as i was saying recently, cbk/naked cuddles will be having a gig and a dj set in ctrl, this thursday. dean was nice enough to satisfy my nosy nature:
please tell me about how cbk (come back kid) and naked cuddles came to be. i know a bit about the get-together from here.
well, megg and i met when i was leaving on a dj tour through europe. she sublet my flat while i was gone. i was immediately drawn to her persona which was strong and confident. i was packing away my art and music studios when she arrived. she asked if i could leave them out and use them since she made music and art as well. when i returned, my flat was full of her music and art. after seeing everything, i just knew we had to work together and about 2 months later we released our ep, bedroom demos.
your album, gorgeous george was released on april the 22nd! (for digital downloads, click here), tell me about it and about putting a record out via your own label.
well, the record, we hope, is a sleazy dance record, really euro trashy. we made it together in my berlin studio. its our freshman record so looking back on it, i think we made a good record together. something for kids to have a good time to. but were already demoing for record number 2 and i think you get more of a grown up record so to speak. as for putting it on out on our own label, that was the only smart thing to do. the labels that offered to put it out wanted more then we would earn ourselves in the end and we didnt want any ties to a label. i learnt a valuable lesson from the last band i was in and the label scene. indie is the way to go.
i have to ask: why and how did you quit iamx (he did guitar, bass and hot stage presence for 4 (6?) short years)?
i think it was 4 years or maybe a bit more in iamx and i guess that’s the answer. after 4 years in someone else’s band you get a bit stir crazy for creating your own music. it was just time for me to go off on my own and experiment.
you have a pop painting alter ego, swag. what’s up with that?
well, it’s what brought me to europe, my painting. it’s something i can’t live without. if i go some time without painting, i don’t feel whole. it keeps me together. it’s the greatest release i can have outside of sex… and some drugs. but, really, i can’t think of anything i like doing more then painting. i have a few shows coming up in berlin and hopefully something in budapest this fall. and the city of berlin has just included me in a project called wedding walls, where me and 5 other chosen artists will paint the sides of these giant buildings in a part of town called wedding. i am really excited to be chosen for this. the other artists are way more recognized then me and it makes me proud to paint amongst them.
what band are you currently listening to?
for some reason, at the moment i can’t stop listening to nite versions by soul wax and the fever ray record. those two records are really a big influence on me at the moment. but also a bunch of boys noize and house meister. berlin techno has a strong hold on me.
what is your secret talent? (painting does not count as secret)
geez, i’m not sure… i guess i’m a pretty good cook in the kitchen.
favourite meal?
i’m a vegetarian, so sometimes meals are tricky in a land where people love meat. but i love a good veggie stir fry.
favourite film?
basquiat, of course.. but i have many…
you have great style. what’s your secret?
i guess by not having a style at all. i think it changes day to day since i can never do one thing too long.
you call berlin home but you also travel a lot. where do you like to hang out (anywhere in the world)?
well, after all the traveling i do, i’d have to say berlin is my favorite. that’s why i call it home. but i also have a flat in amsterdam that i spend a lot of time at. amsterdam has a great flow and feel. it’s very inspirational. also, tokyo is one of my favorites, i had a plan to move there next january before the tragedy struck. i’m not too sure i’ll go in january now but hopefully in the near future. i also love poland. warsaw and katowice are great cities full of great people.
thank you very much and see you in ctrl on thursday evening!
