Internationally revered, The King Khan & BBQ Show is the elite powerhouse of Mark Sultan, aka BBQ; smashing snare, bass drum and tambourine with his bare feet whilst molesting his guitar and singing like a possessed angel, and King Khan, who’s nearing legendary status for his advanced nuttiness and unpredictability, spinning and howling like a freak while belting it out on his guitar like a masher. The recently reformed King Khan & BBQ Show are back in Australia this week for a small run of intimate shows and we caught up with The King for the lowdown!
Who crowned you ‘King’?
I used to be called black snake and thought it was time for a change. The main reason was cause I used to wear a Prussian war helmet everywhere I went and all the homeless folks used to call me Kaiser…
You’re touring Australia under BBQ show this time, no complaints to see you back with Mark Sultan, what is it about your partnership that you make great music together?
We have a fiery ying and yang thing happening… Dip that in three coats of DMT and there you have our secret formula
When it comes to the Shrines or BBQ show, is it all the same Khan? Is there any different sound that one project does better?
Well obviously there is a huge difference…With the shrines I am fronting an eight piece hydra whose intent is to soothe the beasts into submission and then make the beast writhe and shake…With Mark we are double teaming the beast and taunting it and poking at it and tickling it…. Kinda like e difference between Gremlins and Ghoulies.
Your style of performing is so energetic, who do you get inspiration from for your stage presence? (Throughout history, not necessarily musical?
My biggest inspiration comes from gospel music… I believe that gospel is the most alchemical music because it really has the ability to transform pure hate and suffering into pure ecstasy. I had an epiphany two years ago that made me realize that all humans are basically 20 percent magma and 80 percent water… Some are born with more magma and need to be careful not to let this consume and destroy them…. I try and drink more water these days….
You are a prolific soul performer, as well as having influences such as doo wop and RnB. When you’re writing a song inspired by love, what is the immediate feeling you are intending for the audience?
Pure unadulterated salvation and absolution
You always travel to parts of the world who don’t really get rock ‘n’ roll shows, like parts of China, a vision you share with bands like The Black Lips, was that always your performing agenda?
That has become a major inspiration… I truly believe that we are the new pioneers of rock n roll and with that comes the great responsibility to bring it to the far reaches of the earth… Eating raw squid livers and drinking with the locals is our diplomatic responsibility!
Speaking of The Black Lips and in the same vein of Almighty Defenders, is there any special music projects or super group recordings planned in future?
I have been planning a thing called Keys to the Kingdom, which will be a super duper gospel group with folks in Berlin… I also produced some great new albums…. Mary Ocher’s EDEN and The Ana Thompsons… Both bands are incredible goddesses…. My new thing is gonna be birthing goddesses in my living room inside the DMT portal I created while my kids were away over Easter….Haha.
You famously had a jam session with GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan in a hotel room a few years ago, is there a Khan cover of C.R.E.A.M somewhere? A King Khan re-working of the 36 Chambers would be excellent.
Yes… I have started an all star rap group called KREWL RULERS…. Featuring G Double G aka Sean Spit, Po’ WHite ( cole from the black lips), queen No (who is currently in prison), Kid Death
And yours truly Big Daddy Khan aka The Mighty Khannibal….. I started this project about two years back and we have about eight songs…. Hanging out with Gza and Fab Five Freddie really inspired me a lot…. I have always loved rap music but being invited to play guitar with Gza made me really wanna try writing my own rap. Hopefully I will release it in the next year.
You did share a festival stage with GZA and have mentioned the two of you sharing the same ‘old school soul.’ What is the enemy of the ‘old school soul’? And what would be the best antidote to said enemy?
I used to love to pounce on enemies because I loved to stir up the chaos, but that just made me waste lots of energy on nothing… I started reading the Baghdad Gita and have decided that the path of least resistance is the best way for me… I try and make anyone’s pain my own…
There is no enemy anymore, they have been turned into kin.
There is a mysterious YouTube account under a King Khan that posts the same tune under different strangely titled pop culture references. Is this part of a secret plot for world domination? eg this video…
I dunno who does that….part of me choosing the name king khan was cause it is very anonymous.
Every Indian thinks he is King Khan…. It turns out that the two most popular ones are me and Shahrukh Khan…. I hope to one day play the ultimate villain fighting him in a duel to the death…
Or maybe an Indian broke back mountain…. None the less Hollywood here I come!
The King Khan & BBQ Show 2013 Australian Tour Dates
TUESDAY 11TH JUNE – THE TOTE HOTEL – MELBOURNE
co-presented by PBS
Via oztix.com.au
WEDNESDAY 12TH JUNE – THE TOTE HOTEL – MELBOURNE
co-presented by PBS
Via oztix.com.au
THURSDAY 13TH JUNE – GOODGOD SMALL CLUB – SYDNEY
EARLY SHOW!!
Via moshtix.com.au
FRIDAY 14TH JUNE – DEVILLE’S – PERTH
Door sales only
