Feature by Patrick Braxton-Andrew - November, 2006
Geekburger writer Patrick Braxton-Andrew conducted this interview with Go-Kart's exceptional Netherlands' punk-rockers, Bambix, via e-mail during the early part of November, 2006. Special thanks go out to the band, especially vocalist and guitarist Wick Bambix, and Nicole at Go-Kart Records for coordinating everything!
Patrick: Wick, first and foremost, thanks so much for taking time for this interview. I’ve only recently been introduced to Bambix, being lucky enough to receive the September, 2006-released Club Matuchek in the mail to review. It’s a fantastic release, and since that day it’s been the most spun disc in my collection.
Anyhow, let’s begin with the customary introductions: name, instrument(s), and anything else, pertinent or otherwise.
Wick: Wick bambix: vocals/guitar. Patrick Schappert: bass/German. Peter Dragt: drums.
Patrick: I’m under the impression that Club Matuchek was released several years ago overseas. Why the long wait for the U.S. release?
Wick: I would say better late(r) than never. Guess Greg our label boss first wanted to check if we would sell millions in Europe. Well, we didn’t. Still, he sensed that U.S. people prefer to buy a cd in the States instead of sending triple money to Europe for import and basically that the U.S. deserves to have a Bambix cd in every Lucky Penny’s
jukebox.
Patrick: And how does Club Matuchek compare to your previous releases, both in sound and style? Has your music undergone serious transitions or progressions from record to record, or have you maintained a pretty straightforward punk rock path?
Wick: We took more time in the studio for a better, steadier sound. Maybe our songs are even more diverse on this record then on our other records. The furious ones are more furious and the poppier songs are also more furious.
Patrick: Club Matuchek evidences a very diverse sound, ranging from catchier, borderline pop-punk tunes like “So Sorry Song” and “Little Less Drunk,” to raging hardcore punk tracks like “Revolution” and “Bullet.” Such diversity is impressive, and what sort of bands and styles of music do you consider inspiration?
Wick: There’s no real inspiration as for bands but more for music styles. It’s all punk but sometimes some other styles come around the corner and are pushed back. We listen to lots of music varying from country to metal. But all in all in Bambix, punk is the rule and reason.
Patrick: Furthermore, Peter’s death metal past is a particularly interesting influence that most punk bands can’t cite. How much of a role do his death metal inclinations affect the song writing process? Do they play a role in Bambix’s sometimes gloomy, doomy sound?
Wick: The influence is more thrash-metal. It can be heard explicitly in the Bambix sound. Like in “No. 1” and the intro to “Spotlight.” Also, the straight up-tempo 2/4
in “Flippin’” is a typical metal thing. Metal-like drums give a drive to the sound and the songs.
Patrick: OK, and what does Bambix mean?
Wick: We stole the name from a multinational that uses it to promote baby-food. Since they put all the effort and money into promoting the name, we could just sit back and wait for reactions and have all our name-promotion done for us. Hehe. So the word Bambix doesn’t mean anything, it’s a brand of porridge fed to babies so they get big and strong
and make a change.
Patrick: And how about the title and cover for Club Matuchek? What is the significance (if any) of “Club Matuchek,” and the dark and eerie, comic-book-ish cover art -- which I really like, by the way?
Wick: Club Matuchek is the last place for the low-life to go. Everyone is welcome there, even those wearing moustaches. It’s dark, smelly and dusty, but everyone who enters gets a smile and a beer. It’s a place we made up. Some sort of safe haven where we can go to once we get old(er).
Patrick: Let me give you a chance to promote yourself here, because you certainly deserve it. How would you describe your sound, and what separates you from every other of the trillion punk bands in the world?
Wick: I think lots of bands are trying to be a copy of another band. And it’s no use being a copy of a copy. We have never adjusted our sound to any bands or styles. We don’t make songs for the premier league, because we like the third division better. I like melodramatic melodies. Songs that sound sad but can make you happy. Songs you can cry to, but also party to, it just depends on the mood you’re in. Lyrics that might be depressing but turn out good, because they twist to hope and are positive.
Patrick: Willia, why have you adopted the stage-name Wick Bambix?
Wick: I started using the name 'cuz I wanted to make a distinction between the one who sang and played the guitar and the one who had to do all the other work for the band. But that disguise only took some weeks for people to figure out and see through, and everyone started to call me wick.
Patrick: Willia – er, Wick -- you have one of the more distinct voices in punk rock, and it’s excellent at that. I’m impressed with your range and the way you carry a tune. What is your singing background? Have you always been a singer, and, if so, were you always a punk rock singer?
Wick: I always write the songs in a country-like version, with a lot of finger-picking, very straight-forward. When we start rehearsing the songs with the band the vocals usually come in a much higher pitch. But what I like best is when the vocals sound the same acoustically as when backed up by a wall of punk-rock.
Patrick: I’m somewhat struck that I’d never heard of Bambix until recently, especially since Club Matuchek is your fifth release and Bambix seems to enjoy a wealth of international support. What is it about American audiences that have kept you under the radar, or are you as mystified as me?
Wick: I think in the U.S. there are so many bands that it’s hard for any foreign band to get attention. Maybe they like their own bands better. This idea is also fed by the fact that any U.S. band playing in Europe draws a lot of people. No matter how much you suck. Vice versa you have to be really special or Swedish. Oh hell, I don’t know.
Patrick: On a related note -- and this certainly has some impact on your U.S. visibility -- why has your touring remained primarily outside the U.S. circuit?
Wick: We toured with Fabulous Disaster in the states (California). That was the only time, unfortunately. It was really great and I would like to get back. We have been touring almost all countries in Europe and South America as well and have been pretty busy. Maybe best would be to do an 80-gig, 4-month U.S.-tour to get decent promotion, but I leave that kind of touring to 15-year-olds.
Patrick: How did you get hooked up with Amy Ray (of Indigo Girls fame)? And, Willia, have you at all benefited from that relationship, in that she has been a successful lesbian performer in a (American) culture not always particularly accepting?
Wick: I don’t see it as a benefit that she released our record What’s In A Name since she is a lesbian. Where I come from homosexuality is as normal as walking the dog or going to the mall on Saturday afternoon. I raise my eyebrows over my hair-line when I hear of Americans voting for Bush no matter how much he screws up, just because he’s against same-sex marriage. All I can say is that I was extremely proud when Amy Ray sent me an e-mail and told me she wanted to release our record on her label. She’s been my
favourite singer of all-time, and when I got that first e-mail she had to send me some five more to prove to me that it was really her and not Bart, my comedian buddy.
Patrick: Alright, well, do you consider gender and sexuality an important factor in your music, outside of lyrics about encounters and relationships and success? More than that, there is a real stigma attached to female-fronted bands, at least in the U.S. You’ve got plenty of people who express disgust that a female dare intrude into the “man’s domain,” and write off female-led bands before ever giving them a chance. Have you had experiences directly related to such intolerance and prejudices?
Wick: You’re right when it comes to female or female-fronted bands, in that they get a different approach from audiences. If you read whatever reviews about girl-bands they are always compared to other girl-bands, never to all-male-bands. It’s just that men tend to start playing an instrument at an early age and thus get far better on it then most girls, though obviously there are a lot of great female musicians. But music doesn’t just have to be about craftsmanship, it’s emotion. You don’t need to be Jeff Waters to play the guitar. What I hated most when we started off as a girl-band, back in whenever, was when people were laughing, not laughing at us but smiling like, “How sweet it is that 3 girls play punk-rock,” where we were trying to get the message across that “hell has no fury like a woman’s scorn,” haha. In recent years, I think we have reached a level where people like us for our music and appreciate us. That our sex is not an issue anymore... whether we are female or male, I mean.
Patrick: Especially with your international vantage point, are those prejudices more closely related to some cultures than to others, and how do you deal with them? What approach do you take to break down those walls of ignorant stereotypes?
Wick: Girl-bands are first judged on their looks, and then a lot of other matters, and then the 16th consideration or so is their music, in whatever style, whether punk or country, in whatever culture. Unless far more girls go out, start a band, a label, book gigs, write in magazines and show a big finger to the music industry to turn it upside down, that will remain the same.
Patrick: The song “No. 1” indicates you’ve felt the pressures of success, and dealt with the negative consequences of fame. Is the song more a reaction to fans who misinterpret the divide between fan and performer as the band not caring and being distant? Or is it a reminder to yourselves to remain down to earth, so you don’t turn out like band X or Y?
Wick: No, that song is about how people can change when they are successful and change into egocentric motherfuckers.
Patrick: Right. Well, this is as general a question as I can conceive, but what are the most important lessons you’ve learned from being musicians? Have your careers put other parts of your life in perspective, or vice versa?
Wick: In the years we’ve been touring, we’ve had the opportunity to see so many other cultures, meet so many nice people, and learn it doesn’t matter where you come from if you share the same love of music, that music speaks louder than words. As a band, we’ve learned that we are all equal -- though some are more equal than others, and if I am not in charge the rest walk around like headless chickens. And we’ve learned that it’s better not to smoke silver haze after finishing a bottle of Jaeger. And, at times, that
it’s better to sleep than party.
Patrick: Haha, invaluable lessons to be sure. So, a lot of the songs on Club Matuchek have political undertones (i.e. “No way;” “Flippin, USA;” and “Bullet,” to name a few). Some are aimed specifically at the U.S., others more generally at religious, political, and media institutions. What, specifically, events or policies or otherwise, influences your stances on political and social issues?
Wick: The whole world is being dominated by U.S. politics. We come from Holland and our prime minister won’t take one step in a different political direction when the U.S. tells him not to (apart from basic cultural beliefs). And basically all Europeans question U.S. politics. We are often flabbergasted when we see how fucked-up American politicians can be. There are a lot of asshole-politicians over here, but I reckon when it comes to the U.S. extent of deception, we are still in kindergarten -- and I hope we remain there.
Patrick: How much do you consider politics and social commentary a vital part of the modern punk scene, and what effect do you hope your lyrics have upon your audience?
Wick: I don’t want to preach and everyone should have her or his own beliefs. I don’t see it as a match, a competition, to get my lyrics across. More like poetry; you just read what you wanna read for whatever purpose. But, on the other hand, if I thought lyrics weren’t important, I might as well sing stupid love songs. Which I don’t, because I feel there’s a lot of questioning, and a lot of subjects either wrong or right, that I feel the urge to give my views upon.
Patrick: Sure, and as frequently disenchanted as I am with the social insignificance of mainstream music, I can’t condemn escapists wanting light, almost thoughtless music. As an artist, do you strive impart your points without being too confrontational, so you don’t alienate potential fans? Is that something you can do without damaging, at least compromising, your integrity?
Wick: I never compromise, not in music, and especially not in lyrics. I don’t see any audience when I write a song, it just comes from inside, my feelings. I don’t write to sell records, I write songs because I think they’re nice songs, and other people might like them too. And what I have to say is important to me, and I hope it works out for the listener in a similar way.
Patrick: On a lighter note, what is a near constant life on the road like? What are your favorite places to play and travel?
Wick: Germany is my favourite country because so many people like us there. We started off on a German label, that’s why Germany has been our base and not Holland. I like eastern Europe/Balkan countries cuz they go completely berserk. And Brasil, they are so hot and emotional and sing our songs as if it’s the last thing they’ll ever do, and do funny stuff like fight over a snotty hanky that we left on the stage or take pics of you by putting their cameras right over the restroom door when you’re shitting.
Patrick: Haha, alright, gimme a second to regain my composure. How about your favorite countries to eat, or your favourite specific foods?
Wick: This is a question for Patrick, cuz it’s his hobby. Eating. Since I’m vegetarian, food on the road can be a real pain in the ass, especially in those countries where they never thought of riding a horse cuz they already ate it. We usually have lunch at Chinese restaurants... but that’s mainly cuz of Tsing Tao beer. And Italy is good, though I will never understand why people have dinner at 2:00 a.m. instead of getting a good night’s rest on some dance floor at a great DIY show.
Patrick: I need to get out of America. So, anyway, Damnit!, will you please tour the U.S. East Coast? I’d love to see a show, I imagine they’re nothing but frenetic fun.
Wick: I think all your readers and people who like us should bomb Go-Kart mail to get us over. Preferably with a nice band, e.g. at the comeback of the Lunachicks or L7, Dixie Chicks, Annihilator, Ignite, Propaghandi, and to have Sarah Shahi sing the duet part of “Little Less drunk.” What we like best is playing live – it’s like working out, lots of energy and sweat. Peter’s back is always smoking as if he’s on fire, when he leaves a stage.
Patrick: I’m interested in getting to know the band away from the music. In those rare moments you aren’t on the road, what are you doing?
Wick: We do have some jobs to keep us in the real world, and to make sure we know what we sing about! Peter is a social worker with ex-junks/alcoholics (he’s an expert), and Patrick and I are teachers in music, German, Dutch and English. We work at the same school. We are the only punk-rockers and the kids think we are pretty lame cuz we are not into jumping-style or kiddie-house music.
Patrick: Wow, I wish you’d been my teachers, maybe then I’d have been inspired to practice and perfect my instrument, instead of letting it rest and sucking forevermore.
But, thanks again for your time and responses. Do you have any last comments, or perhaps some musical recommendations (especially non-American bands)?
Wick: Check out our site, www.bambix.org, or send us a note on Myspace.
OK, here are recommendations for non-American bands from the Dutch jury, wick bambix (in no particular order):
1. the gofasternuns (Germany)
2. nitrominds (Brasil)
3. la fraction (France)
4. go drowsy (Sweden)
5. antillectual (Holland)
6. betty blowtorch (Heaven)
7. flatcat (Belgium)
8. terrorgruppe (Germany)
9. suffer (Czech republic)
10. annihilator (Canada)
Patrick: I want to reemphasize how much I appreciate the time and effort Wick put into this interview, and I want to thank Nicole at Go-Kart being a great and obliging in-between –- the interview couldn’t have worked without either of them!
I really enjoyed the interview, and it’s awesome that Wick is so thoughtful, yet still has such a great sense of humor. Before we conducted this e-mail interview, I couldn’t have known, but the jokes and sarcastic comments she sprinkled throughout her responses were genuinely funny, and even caught me off guard at times. And you can’t not fall in love with someone who suggests bombarding their label with requests to arrange a tour, especially with great bands like Propagandhi and Ignite, amongst others.
I hope everyone enjoys reading this interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it. And, absolutely add Bambix’s Club Matuchek to your Christmas list (*Spoiler* -- it’s gonna make my year-end best-of list) -- or, parents (do any parents read Geekburger?), make it a stocking-stuffer for your budding punk rocker.
-Patrick
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