Kind Congo Powers
Lux Interior had a magic candle that read ”Light this and congo powers will be revealed to you” right then and there we knew we had discovered my name. I remember once, in The Cramps, we had candles on our amps and I was leaning over and my hair went up in flames, I had way too much hairspray on. The audience was screaming and all the girls were in love with me after that.
My sisters always said I was rocking out in my crib to their records when I was a baby, so I must’ve gotten into music very early on. The first record I ever bought was a 45 of “Ruby Tuesday” by The Rolling Stones, while the first album I ever heard wad “Beatles 65”, the North American alternative to “Beatles for Sale”.
It’s undoubtedly better working with other people instead of going about it alone; making music is a special communication. There’s no comparing in regards to all the artists I collaborated with, they are always top notch and special, but if I had to choose I’d say maybe the best would be the guys in my current band, The Pink Monkey Birds. Were any of those collaborations nasty? No one is too nasty, just tasty. I also loved working with Julie Cruise, she’s a great professional singer with perfect pitch; a real entertainer and loveable cook. I have great respect for her work. I guess it took me a while to form my own band due to the fact that I was always busy being in other people’s bands, I ended up doing it when the time was right.
I’m alive and happy about it. I had to learn my lesson about drugs the hard way and I’m glad to have lived through many dangerous situations, mainly overdose. On the other hand, I would not trade in the experience of life lessons it gave me. And then there’s the eye opening visions of LSD, but that belongs to a younger version of me. I still don’t drink or take drugs now, but it’s not a moral issue, I just want to stay alive and enjoy myself while making music. If I took drugs those things would stop.
I like bands that have ideas, imagination, and vision. I like King Khan, all his projects, I also like a band from NYC called K—Holes. They are sexy and dangerous, there’s also a sense of humor in their darkness. I also like Svenonious’ band, Chain and the Gang.
I don’t feel like an influential figure, but I can see that I am one. I have absolutely no regrets, and my life lesson has been learning how to have my own band! And that it’s worth sticking to your beliefs and aesthetics, even if they are unpopular. It’s more important that you are happy and people will respect and react to that the most. I feel lucky every day I open my eyes.