INTERVIEW: KID CONGO POWERS – March 2018

Shane | 8 May 2018 | Reply

INTERVIEW: KID CONGO POWERS – March 2018
By Shane Pinnegar

Kid Congo Powers grew up Latino and gay on the mean streets of La Puenta, California, before falling in with the glam and punk street kids of L.A. and New York. Heavily influenced by The Ramones and The Cramps, he picked up a guitar and became one of the most influential counter culture icons of the 20th century and beyond through his work with The Gun Club, The Cramps, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and now, Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds. Powers brings that outfit to Mojos to kick off his latest Australian tour on Wednesday, 9th May.

Read the interview at AROUND THE SOUND

Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds

KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS are playing Mojos WED. 9 MAY and touring nationally through May.

WED. 9 MAY – MOJO’S, PERTH
THURS. 10 MAY – CROWN & ANCHOR, ADEL.
FRI. 11 MAY – THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE
SAT. 12 MAY – CROXTON BANDROOM, MELB.
SUN. 13 MAY – BRISBANE HOTEL, HOBART
THURS. 17 MAY – CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, STH. OAKLEIGH
FRI. 18 MAY – OXFORD ARTS FACTORY, SYD.
SAT. 19 MAY – THE FOUNDRY, BRIS
SUN. 20 MAY – BLUES ON BROADBEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL, BROADBEACH

Extra 100% ROCK exclusive content:

Speaking to Kid Congo – Brian Tristan to his Mum – just ahead of his late March birthday, he admits that this year his celebrations are going to be low key, but for his sixtieth, next year, anything goes.

“[I’ll be] getting some sleep,” he quips. “I have no idea. I’m waiting, actually, I’m planning something big next year. I don’t know exactly what, but 60 is the real milestone – 59 just another year.”

Kid Congo with The Cramps

Perhaps a birthday is cause for celebration and relief, nowadays, I suggest.

“Yes, a little bit of both really,” he laughs.

Powers is affable and amusing throughout our twenty minute chat – which is barely enough time to scratch the surface of his fascinating career. First though, he wants to talk about Australia, where he toured in the early ‘80s before a 25-year absence from our shores until returning a few years ago when he again teamed up with The Bad Seeds. He’s since toured with The Pink Monkey Birds and plans to keep coming back.

“The first times I can’t hardly remember,” he admits. “I just seemed to have made so many friends from the ‘80s [tours] in Australia and I find the ones who are still in Australia are very vital and great and very much the same. Rock and roll people are rock and roll people. Some of them now just have grey hair and less teeth!” he laughs again.

“Also, in that time I was away, I played with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and I always had a lot of Australia in my life. As far as when we came in the early ‘80s, the punk rock revolution was still going on and it was really wild – the wild, wild west, really, it seemed like. I also had no idea what to expect when I came.

Kid Congo with The Bad Seeds

“I’ve always felt a kinship with Australia and with Australian rock and roll music. Some parts of it seem so familiar to me – things like the coast, beaches and trees and different terrains, but with a very different culture, a very great culture. [There’s] a certain sense of humour, I think that goes a long way. A certain earthiness, you know. I feel very comfortable there.”

The tour extends to some lovely parts of the country, with The Pink Monkey Birds playing not only the capital cities, but also Tasmania and the extraordinary Blues on Broadbeach Festival on the Gold Coast.

“Yeah. I’m looking forward to that,” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve been in Brisbane before but not Gold Coast. We actually played in Darwin last time and that was something else, the audience was amazing. Yeah, I love the different parts of Australia. Tasmania, I’m excited about that.”

KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS are playing Mojos WED. 9 MAY and touring nationally through May.