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| Nervous Cabaret |
| intriguing the french |
| by
Nell Alk |
Nervous Cabaret proves musical prowess can seamlessly be
accompanied by an unbreakable funny bone. This is apparent through their songs
(take the title “Mel Gibson,” for instance, though the deeper meaning
pushes past laughs) as well as their responses to interview inquiries. Pertaining
to the latter, upon being asked about what they’ve been working on, lead
singer Elyas Khan responded, “We've basically wasted the last eight years
of our existence because we couldn't get a decent band shot.” Facetious,
but better than boring. They may not always be straight answers, yet, for the
most part, they are infinitely more entertaining to read. Next album’s
aesthetic? “Mostly rude, perverted ruminations.” Where do you see
yourselves in five years? “On the toilet with horrible indigestion after
gorging a little too much during an orgiastic celebration following the news
of our multinational, poly-platinum sales figures.” At least he doesn’t
take himself too seriously.
Bear in mind what Elyas wants veteran fans and passing strangers alike to know
about him and his four-man band, Nervous Cabaret: “We come from a place
of love and adoration.”
What are your musical influences/inspirations?
Anything beautiful and inspired, from Arvo Part to T. Rex, Grinderman to The
Supremes, Rumi to Arundhati Roy, Charlie Chaplin to Tarkovsky, Bowie to Lulu,
Ellington to Zeppelin, Wooster Group to Ren & Stimpy. It's all musical to
us.
Why the band title “Nervous Cabaret”? Is that supposed
to be a reference to your sound?
No, not the sound, just the general stage-fright-induced neurosis of
humanity at large.
Has anyone ever likened you to Talking Heads? Random, I know...
Yup, our first article here in Europe went on comparing us to them.
We were supposed to be the next big NYC thing over here. HA!
You have this French flair about you is there a special root overseas
and, if so, how does it tie into your music?
Spent some time recently in France trying to figure out what the devil
these people wanted from us. Wrote a couple songs about the French thing: “Pere
Lachaise” is about the wonderful death pit in Paris that holds, among
hundreds of other poor souls, none other than Jim Morrison and Victor Hugo.
Spent a bit of time there when I was staying in Gambetta. "Les Enfant du
Papillon" was written about the debaucherous and embarrassingly candid
Henry, lead singer of the French phenomenon Shunatao, members of whom scored
and penned the animated classic "Persoplis.” [We get] radio play
all over Europe, though little distribution outside France, Belgium, Italy,
Switzerland and Germany. Trying to get back to my place of birth to give them
an earful. Have to come up with something real quick to keep the ball rolling.
I have set up shop in Berlin, making a solo deal while the band figures out
new stuff. Playing with all sorts of famous people here that nobody there has
any idea about…sometimes for good bloody reason.
Do you usually compose the music first and then add words or do you
more often write the lyrics and put music to them?
I've been doing a lot of lyrics recently, or rather just daily scribbling.
Mostly because I've been on the road. It's hard to fix a spot and set up even
minimal gear when in that situation of constant upheaval. I think in tones and
then, when something is down on my little recording device, I work it out a
bit more, pairing it with some words/concepts and then show the band. That's
when it takes flight. This crew is horribly critical, putting me in my place
quite efficiently they happen to be infinitely inventive, which is why Nervous
Cabaret is good and growing.
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"[I'm] Playing with all sorts of famous people here [in Berlin] that nobody there has any idea about… sometimes for good bloody reason."
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| what
it is |
Wholesome family fun, if your family is a gang of raging alcoholics with a propensity for devouring nihilist literature whilst randomly copulating with near-do-wells at a moments notice. For those who
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