Interview with Krav Boca (ENG-FRA)
Chat with Krav Boca, “Diy punk rap Mandolin” band
Following the release of “Pirate Party,” the band’s new album released on vinyl with an international co-production involving us among the others, we decided to ask Krav Boca a few questions, enjoy!
CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERVIEW IN FRENCH
Radio Punk: Hello and thank you for this conversation! Tell us a bit about yourselves: how, where and when was your project born?
Krav Boca: Our project was born in Toulouse in 2014. Among friends, we wanted to make music that was different from what we were used to hearing. We didn’t have any preconceived ideas at the beginning. We found our style and defined our way after our first tour. It was in Greece in 2015.
Radio Punk: Before Krav Boca, did you have any other bands?
Krav Boca: Not really. We were making music on our own.
Radio Punk: You are very politically engaged. Are you or have you ever been part of political collectives or social spaces?
Krav Boca: With our band, we are in contact with structured (or unstructured) organisations within the libertarian, autonomous and anti-authoritarian scene. We can participate in all kinds of struggles through our music. This is the essence of the project. We play regularly in squats all over Europe, and when we can, we participate in support concerts for causes we care about.
Radio Punk: I know that you participate in the paper fanzine Karton Zine, written in French and English. Can you tell us about this project?
Krav Boca: Our band was born thanks to the DIY scene, its mentality, its sense of sharing and welcoming. We wanted to publish a fanzine to talk about all the incredible people we meet on the road, during our tours. We talk about alternative music, of course, but not only. We like to talk about the people who give all their energy to things that are less banal than simple business. People who give meaning to their lives, not just for their career or their bank account. We talk about whatever we want, as long as we like it, and we can’t find it elsewhere. Of course, it must be in line with our values. Open-mindedness in all its forms with anti-fascist, inclusive and solidarity values.
Radio Punk: Given the unlimited influences of the music and the pyrotechnic show that you offer, I imagine that you have a very varied audience. Who is it mainly composed of? Who do we find at your concerts?
Krav Boca: As you say, we get a lot of different people at our shows! And we love it! That’s exactly what we want. Punks, techno people, rap fans… and even people who wouldn’t listen to our music at home but who love the live show! And our audience is multi-generational. It’s a great source of pride.
Radio Punk: Since you collaborate with many artists from the hip-hop scene and there is a lot of rap in your songs, can you recommend any particular artists? What is the hip-hop scene like in the world and in your region? If you were to make a comparison with the punk/hardcore scene, what are the common points and differences?
Krav Boca: When we are asked this question, we usually quote rap artists from Greece! That’s the hip-hop scene we know best. We have done featurings with our favourite artists. They are all great friends: Sponty, Sara ATH, Aeon, 0-100 Seirene, Rationalistas, Dio Miden Dio Miden (KK, Jaul, Incognito M., Hrwas)…
For us, it is also the hip-hop scene that has the most in common with the punk/hardcore scene. It is deeply connected to the DIY state of mind. Very politicised, independent and resourceful.
In Morocco, we love Al Nasser, and Mehdi Black Wind. On the French rap side: Ratur, Skalpel, HPS…
Radio Punk: You’re always on tour, which leads us to ask you many questions! Tell us for example how you organise so many dates, how you reconcile your lives outside of Krav Boca and if you manage to survive thanks to your music.
Krav Boca: We have dedicated our lives to Krav Boca. We play a lot because we are 8 people totally invested in this project. It is our priority. We don’t have another band. It’s hard to get by financially, but to cover the expenses (especially the price of gas) we screen-print our own t-shirts and sweatshirts. Merchandising helps us a lot, as we have a very loyal audience all over Europe who want to support us.
Radio Punk: As you are often on tour, where and when do you manage to compose and assemble the fanzine? Do you have a base of operations or a kind of commune like Crass where you do all the activities since you also self-produce the merch?
Krav Boca: We make the fanzine outside of touring. The same goes for the merch. We take care of all that on off days, in Toulouse and Colomiers.
Radio Punk: What political battles are you particularly keen on? What messages do you absolutely want to pass on to those who listen to you or see you in concert? Do you think that singing in French and Greek could be a limitation for those who do not know these languages?
Krav Boca: Those who really want to understand the meaning of our lyrics can do so very easily. We sing in French and Greek, and we systematically make our lyrics available in English. On Youtube, and on our website (www.kravboca.com). We have also made a documentary in independent (When the nights end) which explains our way of doing, exposes our ideas and our way of conceiving music. It’s a film about a year of touring with us, from January 2019 to February 2020.
With its editorial line, our fanzine Karton is also a tool of expression.
Many subjects are of course close to our hearts. The fight against fascism, against sexism and against homophobia, but also the right to housing for all, the reception of migrants and the battles around new ecological issues (like recently, the fight against the mega-basins project in the Poitevin marsh).
Radio Punk: You are extremely prolific on the recording front, you have produced an impressive number of records. What is the future of Krav Boca?
Krav Boca: We always want to evolve our music. We like to work on our show and surprise the people who come to see us. We want to create a feeling of communion with the people who follow us. We don’t have “fans”, we are together! We want to keep pleasing the people who follow us and meet new ones. We’ll see where it takes us!
Radio Punk: What are the cities where you had the best time and the ones where you would like to play, but where you haven’t been yet ? Can you tell us about a particularly good episode and a particularly grotesque one?
Krav Boca: We have had some amazing moments in Athens, Thessaloniki, Agrinio… Memorable moments in Casablanca too! We have done a lot of concerts all over Europe, but we still have a lot of cities to discover. We don’t feel like we’re going through the same things every year, it’s always changing. We want to continue to feel the excitement. That’s what motivates us.
Radio Punk: As we said before, it’s clear that you all come from different musical backgrounds, but how did you come up with the idea of creating this live fireworks show? Does the artist in charge also play a role in the studio part of the project or only live?
Krav Boca: All band members have a say in the compositions. Our two performers (fireworks and aerial hoop) are as involved in the creative process as the others. We are on the same footing in all areas. The same goes for our sound engineer. This is very important to us.
This “show” orientation came very naturally. We met each other, we liked each other, and we had the same vision of things. We wanted to offer something explosive, lively, and different. Our show is meant to evolve. We want it to be able to transform itself, according to our desires.
Radio Punk: To finish, we’d like to thank you and ask you a more personal question: what is the favourite album of each of the band members?
Thanks to you all! Congratulations for your work throughout the year! We follow Radio Punk a lot and we love it.
For our favourite albums:
Paul: Ärsenik – Quelques Gouttes Suffisent
Myrtille: Autonomads – No Mans Land
Rudy: Jul – La Machine
Adrien: The Gladiators – Dreadlocks the time is now
Nino: Comeback Kid – Wake the Dead
Louna: Aya Nakamura – Nakamura
Fafa: Ministry – Psalm 69
Dino: Sepultura – Beneath the remains
Credit photo for the first picture: Damien Baudoin
Support us:
We are a DIY project and you can support us, if you like, in the following ways:
– you can take a look at our catalog and order records, CDs, books, pins, and more;
– you can join our open call with a previously unpublished article.