INTERVIEW – Kim Nekroman, NEKROMANTIX – September 2012

Shane | 26 September 2012 | Reply

Nekromania.

By Domino A. Dark.

Those grave-robbing sexual deviants are headed this way. In just under one week, the man, the quiff and the coffin bass are going hit Dullsville and blow the cobwebs out of your nether regions. Dust off your creepers and slick up that hair psychobillies, ‘cos Nekromantix are coming and Tuesday nights in Perth will never be the same again.

We all know What Happens in Hell, Stays in Hell and Nekroman will be in town for the first time in four years to make sure we all stick to the rules of his twisted hell-code.

“Yeah, I believe it was 2008,’’ said the Hell raiser himself.

“But it’s not like you’re just around the corner – you know? Touring Australia is a little more complicated than Europe, you need work visas, there’s more paperwork and you have to travel further.’’

Blazing a fiery trail through Australia in October, Nekroman and his band of ghoulish misfits are touring off the back of their eighth studio release – What Happens in Hell Stays in Hell; a masterpiece of burning fingerboards and powerful drums that perpetuates Nekroman’s unique view of the world – a tongue-in-cheek mix of horror and humour. Once again, What Happens in Hell, Stays in Hell, is from bat-stuffed pants, to unlucky number 13s a cheeky tappety-tap, tap, tap dance through the graveyard at midnight. With clever titles like I Kissed a Ghoul and Life’s a Grave and I dig it, he may have been charged with penning witty horror-tinged puns for nigh onto 23 years, but the necromancer says he has no fear of running out of clever song titles or album names just yet.

“Even as a kid, I was drawn to horror movies from an early age. I saw them as entertainment, more than something to be afraid of. I think it’s just the way I see the world. Watch the news, wrap it in a graveyard scene and you’ve got a song,’’ he said.

“Most of the songs are metaphors for what happens in real life. I’m not tired of it yet, and as long as it’s fun, I’ll keep doing it.’’

While he writes music about fear of the number 13, veteran psychobilly Kim Nekroman is not superstitious at all, but concedes, that superstition; as useless as it is in all other areas, comes in handy in his line of work.

“I’m not at all superstitious, or religious and I find it quite fascinating how people allow themselves to be controlled by these things. So much so, that I always find myself flirting with the idea of how easily folks are manipulated by things out of their control, or how the unscrupulous make money by assigning words or actions to something, to suit their own ends.’’

“Don’t get me wrong, people need something to believe in, I respect that. But for myself – I don’t have any irrational phobias. I believe most things can be explained as they are.’’

Nekroman says that, considering modern technology affords people greater than ever access to information and learning, to still hold on to out-dated irrational superstitions, let along use them to validate poor behaviour is inexcusable.

“The curse of the internet is that you can find everything and anything online. Kids fighting, video clips – whatever. I can even learn how to fix a concrete wall on YouTube, you know!’’

Superstition and religious fanaticism aside, Nekroman says the band is looking forward to touring Down Under and he says even after 23 years, he still finds Nekromantix’ popularity flattering.

“Nekromantix had always been outsiders, but still we have a strong fan base. Why is that? It’s weird, but it’s always amazing to find someone who loves what you do.’’

“Everything we do is straight from the heart, the best that we could do at that time. Nekromantix don’t tour on a schedule, we tour when we’re ready to, when we feel like we have something to offer. We still make music because we love it and when it stops being fun, that’s when we’ll stop.

“Our band is about playing live. We do a great show, we make it fun. You want to see the real deal, you want spilled beer, and sweaty crowds. You want to really experience music? That’s what we do’’ said Nekroman.

What we want is to experience that gravity-defying quiff and the infamous, spinning Coffin Bass up close and personal. The two are synonymous with Nekromantix, but unlike the hair, which has remained the same, Kim says he has improved the instrument over time, as experience dictates.

“Oh little things here and there. Lighter materials so I can play it faster and to make it easier to travel with, modified fingerboards, things most people wouldn’t notice.’’

So, first trip to Oz in four years, a new and improved coffin and after countless line-up changes, it’s also the first time Australian Nekro-fans will see a Ghoul onstage; the lady Lux on drums.