Interviews: The Kanz

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Pop Punk band, The Kanz from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1.Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Fabio: We were sitting in a pub in Kilburn, London called “The Brondes Age” and discussing what could have been the official name of the band. We weren’t getting many inspiring ideas, probably due to the amount of alcohol we were drinking or other unspecified reasons (laughs), but suddenly Joaquin noticed some empty cans of coke laying on the table of the pub and shouted: “We could be the cans!” And I know It sounds total bullshit but I can assure you that in that precise moment the sound of that word unexpectedly fitted so well! It was direct! It was explosive! It was cool and most importantly it was easy to remember. So basically we just added a “K” and a “Z” to the name because those are two letters that have a peculiar sound that can possibly remind us of sci-fi, cyberpunk, futuristic samples often used in the production of our songs and showing off the ‘electronic’ vibe of the band’s sound. So there it is: The Kanz. I hope you like it. If not… whatever.”

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

Fabio: I think that the main reason We play this genre of music is because we know that When you attend a live rock gig, you can feel something different in the air that changes you forever. Something that unites everyone in the arena, music venue or pub and that gives you the opportunity to share feelings in such a unique way. And so you do feel it inside, like goosebumps, a shiver… and it’s amazing! This unity, this sense of community, and huge energy that you can communicate through the music creating atmosphere, hype, and love. It simply sets you free. And I think you can achieve this only with rock music, or rock-related music. You can’t really achieve this with pop or R&B or some other mainstream stuff. All due respect for the other music genres of course. But rock music, and especially punk-rock are the key to reveal your true self. Cause you don’t have to hide right? You just feel free and you feel like you don’t have to put a mask on. You know what I mean? Punk rock is an attitude. We believe in this because thanks to punk rock music our life is much more fun, but it also gives us a chance to accept life no matter how much shit gets thrown at you. You can walk in the dark alone. You don’t need to be afraid. And with rock music you know there are millions like you that feel the same. Broken souls looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. And so we say that we can look for it together, through the power of rock music. That’s the Kanz’s mission in my opinion. And we do it in our own way of course. Taking a step forward from the classic pop-punk vibe of the 90s-2000s and bringing it to the next level: the digital, electronic, cyberpunk, sci-fi era.”

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Fabio: “That’s a very strange and unexpected story! Funnily enough I have known Joaquin (the bass player) since we were in High School. He is originally from Costa Rica but came to Italy (my country of origins) for a one-year cultural exchange back in the 2000s and we became friends, started playing rock music in a pretty cool high school band together and played gigs in local pubs and music venues in Bologna, Italy. We had a lot of fun! But after one year of cultural exchange Joaquin had to go back to Costa Rica and I haven’t seen him nor heard from him for about 10 years or something like that. To be honest I thought I would never have a chance to see him again because of how far we lived from each other. Then, when I decided to dramatically change my life in 2017 by leaving Italy and coming to London, UK, and starting a new punk rock band from scratch… Guess who was already there waiting to join a rock band in London??? Yep, that’s right! Joaquin was living in London as well! Call it circumstances, faith, coincidence or whatever .. It’s extraordinary that after such a long time we found ourselves living in the same city again and being able to play music together just like when we were kids is absolutely mind-blowing! Regarding the Drummer Jan instead, we met when the band was already formed, up and running. For various reasons our last drummer had to quit the band and therefore we were looking for a new one. When Jan was given the chance to perform as a drummer in our music video for the song “Take It All” We immediately thought: “Oh wow, that’s cool… Hey Man! You should stick in the band!” and so, there you go.. Jan joined the team giving such a professional and excellent contribution to our music and since then the band has been pretty solid!

4. Each band member’s favourite band?

Joaquin: My favorite Rock bands currently are in the dark/prog/djent category, main ones that come to mind are gojira, katatonia, Jinjer and of course Tool. I also have great nostalgia for early 2000 pop punk bands I grew with like Blink 182 or earlier punk bands like the Misfits. Apart from rock I admire great jazz artists like Miles Davis, John coltrane, Michel Petrucciani, Django Rheinhart and my favorite is Stephane Grapelli who is one of my greatest violin heros (and one of the earliest to use the violin outside of the classical context). Lastly as a violinist i love classical music, my favorite composers being Maurice Ravel, and naturally J..S. Bach.

Fabio: There are quite a few bands that I consider my “all-time favourites”: Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Blink 182, Sum 41 are definitely at the top of the list. But I also love artists from different genres such as Alan Walker, Avicii, Kygo and my favourite music composer Hans Zimmer.

Jan: The Roots

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Fabio: “I am the main songwriter of the band and I usually start a song by getting inspired with a melody that comes up in my mind in a totally random and unexpected way... You know, just like when you’re in the middle of something and then, all of a sudden, you feel the urge to go to the bathroom and take a piss? Well, inspirations for songs happen to me the same exact way! I don’t expect them, I don’t know where they come from, I just feel the urge to do it! Based on the “mood” of the melody I write then all the chords, harmonies and a rough arrangement. When it comes to the lyrics I like to talk about my personal experiences like break ups, very passionate (sometimes platonic) love stories, feelings of rebellion, need to express myself, the need to make a lot of noise etc.. all of this at 360 degrees both from a positive and negative point of view (and sometimes from the embarrassing one!) but I always filter the lyrics with the lens of a bigger picture so that people can also see a little piece of themselves in the song and they are able to understand the whole world and philosophy behind what we do as alternative rock artists. I see The Kanz and our fans as part of the same family: a family of weirdos. people who want to affirm their identity because they have been hurt, abandoned or currently living in a situation that stresses them out. But also enhancing the value of family and love, and how important it is to express yourself in the way that makes you feel happy.

We also stand for the search for glory (Money matters yes, but to quote Avicii: “ I want to be remembered for the life I lived, not for the money I have made”), being remembered for the things we have done that really makes us proud. Moreover We stand for gender equality, we fight racism, we believe in science, we fight for freedom of speech, we fight for kindness as a solution, we fight for unity and love with the people that share your same beliefs. These and more are what truly inspires The Kanz music I think. And of course a big load of Electronic music and sound designing gives us a chance to develop a very original sound: Nowdays technology is so widely developed that designing, creating, and developing a sound has almost infinite possibilities and I think that’s what makes The Kanz‘s music so unique and different. It’s a sound that you really distinguish. And also, you can’t really tell what musical genre it is! Can you? (laughs)

6. Where was your last gig?

Fabio: “OMG I can’t believe it’s been a year since our last gig before COVID happened! It was at the Roadtrip & The Workshop in Shoreditch, London last February 2020 and it was such a great show! We had a lot of fun but we knew something bad was coming… and a couple of days after that gig the first lockdown was sadly announced… We currently have new gig dates booked in the UK starting in September and we can’t wait to be back on stage!” 

7. Where would you like to play?

Joaquin: “There are a couple of London venues I would really like to play (mainly of the more alternative and dark category) like the Underworld, the Devonshire Arms or even Electrowerks. But I think for the kind of music we play probably Wembley Stadium would be the most suitable :)”

Fabio: “Definitely I would love to play at Music Festivals I love such as the SLAM DUNK festival, DOWNLOAD festival and ARENA festival. But also cool venues such as The Underworld in Camden, Electric Ballroom, Royal Albert Hall, Roundhouse, O2 Academy Islington, O2 Academy Brixton and of course Wembley arena or Stadium!”

Jan: “Wembley Stadium” 

8. Who would you like to support?

Fabio: “If you are asking about supporting a band in tour I would say: Yungblud, Machine Gun Kelly, Mod Sun, Stand Atlantic for the most recent acts or otherwise it would be amazing to support legends like My Chemical Romance, Blink 182, Angels & Airwaves, All Time Low, Green Day and Avril Lavigne”

“If you mean “Support” as of what we stand for then we stand for being yourself no matter who you are and what you do (and let everybody else be and do what they want to). We stand for the search for glory and living life as something you'd love to be remembered for. We stand for gender equality. We fight racism, We believe in science, We fight for freedom of speech, We fight for kindness as a solution, We fight for unity and love with the people that share your same beliefs and We also stand for families as a primary form of higher education of the human race. 

Joaquin: I support emerging artists and Independent venues that support individuality (which is the main driving force when it comes to innovation and creativity. ) in short; anything that will stand up to The Man.

Jan: Delilahs (CH)

9. Who not?

Fabio: “Taylor Swift. I still don’t understand why she is a thing in music and also Robbie Williams because he behaved like an embarrassing asshole after I performed at the X Factor UK 2018 at Wembley Arena as a solo artist.”

“if you mean “not support” as for what we don’t stand for then I’d say We don’t support racism, sexism, conspiracy theories, pay to play shows, monthly subscription online courses, snapchat, all the people who had the guts to vote Trump for US president, Pineapple on Pizza, wars, selfish people, Advertisements on Youtube, Private Health Care, Affiliate marketing, That horrible shows with the Kardashians, The rent in London.”

Joaquin: “I Don't support art done purely for commercial reasons. Self expression is a powerful tool that should be used honestly and without the intention to manipulate.”

Jan: “Metallica”

10. Any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that? 

Joaquin: Playing on stage has always come naturally to me, the main trick is to not give a fuck about what anyone thinks.

Fabio: I remember when I was a kid I had a bit of stage fright before the show and to be honest I still have some of it sometimes but I learned that once you do the first step on stage the adrenaline comes through and you actually start getting in the right mood for the show. Therefore you are all up and ready to smash the night with some high-energy rock vibes that run through your veins and you cannot really stop it anymore! 

Jan: I enjoy being on stage and usually don't get stage fright. If I do, I do yoga and breathing exercises.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Fabio: “Musical influences come from various artists of the punk rock alternative scene like Green Day, Blink 182, Muse, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Mindless Self Indulgence, Celldweller, Pierce the Veil and Nothing But Thieves. But the whole Kanz philosophy is inspired also by the pop-punk culture of American Pie’s Parties, electronic techno dubstep sound designing, alternative rock lifestyles and sci-fi, futuristic cyberpunk culture which can be often noticed in the artworks of our singles. I would say there is also a touch of ‘musical theatre’ vibe in some of our songs and I guess that’s because of my past works in the theater business and previous musical shows I performed in, that shaped a lot of my background and musical influences.”

Jan: Glass Animals

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Fabio: “ I remember this one time after a gig when a girl came to me and told me her mum wanted to buy me dinner. I accepted. The dinner was good. Afterwards, she took me to her room... ”

13. What do you think of your fans?

Fabio: “Well, They're like my second family. We share the same beliefs and we stand for the right to be ourselves and to not change for anyone (no matter what other people say), we like to be weird and crazy and partying like hell (especially at live gigs where we share unity through music) we love funny stupid shit, we fight for human rights such as gender equality, freedom of speech, diversity, acceptance, tolerance. We love rock music, swearing. But we also share common struggles like depression, anxiety, sadness. We are essentially very different from the mainstream mass of people. You know, we like to wear weird clothes, we love to go to music festivals. We like street food. We like traveling etc.. but I think most importantly we share the fact that during our teenage years we have been suffering a lot because of our extreme sensitivity and difficulties fitting in class, society and sometimes even in a family context. So that brings us together a lot. I really care about all of them.

14. What do you think of our site? 

Fabio: Well, I gotta say your website contains such a huge variety of rock/metal music genres that some of them I didn’t even know existed! It blew my mind the quality and quantity of material you guys gathered over the years and certainly the outlook of the website is pretty appealing too! I enjoyed going through the “new bands” section to discover new talents, exploring the very original sub-genres of rock and metal music, wondering what emerging bands may be playing in Bangladesh, Croatia, Hong Kong, or Brunei (Where the fuck is Brunei by the way? No seriously I don’t know where that is...) and I love how easy it is to access Bandcamp websites of the artists, Spotify links and the event section which we hope is gonna be filled up with some exciting shows soon!

15. Something to add?

Joaquin: I like to add tabasco to my guacamole.

Fabio: Thank you so much for this interview. We are so happy to be part of this and you guys are great! I Loved your work. To everyone out there: If you like our music, Pre-save our new upcoming single “Borderline” on Spotify by clicking the link in the bio of our instagram profile. Also, We will be back on stage soon with some new freaking amazing live shows for you guys starting in september! See ya soon!