MOUTHY ISSUE TWO
May 2003
KAYAK
interview by Ian C Stewart

Is there anything you're feeling particularly mouthy about at the moment?
MOUTHY???? WHAT'S THAT??

Who does what in the band?
TON SCHERPENZEEL, KEYBOARDS/VOCALS. PIM KOOPMAN, DRUMS, VOCALS. BERT HEERINK, LEAD VOCALS. ROB VUNDERINK, GUITAR, LEAD VOCALS. JOOST VERGOOSSEN, GUITARS,VOCALS. BERT VELDKAMP, BASS & VOCALS.

Where did the name Kayak come from?
A DICTIONARY.

When did the band form?
1972

How do your songs come to be?
USUALLY BEHIND THE PIANO/KEYBOARDS.

Who were your main influences?
SIXTIES MUSIC (BEATLES, BEACH BOYS, BYRDS). EARLY CLASSICAL MUSIC (RENAISSANCE, BACH). SYMPHONICAL ROCK (YES, FOCUS). AND TOO MANY OTHER STYLES AND ARTISTS TO BE MENTIONED.

What made you decide to start making music of your own?
REALIZING THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOOD AND UNIQUE IN.

How is the current label situation working out?
HARD WORK BUT WORTH WHILE.

Will there be a DVD of your stuff?
YES, SEPTEMBER 2003.

What's the strangest recording session you've been part of?
RECORDING OUR FIRST ALBUM, USING A DUTCH BARREL ORGAN THAT HAD TO REMAIN OUTSIDE ON THE STREETS BECAUSE IT WAS TOO BIG FOR THE STUDIO DOORS.

Have you been on tour recently?
YES, WE'RE EVEN TOURING AT THE MOMENT.

Where are your biggest markets?
HOLLAND, USA, JAPAN.

What's the biggest audience you've played to?
3X 30.000 IN TWO DAYS.

What's your favorite place to play live?
ANYWHERE WERE THE AUDIENCE IS GOOD, BUT A RELATIVELY SMALL HALL (800-1000) SEEMS TO SUIT US BEST.

Funny band stories?
IN 1974 WE DID A BIG SHOWCASE IN HOLLAND FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE THAT CAME ALL THE WAY FROM JAPAN, AND THE USA, ESPECIALLY TO SEE US. WE ALWAYS STARTED THE GIG WITH A TAPE PLAYING TO MAKE OUR ENTRANCE ON STAGE. THAT NIGHT, THE DAMNED TAPEPLAYER DIDN'T WORK SO OUR SOUND ENGINEER FOUND A QUICK SOLUTION AND TOOK THE ACTUAL RECORD, AND PUT IT ON THE RECORD PLAYER. AFTER 15 SECONDS OF DIMMED LIGHTS AND MYSTERY, THE PLUG FELL OUT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT- AND THE RECORD AUDIBLY S L O W E D D O W N ... TILL IT STOPPED AS WE CAME ON STAGE. SO MUCH FOR AN ENTREE.

Do you have obsessive fans?
SOME CAN BE OBSESSIVE, BUT THEY GENERALLY KEEP THEIR DISTANCE AND DON'T REALLY BOTHER US WHEN WE DON'T WANT IT. SO, NO BIG DEAL.

What do you think about the current state of music - is it better or worse now (or the same)?
BETTER OR WORSE THAN WHAT OR WHEN? YOU MEAN BUSINESS? IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD FOR OUR KIND OF MUSIC, ONLY WHEN WE STARTED OUT IN THE 70S IT SEEMED RELATIVELY EASY. BUT THEN WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE KNOW NOW.

Are there any other bands you're excited by?
AT THE MOMENT VERY FEW. WE ARE WORKING TOO HARD TO REALLY HAVE A LISTEN TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.

How has the internet affected you?
IT REUNITED US WITH OLD FANS, AND MADE US AWARE OF OUR FOLLOWING WORLDWIDE.

Are there any music people you'd like to collaborate with?
ANDREW LATIMER/CAMEL.

What's next for you, musically speaking?
AS FOR KAYAK: HOPEFULLY TWO YEARS OF BRINGING OUR PROJECT 'MERLIN- BARD OF THE UNSEEN' AND OUR OLDER WORKS TO THE PEOPLE.

How many interviews have you ever done?
DID NOT KEEP COUNT. MANY.


www.kayakonline.nl


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