whatever you want to tell everyday stories, valuing humour over sorrow, storytelling over technique and personality over polish." www.Antifolk.co.uk
To me it always seemed more like a community thing of
songwriters who blended folk an punk ethics. I wouldn't say we were nessicarily
a antifolk act and have never really claimed that. But it was definately
a step in the right direction for us when we didnt know where to walk and
it has some proper good artists involved in it both over in the US and
the UK and we still try an play at the antifolk festivals as much as we
can.
Q: How did you both meet and were you playing in bands
/ individually before?
A: We'd both been mates for time and were kinda not doin
much. We had no money and id been writing lots so would jus be sitting
round mates houses an jamming on guitars an just kinda knocked up an acoustic
EP like that!!!
Busked around on bus's, street corners,trains an wat not
and did a few open mics and people seemed to be really into it. Sent a
few copies off to people and then went to new york to party. Ended up falling
across some cool open mic venues in the east village an lower east side
of NY one having a big antifolk involvement. We went down really well and
from that played more shows gave out cd's an got invited to play the antifolk
festival over there the following year! Somehow some a&r guy from DefJam
in manhatten saw us heard us or sumthin an loved it an must hav told his
london counterparts cause when we got back to london it was pretty mad.
Steve Lamacq had given our little acoustic EP a rave review on his bbc
web page an played a track off it on radio1 an all these different labels
an a&r's were suddenly following us around! Things snowballed from
there, but we just stuck to ourselves and kept gigging, expanded the band
by getting a bad boy drummer and eventually got into a studio an recorded
the single a year later which we just released on Play it Again 7!!!!
Q: The name Milk Kan...where did it come from? What
other band names did you have?
A: It was always just Milk Kan and were not revealing
why just yet!!!!
Q: "Bling Bling Baby" was sandwiched between Antony
& The Johnsons and The White Stripes on the indie chart. How did that
feel?
A: It felt like a warm weird but comfortable place to
be!ha!!ha!!!But definately Reasurred us that there are people out there
who want to hear sumthin new an different. Even tho we been playing shows
loads an u see a great reaction ur still knocked bak all the time by so
called indusrtry figures or journalists who are scared cause they cant
pigeon hole u straight away and realise they themsleves have got to think
out of the box an react different for once instead of jus following the
same lines an trends!!!
I cant wait fo our next release and hope to be between
rachael stevens and the pussy cat dolls this time!!! Turn on.
Q: Explain in less than a 100 words why Milk Kan's
"Bling Bling Baby" is a better song than Westlife's "Bop Bop Baby"
A: One up two down,
everybody gather round,
fist fight, late night, moneys tight, whos gotta light?
Wanna stay
meant to pray
dillay dally on the way
on your knees say please,
where the hell's my car keys,
big scam fake tan wam bam thank you mam,
mastercard an visa
rolling up the reefer
no win no fee
roll up an ur see
grab the mic
tube strike
hands up with ur crack pipe!!!
So keep on running on your treadmills
an choking on your vitamin pills
cause they aint workin honey
Bling Bop bop baby dancer!!!
Theres ya answer!!!
Q: Lyrically you take in everything from advertising
slogans to digs at most politicians. What do you try to convey in your
lyrics?
A: Everysong is different. Not particulary tring to convey
anything. An open insight to somthing. Seeing something for what it is
or what it isnt!!! Just telling stories, views, opinions, an none of them
are necessarily mine.
Q: Hip-hop and acoustic guitars - does that make Milk
Kan the Nizlopi its ok for indie peeps to like?
A: Yes it is once we release our 4th single about the
story of the band stuck in the car behind the JCB who use their teeth to
puncture its tyres and then proceed to do a drive-by in the floating clouds
and relaese there debut film 'Get Milk or Die Trying'!!!!
Q: Is there a new EP or album in the pipelan for you
guys?
A: Yea we been writing loads and are set to begin recording
on the debut album shortly. Before that were gonna hav our second single
come out whilst we keep gigging thru the beginning of the year an look
forward to supporting the Violent Femmes at Sheperds Bush Empire at the
end of febuary!
Q: How does it all work live for Milk Kan and when
can we expect shows outside of London?
A: It all works live like a mongrel mix of sampled beatz
country crack spittin diesel smoking drive thru trade in guitar solo
bluegrass tale punk breakdancing ballad kinda show!!!!Expect us in ya neighbourhood
soon!!!
Q: Finally if Milk Kan were the following what would
you be (feel free to make your own)
* A Dance Move / Style * Movie ?
A A dungarie wearing dead man doin the jitterbug in a
bath watching 'weekend at bernies' with a banjo in his mouth an a blank
billboard in his hand!!!!
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"Bling Bling Baby" is out now on PIAS Recordings
For more info on Milk Kan
www.milkkan.com
www.pias.com/uk
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