Banane Metalik

A lot of people think of psychobilly as a rigid genre filled with bands belting out standardized schlock. While that may be true to an extent, there are plenty of bands that actually contribute something to this art form and redeem it. Banane Metalik from France is one such band. Having started out 1989, their irreverent take on the genre ironically contributed in part to the formation of the heavy psychobilly stereotype that so many lesser bands cling to these days. But with Banane Metalik they just did their own thing instead of lazily fleshing out a tired formula. Driven by their lifelong appreciation horror themes and aggressive music, these guys aren't merely dabbling in the hip genre of the moment. They love what they do, and it isn't a gimmick to sell records or be more popular. I was able to learn more about what motivates them recently through an e-mail interview with vocalist, Ced. I've tried to fix up the language as best I could (Ced doesn't speak much English and I speak zero French), but there may still be a few rough spots. If you find yourself confused, just close your eyes and focus your psychic energy on what Ced may have meant to say. This sort of meditation can reveal meaning that transcends all language. Bask in it. - BL

RRP: Why did you break up in 1995? CED: Personal stories with the members of the band ... we became more distant and we also regretted during this period the intolerance of some people. Rock'n'roll is not just a fashion (beautiful haircut, new leather jacket...) but a way of life... RRP: What did you do during the time that the band was not active? CED: We have played in other rock'n'roll bands. We never stopped watching horror movies, going to the concerts, drinking and having fun with our degenerate friends. RRP: What motivated you to start back up ten years later, and do you have the same line-up? CED: During these ten years of absence none of us never stopped the music. We did not return because we were bored or to have more money, but to offer to all those that support us a crazy rock'n'roll show without concession, a show 666% gore' roll! [We have the] same line-up with the two guitarists (Bananium and Boris) and me, but we have a new double bass player. It was the double bass player of the old French band CARNATIX (very good friends), this choice appeared obvious to us . The drummer is a friend and a very good musician. RRP: How big do you think your influence was on the heavier strain of psychobilly bands that came after you? CED: Banane Metalik don't care about norms and rules of any style, we always did what we want in the composition of our songs, we listen to rock'n'roll (psychobilly, punk, hardcore...) even if the purists don't like that, here is the only influence which we can have. RRP: On your album you sing in French, Spanish, and English. Did you grow up multilingual? CED: No, I really don't speak very good English and almost no Spanish, I just like it and it's a way of thanking our public for their support. RRP: A lot of bands from Europe choose to sing in English rather than their native tongue. What motivated your decision to release a CD that is predominantly non-English? CED: I have more things to say in my language and the words which I write are appreciated by much people in my country (which they sing with us during concerts) and I don't wish to do something of opposite to my personality only to sell more records... But it's true that I will wish to better speak English to sing other songs in this language and to better understand this interview,-) RRP: Why do you think the horror genre and rock'n'roll mix so well? What caught your interest about each and made you decide to do this band? CED: Since I was young, I liked horror movies, movies of the eighties, and famous Universal and Hammer monsters (Christoper Lee, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi...). It's not something temporary or a fashion; it's a part of my life (collection posters, books, many movies) and when I discovered the music of the devil: the rock'n'roll!,-) I said to myself, it's what I need. I have never really found my place in the consumer society. I don't like the norms and the way of life which one sometimes try to impose to you. Banane Metalik is a means [a way] for me and the other members of the band to express our difference and our gore'n'roll madness,-) RRP: There is definitely a theatrical aspect to your shows. Do you think that spectacle is something missing with a lot of bands? What are some bands you've seen growing up or recently that had memorable live shows? CED: We judge first the music of a band and their integrity. For the BM, we like this kind of degenerated show: the eyes and the ears can thus appreciate our degeneration. We change our visuals regularly (costumes, make-up, decoration), but our shows in general are well worked. We are escaped freaks of a horror movie or hell. I like the visual show of the French band Punish Yourself (another kind of music but a good amount of madness on stage). RRP: If you had an endless budget, what would happen at one of your concerts? CED: Still more madness, make-up of Tom Savini, gore'n'roll pin-up...but not too big of a show without soul, with the public five meters from the band parked well behind barriers... We don't like to be too much far from our public when we play, we like to feel their energy! RRP: You've said that things you learned to appreciate in horror movies are the "special effects, the direction, gore, not taking a film at face value, the acting, and the scenario." What did you mean by not taking a film at face value? Do you think that sort of superficial viewing is something too many people do? CED: I like unhealthy films of horror and [films] without concession (the Thing, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween...) but I also like the films which have an amount of derision and humor like Evil Dead, Brain Dead, Killer Klowns from Outer Space... For example I like much the film Man Bites Dog! It's the story of the daily life of a serial killer. Many people were shocked by this movie because they take it at face value... in my view this movie is often really very funny. I don't know the translation, in France we call that "humour noir / black humour" But I think that it should be seen in V.O because the Belgian accent and the way of speaking about the actor are there for much! RRP: You've said that the "lyrics of Opus 666 are against the star system and the false artists who are puppets in the hands of majors who want above all to make always more money." Do you think that the artists always want to make more money just like the labels that they are on, or do you think that often there is another sort of desperation and neediness within them that makes them willing to conform? CED: I speak more about the prefabricated stars in this song...In France we have full emissions of shit (I think the same for you...,-) whose objective is to find the new star of the year. These stars and these emissions are formatted, they are above all the products of marketing which fill the pockets of the advertising executives, majors, medias... you can always listen these new stars on the radio, on TV... finally much of young people identify with this kind of model and think that this kind of bullshit is music...but for us it's [part of an] indigestible soup more mercantile than artistic. RRP: What do you think drives someone to remain independent, and how many people do you think would actually remain independent if a major offered them a large deal? What would you do in that situation? CED: I think that most important is never to forget from where one comes. Some play music only for the money (they become the puppets of the majors) but it's normal that rock'n'roll bands who sacrificed many things for the music can live one day off it... It is only necessary to remain coherent with oneself and the rock'n'roll way of life: not sell too expensive records and merchandising, not all to accept (publicity, TV emissions...). It is necessary to keep a way of life and a rock' roll attitude... too many forget this in front of a large amount of money. It's often that the rock' roll was not really in their heart...more one fashion than a way of life. RRP: Who is the woman in that song who is actually based on "a psychotic friend"? What is the story with her? CED: It's just a friend who lives in the same city as us. She has a very beautiful voice and likes to have fun during our gigs... therefore I have just to think of her for this song... she imitates a girl much too stupid who wants to become a rockstar. [It is] really funny in French,-) RRP: What was the scene in the television film "THE TRIANGLE OF THE DEVIL" that scared you most as a kid? CED: There is a scene where a pilot of helicopter returns to the top of a boat and all the bodies are hung and...nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I'm afraid, it is too bad of a childhood memory,-) Thanx for this interview, new album "Sex, Blood and Gore'n'Roll" available (Cargo Music)...join Banane Metalik's gore'n'roll !!!

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