Thrill Kill Kult Interview

My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult is in its 15th year, is on tour, has its own label and is just rocking along in its own twisted way. I spoke with leader Buzz McCoy via email today. For background on Buzz and the band please see this post.

How have you been since ’98 when we last spoke?

VERY BUSY WRITING AND PRODUCING AT MY NEW STUDIO IN LOS ANGELES.
ALSO BUSY STARTING OUR OWN LABEL, SLEAZEBOX RECORDS. WE’VE PUT OUT 5 ALBUMS IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WHICH IS A LOT – ESPECIALLY SINCE I
PRODUCED 4 OF THEM!

How did the Halloween show go? Did you do anything different?

HALLOWEEN WAS ROCKIN! WE’RE DOING AN “OLD sCHOOL” STYLE SHOW FEATURING A LOT OF THE EARLY WAX TRAX STUFF, SO IT FIT IN WELL WITH THE HALLOWEEN THEME.

Has your production style changed any over the years?

EVERYDAY I LEARN MORE AND EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT APPROACHES, BUT I’M STILL WORKING BASICALLY THE SAME WAY ON A 32 CHANNEL MIXING CONSOLE.

I HAVE YET TO REALLY GET INTO THE “COMPUTER SOFTWARE” STYLE OF MIXING ie. PRO-TOOLS, LOGIC, ETC.

As the world’s only “cinematic-electro-glam-disco-industrial-lounge-horror-porn rock band and theatrical troupe” you have incorporated som many elements into your sound and presentation – which is most fundamental? What could not be taken out without chaging you into something else?

WOW!!! I DON’T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT ONE! I DON’T FOLLOW ANY RULES OR STYLE, EVERYTHING JUST SORT OF COMES OUT THAT WAY, AND YET IT ALL SEEMS TO RELATE.

Have you changed, or do you feel differently about the horror aspects of your show/image since the world has become so much more horrifying?

WE’RE BASICALLY USING HORROR AS FANTASY AND NOT AS TRAGEDY. AND I DON’T THINK THE WORLD HAS GOTTEN MORE HORRIFYING – IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. IT’S JUST HAS GOTTEN CLOSER TO OUR LITTLE SAFE DETATCHED AMERICAN EMPIRE.

Do you miss the Wax Trax days?

THOSE WERE SOME REALLY GREAT TIMES! OF COURSE I MISS THEM TO DEATH, BUT CHANGE IS GOOD. IF WAX TRAX WAS STILL AROUND, I’D PROBABLY FEEL DIFFERENTLY. IT’S BETTER THAT SOME THINGS ARE PUT TO REST WHEN IT’S TIME, AND I THINK IT WAS TIME…..

What’s your favorite album of your own?

OF COURSE THAT ALWAYS CHANGES, BUT I DO THINK HIT & RUN HOLIDAY WAS A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT. I SET OUT TO CREATE A SPECIFIC SOUUND AND IMAGERY WITH THAT ALBUM, AND IT TURNED OUT EXACTLY AS I HAD HOPED!!! IT ALSO MAKES FOR A GREAT “DRIVING” SOUNDTRACK (ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING THRU LAS VEGAS).

Are the selections on the new live CD your favorite TKK songs or performances?

THE LIVE CD PORTRAYS OUR “ELECTRO REMIX LIVE” STYLE. I CHOSE THE SONGS BECAUSE THEY FLOW TOGETHER GOOD AND SHARE BASICALLY SHARE A COMMON TEMPO AND BEAT. I PURPOSELY DIDN’T WANT TO BREAK UP THE ‘groove” OF THE CD BY ADDING FOR EXAMPLE ONE OF OUR “LOUNGE” OR “ROCK” SONGS.

What is the connection between sex and violence?

SEX CAN BE VIOLENT, BUT VIOLENCE IS NEVER SEXY!!!

Do you feel any differently about being a rock star now than you did 15 years ago?

I HARDLY CONSIDER MYSELF A ROCK STAR. I NEVER SET OUT TO BE FAMOUS, AND I HOPE I’M STILL NOT. (MAYBE A LITTLE INFAMOUS IS ALL RIGHT THOUGH)!

What will you be doing 15 years from now?
WONDERING HOW TIME PASSES SO QUICKLY……..