"The quality of the musicians in this band allows us to play everything - from American country music to heavy metal!"

The U.S.-based international mariachi Balkan punk gang Kultur Shock is just releaseing a new live album, entitled "Live in Europe", recorded in Sofia, Bulgaria on December 1, 2006. The guys are gonna promote it in Sofia live on March 6, 2008, which was the reason to get in touch guitarist Valeri "Val" Kiossovski.

Vassil Varbanov: Hey Val! How are you doing?

V. K.: Well, we’re doing great, thanks. Keep the things going. We’re having headaches organizing the tour… It’ just last details about logistics and stuff.

V. V.: There are two reasons for this conversation that we’re having right now. First, of course, is this live album of yours, and second is the Bulgarian date of your forthcoming tour. People’s expectations for this second concert are big. What are yours?

V. K.: To be honest, we had no idea what to expect and how the band would be accepted by the audience over there, but it turned out that we felt at home. It’s not only me, everyone in the band felt like that. So, at the moment we’re like we’re coming home. At home even the walls can help, you know.

V. V.: Especially for you, literally talking… You, Kultur Shock, are such a motley multinational gang of people! You know, it’s great that now, a year later, the line-up of your band is the same. You haven’t changed it, have you?

V. K.: Absolutely not!

V. V.: And this time you know exactly where you are going to. Have your expectations risen a bit?

V. K.: Yes, we know where we’re going and we don’t expect surprises to be that big, because we have already been on most of the places we’re going to right now. People know us. At the same time their expectations are bigger, and for us it’s a challenge. One of the interesting things on this tour is that we’re going to have support bands practically everywhere. When musicians happen to be good and their music is good - this makes us play even better than on some usual show when it’s only us.

V. V.: Your first concert here was on December 1, 2006. The second one is even more special for us, Tangra Mega Rock, because it will be the first of the series of concerts celebrating the second birthday of our radio station.

V. K.: Happy birthday, dude!

V. V.: Not yet… not yet. It’s on March 6. On this concert Balkandji will be playing, too. They played with you last time. The other band is Cherno Feredje. These guys are fun. They are taking the piss - that’s what they do. It’s a party after all, isn’t it?

V. K.: Great!

V. V.: Another interesting thing is that this tour is going to promote your new live album. Does it mean that your set will be the same as it was last time you came here?

V. K.: There are a few differences. It’s not going to be exactly the same. I don’t want to reveal the secret yet. There are a few songs which we are working on right now for the new album that we’re aiming to record in the autumn. We have this practice, you know - once we have new songs, we play them live, because we’re a live band. This is our trademark. So, if we make it until the concert in Sofia, if we survive the time difference and if we don’t completely freak out after the two gigs in Romania, we can do something special for the Bulgarian audience. If not, at least there will be some songs which we didn’t play last time.

V. V.: I’m sure that a lot of people are curious about this new Kultur Shock studio album, because it’s quite clear that a live album is something pretty cool, what’s more it’s the concert you recorded here in Sofia. Probably some of the people will try to discern their own voice, screaming “Kultur Shock! Kultur Shock!”, while listening to it. But then, they can’t wait to hear your new studio album. Curiosity, I believe, is extremely high.

V. K.: Yes, I’m curious about that too, although I know the direction we’re following. We did some raw recordings from rehearsals and I sent them to Billy Gould to have a listen. And he liked them a lot. We are totally in love with this direction we are following and we are very happy with the way we are writing stuff for this new record. We’ll see… I don’t want to make big promises right now, because, as I already said, the time difference between Seattle and Eastern Europe is 10 hours. Usually the first 3-4 days of such tour are complete mess. We don’t even know where are bodies are. Total disorientation, dude!

V. V.: OK, but once you mentioned it, I can’t help but ask you about this direction of the band. Is it totally new?

V. K.: Absolutely not. It’s pretty much the same thing. Let’s put it this way, we are trying to experiment with some styles that we haven’t paid attention to before. I’m not sure if there are any left though. Some different sounds, different melodies and different inspirations can be heard in these new songs.

V. V.: OK, what kind of styles do you mean?

V. K.: Well, country and western, American folk music… But it’s not just that. I told you when we talked about our last album… You know, one of the things that have happened for the last three years is that we came to know what our direction is. We know where we are heading for and we don’t limit ourselves in terms of style, sound, whatever…  We play whatever comes to our mind. The quality of the musicians in this band allows us to play everything from American country music to, let’s say, heavy metal.

V. V.: Why did you decide to include the concert in Sofia in your live CD?

V. K.: We recorded 4 or 5 different shows and in terms of inspiration and performance they all could be used , but that particular evening in Sofia, on the 1st of December, 2006 was something special. Like there was something in the air. All the stars were coming together the right way. Everyone was on fire-В  both the band and the audience. The place was cool. The sound was great. The recording Ogi did for us was extremely good. Everything was 100% right there to make a good live album.

V. V.: OK, but there won’t be a DVD release. Why?

V. K.: Do I have to explain this to you? You know why…

V. V.: Please, tell the story, it’s quite interesting…

V. K.: OK, it goes like this… Mr. Varbanov told me that the concert had been recorded and shot with three cameras and I’m happy, telling myself, “Great, now we can do a live DVD!” And he gives the material to Billy Gould just to make sure it will arrive safe here in the States. But the American post lost it on the way between San Francisco and Seattle. It disappeared! Just like that. Gone, dude, no one can find it!

V. V.: You received an empty envelope, right?

V. K.: Yeah, just an empty envelope. Perfectly addressed to me. The envelope was opened or whatever but the tapes weren’t there.

V. V.: Imagine that your new DVD is being released with your appearance on it, but the cover says “Gogol Bordello Presents:…”

V. K.: Ha-ha-ha-ha…. No, they are great guys. No problem with this. It’s a good joke though!

V. V.: OK, this is my last question for you. You are coming to Europe very soon. You are coming to Bulgaria… Are you going to surprise us with new looks or something? Like Masa’s head is totally bald or Gino looking overweight with some 40 kilos?

V. K.: No. Masa is constantly changing his vision. I don’t know what to expect when we meet next time on tour… It depends. Matti’s hair and beard keeps growing and growing. He looks like Jesus Christ or something at the moment…

V. V.: OK, we are waiting for you here in Bulgaria guys. Bulgaria is waiting for you.

V. K.: We are coming for sure. Little by little.

Copyright: Tangra Mega Rock