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| Photo by Pawel Dziurawiec. |
I first came across Kill Bitches To Dress Foxes on one of those meandering journeys through the internet, this one started by news of an exciting looking gig. Previously known as Medication Time, this London based three piece all girl punk band is comprised of Ale on bass, Itxi on drums and Turko on guitar. With a variety of musical backgrounds and citing influences as wide as Municipal Waste, Emma Goldman and Andy Stanton they kindly agreed to an interview about punk, politics and other stuff!
Could you give us an overview of KBTDF? How did you meet? When did you start? Had any of you been in bands before?
I ( Ale, bass) met Itxi Eskorputa (drums) 6 years ago when I came to London. We always talked about doing an all girl band but we didn't know how to play music at all! Three years ago I started to learn bass and tried to push Itxi and some other friends to do this but it wasn't happening ‘cause we couldn't find a guitar player until a year ago Itxi met with Turko Vein (guitar) in a gig ( they were friends already) and she said she'd love to join us. A week after we had our first practice and it was the best time in a very long time for the three of us. Another friend, Claudia, joined us in the next practise as a singer but she left after a few months and we decided to keep it as three and "sing" ourselves. Turko Vein plays in other 2 bands, Meinhof ( bass, singer) and Erege (singer). Itxi used to sing years ago in a band from the Basque Country called Y tu que coño miras! and for me this is my first time!
Why did you start, was it all about making music or did you feel you had things to say?
We started this as a therapy, just to let out all the anger, frustration and disappointment in our lives, as Itxi always says " I need to express myself through Punk!". We also wanted to see each other more often and to do something different rather than get wasted, so now we still get wasted but we also make music in the meantime, or at least we try!
You used to be Medication Time I think, when did you change the name?
We found out after a while that there is another band from the late 90's called Medication Time and we decided to change it.
How did you decide on the new name?
It was Itxi's idea, she was at a party and a friend said "Kill foxes to dress bitches" and she thought... Kill bitches to dress foxes! I loved it instantly and then we convince Turko V who wasn't very keen on it at first but know she likes it ( Itxi and I are very persuasive)
Who would you list as musical influences?
We could list almost everything because we listen to almost everything
Did you have a fairly clear idea of the sound you were aiming for from the start or has it evolved?
Not really... We just play what comes from our hearts :)
You have played a few benefit gigs, would you describe yourselves as a political band?
Well, we are all involved in political activism somehow (social justice, animal rights, refugees, women rights...) and that obviously reflects in the music.
What sources do you draw on in lyric writing? Books, films, your own experiences?
Mostly own experiences, from our point of view on things in general ( politics, sex...) to funny stories that happen to us partying or going to work... There has been a few times that on a break at the practise I would tell them something that happened on a night out and Turko V made a lyric out of it straight away! Obviously those songs won't make any sense for anybody else but us but who cares!!
How does the creative process work in KBTDF? Is there one main songwriter or is it very collaborative?
Well at the beginning it was mainly Turko V doing music and lyrics, now Itxi and myself are writing stuff as well
A lot of female musicians seem to experience a degree of sexism, an essentialist assumption that because they are a woman their musicianship will be less than a man's! What has your experience as musicians in the punk/DIY scene been like?
We haven't experienced sexism in the punk scene so far.
It seems to me that there has been a real upsurge in feminist punk bands and Riot Grrrl over the last couple of years-is that true or was I just missing it!?
It looks like it yeah! And that's really positive. Every time you see more female members in bands or all girl bands at the gigs and hopefully it will keep growing, it was about time!
Capitalism tries to create a sense of anxiety and insecurity, in women particularly. What resources of resistance have you drawn on in a sexist, capitalist society? Writers, musicians, thinkers?
The worst part it's the feeling of competition that capitalism puts on women to see each other as the piece of meat that "wants to steal my boyfriend from me" or "the bitch that looks better than me" and it works pretty well to keep us apart, that's why we need to cut all that crap and stick together. To mention some women that inspire us on this matter: Emma Goldman, Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill), Wendy O. Williams ( Plasmatics)
Do you think a sense of community and exploring your creativity helps in resisting those pressures to conform and consume?
Of course it does, cause you are doing exactly the opposite they want you to do
Does the punk scene still have a DIY ethos that can help encourage activism and creativity?
Yes it does, as to start with DIY and punk go together, at least from our point of view
What are your plans for 2017 -are you going to be out playing live, what plans do you have for releases?
First we are going to learn to play better and then we'll see :D
What bands and writers have you been enjoying lately?
Bands: Municipal Waste, Cancer Bats, Sleep, High on fire, Accused
Writers: Andy Stanton, Paulo Coelho, Allan Poe.
Big thanks to KBTDF their Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/kbtdf/
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