Interview: Dingus Khan

Fresh from playing the BBC introducing stage at Reading & Leeds Festival this summer, things are looking good for Dingus Khan. Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens recently added their track 'Knifey Spooney' to his introducing pick of the week. Read on to find out how the band reacted to the festivals, who they would like to tour with and more.

 

 

Rock Revolver (RR) - Do you have any musical influences from the 1960's, if yes who are they?

Dingus Khan (DK) - Yes, The Beatles (obviously!), The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Who. Plus, The Sonics, Captain Beefheart, 60's psychedelia, surf and garage rock and everything in between.

RR - What was it like to play Reading & Leeds Festival this year?

DK - Awesome! Slightly scary but very busy. We had Leeds Festival on Friday, Colchester Free Festival on the Saturday, and Reading on the Sunday. Steve Lamacq met us backstage at Reading and introduced us on stage, which was surreal.

RR - How was Colchester Free Festival for you?

DK - Colchester was the best. We only had thirty minute sets at Reading and Leeds, and it's stage managed to the minute. At Colchester we had more time to play a whole set. Plus, it was great to see all our friends and people we hadn't seen for ages.

 

RR - If you could tour with another band who would it be and why?

DK - We have too long a list really, and it would have to be anyone who would have us and put up with us! There is a great Japanese band that we kept running into called Bo Ningen (check them out) who would be cool to tour with.

RR - You're from Suffolk originally, how would you describe the music scene there?

DK - It fluctuates all the time. Richard and Graeme at BBC Introducing Suffolk have their fingers on the button, and they seem to think it's a pretty good time for the music scene.

RR - Do you have any plans for the future as a band?

DK - Great second album, beards, world tours, tour bus for each member of the band, complete domination. Then descending into breakdowns (both mental and van), terrible third album, shaved heads, sleeping in small van, complete disintegration.

RR - Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?

DK - Shaved heads, living in small vans, waiting for the tribute act to come along which we will endeavour to join, but won't pass the auditions for our own places.

RR - If you couldn't be in a band, what would you be doing?

DK - Anything really. Maybe a barber, because in two years time there will be seven men who need shaving regularly, and of course, raising those Mistley Swans!

 

RR - Do you have any advice for wannabe musicians?

DK - Learn your scales. We didn't and look where it got us.

RR - What decade would you liked to have experienced (musically) and why?

DK - 1970's - progressive rock, glam rock, punk rock, electronica. Such a huge change in musical styles.

RR - Finally, if you could be in any other band, which one would you choose and why?

DK - We would all like to have been in the Pixies I think. They reinvented alternative guitar music, and so many bands sound like them still.

I would like to thank Dingus Khan for this interview, and I wish them all the best for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like more information on Dingus Khan you can find them on the following links:

http://soundcloud.com/artrockertv/dingus-khan-made-a-list

http://www.facebook.com/dinguskhanband

https://twitter.com/DingKhan