The most entertaining entertainer the entertainment scene have ever seen. A psychedelic mix of Stax and Sun Ra with more than a dash of punk attitude. He talks spiritual guru’s, gentrification and Alejandro Jodorowsky. King Khan is the man!
You’ve said that you wanted to pay tribute to the filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky through your recent music. How has this taken shape?
His movies changed my life and about 12 years ago I began studying his teachings and learning Tarot. In 2005 I had a dream about him where I was in a class that he was teaching and the first exercise he had the students do was to stand in line while he came to each student with a basket of eggs. He pulled every students shirt and smashed eggs on each of their chests. When he smashed the eggs on my chest I was awakened by my doorbell. I answered the door and it was a Swiss filmmaker named Oliver Rihs. I asked him if he knew Jodo and he said he was familiar with his films. He wanted to use a song of mine for his film and then within one hour I was gonna do all the music for Schwarze Schafe. That was the first time I got involved in a major motion picture. Jodo blessed me right before with a dozen eggs on my chest!
Then a few years later I was playing guitar at a buddy’s wedding and this guy jumped on stage and began playing bass. After the song ended he introduced himself to me and it was Adan, Jodo’s son. We became friends and he was already a fan of my music. I would meet Adan in the strangest places all over the world. Eventually I was invited by his father to come meet him in Paris. It was there I felt truly initiated, he gave me the cards that I use, taught me lots of things and peered into my soul. As I was leaving he told me to be careful ‘cuz this was the year of my crucifixion. One month later I wound up having the biggest breakdown of my life.
I have kept in touch with Jodo whenever something big happens to me and I feel blessed to be a part of his elaborate universe. The ‘Born to Die’ video was my tribute to him and I am very proud to say that he loved it.
I read that you considered becoming a monk. How close did you get to this?
I was in a Buddhist monastery for a few days, I shaved a Mohawk and started wearing a robe. I was taken in by a female head monk in Daegu, Korea. She helped me out in a very troubled time.
You’re based in Berlin now? How is it over there, is it still a cheap place to be a musician?
The rents have doubled since I moved here. Gentrification is everywhere and yuppie parents are the thing that makes my blood boil the most… But breathing deeply and not noticing this makes everyday a pleasure. I raised my kids in this city out of very little and I am proud to be a Berliner.
What’s been your strangest brush with celebrity?
I guess putting my ass in Lindsay Lohan’s face was about as strange as it gets.
What’s the worst gig you have ever played?
A rockabilly festival in Germany that was full of fascists.
Have you ever had to fight yourself out of a gig?
I have stopped fights at gigs, I once saw a man punch a girl at a gig in Portland and I jumped into the crowd and punched him in the face. I am not a violent person and I really think the music I make has absolutely nothing to do with violent behaviour so there is no place for that at my shows.
What’s your craziest post gig experience?
Van breaking down and then getting fixed with duct tape and a pair of pliers, then arriving at the gig within minutes before having to rush on stage. Opening the van door to see about 2000 skinheads as our audience. It was supposed to be a reggae festival in east Germany! I brought my little sister to that gig and made her dance on stage ‘cuz I didn’t want her in danger. One skinhead got killed while we were playing. He got hit by a truck crossing the highway.
Worst battle injury?
My worst battle injury comes from the Canadian medical system. My lung had collapsed at the age of 18 and the 70 year old surgeon decided to cut my pectoral muscle in half to get to it. This was totally unnecessary, but I guess he saw a little Indian boy in front of him and got hungry and mistook me for his steak dinner. My body is medical history now, since one lung was operated on by an old pirate and the other lung which collapsed the year after was operated on my a Japanese wizard vampire who left but two small scars on the side.
Have you ever used the line ‘do you know who I am?’ to get into anywhere?
That line is embarrassing and I never used it….BUT I was getting kicked out of a club once ‘cuz I accepted a challenge to get naked on the dance floor. As the bouncers were dragging me out I yelled out “Jean-Claude Van Damme is a very good friend of mine.” The bouncers immediately stopped and looked me in the eyes, for one moment they believed me and then I started to laugh and got thrown out again, it was hilarious.
‘Murder Burgers‘ by King Khan & the Gris Gris is out now
