Kimchi Cowboys are the sort of band you might need hazy recollections of the day after seeing them, questioning, ‘Did that basically occur?’ ‘What the hell was that?’
This band — a multicultural mixture of Koreans and international musicians from world wide — is impressed by the showiness of glam rock, the vibes of latest wave and plenty of different sounds from the Nineteen Fifties to the Nineteen Eighties, and could also be one of many weirder bands in Seoul’s native music scene — in addition to one of many longest-running.
“We have now the desire to be bizarre, and I believe we transmit that to the viewers,” Steve Koons, one of many band’s founding members, advised The Korea Instances. “The Kimchi Cowboys had been shaped with inspiration from The Doorways and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, glam rock kinds, to boldly transcend the standard rock efficiency, to mix rock music with poetry and theater. We need to give the viewers extra than simply music — one thing for his or her eyes, our bodies and minds, in addition to ears.”
Kimchi Cowboys carry out in You Kill Bong, June 2, 2024. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
“We aren’t a fantastic band however we’re a enjoyable band,” mentioned Pip Chodorowsky, the band’s guitarist since 2013. “We even have a various variety of members. Many individuals have been in our band at a while or one other. As soon as a Kimchi Cowboy, at all times a Kimchi Cowboy. So that you by no means know what you’ll get, or who you’ll see on stage.”
“A few of our former members often present as much as do a track or two. We have now 5 singers now,” Koons added.
The band performs numerous covers, but in addition has its personal authentic numbers.
“Our originals are our declare to fame,” Chodorowsky mentioned. “They’re quirky and catchy and twisted, and our followers sing alongside.”
“My songs are likely to have a B-movie kind theme,” Koons mentioned, itemizing off examples. “Becoming a member of a cultish motorbike gang, an individual who adjustments into some form of creature and threatens to eat your loved ones, a haunting and obsessive butterfly lady.”
Kimchi Cowboys have been lively since at the least July 2006, once they performed the primary HBC Fest. However in line with Koons, their roots return additional, to at the least 2003.
“Again within the day, I used to be in a gaggle that was centered on poetry readings and acoustic music performances,” he mentioned. “A gaggle of us finally shaped a band, a gaggle of poets and musicians with the objective of doing authentic experimental improvisational music and poetry. We did a number of performances, largely in Itaewon.”
As was widespread, and nonetheless is, members got here and went.
“The revolving door is troublesome however finally value it,” Koons mentioned. “Regardless of individuals coming and going, we’ve at all times managed to search out somebody we want. Plus, we’re at all times open to have individuals randomly be part of us on stage. We’ve met numerous nice people who manner, and it’s cool having members from many alternative international locations.”
He then rattled off 12 international locations, including that three of the band’s drummers have been from Germany.
“It’s onerous to retain some sort of consistency of favor, apply schedules, so we find yourself everywhere in the map of kinds and abilities,” he added. “Some good issues about it: With totally different individuals we get totally different devices, sounds, track kinds. It retains us exploring new issues. It’s been a fuel assembly every kind of various musicians. We’ve performed with some very fascinating and gifted individuals from all walks of life.”
Kimchi Cowboys seem at The Studio HBC, July 31, 2020. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
Early on, the band went by means of a number of totally different identify adjustments, partly attributable to members shifting away, partly only for enjoyable. A few of the early names included Yarikuri Band, YK Band, YK and the Jellyfish, These Magnificent Bastards and the Tintinabuleros.
“My drummer and I had been renaming our band, which had disintegrated a bit as a result of normal expat causes of individuals leaving the nation. We needed a little bit little bit of a brand new route, so we needed one other new identify,” Koons mentioned. “We had been throwing names round — he’s Korean, I’m from Arizona — and so Kimchi Cowboys simply naturally got here up, and that’s the one which caught.”
They weren’t the primary band to take the identify Kimchi Cowboys, as at the least one — presumably two — bands carried that identify again within the Sixties to Nineteen Eighties. These bands had been one hundred pc Korean musicians, shaped to play reveals for U.S. navy personnel within the nation.
“I’m of the opinion that there ought to at all times be a Kimchi Cowboys band in Korea,” Koons mentioned.
In fact, at present’s Kimchi Cowboys would most likely not be mistaken for any earlier Kimchi Cowboys. They’re recognized for his or her flamboyant costumes, which embody wigs, masks, make-up and capes.
“We like to provide a theatrical expertise, so costuming is a crucial a part of our visible artwork,” Koons mentioned.
“We’ve had some fascinating experiences with our audiences. At one present, somebody in full clown costume appeared, at one other there was a dragon moshing round, throughout one present a man got here up and began enjoying a barstool after which he whipped out a flute and jammed on that. I bear in mind seeing what seemed like a pair critically attempting to make a child on a pool desk whereas we had been enjoying. I didn’t know we may very well be so inspiring! We had a present with out a drummer so a chef from the upstairs restaurant performed the drums for us with an enormous cooking fork. A satan with a pitchfork joined us on stage at an early Halloween present. A man with a brush attacked our lead vocalist throughout a present. Fortunately nobody was critically injured.”
Kimchi Cowboys carry out in VFW, Oct. 17, 2014. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
He recalled one valuable reminiscence, when a random viewers member began giving the band’s singer-trombonist grief. However the singer needed to get on stage, and advised the particular person he would battle him later.
“In the course of one in all our songs, our singer determined to go on the lookout for the man,” Koons recalled. “We stored the beat whereas he advised the story of what had occurred, then left the stage to search out the man. He was able to battle him proper then and there. Sadly — or fortuitously — the man had left.”
They’ve had the police shut down a number of of their reveals, largely for noise complaints, though Koons recalled one battle that broke out throughout a efficiency of Billy Idol’s “White Marriage ceremony” and acquired out of hand.
Nonetheless, Chodorowsky added, they attempt to preserve performances considerably reined in.
“Steve and I each invite numerous our college students, so it’s by no means too risque,” he mentioned.
“They often be part of us in singing ‘C is for Cookie,'” Koons added.
Kimchi Cowboys carry out in Stompers, Might 14, 2011. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
Kimchi Cowboys have been a landmark of the Itaewon space’s music scene for many years, and Koons famous that the band is one in all solely two acts to have performed each single HBC Fest, with the opposite being LRD Band, the music act of HBC Fest founder Lance Reegan-Diehl.
Kimchi Cowboys apply at a studio in Seoul, Jan. 12, 2008. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
Kimchi Cowboys have performed reveals at venues together with The Studio HBC, Stompers, Woodstock, Rocky Mountain Tavern, Phillies, Bedrock, Hidden Cellar, Thunderhorse Tavern and plenty of extra. They’ve additionally “snuck into” venues in Mapo District’s Hongdae a number of instances.
“Over time we performed all totally different locations, however it appears all our golf equipment have closed,” Chodorowsky mentioned.
Koons had a criticism about Itaewon. “It used to have a extra underground DIY feeling to it.”
Kimchi Cowboys carry out in Ssen, Nov. 23, 2007. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
“Our first venue, Ssen, didn’t actually have a stage,” he mentioned. “We simply performed within the nook attempting to not get in the way in which of individuals enjoying pool. Then — thanks largely to Lance and HBC Fest — there was a increase interval the place there have been a number of dwell golf equipment in HBC, Itaewon, Hongdae. Then it began petering out. I believe the loss of life of Mr. Woo, proprietor of Woodstock in Itaewon, was an enormous blow to the music scene. The Studio closing, too. Additionally, I haven’t seen any dwell poetry or acts just like the Watermelon Man anymore, and it’s onerous to search out venues apart from bars. I assume it’s simpler to have a DJ than a band.”
Kimchi Cowboys carry out in Time Out, Oct. 31, 2006. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
Shifting ahead, the band is increasing its horizons, on the lookout for venues to play throughout the town and nation.
“The longer term is unsure and the top is at all times close to,” Koons mentioned, quoting Jim Morrison from the track “Roadhouse Blues,” a track he believes they’ve have performed at each one in all their reveals. “I simply need to see the place life’s freeway takes, cease at quirky roadside points of interest and provides our viewers one thing to assist them take pleasure in and recognize the enjoyable of life,” he mentioned.
Kimchi Cowboys carry out in Ssen, July 8, 2006. Courtesy of Kimchi Cowboys
The band will play at Monster Pub close to western Seoul’s Hongik College on Sunday.
Observe @kimchicowboys on Instagram for extra info.
